Eyjafjallajökull

Eyjafjallajökull āˈyäfyätläyöˌkŭtl [key], glacier, S Iceland, near the coast. Roughly 39 sq mi (100 sq km) in area, it covers an active volcano, 5,466 ft (1,666 m) high, also known by the same name; the volcano's caldera is roughly 1.2–1.6 mi (2–2.5 km) in diameter. Eyjafjallajökull last erupted in 1821–23; its eruptions are known for preceding those of the much larger Katla to the east. In 2010 the volcano began erupting again; ash from the eruption posed a hazard to air travel, causing disruption across much of Europe for a time.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

See more Encyclopedia articles on: Scandinavian Physical Geography