Overview
About Eyjafjallajokull
A glacier-covered mountain
The summit rises to roughly 1,666 metres. Two prominent outlet glaciers, Gígjökull and Steinholtsjökull, descend northward. The presence of ice matters to the volcano's behaviour: erupting magma can rapidly melt it, while interaction between water and magma can intensify explosive fragmentation.
The 2010 eruption sequence
A fissure eruption began at Fimmvörðuháls on 20 March 2010. A separate summit phase began beneath the glacier on 14 April. This explosive phase generated ash clouds that disrupted aviation across Europe and the North Atlantic, while meltwater floods affected the mountain's surroundings. The two phases illustrate how different settings can produce markedly different volcanic effects.
Changes beyond the crater
Scientists documented flood erosion around Gígjökull and sediment accumulation in the former lake below it. Wind subsequently lifted deposited ash back into the air. These observations show why an eruption's effects can continue after its most visible activity subsides.
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