Brennisteinsfjoll

Crater rows in Iceland

Last Eruption: 1341

Key Facts

Elevation

610 m (2,001 ft)

Type

Crater rows

Location

63.933°, -21.783°

Region

Iceland Neovolcanic Rift Volcanic Province

Rock Type

Basalt / Picro-Basalt

Tectonic Setting

Rift zone

Location

Loading map...

Overview

The Brennisteinsfjöll volcanic system, located east of Kleifarvatn lake, consists of a series of NE-SW-trending crater rows and small shield volcanoes. Postglacial and historical basaltic lavas cover a wide area. An eruption in 1000 CE was dated by its occurrence at the time of a meeting of the Icelandic outdoor parliament at Thingvellier.

The most recent eruption took place in the 14th century.

Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment

Primary Hazards

Risk Level

Population at RiskModerate

Infrastructure RiskModerate

Aviation RiskSignificant

Geological Composition & Structure

Rock Types

Primary

Basalt / Picro-Basalt

Silica Content

Low (45-52% SiO₂)

Tectonic Setting

Rift zone

Continental rift or intraplate setting with varied eruptive styles.

Age & Formation

Epoch

Holocene

Evidence

Eruption Observed

Eruption Statistics & Analysis

Metric	Value	Global Ranking	Significance
Total Recorded Eruptions	Unknown	Low	Moderately active volcano
Maximum VEI	VEI Unknown	Minor	Local impact potential
Recent Activity	685 years ago	Historical	Historically active

Monitoring & Alert Status

Monitoring Networks

Global Volcanism Program

International eruption database

Current Status

Normal

No recent activity. Routine monitoring continues.

Nearby Volcanoes in Atlantic Ocean Volcanic Regions

Regional Volcanic Activity

The Atlantic Ocean Volcanic Regions contains multiple active volcanic systems. Cross-regional magma interactions and tectonic stresses can influence eruption patterns across the entire arc. Monitor regional seismic activity and volcanic alerts.

Quick Info

•Smithsonian ID: 371040
•Evidence: Eruption Observed
•Epoch: Holocene

About the Photo

The Brennisteinsfjöll volcanic system, located east of Kleifarvatn lake, consists of a 45-50 km long NE-SW trending fissure swarm, with crater rows and small shield volcanoes. Brennisteinsfjöll is seen here in an aerial view from the south with light-colored lava flows spilling over a 100 m high E-W-trending scarp from vents at least 8 km to the north. The body of water seen bottom left is the Hliðarvatn lake.

Photo by Oddur Sigurdsson, 1983 (Icelandic National Energy Authority).