Institute of Earth Sciences

The dynamics of glacial lake outburst floods (jökulhlaups) studied with satellites - New paper published in Nature Communications

The dynamics of glacial lake outburst floods (jökulhlaups) studied with satellites - New paper published in Nature Communications | Institute of Earth Sciences A new theory of jökulhlaups published in Nature Communications (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-70428-w) Grímsvötn subglacial lake within the caldera of the volcano Grímsvötn in the centre of Vatnajökull ice cap in March 2026 (Photo: Eyjólfur Magnússon). Volcanically- and geothermally-ind...

Please note that the application deadline for VOLCOM is March 22, 2026.

VOLCOM 2026 Summer School now open for applications - Volcanoes and Science Communication | Institute of Earth Sciences Volcanoes and Science Communication Summer School , June 8-12, 2026.    Venue: University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland. TARGET: The Volcanoes and Science Communication (VOLCOM) Summer School is primarily intended for PhD students and post-doctoral candidates studying active volcanoes. Partici...

The first high-resolution spaceborne observation of a major earthquake-generated tsunami presented | Institute of Earth Sciences A recent The Seismic Record study, "SWOT Satellite Altimetry Observations and Source Model for the Tsunami from the 2025 M 8.8 Kamchatka Earthquake", has made international headlines by presenting the first high-resolution spaceborne observation of a major earthquake-generated tsunami captured by...

Velocity measurements from a GPS-station run by IES of near the equilibrium line of Dyngjujökul show that a surge is likely stared.

Dyngjujökull started to surge | Institute of Earth Sciences Velocity measurements from a GPS-station run by IES of near the equilibrium line of Dyngjujökul show that a surge is likely stared. Dyngjujökull in northern Vatnajökull is a surge type glacier, typically surging with 20–30 year interval. It surged last time in 1998–2000, when 21 year had pass...

Icelandic Earth scientists discover Bronze Age rock carvings in Mongolia This summer, Earth scientists from the University of Iceland took part in field research in Mongolia with the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology based in Jena, Germany. During geological mapping, the scientists coincidentally discovered rock carvings (or petroglyphs) that were three thousand ye...

Some of the happy Landsvirkjun Energy Research Fund grantees from Askja.

This summer we have been making a new geological map of the area around Goðaland, Þórsmörk as part of the Rannís-funded project SPARKLE. We are investigating how eruptions from Katla and Eyjafjallajökull have been influenced by changes in the glacier. Photos from Rosie Cole and Elisa Piispa.

Preliminary petrographic and geochemical data for the latest eruption in Sundhnúksgígar has been posted on the homepage of Institute of Earth Sciences.
https://earthice.hi.is/eruption-sundhnuksgigar-august-2024-preliminary-petrographic-and-geochemical-data

Photo from Alberto Caracciolo

Preliminary petrographic and geochemical data has been posted on the homepage of Institute of Earth Sciences.

https://earthice.hi.is/eruption-sundhnuksgigar-may-2024-preliminary-petrographic-and-geochemical-data

Alberto Caracciolo, Sóley Johnson and Heini Merrill (from the Hard rock Geochemistry and petrology group) went to collect some fresh lava samples on May 31st.