earth science

Hofsjökull

Hofsjökull is a earth science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Hofsjökull rather than just read about it. In short: Hofsjökull (Icelandic: "temple glacier", Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈhɔfsˌjœːkʏtl̥] ) is the third largest ice cap in Iceland after Vatnajökull and Langjökull and covers the largest active central volcano in the country, which has the same name. It is situated in the west of the Highlands of Iceland and north of the mountain range Kerlingarfjöll, between the two largest glaciers of Iceland.

Key takeaways

Hofsjökull belongs to earth science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Hofsjökull to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Hofsjökull from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Hofsjökull (Icelandic: "temple glacier", Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈhɔfsˌjœːkʏtl̥] ) is the third largest ice cap in Iceland after Vatnajökull and Langjökull and covers the largest active central volcano in the country, which has the same name. It is situated in the west of the Highlands of Iceland and north of the mountain range Kerlingarfjöll, between the two largest glaciers of Iceland.

Glacier It covers an area of 830 km2 (320 sq mi), with the icecap top being 1,782 metres (5,846 ft), and bottom being at about 600 m (2,000 ft). There are other summits relating to the underlying volcano with two being at 1,765 m (5,791 ft). Hofsjökull is the source of several rivers including the Þjórsá, Iceland's longest river.

Changes While all ice caps in Iceland have been losing volume since 1995, due to high precipitation in 2015 and low ablation during the previous cool summer, the Hofsjökull ice cap increased in mass, the first time in 20 years this had happened. Between 1989 and 2015, even allowing for that last years increase, the icecap had lost about 12% of its 1989 volume which is close to 25 km3 (6.0 cu mi) of ice. Hofsjökull has been modelled to lose all its ice in about 200 years from studies using data between 1980 and 2005. Run off into the draining rivers is modelled to increase by about 50% by 2100 before decreasing due to diminishing area of the ice caps.

Volcano

The subglacial volcano is a central volcano with a caldera. Beyond the central volcano are fissure systems which include to the south the Kerlingarfjöll central volcano.

See also Glaciers of Iceland Iceland plume Volcanism of Iceland List of volcanic eruptions in Iceland List of volcanoes in Iceland

Notes

References

Sources Thordurson, Thor; Hoskuldsson, Armann (2002). Classic Geology in Europe 3: Iceland. Harpenden, England: Terra Publishing. ISBN 1-903544-06-8. Þorsteinsson, Þorsteinn (2015). "Hofsjökull ice cap gains mass For the first time in twenty years the Hofsjökull ice cap gains mass". Archived from the original on 2023-12-22. Aðalgeirsdóttir, G.; Jóhannesson, T.; Björnsson, H.; Pálsson, F.; Sigurðsson, O. (2006). "Response of Hofsjökull and southern Vatnajökull, Iceland, to climate change". Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface. 111: F3001. doi:10.1029/2005JF000388. Hjartardóttir, Á.R.; Einarsson, P. (2021). "Tectonic position, structure, and Holocene activity of the Hofsjökull volcanic system, central Iceland". Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research. 417 107277. Bibcode:2021JVGR..41707277H. doi:10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2021.107277. hdl:20.500.11815/4696. Björnsson, H. (2017). "Glaciers of the Central Highlands". The Glaciers of Iceland Atlantis Advances in Quaternary Science. Vol. 2. Atlantis Press, Paris. pp. 275–336. doi:10.2991/978-94-6239-207-6_6. ISBN 978-94-6239-207-6. Sigurðsson, Oddur; Williams, Richard S. (2008). "Geographic Names of Iceland's Glaciers:Historic and Modern". In Richard S. Williams Jr.; Jane G. Ferrigno (eds.). Satellite Image Atlas of Glaciers of the World series (U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1386-D (PDF). Retrieved 15 May 2024.

External links

Hofsjökull in the Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes (Photo) "Hofsjökull". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 2021-06-25.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Hofsjökull

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Hofsjökull claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In earth science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Hofsjökull before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Hofsjökull ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Hofsjökull

In research: Hofsjökull appears in earth science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Hofsjökull in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Hofsjökull is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Calderas of Iceland, Central volcanoes of Iceland, Glaciers of Iceland, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Hofsjökull outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Hofsjökull in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Hofsjökull means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Hofsjökull out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Hofsjökull in simple terms?

Why does Hofsjökull matter?

Because it connects several earth science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Hofsjökull?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Hofsjökull.