Using scoria cones, lava lakes and tephra islands to understand the evolution of basaltic fissure eruptions

• Published in: Geology Today
• Main Authors: Reynolds, P., Brown, R.J.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2018
• Subjects: Lava Lake; Lava Lakes; Iceland
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/gto.12223; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fgto.12223; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/gto.12223

Basaltic fissure eruptions are the most common eruption type on Earth. They are characterised by linear lava fountains that construct pyroclastic cones and expansive lava flow fields. The histories of these eruptions can be notoriously difficult to interpret due to the geochemical homogeneity of the tephra, and due to the fact that many of the early deposits become buried during later stages of the eruption. Furthermore, observing the construction of the pyroclastic cones is inherently difficult and dangerous due to the presence of active lava fountains. However, glacial outbursts in the north of Iceland have dissected the products of a Holocene fissure eruption. Examination of the pyroclastic cones, tephra deposits and a solidified lava lake along the fissure has allowed us to elucidate the complex eruptive processes that occur during these eruptions.