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Bárdarbunga volcano (Iceland): increased seismicity
Wednesday, Feb 09, 2011
Another Icelandic volcano might be preparing itself for a new eruption. Bárdarbunga, a large central volcano at the NW end of the massive Vatnajökull ... [more]

Bárdarbunga volcano

stratovolcano ca. 2000 m (ca. 6,560 ft)
Iceland, 64.63°N / -17.53°W
Current status: dormant (1 out of 5)
Typical eruption style: Large effusive eruptions, some explosive activity.
Bárdarbunga volcano eruptions: 1080(?), 1159(?), ca. 1210, ca. 1270, ca. 1350, ca. 1410(?), 1477 (very large effusive-explosive eruption), 1697, 1702, 1706, 1712, 1716, 1717, 1720, 1726, 1729, 1739, 1750, 1766, 1769, 1797, 1807(?), 1862-64, 1872(?), 1902-03
Bárdarbunga, a large central volcano, had its last major eruption in 1477 when it produced a large ash and pumice fall-out deposit. It also produced the largest known lava flow during the past 10,000 years on earth (more than 21 cubic kilometers of volume).

Background:

The volcano is hidden beneath the northwestern part of the Vatnajökull glacier, and contains a 700-m-deep caldera that is hidden beneath ice and has extensive flank fissures, from where eruptions have taken place: the Veidivötn fissure extends for over 100 km to the SW, almost reaching Torfajökull volcano, while the Trollagigar fissure extends 50 km to the NE touching Askja volcano.

A major risk from Bárdarbunga are jökulhlaups (glacier-outburst floods), that can be hazardous for areas in all directions around Bárdarbunga.