Nýey

Former island in Iceland

Nýey (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈniːˌeiː]), Nýeyjar [ˈniːˌeiːjar̥], Nyø (Danish), was a small, uninhabited island that formed in 1783 due to an underwater eruption in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge southwest of Reykjanes, Iceland. It disappeared within a year.^[1]^[2]^[3]

History

The formation of "Nýeyjar" began on May 1, 1783. It attracted a lot of attention and some connected it to the 1783 Calabrian earthquakes.^[1]^[3]

The captain of a 'small ship' ("is: húkkerta") that sailed in the area, wrote in his diary about a burning island 15.7 km (9.8 mi) due southwest of Geirfuglasker. He tried to observe it but had to stay over half a mile away, due to the poisonous sulphurous smoke.^[1]^[2]^[3]

King Christian VII of Denmark named the island "Nýey", ordered an expedition to it, and dedicated it to the monarchy with a Danish flag. He also planned for an inscribed stone to be placed on the island.^[1]^[2]^[3]

It had disappeared by the summer of 1784, when Magnús Stephensen (Lawyer and Supreme Court Judge), planned to dedicate it to the king whilst en route to Copenhagen.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Sources

Vísindavefurinn : " How common are new islands in eruptions? “ (Vísindavefurinn|5044|Hversu algengt er að nýjar eyjar verði til í eldgosum?)^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f University of Iceland, Earth Sciences, How common are new islands in eruptions? by Professor Sigurður Steinþórsson, 9 June 2005.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Islandsbloggen, 2011/04
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Ferlir, Underwater Eruption Out of Reykjanes