Global Volcanism Program

The Global Volcanism Program has no activity reports available for Ljósufjöll.

The Global Volcanism Program has no Weekly Reports available for Ljósufjöll.

The Global Volcanism Program has no Bulletin Reports available for Ljósufjöll.

This compilation of synonyms and subsidiary features may not be comprehensive. Features are organized into four major categories: Cones, Craters, Domes, and Thermal Features. Synonyms of features appear indented below the primary name. In some cases additional feature type, elevation, or location details are provided.

Cones

Feature Name

Feature Type

Elevation

Latitude

Longitude

Barnaborg

Cone

112 m

64° 46' 0" N

22° 13' 0" W

Botna-Skyrtunna

Cone

988 m

64° 55' 0" N

22° 34' 0" W

Eldborg
Ildborg

Cone

112 m

64° 48' 0" N

22° 20' 0" W

Graakula

Cone

211 m

64° 58' 0" N

22° 54' 0" W

Gullborg

Cone

143 m

64° 50' 0" N

22° 14' 0" W

Kothraunskula

Cone

180 m

64° 58' 0" N

22° 58' 0" W

Raudahalsar

Cone

164 m

64° 51' 0" N

22° 14' 0" W

Raudakula

Cone

360 m

64° 57' 0" N

22° 53' 0" W

Raudakula-Horgsholtshraun

Cone

917 m

64° 55' 0" N

22° 40' 0" W

Raudakula-Svelgarhraun

Cone

806 m

64° 56' 0" N

22° 43' 0" W

Raudhalsar

Cone

440 m

64° 46' 0" N

22° 0' 0" W

Smahraunakula

Cone

140 m

64° 58' 0" N

22° 55' 0" W

Syrdri Raudamelskula

Cone

154 m

64° 52' 0" N

22° 18' 0" W

Yrtri Raudamelskula

Cone

222 m

64° 53' 0" N

22° 21' 0" W

Craters

Feature Name

Feature Type

Elevation

Latitude

Longitude

Skyrtunna

Crater

64° 55' 0" N

22° 30' 0" W

Basic Data

Volcano Number

Last Known Eruption

Elevation

Latitude
Longitude

370030

960 CE

1,063 m / 3,488 ft

64.9°N
22.483°W

Morphology

Volcano Landform
Cluster

Volcano Types
Volcanic field
Fissure vent(s)
Pyroclastic cone(s)

Rock Types

Major
Basalt / Picro-Basalt
Rhyolite
Trachyte / Trachydacite
Trachyandesite / Basaltic Trachyandesite
Trachybasalt / Tephrite Basanite

Tectonic Setting

Rift zone
Oceanic crust (< 15 km)

Population

Within 5 km
Within 10 km
Within 30 km
Within 100 km

713
713
1,511
192,797

Geological Summary

The Ljósufjöll volcanic system at the eastern end of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula is composed of a group of alkali olivine basaltic cinder cones and lava flows along short fissures on a roughly 90-km-long WNW-ESE line. The volcanic field is about 20 km wide at the eastern end and narrows to about 10 km on the west. It contains the largest outcrops of silicic rhyolitic and trachytic rocks in the Snaefellsnes volcanic zone, erupted during the mid- to late Pleistocene. Youthful-looking cinder cones and lava flows with morphologically pristine surfaces suggest numerous Holocene eruptions. The latest eruption post-dated the settlement of Iceland, and took place about 1,000 years ago.

References

The following references have all been used during the compilation of data for this volcano, it is not a comprehensive bibliography.

Flude S, Burgess R, McGarvie D W, 2008. Silicic volcanism at Ljosufjoll, Iceland: insights into evolution and eruptive history from Ar-Ar dating. J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., 169: 154-175.

Gudmundsson A T, 1986. Iceland-Fires. Reykjavik: Vaka-Helgafell, 168 p.

Jakobsson S P, 1972. Chemistry and distribution pattern of recent basaltic rocks in Iceland. Lithos, 5: 365-386.

Johannesson H, 1977. There is not the farm, where now is the Eldborg crater. Natturufraedingurinn, 47: 129-141 (in Icelandic with English summary).

Johannesson H, 1982. Summary of the geology of Snaefellsnes. Arbok Ferdafelags Islands 1982, p 151-172 (in Icelandic).

Johannesson H, Saemundsson K, 1998. Geological map of Iceland, 1:500,000. Tectonics. Icelandic Inst Nat Hist, Reykjavik.

Kjartansson G, 1968. Geological map of Iceland, sheet 2, west-central Iceland. Icelandic Museum Nat Hist, 1:250,000 geol map.

