The Western World Daily Readings on Geography Chapter 58 Europe Physical Geography II

CHAPTER 58 Europe Physical Geography II Iceland by from Noun Iceland is a small island country , situated in the North Atlantic Ocean , west of Norway and east of . The name of the country is suggestive of ice , obviously . Indeed , over 10 of the surface is glacier . However , the island was created and still is being built by volcanic eruptions , so ice does tell the whole story . The story or tale of its naming goes back to the arrival of about the year 870 . Floki was greatly disappointed in the harshness and travails of that year frigid winter , so he spitefully named the place Iceland . The popular series of books collectively titled A Song of Ice and Fire found great success as the series Game of Thrones . Iceland has long been called land of fire and ice . Appropriately , some of the scenes in Game of Thrones were filmed in Iceland . 278

EUROPE PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY Indeed , the complicated physical geography of Iceland is a mixture of fire and ice . Iceland geographic location as an island almost reaching the Arctic Circle certainly produces cold weather . The main island of Iceland sits barely south of the line of north latitude , while some smaller islands ofthe country do extend above that line . Truly , in winter Iceland can be quite snowy , as seen in the satellite photo to the left . However , the North Atlantic Current ( or Drift ) as an extension of the warm Gulf Stream , brings temperate Atlantic waters to the coastlines of Iceland . In this way Iceland is as icy as it otherwise would be . Clearly icy at times and in places , it is Iceland volcanic nature that belies the icy name . Iceland sits astride the Ridge that stretches the length of the Atlantic Ocean , north to south . In the North Atlantic , the ridge marks the meeting of the edges of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates . These volatile edges 279 . Image by Richard Perry on . produce dramatic geologic changes in this case , as a divergent plate boundary . As these tectonic plates slowly move apart , molten rock material is released between them . Throughout the Atlantic Ocean this process has built numerous , rock formations that would be hills , mountains , and volcanoes if on land . however , do not reach the surface of the ocean . Place Iceland on the Atlantic Ridge to start the creation of at that location . Add a hot spot to the same location to enhance by substantial amounts that quantity of molten rock , thereby building a fine volcanic island in the North Atlantic Ocean . It is noteworthy that the Hawaiian Islands combine the movement of continental drift over a hot spot that over a few million recent years has switched on and off . Thus , the fixed hot spot has produced several Hawaiian Islands as continental drift has moved them along . In contrast , apparently due to the region . Cartography . Apparently , In fact , Iceland adds a second geologic process to its development . The generally understand process of hot spot or mantle plume occurs where a weak spot in the Earth mantle releases molten material . The process illustrates the building blocks of the Hawaiian Islands . When under oceans , these lasting hot regions contribute such large quantities of molten material that islands are formed , in contrast to the . Iceland is different than these . Cartography by . conditions of the Ridge , Iceland has remained in a fixed location even as the ocean floor spreads apart . For instance , note that the Islands to the east have moved progressively in that direction .

280 Photo on JOEL QUAM AND SCOTT CAMPBELL Along with volcanoes , Iceland has several other geothermal landscape features . The most famous thermal site , the Blue Lagoon , actually is a manmade pool created from water out of the adjacent geothermal heating plant . The five geothermal heating plants produce about of the electricity . Furthermore , these plants contribute heating and hot water for about the country needs . The term geyser is derived from the Icelandic word . Hot springs , geysers , and mud pools are found in Iceland . Overall though , volcanoes are the big dynamic features of this country . There are about 130 volcanoes on the island with several being active still . Eighteen volcanoes there have erupted since the year 871 . erupted in 1873 causing devastation and killing people . blasted in 2010 , sending so much ash into the atmosphere that air travel through the region was canceled for several weeks . And yet , Iceland has glaciers . In fact , its largest glacier or ice cap is , the area of which is three times the size of Rhode Island . The island has 269 named glaciers . It does snow in Iceland . Glaciers are formed by large amounts of snow , compressing into ice over long periods of time . In February 2017 , the capital city took in twenty inches of snow , a record for that month . Generally , more snow occurs in the northern regions of the island and in higher altitudes . Some areas , often including , receive only modest snowfalls . However , over the centuries snowfall and cold weather did allow the creation of numerous glaciers . Add a volcanic eruption to a glacier and you may get a , an abrupt torrent of water like a river that moves with great speed and force . When a volcano has been capped by a glacier , but returns to activity , an eruption will suddenly melt the glacier , releasing vast amounts of water to flow downhill . A in Photo by Trevor Cole on Glaciers and flowing water have created waterfalls in Iceland , such as , seen in this photo . Click below for a brief look at , noting the dark volcanic rock . Do you now realize that means waterfall in Icelandic ?

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text . You can watch it online here Not impressed enough yet ?

Check out this jagged EUROPE PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY II 281 landscape and yet another . Video by via . An interactive or media element has been excluded from this version ofthe text . You can view it online here ra ?

Direct Link to Video ( New Tab ) So , should Iceland be named as it is ?

Sort of . Maybe the author George Martin came closer with the phrase ice and fire . Or fire and ice . just so it not named , for there is very little green in Iceland . But then , that another story . Did You Know ?

Sometimes architecture is influenced by the physical landscape . For this type of example in Iceland , watch this short video . An interactive or media element has been excluded from this version of the text . You can view it online here ?

Direct Link to Concert Hall Video ( New Tab ) For an interesting explanation ofthe creation of maps for the Game series , go to Both Star Trek and Star Wars films have used locations in Iceland for filming . Check Your Understanding 282 AND SCOTT CAMPBELL An interactive or media element has been excluded from this version of the text . You can view it online here ?

CITED AND ADDITIONAL BIBLIOGRAPHY , 2020 . Hotspots Dynamic Earth , 2019 . Christine . 2020 . Concert Hall . College of Field and Experiential Learning Study Abroad and Global Education . VIdeo ?

Richard . 2007 . Iceland . Generic ( Ian . 2020 . Iceland . College of GIS class . Double Rainbow at Waterfall Accessed July 20 , Jeff . 2020 . Iceland Region . College of GIS class .