The volcano, which sits on a peninsula near Reykjavik, first erupted in March and has remained active since.
Unusual molten rock formations, nicknamed lava eggs, have appeared near an active volcano in Iceland. Some were recently spotted by a geologist, who explained to Reuters how the egg-shaped lobes formed.
Professor Matthew Thirlwall from Royal Holloway University of London states, “At the base of the flow, we see little pahoehoe lobes that are sort of being oozing out in egg-shape structures from the base of the flow.”
He adds, “And as they ooze out, they form a crossed of solidified lava, but they are still being fed from the inside, so the feed of lava from inside the flow breaks up these egg-shaped lobes and pushes them apart so you get these structures that we see.”
The volcano sits on a peninsula not far from Iceland’s capital city, Reykjavik. It first erupted in March and has remained active since.
No one knows for sure when it will stop, and it could even remain active for decades. In the meantime, it’s a popular tourist attraction that’s giving volcanologists a fascinating look at the living Earth.
