Mountain Ranges, Deserts and Landforms of Iceland

Tourism

Langjökull attracts visitors who are captivated by its immense size and natural beauty. The glacier offers a unique experience for adventure enthusiasts and nature lovers alike. With its easily accessible location in the Icelandic interior, Langjökull provides opportunities for various activities, such as glacier hiking, snowmobiling, monster truck ride, and exploring natural ice caves and man-made tunnels. These experiences provide a different perspective of the glacier and its surroundings, enhancing the overall visit to Langjökull.

Located near popular tourist routes like the Golden Circle, Langjökull holds a prominent position in Iceland's tourism industry.

Glaciation History

The last glacial period came to an end 11,500 years ago and was followed by the Holocene. Mýrdalsjökull is likely to have been present throughout the Holocene and definitely the last 8400 years as there is no evidence of degassed erupted tephra from Katla. Jökulhlaup's 8000 to 6000 years ago took a path over the highest pass in the caldera wall which does not support a crater lake source but would happen with an ice cap.

Until the development of remote satellite imaging it was impossible to monitor to annual accuracy the mass balance of Mýrdalsjökull. Such techniques allowed it to be determined for Mýrdalsjökull that it is the summer temperatures that are the predominant driving factor in the recent recession of the glacier.

Holocene history

Sediment cores recovered from seven lakes around Drangajökull reveal how the ice cap behaved during the early and middle Holocene. These "threshold lakes" acted like natural switches: when the glacier margin reached them, meltwater carried fine mineral sediments into the lake basins; when the ice retreated, lakes filled instead with organic‐rich mud, or gyttja. By examining the layers of minerogenic sediment versus gyttja, and by dating terrestrial plant remains and well‐known volcanic ash (tephra) deposits such as the Saksunarvatn layer (10,200 years ago), researchers have charted the timing of glacier advances and retreats.

Geography

Eyjafjallajökull consists of a volcano completely covered by an ice cap. The retreating ice cap covered an area of 66 km2 (25 sq mi) in 2019, but was previously more than 80 square kilometres (30 square miles), with many outlet glaciers. The main outlet glaciers are to the north: Gígjökull, flowing into Lónið, and Steinsholtsjökull, flowing into Steinsholtslón. In 1967, there was a massive landslide on the Steinsholtsjökull glacial tongue. On 16 January 1967 at 13:47:55 there was an explosion on the glacier. It can be timed because the seismometers at Kirkjubæjarklaustur monitored the movement.

Geology

The stratovolcano, whose vents follow an east–west trend, is composed of basalt to andesite lavas. Most of its historical eruptions have been explosive. However, fissure vents occur on both (mainly the west) sides of the volcano. The volcano is 800,000 years old.

The volcano is fed by a magma chamber under the mountain, which in turn derives from the tectonic divergence of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. It is part of a chain of volcanoes stretching across Iceland. Its nearest active neighbours are Katla, to the northeast, and Eldfell, on Heimaey, to the southwest.

The volcano is thought to be related to Katla geologically, in that eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull have generally been followed by eruptions of Katla.

Eyjafjallajökull erupted in the years 920, 1612, 1821, and 2010.

Geography

It has an elevation of 1,523 metres (4,997 ft) and is located north–west of the area of the Vatnajökull glacier under the Bárðarbunga central volcano. To its west is the volcano of Hofsjökull.

The Tungnafellsjökull volcanic system is located in a desert area that is fairly inaccessible, with little vegetation, and large areas of sand and sandy ridges.

Geology

It is the eastern most part of the Mid-Iceland belt and thus at the north–eastern corner of the Hreppar microplate. There are two central volcanoes, with the most southern being called Hágöngur and the most northern called here Tungnafellsjökull. Tungnafellsjökull has two calderas, with the western most 4 km × 9 km (2.5 mi × 5.6 mi) Tungnafellsjökull caldera being topped by a glacier and the eastern most Vonarskarð caldera facing towards Bárðarbunga having a geothermal field, and being the younger caldera. The system formed in the Pleistocene and deposits from this time extend from the present edge of the Vatnajökull glacier.

The fissure swarms of the Tungnafellsjökull–Vonarskarð volcanic system extend 15 km (9.3 mi) to the north and 25 km (16 mi) to the west–south–west.

Geography

Its highest peak is Ýmir [ˈiːmɪr̥] at 1,462 m (4,797 ft), which takes its name from the giant Ýmir of Norse mythology. The peak Ýma is about 500 m (1,600 ft) to its east. The Thórólfsfell (Þórólfsfel) tuya at 595 m (1,952 ft) is on the southern flanks of Tindfjallajökull, about 8 km (5.0 mi) south of the glacier. Its eastern slopes abut the Þórsmörk ignimbrite. The western flank has a prominence near Austurdalur and the eastern flank that of Vestriöxl at 1,002 m (3,287 ft). About 2 km (1.2 mi) to the north of Ýma is the peak of Sindri at 1,272 m (4,173 ft). Ásgrindur at 1,299 m (4,262 ft) is a similar distance north of Ýmir.