Why does the Icelandic volcanic system continue to erupt?

Known as the “Land of Fire and Ice,” Iceland is well-known for its periodic volcanic eruptions. Perched on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are splitting, lies this Nordic island nation. The region’s ongoing volcanic eruptions are mostly caused by this geological environment.

The Reykjanes Peninsula’s latest eruptions, which erupted in 2021 after being dormant for about a millennia, serve as a sobering reminder of the dynamic character of the island. With ten times more lava being produced per second than in prior eruptions at their height, the December 2023 eruption was especially noteworthy. The ferocity of this occurrence and the fissure’s quick spread have attracted major scientific attention since they presented a hazard to adjacent communities and infrastructure.
Geological and geographic aspects
A worldwide mountain range that passes across the centre of the Atlantic Ocean and is mostly covered by water is known as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Because of its special location immediately over a portion of this ridge, Iceland experiences significant levels of volcanic activity. Volcanic eruptions occur often as a result of magma rising from the Earth’s mantle as a result of the tectonic plates diverging.
Hotspot activity and tectonic motions
As a result of the divergent tectonic plate boundary caused by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the plates are moving apart. Volcanic activity results from this movement, which makes room for magma to ascend and fill the void from deep below the Earth’s mantle. Different kinds of eruptions and volcanic characteristics may arise from this uneven process. Because of its ridge-top location, Iceland is practically straddling two tectonic plates; as a result, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions may result from the tension and release of this tectonic strain.
Iceland is situated above not just the ridge but also a hotspot, which is a plume of heated mantle rising to the surface. Hotspots are believed to be comparatively immobile, and chains of volcanoes may form when tectonic plates shift over them. Hawaii’s islands are a prime illustration of this. In the case of Iceland, the hotspot intensifies the ridge’s already-occurring volcanic activity, resulting in more frequent and sometimes stronger eruptions.
The effects of glacial ice
Another important factor is the difference between the island’s glacial ice cover and volcanic activity. Explosive eruptions may result from the interaction between the hot magma and the cold ice when volcanoes erupt under ice caps. This is due to the lava quickly contracting as it cools and breaking into ash and pieces. Furthermore, jökulhlaups, or large floods brought on by melting ice, have the potential to seriously harm infrastructure and the ecosystem.
An historical outlook
Since the island’s colonisation in the ninth century, Iceland has had a lengthy history of volcanic activity. Prominent volcanic events, such as the Laki eruption in 1783 and the Eyjafjallajökull eruption in 2010, have had a significant impact on weather patterns throughout Europe and beyond, as well as aviation.
Possibilities and Difficulties
Iceland’s regular volcanic activity poses difficulties, especially for local populations and aircraft. It does, however, also provide possibilities. For example, geothermal energy, which heats around 90% of the nation’s houses and contributes roughly 25% of all power produced, is extracted from the heat produced by subterranean magma.