Ljósufjöll
Encyclopedia
Ljósufjöll is a fissure vent
system and central volcano on the Snæfellsnes
Peninsula in Iceland. The system has a length of about 90 km reaching from the lavafields Berserkjahraun on the northside of Snæfellsnes to the village Bifröst
and the nearby Grábrók craters next to the no. 1 highway (hringvegur) north of Borgarnes
.
The volcanic system contains cinder cone
s and is the only system on the peninsula that has erupted in recorded history. The eruption took place in the 12th century (1148) and cost the lives of around 80 people. One of them was the then bishop of Skálholt
, Magnús Einarsson.
The name derives from the central volcano and translates into English as "Mountains of the Light". The system is the largest Quaternary
rhyolitic
outcrop in the Snæfellsnes volcanic zone and as such the central volcano is highly silicic
which causes the light coloration.
Fissure vent
A fissure vent, also known as a volcanic fissure or simply fissure, is a linear volcanic vent through which lava erupts, usually without any explosive activity. The vent is usually a few meters wide and may be many kilometers long. Fissure vents can cause large flood basalts and lava channels...
system and central volcano on the Snæfellsnes
Snæfellsnes
The Snæfellsnes is a peninsula situated to the west of Borgarfjörður, in western of Iceland.It has been named Iceland in Miniature, as many national sights can be found in the area, including the Snæfellsjökull volcano, regarded as one of the symbols of Iceland. With its height of 1446 m, it...
Peninsula in Iceland. The system has a length of about 90 km reaching from the lavafields Berserkjahraun on the northside of Snæfellsnes to the village Bifröst
Bifröst
In Norse mythology, Bifrost or Bilröst is a burning rainbow bridge that reaches between Midgard and Asgard, the realm of the gods...
and the nearby Grábrók craters next to the no. 1 highway (hringvegur) north of Borgarnes
Borgarnes
Borgarnes is a town located on a peninsula at the shore of Borgarfjörður in Iceland.It has a population of 1,763 . The town is located 60 km north of the capital Reykjavík and is connected to other places in Iceland through the second largest bridge in Iceland, Borgarfjarðarbrú...
.
The volcanic system contains cinder cone
Cinder cone
According to the , Cinder Cone is the proper name of 1 cinder cone in Canada and 7 cinder cones in the United States:In Canada: Cinder Cone In the United States:...
s and is the only system on the peninsula that has erupted in recorded history. The eruption took place in the 12th century (1148) and cost the lives of around 80 people. One of them was the then bishop of Skálholt
Skálholt
Skálholt is an historical site situated in the south of Iceland at the river Hvítá.-History:Skálholt was, through eight centuries, one of the most important places in Iceland. From 1056 until 1785, it was one of Iceland's two episcopal sees, along with Hólar, making it a cultural and political...
, Magnús Einarsson.
The name derives from the central volcano and translates into English as "Mountains of the Light". The system is the largest Quaternary
Quaternary
The Quaternary Period is the most recent of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era in the geologic time scale of the ICS. It follows the Neogene Period, spanning 2.588 ± 0.005 million years ago to the present...
rhyolitic
Rhyolite
This page is about a volcanic rock. For the ghost town see Rhyolite, Nevada, and for the satellite system, see Rhyolite/Aquacade.Rhyolite is an igneous, volcanic rock, of felsic composition . It may have any texture from glassy to aphanitic to porphyritic...
outcrop in the Snæfellsnes volcanic zone and as such the central volcano is highly silicic
Silicic
Silicic is a term used to describe magma or igneous rock rich in silica. The amount of silica that constitutes a silicic rock is usually put at at least 65 percent. Granite and rhyolite are typical silicic rocks....
which causes the light coloration.