Iceland Within the Northern Atlantic, Volume 2. Группа авторов

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Iceland Within the Northern Atlantic, Volume 2 - Группа авторов


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fertile lands were surmounted for at least 400,000 years by a fire monster, the Hekla volcano (Figure I.5). Its Plinian eruption in 1104 AD (H1, volcanic explosivity index of 5) destroyed many Viking settlements in the Rangavellir, not only by falling pumice and gas but also by the associated glacial megafloods, the jökulhlaups, submerging the Þjorsárdalur with a wave of muddy water more than 25 m high. At that time, the Hekla must have been more ice-covered than it is today.

      Despite the island’s long isolation from continental Europe, there is a lot of information about its history. Indeed, Icelanders have jealously preserved their language and ancient books, including the famous sagas, and have often proved to be great writers and avid readers, even on isolated farms.

      To the northwest, the most impressive lava flow since the 18th century, the Holhurhaun flow, occurred along a fracture line, in association with swarms of earthquakes that stretched to the Askja volcano in the north. The previous eruption, that of Veiðivötn, had flown toward the south in 1747, awakening the Torfa volcano at the same time.


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