Cracked Mud

Cracked Mud

The Hverir geothermal area at the foot of Mount Námafjall is located in the northeast of Iceland, on the east side of Lake Mývatn. Námafjall is a still active volcano that belongs to the Krafla volcanic system. In this area, there are numerous smoking fumaroles and boiling mud pots surrounded by bright yellow sulfur crystals.

The cracks in the mud are formed due to the expansion and contraction of the mud caused by the heating and cooling of the ground. As the hot geothermal water rises to the surface and cools down, it creates a layer of solid crust over the mud. When the underlying mud contracts as it cools, it creates tension in the crust, which eventually cracks and breaks.