Morning glow
Glowing lava pours steam into the air, where it catches the morning light. This photo shows the Aug. 29 eruption in the Holuhraun lava field north of Bardarbunga volcano in Iceland. Here are more beautiful images of the eruption.
The source
Bardarbunga volcano viewed from Askja volcano 30 miles (50 km) to the northeast. The volcanic activity started Aug. 16, when thousands of small earthquakes underneath Bardarbunga signaled fresh magma (molten rock) was burrowing underground.
The rock trackers
Geologists tracked magma on the move from Bardarbunga to Holuhraun using earthquakes and GPS.
Quiet before the storm
The Holuhraun lava field is an older lava flow that erupted in 1797. As fresh magma neared the surface, new cracks opened in the surface and older fractures widened, as shown here.
The world watches
Anyone with an Internet connection could watch the eruption live on one of several webcams pointed at the region.
Aftermath
The eruption lasted only four hours, but the lava was still steaming when scientists surveyed the area by plane.
Different view
This radar image of the Aug. 29 lava flow clearly shows the fresh rock.
Ash and steam
Fresh ash (the lighter layer) coats the ground in the top half of this image.
Hot and cold
A glowing lava flow snapped by scientists monitoring the Holuhraun eruption.
Bigger every day
A map of the Holuhraun lava flow on Sept. 3.
Fiery fountains
Lava jets into the air from the new fissure.
