Gígjukvísl
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Gígjukvísl also Sandgígjukvísl or Gígju |
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| Data | ||
| location | Iceland | |
| River system | Gígjukvísl | |
| source |
Grímsvötn , under Vatnajökull 64 ° 25 ′ 0 ″ N , 17 ° 20 ′ 0 ″ W |
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| muzzle |
Atlantic Ocean , south coast of Iceland, Skeiðarársandur Coordinates: 63 ° 56 ′ 13 ″ N , 17 ° 18 ′ 59 ″ W 63 ° 56 ′ 13 ″ N , 17 ° 18 ′ 59 ″ W |
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| Mouth height |
0 m
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| length | 30 km | |
| Catchment area | 1000 km² | |
| Drain |
MQ HHQ |
30 m³ / s 45,000 m³ / s |
| Flowing lakes | Grímsvötn ; Glacier lake below Skeiðarárjökull | |
The Gígjukvísl is a glacial river in the south of Iceland .
Location and important dates
The river crosses the Skeiðarársandur , an alluvial plain near the Skaftafell National Park .
Its mean water volume is 20–30 m³ / s in winter, but 50–60 m³ / s in summer.
In 1973 a 376 m long bridge was built over the Gígjukvísl as part of the completion of the ring road .
Volcanism and glacier runs
The Sandere Plain in front of Skeiðarársandur owes its existence to the regular, often strong volcanic eruptions in the Grímsvötn volcanic system . These are subglacial lakes that are prevented from freezing over by a volcano below them. Above them, however, is an ice sheet that is usually a few hundred meters thick. A large part of this volcanic system lies under the glacier shield of Vatnajökull .
In the event of an eruption, as last happened in 1996, 1998 and 2004, more and more water collects in the lakes due to the melting activity of the volcano. These masses of water finally break through the ice barrier in front of them, the Skeiðarárjökull valley glacier floats on them and finally the floods pour over the sander towards the sea.
Eruption in Gjálp in 1996
The highest tidal wave of this type recorded so far, which also flowed down the Gígjukvísl river in the course of the 1996 eruption in the Gjálp volcano belonging to the Grímsvötn system , was 45,000 m³ / s. The ring road bridge was badly damaged in this event. People were not harmed, however, as the course was closely monitored and the road closed in good time.
Glacier run 2010
Since October 31, 2010, both increased conductivity and a steadily increasing amount of water have been measured in the Gígjukvísl river in particular.
The course of the glacier at the measuring station on Gígjukvísl had a water volume of 455 m³ / s on November 1, 2010, on November 3, 2010, however, a water volume of approx. 1,650 m³ / s. reached.
At the same time, stronger earthquakes up to a strength of 3 on the Richter scale were measured at the measuring station on Grímsfjall , which is part of the caldera of the Grímsvötn volcano.
Geologists from the Volcanological Institute of Háskóli Íslands also noticed a sudden increase in volcanic tremor at the same measuring station on the morning of November 3, 2010 . These could be signs of an imminent outbreak.
According to the latest data and a surveillance flight, however, on the evening of November 3, 2010, there were no signs of an eruption that could break through the surface of the glacier. With a water volume of 2,600 m³ / s, the glacier run had reached its peak at the time, according to the scientists.
Surname
The name comes from the hills on the sand below the glacier, which are called Sandgígjur.
See also
literature
- Hjörleifur Guttormsson, Oddur Sigurðson: Leyndardómur Vatnajökuls. Viðerni, fjöll and byggðir. Stórbrotin náttúra, eldgos og jökulhlaup. Reykjavík (Fjöll og firnindi) 1997 ISBN 9979-60-325-9
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Íslandshandbókin. 2.bindi. 1989, p. 672
- ↑ The gjalp eruption in Vatnajökull 30/09 - 13/10 1996 Accessed: November 3, 2010
- ↑ http://en.vedur.is/about-imo/news/2010/nr/2039 Veðurstofan, d. H. Icelandic Meteorological Institute (English); Accessed November 3, 2010
- ↑ http://vedur.is/skjalftar-og-eldgos/frodleikur/greinar/nr/2037 Isl. Meteorolog. Inst. (Icelandic); Accessed November 3, 2010
- ↑ cf. http://wayback.vefsafn.is/wayback/20101105123452/www.ruv.is/frett/oroi-i-grimsfjalli Website of the Icelandic State Broadcasters RUV (Icelandic); Accessed November 3, 2010
- ↑ http://hraun.vedur.is/ja/oroi/grf.gif Tremordaten des isl. meteorol. Inst. Am Grímsfjall, accessed on November 3, 2010
- ↑ cf. also: http://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/natur/0,1518,726705,00.html Access: November 3, 2010 Axel Bojanowski : Vulkan in Iceland threatens to erupt In: Der Spiegel Online
- ↑ [1] Joint daily report (Isl .: Minnisblað) of the Icelandic Meteorological Office and the Department of Volcanology at the Háskóli Íslands from November 3, 2010, 5 pm (Icelandic); (PDF file; 39 kB) Accessed November 4, 2010
- ↑ Íslandshandbókin. 2. bindi. 1989, p. 672
