Kverkfjöll

Kverkfjöll

Kverkfjöll

The Kverkfjöll are a volcanic mountain range in Iceland with a height up to 1933 m. This makes them the third highest in the country after the Öræfajökull and Bárðarbunga. Like these, they are part of the Vatnajökull glacier shield.

The first ascent of the mountain range was the German geologist Trautz in 1910.

• 3.1 calderas and glacial lakes
• 3.2 Eruption History 3.2.1 Glacial volcanism
• 3.2.2 post-glacial eruptions

• 8.1 Kverkfjöll 8.1.1 photos and videos
• 8.1.2 Scientific Contributions
• 8.1.3 Other
• 8.1.4 Sports in Kverkfjöll

Position and shape

Location

The mountain range is located at the northern edge of the glacier Vatnajokull, about 40 km south of Askja. The Kverkfjöll lie in a valley between the expiring north very wide glacier tongues Dyngjujökull ( west ) and Brúarjökull ( east ) from which the rivers Jökulsá Fjöllum or Kreppa spring.

Shape

From northeast to southwest, the mountain range is about 10 km long.

One distinguishes the Eastern ( Isl Austari Kverkfjöll ) and Western Kverkfjöll ( Isl Vestari Kverkfjöll ). The two ridges are separated by a northward towards deepening Mountain Charter. In this valley glaciers of Kverkjökull flows to the northwest down to the 900 m high plateau in front of the mountains.

Two lower Palagonitrücken which are arranged parallel to each other in NE-SW direction, leading to NO from the Kverkfjöll and go over into it. The western Kverkfjallarani ie, the eastern Kverkhnúkar. The valley between, Hraundalur, opens into the saddle.

The peaks are in all directions very steeply down to the southwest. Since the massif has been developed under glaciers, it consists mainly of pillow lava and palagonite. The highest peak Skarphéðinstindur reaches a height of 1936 m.

Name

A notch, as it shares the Kverkfjöll is called in Icelandic kverk, hence the name of the mountain range is derived.

The volcanic system

The volcanic system of Kverkfjöll lies in the rift zone at the transition from the eastern to the northern Icelandic volcanic belt. The northern volcanic zone extends to the fjord Öxarfjörður.

In Kverkfjöll is the central volcano of a large volcanic own system in the north of Vatnajökull. The columns of the volcanic system pull from the central volcano from the northeast and southwest. And there the mentioned Palagonitrücken have formed during the last ice age to volcanic columns under the glaciers. The Kverkfjallhryggur disappears in the southwest under the Vatnajökull, whereas the northern Palagonitrücken extend very visible still 30 km to the northeast.

One explanation is the central volcano, so Kverkfjöll itself, one of the biggest magma chambers in the country.

Calderas and glacial lakes

In Kverkfjöll are two glacier covered calderas. The southern caldera is completely covered with ice, while large parts of the northern edges are eislos. They are located about 1800 meters height. The northern caldera called Gengissig and is just southeast of the tabernacle of the Glacier Association ( Jöklarannsóknarfélag ), the other is called Caldera Galtarlón and is located in Efri Hveradalur.

Under the ice of the two glacial lakes have formed, so that in the foreseeable future glacier runs were possible. The lake Gengissig measures about 600 meters in width and is 100 m deep. It was formed in 1959 by a small explosive eruption.

The western part of the mountain is particularly influenced by geothermal and hot springs. There is a narrow valley, which pulls in the western mountain range, the Hveradalir, which leads up to a strenuous hike glacier.

Eruption history

A total of 40 suspected outbreak series since emergence of the mountain chain, with about 100,000 km ³ ° have been produced on rock materials and tephra in the middle.

Exact figures are not available, eg because the mountains are so off.

Glacial volcanism

The system is very old. Outbreaks can be detected more than 100,000 years ago. We know not yet exactly how far the system under the glacier Vatnajökull enough.

Post-glacial eruptions

Very many columns traverse the Kverkfjallrani.

There were many effusive eruptions after the Ice Age. The lava field Lindahraun is the latest result of such eruptions and its age is estimated to be 2800 years. The highly fluid lava flowed like rivers down the sides of the Palagonithügel. It is, as far as we know, has been the recent outbreak in Kverkfjöllsystem outside the central volcano, " which is surprising because the Kverkfjöll system is just above the hot spot ( under Iceland ) "

The last eruption in 1968 produced only a slight ash cloud.

Glacier runs

Connected to the outbreaks in the Kverkfjöll and under the Dyngjujökull that belongs to the system of Bárðarbunga were considerable glacier runs.

It is believed that the glacier runs that have shaped the canyon Jökulsárgljúfur 3,000 and 2,500 years ago, ran out of this volcanic system or the Bárðarbunga.

