What is happening to the plates in Iceland?
Because Iceland lies on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, it is being split by the movements of the shifting tectonic plates. The plates are moving apart, one to the east, the other to the west, and both the North American and the Eurasian systems are moving to the northwest across the hotspot.
Does Iceland sit on convergent plates?
You might have heard that Iceland sits on two tectonic plates. But which tectonic plates does it sit on? Iceland sits on the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. It is the only place in the world where you can see those two tectonic plates and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge above ground.
Why is Iceland special when it comes to tectonic plates?
Iceland is the only inhabited island in the world where tectonic plates and ocean ridge are visible on land. This makes Iceland a real hotspot in geological context. This results in many active volcanoes, e.g. Hekla and Katla.
How does tectonic activity benefit Iceland?
Iceland sits on top of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a 40.000 km long crack in the ocean floor caused by the separation of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. Icelanders have also reaped the benefits in the form of vast resources of geothermal energy.
What are the benefits of living in Iceland near lots of volcanoes?
volcanic rock and ash provide fertile land which results in a higher crop yield for farmers. tourists are attracted to the volcano, which increases money to the local economy.
What are the dangers of living in or near the volcanoes?
Volcano Hazards Program
- Tephra/Ash.
- Lava Flows.
- Lahars.
- Volcanic Gas.
- – Climate Change.
- Pyroclastic Density Currents.
- Volcanic Landslides.
How do volcanoes benefit humans?
Over geologic time, volcanic eruptions and related processes have directly and indirectly benefited mankind: Volcanic materials ultimately break down and weather to form some of the most fertile soils on Earth, cultivation of which has produced abundant food and fostered civilizations.
What are the benefits of living near Mount Etna?
Advantages: The ash that falls makes a great fertilizer that creates slopes around Mount Etna for farming. Mount Etna provides a great and interesting tourist attraction which is very good for the people of Sicily. The volcano controls the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
What are the disadvantages of living near Mount Etna?
Disadvantages
- Ash fall- towns and farms are covered by tonnes of ash, destroying crops.
- Poisonous gases are produced, choking and killing people.
- Lava flows, with temperatures between 800c and 1200c.
- Mud flows are formed from ash and rain mixing, creating a catastrophic river of mud.
What is dangerous about living so close to Mount Etna?
There is absolutely no danger to the lives and health of anyone living near Etna, even in the case of a major explosive summit eruption.
Why you should not live near a volcano?
In addition, the thermal energy from some volcanoes can be used to generate electric power. But if you live too close to a volcano—and it erupts—it can be lethal. If you live with a volcano like Merapi, it’;s wise to watch it closely. Volcanoes provide fertile soil–as well as deadly hot hurricanes of lava and ash.
What type of volcano is considered dead and not expected to erupt?
A dormant volcano is one that is “sleeping” but could awaken in the future, such as Mount Rainier and Mount Fuji. An extinct volcano is “dead” — it hasn’t erupted in the past 10,000 years and is not expected to ever erupt again.
What is the most dangerous part of a volcano?
The most dangerous features of these events are volcanic ash flows – swift, ground-hugging avalanches of searing hot gas, ash and rock that destroy everything in their path.