Eyjafjallajökull Fact file
Eyjafjallajökull is one of the smaller ice caps of
Iceland, north of Skógar and west of Mýrdalsjökul It
is located 5 km (3.1 mi) off the island's southern
Atlantic coast about 120 km southeast of Reykjavik,
Iceland's capital city.
(Constructive plate boundary) Iceland is located on
the North American plate (Moving West) and the
Eurasian plate (Moving East), creating a divergent
plate boundary which move apart at 1-5cm every
year
Eyjafjallajokull is cone shaped, the 6th biggest
glacier in Iceland, covering an area of 78 sq. km
Eyjafjallajokull is a strato volcano. It is a conical
volcano built by many layers of hardened lava, tephra, pumice and volcanic ash. Strata volcanoes are
among the most common volcanoes. Due to the glacier on top of Eyjafjallajokull eruptions are
explosive and contain much ash.
Composed of basalt to andesite lavas
The cause of Eyjafjallajökull's explosive eruption seemed to be the meeting of one body of magma,
made up mostly of the common volcanic rock basalt, with another type of magma within the
volcano, consisting largely of silica-rich trachyandesite.
Primary effects Secondary effects
500 farmers and their families from the areas No human fatalities were reported
of Fljótshlíð, Eyjafjöll, and Landeyjar were Local water supplies were contaminated with
evacuated overnight (including a group of 30 fluoride. Flooding was caused as the glacier
schoolchildren and their three teachers melted
Krossá glacial river (which drains Eyjafjallajökull Exporters of perishable goods from the Caribbean
and Mýrdalsjökull glaciers) temperature rose by and Africa were badly affected. Kenyan farmers
6 degrees Celsius reportedly resorted to dumping stocks of fresh
ash blocking out the sun food and flowers, which would otherwise have
The ash cloud brought European airspace to a been sold to Europe. Kenya's economy lost £2.8
standstill during the latter half of April 2010, billion because of flights to Europe being
and cost billions of euros in delays cancelled.
Airlines lost a combined £130 million per day in
lost revenues, according to the International Air
Transport Association (IATA).
The ash contaminated local water supplies
Responses
Predictions informed scientists to tell farmers not to let animals drink from outdoor water
sources as high levels of fluoride would have contaminated water and would have had
deadly effects on cattle.
Icelandic Meteorological Office observes all Iceland's volcanoes and records any warning
signs of activity.
Eyjafjallajökull is one of the smaller ice caps of
Iceland, north of Skógar and west of Mýrdalsjökul It
is located 5 km (3.1 mi) off the island's southern
Atlantic coast about 120 km southeast of Reykjavik,
Iceland's capital city.
(Constructive plate boundary) Iceland is located on
the North American plate (Moving West) and the
Eurasian plate (Moving East), creating a divergent
plate boundary which move apart at 1-5cm every
year
Eyjafjallajokull is cone shaped, the 6th biggest
glacier in Iceland, covering an area of 78 sq. km
Eyjafjallajokull is a strato volcano. It is a conical
volcano built by many layers of hardened lava, tephra, pumice and volcanic ash. Strata volcanoes are
among the most common volcanoes. Due to the glacier on top of Eyjafjallajokull eruptions are
explosive and contain much ash.
Composed of basalt to andesite lavas
The cause of Eyjafjallajökull's explosive eruption seemed to be the meeting of one body of magma,
made up mostly of the common volcanic rock basalt, with another type of magma within the
volcano, consisting largely of silica-rich trachyandesite.
Primary effects Secondary effects
500 farmers and their families from the areas No human fatalities were reported
of Fljótshlíð, Eyjafjöll, and Landeyjar were Local water supplies were contaminated with
evacuated overnight (including a group of 30 fluoride. Flooding was caused as the glacier
schoolchildren and their three teachers melted
Krossá glacial river (which drains Eyjafjallajökull Exporters of perishable goods from the Caribbean
and Mýrdalsjökull glaciers) temperature rose by and Africa were badly affected. Kenyan farmers
6 degrees Celsius reportedly resorted to dumping stocks of fresh
ash blocking out the sun food and flowers, which would otherwise have
The ash cloud brought European airspace to a been sold to Europe. Kenya's economy lost £2.8
standstill during the latter half of April 2010, billion because of flights to Europe being
and cost billions of euros in delays cancelled.
Airlines lost a combined £130 million per day in
lost revenues, according to the International Air
Transport Association (IATA).
The ash contaminated local water supplies
Responses
Predictions informed scientists to tell farmers not to let animals drink from outdoor water
sources as high levels of fluoride would have contaminated water and would have had
deadly effects on cattle.
Icelandic Meteorological Office observes all Iceland's volcanoes and records any warning
signs of activity.
