There are too many presumed extinct or now inactive volcanic features to list all of these below, so most monogenetic volcanoes can not be mentioned individually. This list of volcanoes in Iceland only includes major active and dormant volcanic mountains, of which at least 18 vents have erupted since human settlement of Iceland began around 900 AD. Subsequent to the main list a list is presented that classifies the volcanoes into zones, systems and types. This is in the context that there are several classification systems and many of the volcanoes may have separate shallow magma chambers and a deeper common magma source.
Where a major vent is part of a larger volcano this indicated in the list comment. Since some of these vent eruptions have been very large, disruptive or been regarded in popular culture as a separate volcano they have been included in the list but where this is not the case it is not appropriate to duplicate or create entries. So for minor vent eruptions since human occupation see the more comprehensive list of volcanic eruptions in Iceland.
[9] Also known as Eldey and Geirfuglasker volcanic systems.[10] This is classified often in either the Reykjanes volcanic system or as part of the Reykjanes Ridge. In the later context an eruption may have occurred as recently as 1970[11]
Also Sundhnúkur crater row (Sundhnúkagígaröðin). Is part of Svartsengi volcanic system but this has been classified by some with the Reykjanes volcanic system.[14][15]
Also known as Lýsuhóll, Lysuhóll, Lysukard[34] or Lýsuskarð. Has had two small eruptions between 1100 to 10,000 years ago but timings very poory constrained.[35]
Northern central volcano of the eastern Langjökull volcanic system also known as Langjokull, Oddnýjarhnjúkur-Langjökull, Oddnyjarhnjukur-Langjokull, and Skjaldbreiður (southern part) volcanoes.[41][42]
Name of subglacial cone stratovolcano vent system of the Bárðarbunga (Bardarbunga, Veiðivötn) volcanic system, being the Hamarinn central volcano; the Loki ridge to its north-east and the Fögrufjöll ridge to its south-west[3][4]
The 1970 eruption of Reykjaneshryggur (the Reykjanes Ridge) has indirect evidence and some would assign the 1926 eruption near Eldey as most recent as this was definite[11][15][10]
the East Volcanic Zone (EVZ) (extended to the Westman Islands, south of the main island as part off the off rift, South Iceland Volcanic Zone (SIVZ)[68]);
The Mid-Iceland Belt (MIB) connects them across central Iceland.
In Iceland's EVZ, the central volcanoes, Vonarskarð and Hágöngur belong to the same volcanic system; this also applies to Bárðarbunga and Hamarinn, and possibly to Grímsvötn and Þórðarhyrna.[69] The classification of volcanic systems depends on volcanology studies and has evolved with time. For example while Grímsvötn and Þórðarhyrna have similar eruptive compositions, as of 2020 Þórðarhyrna had not been studied in enough detail to have assurance that these are not two separate central volcanoes of two separate volcanic systems.[70] The southern tip of the EVZ propagating rift is an off rift region called the South Iceland Volcanic Zone (SIVZ), that often has more evolved magma and thus explosive eruptions.[68]
North of Iceland, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is called Kolbeinsey Ridge (KR) and is connected to the NVZ via the Tjörnes Fracture Zone (TFZ). Also the South Iceland Seismic Zone (SISZ) is another fracture zone, which connects the EVZ and WVZ. Both fracture zones include their own volcanic systems, smaller than those in the MIB.
