Hekla Volcano, Iceland

Snow-covered Hekla, one of Iceland's most prominent and active volcanoes, is seen here in an aerial view from the east.

Toppgigur crater occupies the summit and Axlargigur crater forms a knob along the summit ridge to the left.

Repeated eruptions along an ENE-WSW-trending rift are responsible for Hekla's elongated profile.

The 5.5-km-long Heklugja fissure cuts across the 1491-m-high volcano and is often active along its full length during major eruptions.

Lava flows from Hekla's historical eruptions, which date back to 1104 AD, cover much of the volcano's flanks.

PHOTO SOURCE: Oddur Sigurdssin 1977, (Icelandic National Energy Authority), courtesy of the Global Volcanism Program, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, used with permission.

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