Steinthorsson S, et al., 2002. Catalog of Active Volcanoes of the World - Iceland. Unpublished manuscript.

Thorarinsson S, 1968. Roadlog: Scandinavian geological excursion. Unpublished Field Trip Guide.

Thordarson T, Hoskuldsson A, 2008. Postglacial eruptions in Iceland. Jokull, 58: 197-228.

Eruptive History

There is data available for 5 confirmed Holocene eruptive periods.

0960 ± 10 years Confirmed Eruption VEI: 3

Episode 1 | Eruption

Raudhalsar

0960 ± 10 years - Unknown

Evidence from Correlation: Anthropology

List of 6 Events for Episode 1 at Raudhalsar

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Phreatic activity
- - - -	- - - -	Lava flow
- - - -	- - - -	Cinder Cone
- - - -	- - - -	Scoria
- - - -	- - - -	Property Damage
0960 ± 10 years	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

0665 BCE ± 100 years Confirmed Eruption VEI: 2

Episode 1 | Eruption

Ytri and Stóri Raudamelskula

0665 BCE ± 100 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 4 Events for Episode 1 at Ytri and Stóri Raudamelskula

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Lava flow
- - - -	- - - -	Cinder Cone
0665 BCE ± 100 years	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

1750 BCE ± 150 years Confirmed Eruption VEI: 2

Episode 1 | Eruption

Grábrók

1750 BCE ± 150 years - Unknown

Evidence from Isotopic: 14C (uncalibrated)

List of 4 Events for Episode 1 at Grábrók

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Lava flow
- - - -	- - - -	Cinder Cone
1750 BCE ± 150 years	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

2050 BCE (?) Confirmed Eruption VEI: 3 (?)

Episode 1 | Eruption

Krothraunskula, Raudakúla, Graakula

2050 BCE (?) - Unknown

Evidence from Correlation: Tephrochronology

List of 5 Events for Episode 1 at Krothraunskula, Raudakúla, Graakula

Start Date	End Date	Event Type
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Lava flow
- - - -	- - - -	Cinder Cone
- - - -	- - - -	Ash
2050 BCE (?)	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

7050 BCE (?) Confirmed Eruption VEI: 2

Episode 1 | Eruption

Eldborg

7050 BCE (?) - Unknown

Evidence from Correlation: Tephrochronology

List of 5 Events for Episode 1 at Eldborg

Start Date	End Date	Event Type	Event Remarks
- - - -	- - - -	Explosion
- - - -	- - - -	Lava flow
- - - -	- - - -	Lava flow	Entered water.
- - - -	- - - -	Cinder Cone
7050 BCE ± 1000 years	- - - -	VEI (Explosivity Index)

Deformation History

There is no Deformation History data available for Ljósufjöll.

Emission History

There is no Emissions History data available for Ljósufjöll.

Photo Gallery

This vertical aerial photo (with south to the top) shows the Gráakúla scoria cone at the lower left, which erupted about 4,000 years ago and produced this lava flow that entered Selvallavatn lake. The flow is part of the Ljósufjöll volcanic system, which contains of a group of scoria cones and lava flows along a roughly 90-km-long WNW-ESE trend.

Photo by Landmælingar Islands, courtesy of Jack Green (published in Green and Short, 1971).

The Ljósufjöll volcanic system at the eastern end of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula is contains a group of scoria cones and lava flows along a roughly 90-km-long WNW-ESE trend. The crest of the Ljósufjöll range is seen here from the south with glacial moraines descending the flanks.

Photo by Oddur Sigurdsson, 1983 (Icelandic National Energy Authority).

GVP Map Holdings

Maps are not currently available due to technical issues.

Smithsonian Sample Collections Database

There are no samples for Ljósufjöll in the Smithsonian's NMNH Department of Mineral Sciences Rock and Ore collection.

External Sites

Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes (Link to Ljósufjöll)

The Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes is an interactive, web-based tool, containing information on volcanic systems that belong to the active volcanic zones of Iceland. It is a collaboration of the Icelandic Meteorological Office (the state volcano observatory), the Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland, and the Civil Protection Department of the National Commissioner of the Iceland Police, with contributions from a large number of specialists in Iceland and elsewhere. This official publication is intended to serve as an accurate and up-to-date source of information about active volcanoes in Iceland and their characteristics. The Catalogue forms a part of an integrated volcanic risk assessment project in Iceland GOSVÁ (commenced in 2012), as well as being part of the effort of FUTUREVOLC (2012-2016) on establishing an Icelandic volcano supersite.

Copernicus Browser

The Copernicus Browser replaced the Sentinel Hub Playground browser in 2023, to provide access to Earth observation archives from the Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem, the main distribution platform for data from the EU Copernicus missions.

