The 1973 Heimaey Strombolian Scoria deposit, Iceland

Abstract

Summary The 1973 eruption on Heimaey, Iceland, presented the opportunity to study the interaction of the principal factors that control the formation of pyroclastic fall deposits. The grain size characteristics and the dispersal of some of the scoria fall units within the Eldfell Scoria deposit are described and related to observations made on the wind speed and direction, the height of the eruption column, the ‘muzzle’ velocity and the various styles of activity during the first month of the eruption.