NASA has captured a satellite image of red-hot lava from Iceland’s most recent volcanic eruption. The incredible shot, which also shows a large stream of smoke and gas rising from the explosion, was taken by OLI-2 (Operational Land Imager-2) on Landsat 9. Lava has flowed over major roads and closed into the Blue Lagoon, a popular tourist destination, after emerging from a crack in the Sundhunkur crater chain on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula. This is the seventh incident of volcanic eruption in the region in less than a year.
“This natural color view (pictured), acquired by OLI-2 on November 24, overlaid with an infrared signal to help distinguish the heat signature of the lava,” said a statement from NASA’s Earth Observatory. Is.”
“A plume of gas, consisting mainly of sulfur dioxide, erupted from the lava, although the eruption did not affect flights to and from Iceland,” it said.
According to the Icelandic Meteorological Office, eruptive activity had not decreased as rapidly as seen in previous eruptions, but had stabilized over the past 24 hours.
An update from 27 November said, “Eruptive activity has been steady over the past 24 hours, with lava now flowing mainly to the east and south-east, towards and along the base of Fagradalsfjall.”
It says, “The lava field near Fagradalsfjall has expanded slightly, but is becoming thicker. Eruptive activity at the vent as well as volcanic tremors remain stable. Landslide rates around Svartsengi have reduced significantly. “
Video: Volcano erupts in Iceland for the 7th time in a year, red lava comes out
What is a fissure eruption?
According to scientists, the current eruption of Iceland is a fissure eruption. A fissure is a fracture through which a sheet of magma flows. When this fracture hits the surface, lava erupts onto the surface. according to a BBC According to the report, the Reykjanes Peninsula was dormant for 800 years before volcanic activity resumed in 2021.
Volcanologists have warned that volcanic activity in Iceland has entered a new era. The country is home to 33 active volcanic systems, more than any other European country. It is located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a fault in the ocean floor that separates the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates and causes earthquakes and eruptions.
