Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.1978, Page 2

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Glacial striae
eastern part of Sandoy a valley runs eastward crossing the
island and bifurcates north-east to Skálavík and south-east to
Húsavík.
The highest point west of the valley is Eiriksfjall, 411 m
a. s. 1., situated in the middle of the mountain ridge,
Endin — Eiriksfjall — Bøllufjall. From the inlet at Søltuvík
at the west coast, low-lying terrain runs towards SE to the
south coast.
Sandoy is mostly built up of lava flows belonging to the
upper basalt series (Rasmussen & Noe-Nygaard 1969, 1970).
From Skopun the C-horizon — boundary between the middle
basalt series and the upper basalt series — can be followed
westward and southward into the steep bird-cliffs on the
western coast to the east of Salthøvdi. The dip of the lava
flows is ENE.
The major landscape feature is that typical of the upper
basalt series (step-like landscape with alternating layers of
basalt and tuff), but although the step-like appearance of the
slopes is evident, the hills generally appear smooth and rounded
with a dense vegetation cover. The number of dikes and
greater lamellar zones, the main direction NNE-SSW, is highly
limited compared with the number found on the northern
islands.
lce movements on Sandoy.
The direction of ice movements on Sandoy has been deter-
mined by means of glacial striae and the stoss and the lee sides
of roches moutonnees. Glaciated bedrock exposures are com-
mon, but not all of them are useable in determining the direc-
tion of glacier movement because of their state of weathering.
Geikie (1880) and Helland (1879, 1880) have given a few
comments on glacial striae on Sandoy which are indicated on
an accompanying map.
Synopsis of localities.
In the following synopsis the orientation of the roches mou-