Kerið
| Kerið | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Geographical location | Iceland | |
| Tributaries | no | |
| Drain | none | |
| Data | ||
| Coordinates | 64 ° 2 ′ 29 ″ N , 20 ° 53 ′ 7 ″ W | |
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| surface | 5 ha | |
| length | 270 m | |
| width | 170 m | |
| Maximum depth | 14 m | |
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particularities |
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The Kerið is a crater lake in Iceland . It is the easternmost of five craters of the Tjarnarhólar series of craters belonging to the postglacial Grímsnes volcanic field , which in turn belong to the eruption belt in the Reykjanes – Langjökull area. Kerið is located in the Suðurland region on the road from Selfoss to Haukadalur .
Grímsneshraun lava field
In the eruptive phase about 5000–6000 years ago, the Tjarnarhólar crater series produced a large part of the lava masses of the Grímsneshraun ( hraun is the Icelandic name for lava or lava field), which extends over approx. 54 km². The lava mass is estimated at 1.2 km³. Overall, this Grímsnes volcanic field consists of 10–12 mostly relatively small eruptive centers. Most of the volcanoes there are rather inconspicuous because they are flat and overgrown. However, three volcanoes are clearly visible: Kerið, the somewhat higher Seyðishólar (214 m) and Kerhóll .
Data
The crater is 55 m deep. The crater lake in Kerið has a size of approx. 270 by 170 m and thus an area of approx. 0.05 km². The water depth varies between 7 and 14 m.
Geological classification of Kerið
Kerið crater was incorrectly referred to as an explosion crater or maar due to its inflow and outflow-free crater lake . However, all the features of a tuff or tephra ring that usually surround a maar crater are missing . In addition, Kerið shows signs of pronounced effusive activity in addition to a hot-deposited crater facies . The latter in particular contradicts the expected course of the eruption of an explosion crater. On the other hand, it is more likely that the crater floor will sink below the groundwater level after the eruptive phase has ended, as lava found another drain below the already solidified crater floor, creating a cavity that was filled with groundwater. The water level of the lake thus indicates the groundwater level of the area.
Use of the crater
While Kerið and the nearby cinder cone Kerhóll are now under nature protection , the cinder from most of the other craters in the Grímsnes volcanic field is mined for use as road construction material. Kerið is owned by Kerfélagsins ehf. Since June 2013 the visit costs 400 Isl Kr. Or 3 €.
See also
Web links
- Kerið in the Global Volcanism Program of the Smithsonian Institution (English)