There are also two intraplate volcanic belts: Öræfajökull or Öræfi, (ÖVB) on the Eurasian plate, and Snæfellsnes (SVB) on the North American plate.[71][72] It is proposed that the east-west line going from the Grímsvötn volcano in the Mid-Iceland Belt (MIB) to the Snæfellsnes volcanic belt (SVB) shows the movement of the North American Plate over the Iceland hotspot.[73]
Fissure swarm with effusive lava flows and phreatomagmatic/surtseyan explosive in sea with tephra. Crater rows with spatter, scoria and some tuff cones, lava shields, tindars and hyaloclastite hills.[15] The Reykjanes and the Svartsengi volcanic systems are sometimes classified together.[15]
Fissure swarm with effusive lava flows and phreatomagmatic/surtseyan explosive in sea with tephra. Crater rows with spatter, scoria and some tuff cones, tindars and hyaloclastite hills.[15] The Reykjanes and the Svartsengi volcanic systems are sometimes classified together under the former name. Accordingly volcanoes such as Þorbjörn have been assigned by authors to either name.[15]
Fissure swarm with effusive lava flows. Crater rows with spatter, scoria and some tuff cones, tindars and hyaloclastite hills.[47] The smaller Fagradalsfjall volcanic system is often classified with the Krýsuvík volcanic system.[47]
Fissure swarm with effusive lava flows, minor scoria deposits with long hyaloclastite ridges, tuya, and shield volcanoes.[47] The smaller Fagradalsfjall volcanic system is often classified with the Krýsuvík volcanic system.[47]
Fissure swarms with effusive lava flows and minor tephra production from phreatomagmatic activity. The central volcano is a hyaloclastite massif of tuyas and tindars. There are multiple other tindars, tuyas and crater rows.[25]
Recently effusive basaltic lava eruptions but central volcano is rhyolite with ice cover so jökulhlaup potential. Clusters of tuyas and lava shields.[55] The Prestahnúkur and Langjökull systems have been classified together.[69]
Effusive lava and phreatomagmatic. Multiple volcanic islands and sea mounts. Also known as Westman Islands, a central volcano may be developing.[8] Is part of SIVZ.[68]
Explosive tephra eruptions and fissure swarm effusive lavas of mixed composition. Often central eruptions feature a short plinian or subplinian opening phase followed by lava effusion.[33]
Explostive rhyolitic tephra and dome centrally but basalt effusive on fissure swarm. Fissure eruptions have propagating from Bárðarbunga volcanic system.[65]
Explosive basaltic eruptions with tephra and lava with jökulhlaups. The Þórðarhyrna (Thordarhyrna) central volcano is not definitely part of the Grímsvötn volcanic system and may be a separate volcanic system.[29][61][70]
Basaltic lava fissure eruptions with occasional large explosive silicic tephra eruptions. Double central volcanoes, shield volcano, rows of scoria/spatter cones, and some subglacial móberg ridges and associated tuyas.[2]
Recent effusive eruptions from central vents forming lava shields but some explosive activity. The central volcano has silicic rocks but picrite and basaltic olivine tholeiites lavas are recent.[59]
Stratovolcano with effusive basaltic eruptions and infrequent explosive silicic eruptions followed by extrusion of intermediate lava. Occassional jökulhlaups[57]
Iceland experiences frequent volcanic activity, due to its location both on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a divergent tectonic plate boundary, and being over a hot spot. Nearly thirty volcanoes are known to have erupted in the Holocene epoch; these include Eldgjá, source of the largest lava eruption in human history. Some of the various eruptions of lava, gas and ash have been both destructive of property and deadly to life over the years, as well as disruptive to local and European air travel.
Eyjafjallajökull, sometimes referred to by the numeronym E15, is one of the smaller ice caps of Iceland, north of Skógar and west of Mýrdalsjökull. The ice cap covers the caldera of a volcano with a summit elevation of 1,651 metres (5,417 ft). The volcano has erupted relatively frequently since the Last Glacial Period, most recently in 2010, when, although relatively small for a volcanic eruption, it caused enormous disruption to air travel across northern and western Europe for a week.
Katla is an active volcano in southern Iceland. This particular volcano has been very active historically with at least twenty documented major eruptions since 2920 BC. In its recent history though, Katla has been less active as the last major eruption occurred in 1918. These eruptions have had a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of between 4 and 5 on a scale of 0 to 8. In comparison, the Eyjafjallajökull 2010 eruption had a VEI of 4. Larger VEI-5 eruptions are comparable to Mount St. Helens 1980 eruption. Several smaller (minor) eruptions measuring VEI-1 and below have occurred since, with the most recent being in 1999.
Öræfajökull is an ice-covered volcano in south-east Iceland. The largest active volcano and the highest peak in Iceland at 2,110 metres (6,920 ft), it lies within the Vatnajökull National Park and is covered by part of the glacier.
Snæfellsjökull is a 700,000-year-old glacier-capped stratovolcano in western Iceland. It is situated on the westernmost part of the Snæfellsnes peninsula. Sometimes it may be seen from the city of Reykjavík over Faxa Bay, at a distance of 120 km (75 mi).
Hengill is a volcanic table mountain situated in the south-west of Iceland, to the south of Þingvellir.
The subglacial Esjufjöll volcano is located in the south-east part of the Vatnajökull icecap. Esjufjöll is a strict nature reserve.
Ljósufjöll is a fissure vent system and central volcano on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula in Iceland. The name derives from the central volcano and translates into English as "Mountains of the Light".
Theistareykjarbunga is a shield volcano in northeastern Iceland with two fissure vents called Þeistareykjahraun and Borgahraun, and two cones: the 370-metre Stórahversmór and the 540-metre-high, 30-km3 Stóravíti. They both are currently extinct. The multiple vents make up the Theistareykir (Þeistareykir) volcanic system.
