GEOS 16
Fire and Ice Winter 2025

The famously otherworldly landscapes of Iceland are a result of the combined forces of widespread volcanism and glaciation. Iceland is a rare subaerial portion of a mid-ocean ridge, where tectonic plates are pulling apart, so the volcanism and tectonic forces we can observe there are fairly unique. Owing to its high northern latitude, the island was completely glaciated (until ~13,000 years ago) and it still retains several ice caps. The landscape is sculpted by vast ridges and mountains formed from subglacial eruptions and is carpeted by post-glacial lavas at low elevations and active glaciers at high elevations. In the Land of Fire and Ice there is also vigorous geothermal activity from geysers to hot springs, which is ubiquitously used for electricity and hot water. This proposed travel course will explore the driving volcanic and glacial processes that formed the landscapes and continue to shape Icelandic culture. What are the characteristics of rift settings? How do subglacial eruptions differ from subaerial ones? What hazards are associated with volcano-ice interactions? Why do we find ice caps with outlet glaciers in these particular parts of Iceland? What can icebergs tell us about glacial ice? How does the North Atlantic climate shape the landscape and the winter season in Iceland? And how have Icelanders learned to coexist with and take advantage of these immutable and elemental forces of nature? In addition to the week of field study in Iceland, the class would include a week and a half of lectures, so that students are adequately prepared with a volcanology and glaciology background to fully appreciate the trip. Students would complete a two-part project in which they prepare a presentation on a topic associated with one of the field trip sites to be delivered during the trip, and then follow the trip up with a report expanding on their experience and their review of the related scientific literature.