© Patrick Koster/ Barcroft Media
Bursting out from the icy ground these spectacular images show a dormant volcano coming to life after 200 years.
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Located near the Eyjafjallajoekull glacier in Iceland, has attracted scientists, tourists and photographers from all over the world since it started erupting on March 21, 2010.
Ripping a 1-km-long fissure in a field of ice, the eruption was about 120km (75 miles) east of the capital, Reykjavik.
Volcano photographers Patrick Koster and Martin Rietze have spent the last week capturing these amazing eruption images.
© Patrick Koster/ Barcroft Media
“I was in Iceland from 28 March to 1 April,” said Dutch photographer Patrick.
“Massive fountains of lava were shooting constantly up in the air in different directions with a booming and jet engine like sounds.
“Some booms could be felt through the ground like mini earth quacks.
“Rivers of lava came down from the cone and the sides of these flows seemed cooled down, but were in fact still extremely hot and still giving of toxic volcanic gasses.”
© Martin Rietze/ Barcroft Media
Spending the last ten years travelling the world to snapping some the of the most spectacular eruptions, Patrick is never adverse to taking risks.
Wearing only a gas mask and normal clothes for protection, the 40-year-old engineer, from Spijkenisse, Holland, has been travelling around the globe for 10 years in search of the most most famous sites.
His decade-long obsession has taken him from the Canary Islands to Ethiopia and Hawaii, however nothing could prepare him for the treacherous conditions.
“The eruption site was very different to other places I have visited and very uncertain,” said Patrick.
© Matin Rietze/ Barcroft Media
“All access to the eruption site on March 28 and 29 was blocked by the authorities not for volcanic activity, but because of gale force winds and freezing temperatures.
“Other things that surprised me were the amount of commercial activities around this eruption.
“We were photographing and camping under the extreme weather conditions with temperatures as low as -15 °C and wind force 7 to 8 making it feel like -30°C.
“Helicopter and air plane flights, 4×4 big-wheel trucks, snowmobile tours. I guess the Iceland tourist season started early this year which may be a Gods gift in the current economic situation.”
For Martin Rietze the volcano’s intensity also came as a surprise.
© Martin Rietze/ Barcroft Media
“The activity has been constant active since March 21″ said photographer Martin Rietze who arrived at the site last week.
“I photographed the activity about 250 meters from the lava fountains and up to 1m to some of the lava flows.
“The flows were thought to only last a week, but a new fissure opened and it got more active now.
“This could mean it could go on for many weeks now. Or even trigger a huge and devastating Katla eruption as it was in history.”
© Patrick Koster/ Barcroft Media
Iceland lies on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the highly volatile boundary between the Eurasian and North American continental plates, with quakes and eruptions.
The last volcanic eruption in the Eyjafjallajoekull area occurred in 1821.
Words by Jack Fletcher
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