Iceland

Volcano Eyjafjallajökull

   March/April 2010 

M.Rietze, M. Szeglat


Cinema

Video Sakura Jima, Suwanose Jima


Aesthetic pre signs to the eruption of the volcano Eyjafjalla?

The opening of the fissure at the eastern side of Eyjafjalla (Fimmvörduháls-passage)

Island 2010, by Martin Rietze     Island 2010, by Martin Rietzemr

Island 2010, by Martin Rietze     Island 2010, by Martin Rietze     Island 2010, by Martin Rietzemr

After the message reached us that a eruptive fissure opened on the 3/21/2010 in Iceland near the Fimmvörduháls passage east of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano, Marc and I decided as fast as possible to start a trip to this fiery happening. The eruption announced itself already for many weeks by stronger seismic activity, but it was not clear, where and how violent this event will took place. We arrived in the evening of 3/24/2010 and drove immediately into the northern lain valleys to check out a remote first overview. In the same night we changed to the south to the place Skogar, where a good walking way for the entrance to the new fissure exists. When I started immediately with the 16km and 1100hm ascent around 2:00 o’clock in the night, Marc followed the course in the day. In an altitude from approx. 450m a continuous snow layer began, with a heavy backpack a considerable effort. When I arrived at this place an impressive 300m long lava fountain row expected me. The strength of the eruption fluctuated. In calmer phases the lava lances reached up to a 30m height and in high phases over 100m. In the course of the next days some areas of the fissure regressed to interrupted strombolian activity.

Island 2010, by Martin Rietze     Island 2010, by Martin Rietze     Island 2010, by Martin Rietzemr

Island 2010, by Martin Rietzemr

Island 2010, by Martin Rietze     Island 2010, by Martin Rietze     Island 2010, by Martin Rietzemr

With an excursion toward the northeast a view was offered to me, where lava flows as well as melt water was running down in falls. We spent the following night nearby the refugee, a meter-thickly snow-covered hut at this time of the season. The hut was locked and we had to bivouac with accordingly through-frozen drinking water bottles in the morning. One day I had the luck to experience together with only 5 Iceland people a lava break-through into a over-hanging side ravine on the western side. First I could observe only the steam of the lava tongue, which was ‘working through’ under the meter-high snow layer. Within seconds a brown cooking melt water river formed itself under the abort-edge of the snow. More and more snow crashed down and created heavy steam expulsions at the ravine base. Few minutes later a lava fall felt downwards with din into the ravine. In seconds a kilometre-high steam and ash cloud piled up, which prevented unfortunately the completely view on the scenario. In addition, without a clear view and the photo option it was an indescribable experience. In only 30m distance I believed to myself staying in the middle of an inferno.

Island 2010, by Martin Rietze     Island 2010, by Martin Rietze     Island 2010, by Martin Rietzemr

Island 2010, by Martin Rietze     Island 2010, by Martin Rietze     Island 2010, by Martin Rietze     Island 2010, by Martin Rietzemr

Unique sights seen in contrast: Lava falls instead of water falls.

The descent took place in the afternoon to Skogar, in order to find on the following day some recreation by visiting other phantastic Island places. At the 28th we restarted a visit to the fissure, this time we shortened the ascent with a helicopter. Unfortunately the air sight was disappointing because the pilot was weakly cooperatively and the fountains decreased at all. Nevertheless it was again being worth, because you could come nearer to the AA lava flow on the west side and a new lava fall was at present. We jumped adventurously over melt water crevasses and over-hanging abort edge. Here only one place for the complete overview was extremely exposed. Lava fell over the cliff, impacted down and formed a broad river. Melted water whirled up by the heat strongly and formed all around the snow layer a blank ice cover. Here it would have been useful not to leave the crampons down in the car… A weather reversal brought icy north storm and due to this hard condition we decided the descent. Shortly after our departure a second fissure opened directly beside first.

Island 2010, by Martin Rietze     Island 2010, by Martin Rietze     Island 2010, by Martin Rietzemr

N'lavabommel

Island 2010, by Martin Rietzemr


Jump to
Island 2010, by Martin Rietze Eyjafoell Eruption 2010 by Thorsten Boeckel Eyjafoell Eruption 2010 by Thorsten Boeckel Eruption Eyjafjalla Volcano, Islan2010, by Thorsten Boeckel
Fissure Eruption Lightning Ice and Fire
Crater Strokkur

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©2010,Photos, M.Rietze, last modification 04/04/2010

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