Even in the 17th and 18th centuries there was always eruptions and glacier runs.

Smaller surges occurred in the years 1987 and 2002 ( between 400 and 500 m³ / s at about 40 km away at the Upptýppingar )

The Icelandic RÚV reported on August 17, 2013, that in the days before a small glacier run from the Kverkjöll in the Volga River, a tributary of the Jökulsá Fjöllum was passed and had torn a pedestrian bridge with it. In the Jökulsá Fjöllum were 335 m3/sec. measured at the Upptyppingar what this time of year means an unusually large amount of water and the glacier run nachweist.In subsequently had minor steam explosions stones thrown several hundred yards. A geologist said in an interview with RUV that here in approximately 1600 meters height over again regularly form glacial lakes and empty. The depression left by this time the glacier lake, measures approximately 500 meters in diameter. On the ice of the glacier, you can clearly see gray Lehmspuren as evidence of explosions. This would have been incurred due to the declining pressure after the had emptied at a high temperature area aufruhende lake. Even in the days that followed was a certain restlessness in the system determined, inter alia, to expressed in an earthquake of magnitude 2.7. This is, however, in this known earthquake zone not unusual, according to an employee at the Icelandic Meteorological Office, which is also involved in the seismic analysis. This secluded area near the northern edge of the Vatnajökull continues to be monitored closely.

High temperature area Hveradalir

The 10 km ² of comprehensive high-temperature area Hveradalir in the Western Kverkfjöll one of the five largest in the country.

The high temperature area is 3 km long and up to 1 km wide and is located in 1600 to 1700 m altitude ( Koordinaten64.685699 - 16.675901 ). There is also Gámur, a large fumarole.

Inside the Hveradalir is the lake Galtarlón in a small caldera. He is often covered by ice and sometimes wear out. " In June 1998, we suddenly noticed a high vapor column over the Hveradalir. As they went up into the Hveradalir, was the lake that had been here for years, suddenly disappeared and instead we saw many mud pools. "

Also on Skarphéðinstindur and in the Eastern Kverkfjöll find geothermal, eg in the Hvergil. 60 ° warm springs on a 2 km long strip as well as pillow lava - There are 40.

Ice Caves

Geothermal causes over again, especially on the river, the formation of ice caves. This may now no longer be accessed, because they have become very unstable.

Vegetation in the Kverkfjöll

Since this is a very far north situated high mountains, one finds no coherent vegetation in these mountains.

However, individual species grow up to 1400 m and above arcticum such as certain species of moss or Stereocaulon.

Vegetation is mainly found around the hot springs in the Hveragil.

Access and Tourism

Ancient sources report that in the Middle Ages a path led through the Vatnajökull and this was probably near the Kverkfjöll.

In the summer of 1970 they built a bridge over the Kreppa and a jeep on slope Hvannalindir up to Kverkfjöll ( slopes F 910 and F902 ).

A strenuous trail leads across the ice of Kverkjökull via Löngufönn into Hveradalir and from there to the hut Kverkfjallaskali.

The comparatively comfortable cottage Sigurðarskáli the Fljótsdalshérað and Husavik Touring Club is located at the foot of Kverkfjöll to about 900 m height ( Koordinaten64.747213 - 16.632278 ). It is designed for 85 overnight guests and is a good starting point for excursions into the Kverkfjöll area.

In the immediate vicinity of the active Geothermalgebiets Hveradalir lies on 1718 m altitude, the cabin Kverkfjallaskali ( Koordinaten64.6725 - 16.68975 ). It is operated by the Icelandic glacier club Jöklarannsóknafélag Íslands and offers up to 12 people a place to stay.

Since 2008, the Kverkfjöll lie in the eastern part of the Vatnajökull National Park.

Upptyppingar and Álftadalsdyngja

Late 2000s began at a depth of about 18-20 km earthquake series, which intensified in 2007 and 2008. The competent geologists such as Páll Einarsson from the Nordic Volcanological Institute presumed magma movements as the cause. These must, especially if they occur in such depth, not necessarily lead to outbreaks.

The earthquake activity has stopped in reduced strength. 2010, earthquake just north of the original epicenter near the ancient shield volcano Álftadalsdyngja settled, they had arrived at an average depth of about 5.5 km.

During an outbreak, the rivers and Krossá Jökulsá Fjöllum would relation to the procedures play an important role.

The very well-known in Iceland journalist and conservationist Ómar Ragnarsson and various other conservationists (from the conservation organization Landvernd ) represented the hypothesis that the severity of the now -filled reservoir Hálslón the Kárahnjúkarkraftwerk would have triggered the magma movements.