Litli-Hrútur, or “Little Ram” formed on the Reykjanes Peninsula, in the country’s southwest, July 10 after a fissure fractured the ground.
Loud explosions can now be heard ringing through the scarred landscape as volatile gases combust.
“The gas then accumulates in gaps and cavities in the lava.”
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“When an ember or flame from the fire breaks into it, an explosion occurs.”
Authorities urge adventure-seekers to exercise caution if they approach the eruption site.
David Smart, a tornado and storm researcher at University College London’s Hazard Center, told Live Science the phenomenon happens when heat from the ground reacts with the atmosphere.
“This is a type of tornado that is sometimes seen where there is a strong heat source on the ground and the atmosphere is unstable in the lowest kilometre or so near the surface,” Smart said.
