It's over 100 miles wide and at least 370 miles deep.
它有100公里宽 至少有600公里深
Created more than 50 million years ago,
5千万年前就形成了
the plume is sustained by heat continually rising up from the Earth's hot core.
由于有来自地核持续不断的热能 这个羽状熔岩一直存在至今
This giant plume does more than just warm up Iceland's hot springs.
但是这个羽状巨型熔岩对冰岛的影响可不仅仅是使温泉变热
It also created Iceland itself.
它还创造了冰岛本身
In 1963, there was an event that showed how it must have happened.
1963年的时候 我们看到了这一幕是怎么发生的
A volcano, just beneath the sea surface blasted its way out of the water.
海底的一个火山从海水里喷了出来
A new island, Surtsey, was born.
苏特赛 一个新的岛屿产生了
This is what Iceland must have looked like 15 million years ago when it first burst above the surface.
这一定就是在5千万年前 火山喷发时冰岛的样子了
Iceland owers its existence to the plume of super-heated rock beneath it.
冰岛不仅仅是因为它就坐落在火山之上
But it's also shaped by the Earth's inner heat
这个小岛的形成还得益于
in another,even more dramatic,way.
地热的另外一种更有威力的方式
This extraordinary rock face at Thingvellir shows how.
在冰岛古议会旧址 奇特的岩层会告诉我们
From the air,it's clear just how unusual this rock face is.
从空中看下来 就会知道这个岩层是怎样与众不同