Reykjanes is a small headland on the south-western end of the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland, giving the main peninsula its name. Volcanic action is responsible for forming the entire peninsula. The nearest town is Keflavik.
The geological deformation of Iceland is the way that the rocks of the island of Iceland are changing due to tectonic forces. The geological deformation help to explain the location of earthquakes, volcanoes, fissures, and the shape of the island. Iceland is the largest landmass situated on an oceanic ridge. It is an elevated plateau of the sea floor, situated at the crossing of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the Greenland-Iceland-Scotland ridge. It lies along the oceanic divergent plate boundary of North American Plate and Eurasian Plate. The western part of Iceland sits on the North American Plate and the eastern part sits on the Eurasian Plate. The Reykjanes Ridge of the Mid-Atlantic ridge system in this region crosses the island from southwest and connects to the Kolbeinsey Ridge in the northeast.
Guðrún Þorgerður Larsen is a professor emerita at the School of Engineering and Natural Sciences at the University of Iceland.
The volcanic system of Krýsuvík, also Krýsuvík-Trölladyngja volcanic system, is situated in the southwest of Iceland on the Reykjanes peninsula. It is located in the middle of Reykjanes and on the divergent plate boundary of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge which traverses Iceland. It was named after the Krýsuvík area which is part of it and consists of a fissure system without a central volcano. However, there are some indications—namely, the discovery by geophysical methods of what scientists interpret as a buried caldera, combined with the well-known, vigorous hydrothermal system above it—that an embryonic central magma chamber may already exist or be actively developing.
The Reykjanes Peninsula in southwest Iceland is the continuation of the mostly submarine Reykjanes Ridge, a part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, on land and reaching from Esja in the north and Hengill in the east to Reykjanestá in the west. Suðurnes is an administrative unit covering part of Reykjanes Peninsula.
Hveravellir is a geothermal field of the Oddnýjarhnjúkur-Langjökull subglacial volcanic system in the north of Langjökull glacier.
Eldvörp–Svartsengi ; "fire cones–black meadow" in Icelandic also Svartsengi volcanic system) is a volcanic system in the southwest of Iceland on the Southern Peninsula, southeast of Keflavík International Airport and north of the town of Grindavík. Made up of fissures, cones and volcanic craters, it had been relatively inactive for several centuries until 2020, 2022 and 2023 when seismic activity occurred in connection with nearby Fagradalsfjall eruptions. Then the system itself erupted initially in December 2023 with further eruptions in 2024.
Helgrindur is a volcanic mountain range or massif in the middle of the Snæfellsnes peninsula that provides a backdrop to the port of Grundarfjörður. The volcano can be regarded as potentially active, with a risk of lava flows and much more rarely explosive tephra eruptions. The range with its prominent peaks, of Tröllkerling at 891 m (2,923 ft) in its south-east, Böðvarskúla at 988 m (3,241 ft) and Kaldnasaborgir (Kaldnasi) in its north-west at 986 m (3,235 ft) is popular with hikers or mountaineers.
The Reykjanes Fires were a series of volcanic eruptions that took place on the Reykjanes Peninsula in south-west Iceland between approximately 1210 and 1240. They caused widespread physical and economic damage, covering large areas of the peninsula in lava and tephra and causing the mass starvation of livestock, as well as a number of deaths of people due to earthquakes. The peninsula's volcanic systems were subsequently dormant for 800 years until a fresh series of eruptions began in 2021, which have been called the New Reykjanes Fires.
Snæfell at 1,833 m (6,014 ft) high, is an ice capped stratovolcano located in the north-east part of Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland. While it has been dormant in the Holocene, it is now known to have had repose times of over 100,000 years between eruptions, so can not be assumed to be extinct.
