Hverfjall

Hverfjall
	Hverfjall in winter
height	452 m
location	Iceland
Coordinates	65 ° 36 '15 " N , 16 ° 52' 21" W Coordinates: 65 ° 36 '15 " N , 16 ° 52' 21" W.
Type	Tuff ring
rock	basalt
Age of the rock	approx. 2,500 years
	View into the crater of Hverfjall

The Tuffring Hverfjall (also Hverfell ) belongs to the Krafla volcanic system in northern Iceland near Lake Mývatn .

Formation of the crater

It formed around 2,500 years ago in huge water vapor explosions that were triggered when hot magma hit groundwater . The lava has solidified glassy due to water vapor. At the edge of a mighty column of water vapor, in which nothing could sink, volcanic loose material trickled down, forming this ring with a diameter of 1 km and a height of 90–150 m. Many of the innumerable layers were created by pyroclastic flows . The total volume of the ejected material was approx. 250 million m³.

More craters of this type

Only a few craters of this type exist on Earth. The somewhat smaller Lúdent is about 4 km southeast of Hverfjall. Other examples are the Diamond Head and the Koko Head in Hawaii or some specimens in the Fort Rock Basin in Oregon , USA.

Hiking trails on Hverfjall

The ring wall of Hverfjall can be climbed on two marked hiking trails. These must not be left in order not to destroy this sensitive geological tuff formation.