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Basaltic Dyke with Specific Volcanogenic Structures and Its Geomorphic Evolution: Unique Geoheritage of the Faroe Islands (North Atlantic Ocean)

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Abstract

Volcanic landforms resulting from Cenozoic volcanism represent the most peculiar features of global geodiversity and provide eminent narratives for geoeducation. Among them, however, relict volcanic forms and site-specific landforms in remote areas have received less attention. In this paper, we provide the first description of unique volcanogenic features (hereinafter referred to as pseudo-hieroglyphs) developed on a summit rock wall at the Sandfelli ridge near the village of Gjógv in the N Eysturoy Island (Faroe Islands). The geomorphic evolution of the ridge and rock wall during the Quaternary is described and detailed petrographic analyses of the volcanogenic features are provided. Based on observed petrographical features, we interpret the pseudo-hieroglyphs to probably represent unique examples of chaotic horizontal columnar jointing. Following the geomorphological and petrographic examination of the study site, we analyse current Faroese legislation aiming at nature conservation and use this case to discuss broader implications of geoheritage conservation and geotourism in distant regions.

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Acknowledgements

We sincerely thank Bjartur Brekkstein (Velbastaður, Streymoy, FO) for an introduction to the locality and to Uni E. Árting (Fróðskaparsetur Føroya – University of the Faroe Islands and Jarðfeingi - The Faroese Geological Survey) for the administrative help during the geological surveying on the Faroe Islands and for providing the photo on Fig. 6e. Last but not least, we also thank Martin V. Heinesen (Jarðfeingi) for the helpful advice in Faroese geomorphology and also the English grammar and text-flow improvement. We also acknowledge the editor-in-chief (Kevin Page) for a great willingness in technical editing of the manuscript and the reviewers for the highly valuable advice and recommendations.

Funding

Our field research was financially supported by the projects OPVK (Operational Program – Education for Competitiveness) EnviMod (CZ.1.07/2.2.00/28.0205), IGA UJEP 1/2014 and PEGAS-TFA (UJEP-SGS-2017-44-004-3). The work of Lukáš Krmíček was covered by the BUT project LO1408 “AdMaS UP – Advanced Materials, Structures and Technologies”, supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports under the “National Sustainability Programme I” as well as by the institutional project RVO 67985831 of the Institute of Geology of the CAS.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Science, Jan Evangelista Purkyně University, České mládeže 8, 400 96, Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic

    Pavel Raška

  2. Faculty of Environment, Jan Evangelista Purkyně University, Králova Výšina 3132/7, 400 96, Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic

    Richard Pokorný

  3. Department of Geological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 611 37, Brno, Czech Republic

    Richard Pokorný, Lukáš Krmíček & Simona Kuboušková

  4. Institute of Geology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Rozvojová 269, 165 02, Prague 6, Czech Republic

    Lukáš Krmíček

  5. Faculty of Civil Engineering, AdMaS Centre, Brno University of Technology, Veveří 95, 602 00, Brno, Czech Republic

    Lukáš Krmíček

  6. Jarðfeingi, Faroese Geological Survey, Brekkutún 1, FO-188, Hoyvík, Faroe Islands

    Lis Mortensen

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  1. Pavel Raška
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  4. Simona Kuboušková
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Correspondence to Richard Pokorný.

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Raška, P., Pokorný, R., Krmíček, L. et al. Basaltic Dyke with Specific Volcanogenic Structures and Its Geomorphic Evolution: Unique Geoheritage of the Faroe Islands (North Atlantic Ocean). Geoheritage 11, 417–426 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12371-018-0296-x

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