RAZOR: Inside Iceland's awakening volcanoes

Volcanoes are among Earth's most powerful natural forces, responsible for shaping roughly 80% of the planet's surface. Iceland — famously known as the land of fire and ice — owes its dramatic landscape to its location on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates diverge. The island's frequent and varied eruptions continue to captivate scientists.

In this edition of RAZOR, Reya El-Salahi visits the Nordic Volcanological Centre at the University of Iceland to meet a team of volcanologists investigating the country's most recent wave of eruptions — and uncovering new insights into the inner workings of these explosive geological events.

The current activity is centered on the Reykjanes Peninsula, near the capital city of Reykjavik. Dormant for nearly 800 years since the Reykjanes Fires ended in 1240 AD, the region reawakened in early 2021 and has since experienced 11 eruptions.

READ MORE FROM RAZOR

The next Pandemic?

Plant voice

Re-wiggling rivers

When an eruption begins, Professor Simon Matthews springs into action, collecting molten lava as well as solidified samples from previous flows. In the lab, these specimens are analyzed under electron microscopes, ground into fine powders, and chemically dissolved. Studying their mineral composition provides vital clues about the behavior of the volcanic system deep below the surface.

Iceland is powered by its geothermal riches — with around 90% of homes heated and more than a quarter of electricity generated using this natural resource. A chance discovery at the HS Orka Svartsengi geothermal plant, located beside the current eruption zone, provided scientists with a critical clue that helped forecast this recent spate of volcanic activity.

Further north, the ambitious Krafla Magma Testbed project aims to drill directly into a magma chamber — a world first. The dual goal is to enhance volcanic monitoring to mitigate disaster risks and to pioneer the next generation of geothermal power. But tapping magma's extreme heat comes with formidable engineering challenges. If successful, the team hopes this breakthrough can be replicated globally.