Risk of volcanic eruption in Iceland
Members of the media may directly contact:
Keiko Hattori (English only)
Distinguished Professor, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science
Professor Hattori examines the transfer of elements, particularly volatiles and metals, from subducted slabs to arc magmas via mantle wedges, and from arc magmas to hydrothermal mineral deposits.
“Iceland is sitting on the earth’s major rifting system where the land is separating into east and west by injections of molten hot magmas. Therefore, Iceland has many volcanoes and fissures (faults). These fissures can destroy infrastructures, such as roads and buildings. Most magmas in Iceland is mafic (high magnesium and iron and low silica) and very hot, which makes them fluid-like, less explosive. Icelandic magmas are known to be high in sulphur dioxide. Predictable behaviour makes Icelandic eruptions less dangerous compared to many volcanoes along the Pacific Ocean. But magmas mixed with water near the surface or glacier on the surface form fine ashes and spew them to the air. More importantly, eruptions release highly toxic gases, such as sulphur dioxides and hydrogen sulphide, to the atmosphere. Therefore, the eruption affects people not only with ashes but also toxic gases. ”