MIROVA

Middle InfraRed Observation of Volcanic Activity (MIROVA) is a near real time volcanic hot-spot detection system based on the analysis of MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) data. In particular, MIROVA uses the Middle InfraRed Radiation (MIR), measured over target volcanoes, in order to detect, locate and measure the heat radiation sourced from volcanic activity.

MODVOLC Thermal Alerts

Using infrared satellite Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data, scientists at the Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawai'i, developed an automated system called MODVOLC to map thermal hot-spots in near real time. For each MODIS image, the algorithm automatically scans each 1 km pixel within it to check for high-temperature hot-spots. When one is found the date, time, location, and intensity are recorded. MODIS looks at every square km of the Earth every 48 hours, once during the day and once during the night, and the presence of two MODIS sensors in space allows at least four hot-spot observations every two days. Each day updated global maps are compiled to display the locations of all hot spots detected in the previous 24 hours. There is a drop-down list with volcano names which allow users to 'zoom-in' and examine the distribution of hot-spots at a variety of spatial scales.

WOVOdat
   Single Volcano View
   Temporal Evolution of Unrest
   Side by Side Volcanoes

WOVOdat is a database of volcanic unrest; instrumentally and visually recorded changes in seismicity, ground deformation, gas emission, and other parameters from their normal baselines. It is sponsored by the World Organization of Volcano Observatories (WOVO) and presently hosted at the Earth Observatory of Singapore.

GVMID Data on Volcano Monitoring Infrastructure The Global Volcano Monitoring Infrastructure Database GVMID, is aimed at documenting and improving capabilities of volcano monitoring from the ground and space. GVMID should provide a snapshot and baseline view of the techniques and instrumentation that are in place at various volcanoes, which can be use by volcano observatories as reference to setup new monitoring system or improving networks at a specific volcano. These data will allow identification of what monitoring gaps exist, which can be then targeted by remote sensing infrastructure and future instrument deployments.

Volcanic Hazard Maps

The IAVCEI Commission on Volcanic Hazards and Risk has a Volcanic Hazard Maps database designed to serve as a resource for hazard mappers (or other interested parties) to explore how common issues in hazard map development have been addressed at different volcanoes, in different countries, for different hazards, and for different intended audiences. In addition to the comprehensive, searchable Volcanic Hazard Maps Database, this website contains information about diversity of volcanic hazard maps, illustrated using examples from the database. This site is for educational purposes related to volcanic hazard maps. Hazard maps found on this website should not be used for emergency purposes. For the most recent, official hazard map for a particular volcano, please seek out the proper institutional authorities on the matter.

IRIS seismic stations/networks

Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) Data Services map showing the location of seismic stations from all available networks (permanent or temporary) within a radius of 0.18° (about 20 km at mid-latitudes) from the given location of Ljósufjöll. Users can customize a variety of filters and options in the left panel. Note that if there are no stations are known the map will default to show the entire world with a "No data matched request" error notice.

UNAVCO GPS/GNSS stations

Geodetic Data Services map from UNAVCO showing the location of GPS/GNSS stations from all available networks (permanent or temporary) within a radius of 20 km from the given location of Ljósufjöll. Users can customize the data search based on station or network names, location, and time window. Requires Adobe Flash Player.

DECADE Data

The DECADE portal, still in the developmental stage, serves as an example of the proposed interoperability between The Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program, the Mapping Gas Emissions (MaGa) Database, and the EarthChem Geochemical Portal. The Deep Earth Carbon Degassing (DECADE) initiative seeks to use new and established technologies to determine accurate global fluxes of volcanic CO₂ to the atmosphere, but installing CO₂ monitoring networks on 20 of the world's 150 most actively degassing volcanoes. The group uses related laboratory-based studies (direct gas sampling and analysis, melt inclusions) to provide new data for direct degassing of deep earth carbon to the atmosphere.

Large Eruptions of Ljósufjöll

Information about large Quaternary eruptions (VEI >= 4) is cataloged in the Large Magnitude Explosive Volcanic Eruptions (LaMEVE) database of the Volcano Global Risk Identification and Analysis Project (VOGRIPA).

EarthChem

EarthChem develops and maintains databases, software, and services that support the preservation, discovery, access and analysis of geochemical data, and facilitate their integration with the broad array of other available earth science parameters. EarthChem is operated by a joint team of disciplinary scientists, data scientists, data managers and information technology developers who are part of the NSF-funded data facility Integrated Earth Data Applications (IEDA). IEDA is a collaborative effort of EarthChem and the Marine Geoscience Data System (MGDS).