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1 2 Larsen, G. (2019). "Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes:Eldey". Icelandic Meteorological Office, Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland, Civil Protection Department of the National Commissioner of the Iceland Police. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
1 2 3 Larsen, G.; Guðmundsson, M.T. (2019). "Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes:Katla". Icelandic Meteorological Office, Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland, Civil Protection Department of the National Commissioner of the Iceland Police. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
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↑ Guðmundsson, M.T. (2019). "Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes:Esjufjöll". Icelandic Meteorological Office, Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland, Civil Protection Department of the National Commissioner of the Iceland Police. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
1 2 Guðmundsson, M.T.; Höskuldsson, Á (2019). "Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes:Eyjafjallajökull". Icelandic Meteorological Office, Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland, Civil Protection Department of the National Commissioner of the Iceland Police. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
↑ Sigurgeirsson, M.Á.; Sæmundsson, K (2019). "Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes:Fagradalsfjall". Icelandic Meteorological Office, Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland, Civil Protection Department of the National Commissioner of the Iceland Police. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
1 2 Sæmundsson, K. (2019). "Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes: Fremrinámar". Icelandic Meteorological Office, Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland, Civil Protection Department of the National Commissioner of the Iceland Police. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
1 2 3 Sæmundsson, K. (2019). "Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes: Hengill". Icelandic Meteorological Office, Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland, Civil Protection Department of the National Commissioner of the Iceland Police. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
1 2 Jakobsson, S.; Larsen, G (2019). "Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes: Grímsnes". Icelandic Meteorological Office, Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland, Civil Protection Department of the National Commissioner of the Iceland Police. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
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↑ Sæmundsson, K. (2019). "Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes: Heiðarsporðar". Icelandic Meteorological Office, Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland, Civil Protection Department of the National Commissioner of the Iceland Police. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
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1 2 Jóhannesson, H. (2019). "Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes:Helgrindur". Icelandic Meteorological Office, Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland, Civil Protection Department of the National Commissioner of the Iceland Police. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
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1 2 Sæmundsson, K. (2019). "Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes:Hrómundartindur". Icelandic Meteorological Office, Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland, Civil Protection Department of the National Commissioner of the Iceland Police. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
1 2 3 Larsen, G.; Guðmundsson, M.T. (2019). "Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes:Langjökull". Icelandic Meteorological Office, Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland, Civil Protection Department of the National Commissioner of the Iceland Police. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
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1 2 Larsen, G.; Guðmundsson, M.T. (2019). "Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes:Kverkfjöll". Icelandic Meteorological Office, Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland, Civil Protection Department of the National Commissioner of the Iceland Police. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
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1 2 Sæmundsson, K. (2019). "Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes:Prestahnúkur". Icelandic Meteorological Office, Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland, Civil Protection Department of the National Commissioner of the Iceland Police. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
1 2 Jóhannesson, H. (2019). "Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes:Snæfellsjökull". Icelandic Meteorological Office, Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland, Civil Protection Department of the National Commissioner of the Iceland Police. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
1 2 Grönvold, K.; Sæmundsson, K. (2019). "Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes:Þeistareykir". Icelandic Meteorological Office, Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland, Civil Protection Department of the National Commissioner of the Iceland Police. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
1 2 Guðmundsson, M.T.; Larsen, G. (2019). "Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes:Þórðarhyrna". Icelandic Meteorological Office, Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland, Civil Protection Department of the National Commissioner of the Iceland Police. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
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1 2 Guðmundsson, M.T. (2019). "Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes:Torfajökull". Icelandic Meteorological Office, Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland, Civil Protection Department of the National Commissioner of the Iceland Police. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
1 2 Einarsson, P. (2019). "Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes:Tungnafellsjökull". Icelandic Meteorological Office, Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland, Civil Protection Department of the National Commissioner of the Iceland Police. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
1 2 3 4 5 Kahl, M; Bali, E.; Guðfinnsson, G.H.; Neave, D.A.; Ubide, T.; van der Meer, Q.H.A.; Matthews, S. (2021). "Conditions and Dynamics of Magma Storage in the Snæfellsnes Volcanic Zone, Western Iceland: Insights from the Búðahraun and Berserkjahraun Eruptions". Journal of Petrology. 62 (9). doi:10.1093/petrology/egab054.
1 2 3 4 Gudmundsson, T.; Högnadóttir, Thórdís (January 2007). "Volcanic systems and calderas in the Vatnajökull region, central Iceland: Constraints on crustal structure from gravity data". Journal of Geodynamics. 43 (1): 153–169. Bibcode:2007JGeo...43..153G. doi:10.1016/j.jog.2006.09.015.
1 2 Óladóttir, B.A.; Thordarson, T.; Geirsdóttir, Á.; Jóhannsdóttir, G.E.; Mangerud, J. (2020). "The Saksunarvatn Ash and the G10ka series tephra. Review and current state of knowledge". Quaternary Geochronology. 56: 101041. Bibcode:2020QuGeo..5601041O. doi:10.1016/j.quageo.2019.101041.:The Grímsvötn volcanic system, Iceland
↑ Thordarson, T.; Larsen, G. (January 2007). "Volcanism in Iceland in historical time: volcano types, eruption styles and eruptive history". Journal of Geodynamics. 43 (1): 118–152. Bibcode:2007JGeo...43..118T. doi:10.1016/j.jog.2006.09.005.
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↑ Höskuldsson, Á. (2019). "Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes:Snæfell". Icelandic Meteorological Office, Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland, Civil Protection Department of the National Commissioner of the Iceland Police. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
Other Sources
Thor Thordarsson, Armann Hoskuldsson: Classic Geology in Europe 3. Iceland. Harpenden, Terra, 2002
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