Askja, a Volcano in the Interior of Iceland

intimately associated as in Iceland. Volcanic rocks form the greater part of its area; many of these are recent lavas which have been poured forth by its active volcanoes. The higher portions of the island are covered by large ice-fields, great flat carapaces similar to the ice-cap under which Greenland lies buried. The largest of these, the Vatna J6kull, is three times the size of Rhode Island. In some cases an active volcano projects above the ice-cap. When an eruption takes place under these circumstances the effect is catastrophic. The red-hot lava, falling on the ice, causes it to melt suddenly, and a torrent of steaming water, mud, rocks, and pieces of ice is precipitated down the slopes into the valleys below. Although Hecla is Iceland's best-known volcano, there are many others that deserve attention. Possibly the most interesting of these is Askja, an immense crater in the east-central section of the island. In 1913 the

Geography · Seismology · Volcano · Cryospheric studies and observations · Geology · Polar Research and Ecology · Science and Climate Studies