Geysers

The name geyser originates from the Great Geysir that erupted in Iceland in the 14th century. It continued to erupted at around 60-minute intervals to the 20th century, when it finally became dormant. It reawakened after the earthquakes in June 2000 and now erupts every 8-10 hours. Iceland has many geysers, one of the most famous of which is Strokkur, which erupts about every eight minutes and shoots water and steam to a height of about 20 metres.
The cause of this fascinating phenomenon lies deep underground. Surface water seeps down and becomes trapped in fissures and caverns, where it is heated by volcanic rock, expands and forces its way up to the surface. The steaming pool of water at the site of a geyser begins to boil and then forms a bubble from which steam and water shoot into the air. A sight which never fails to fascinate!