
Eruption near Sundhnúksgígar crater row, December 18th 2023
Petrological characteristics
The rock is composed of vesicular glass, plagioclase, olivine, and chromian spinel (Fig.1). Olivine and plagioclase are present as microlites (<100 microns in length), microphenocrysts (100-1000 microns in length) and macrocrysts (>1 mm in length), whereas chromian spinel occurs as microphenocrysts and inclusions in olivine microphenocrysts and macrocrysts. (Fig.1). Microphenocrysts and macrocrysts commonly contain silicate melt inclusions (Fig. 1b).
Figure 1: Petrographic characteristics of the Sundhnúkur lava collected in the early morning hours on the 19th of December 2023. A) Stereomicroscopic image of glassy lava fragments with plagioclase (plag) crystals. B) Backscattered electron image of the lava, containing olivine (ol), plagioclase (plag), chromian spinel (Cr-Sp) and basaltic glass. Note the inclusions of basaltic glass in plagioclase microphenocrysts.