Author: Jón Frímann

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Glacier flood confirmed from Skaftárkatlar cauldron

It was confirmed today (02-August-2018) that glacier flood has started from Skaftárkatlar cauldron. According to the news the GPS monitoring station close the cauldrons started to drop around midnight. Around same time harmonic tremor started to change on nearby SIL stations.


Harmonic tremor on nearby SIL station due to glacier flood. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

It can take up to a week for the glacier flood to finish, but that depends on the amount of water in the cauldron that is emptying it self. According to the news the eastern Skaftákatlar cauldron is now emptying it self. It last did so three years ago.

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Slight increase in earthquake activity in Öræfajökull volcano

Today (1-August-2018) there seems to be a minor increase in earthquake activity in Öræfajökull volcano. What has also happened is that magnitude of earthquakes today has been slightly larger then in a normal week. Few magnitude 1,0 and larger and at least one magnitude 1,5 earthquake have happened so far.


Earthquake activity in Öræfajökull volcano (right corner, to the ocean). Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

Current rate of earthquakes have dropped down to 50 earthquakes a week from earlier 100 earthquakes a week. This change might be normal for Öræfajökull volcano since this magma intrusion seems to be moving slowly inside the volcano. Regular earthquake activity continues to happen and there is no sign that is changing at the moment.

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Minor earthquake swarm in Katla volcano

Today (1-August-2018) a minor earthquake swarm took place in Katla volcano. Largest earthquake in this swarm had a magnitude of 2,5. All other earthquakes are smaller in magnitude. It is unclear at the moment if this is connected to a possible glacier flood from Mýrdalsjökull glacier. Currently there are no news on this.


A minor earthquake swarm in Katla volcano. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

At the moment it appears that this earthquake swarm is over. But it might start again without much warning since that has often been the style of earthquake activity in Katla volcano.

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Minor earthquake swarm in Bárðarbunga volcano

Today (1-August-2018) at 07:08 UTC an earthquake with magnitude 3,7 happened in Bárðarbunga volcano. Second largest earthquake had a magnitude 2,9. Other earthquakes are smaller in magnitude.


Earthquake activity in Bárðarbunga volcano (green star). Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

The source of this earthquake activity is magma. In the news today it is reported that hydrothermal activity remains high in Bárðarbunga volcano caldera rim and steam can be observed in the areas were the glacier has been melted through.

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Earthquake swarm in Krýsuvík on Reykjanes peninsula

Today (31-July-2018) an earthquake swarm started in Krýsuvík volcano. Currently this earthquake swarm is ongoing. Largest earthquake so far has the magnitude of 3,1. Other earthquakes are smaller in magnitude.


Earthquake swarm in Krýsuvík volcano (green star). Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

This earthquake swarm looks tectonic in nature and nothing suggests that magma has anything to do with it. It is impossible to know how this earthquake swarm develops as the time passes.

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Small earthquake swarm in Öræfajökull volcano Monday 23-July-2018

On Monday 23-July-2018 there was an small earthquake swarm in Öræfajökull volcano. This type of earthquake swarm is a common activity at the moment. Around 100 to 200 earthquakes now happen in Öræfajökull volcano each week. Almost all of them are small and less than 1,0 in magnitude.


The earthquake activity in Öræfajökull volcano. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

Largest earthquake so far this week had a magnitude of 1,2 and it had a depth of 4,9 km. Other earthquakes where smaller in magnitude. When a earthquake swarm happens in Öræfajökull volcano it is because magma is pressuring it self upwards inside the volcano. Earthquakes far outside Öræfajökull volcano are because of stress changes in the crust and that re-activates fault lines in the area. This might increase as more magma collects into Öræfajökull volcano along with stronger magnitude. That process might take weeks or months from what it is today.

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Earthquake activity in Bárðarbunga volcano

Today (20-July-2018) at 06:28 UTC a magnitude 3,4 earthquake was in Bárðarbunga volcano south-east part of the caldera. It was followed by several smaller earthquakes during the day. Earthquake activity is common in Bárðarbunga volcano at the moment, but rate of earthquakes happening continues to drop every 3 – 6 months. When earthquakes happen they are often larger in magnitude.


Earthquake activity in Bárðarbunga volcano, the green star is the magnitude 3,4 earthquake. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

There is a risk of larger earthquake in next few hours to 48 hours. If nothing happens after 48 hours there is unlikely going to be a another larger earthquake happening. The magnitude that can be expected is above 4,0.

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Deep earthquake swarm south-east of Bárðarbunga volcano

Since yesterday (18-July-2018) there has been a deep earthquake swarm south-east of Bárðarbunga volcano. Earthquake swarm in this location are common and due to their depth are always the result of magma injection into the crust in this area.


Earthquake activity south-east of Bárðarbunga volcano. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

Most depth recorded in this earthquake swarm was 26,3 km and the shallowest was at 13,4 km depth. Error margin might be high in this location due to distance from SIL stations. Smaller earthquakes (magnitude 0,0 – 1,0) are harder to locate and give correct depth. Activity at this location is sometimes followed by a large earthquake in Bárðarbunga volcano (main). That doesn’t always happen. It is not possible to know if that is going to happen now.

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Earthquake swarm deep on the Reykjanes ridge

Yesterday (14-July-2018) and during the night (15-July-2018) an earthquake swarm took place deep on the Reykjanes ridge. This appears to be been a minor earthquake swarm and largest earthquake only had a magnitude of 3,0. This earthquake swarm took place good distance from the SIL network so locations and magnitudes have larger error margins.


Earthquake swarm on the Reykjanes ridge. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

This earthquake swarm appears to be over. If any smaller earthquakes are happening in the area were the earthquake swarm took place they are not being detected by the SIL network due to distance. This earthquake swarm can start again without warning.

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Öræfajökull volcano is inflating and preparing for an eruption

In a statement sent out yesterday (13-July-2018) by Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management it is made clear that Öræfajökull volcano is now inflating at considerable rate.

At the moment the amount of magma accumulated inside the mountain is equal to the volume that accumulated inside Eyjafjallajökull volcano before it erupted in 2010. At the moment Öræfajökull volcano continues to collect magma and each time a magma injection happens into Öræfajökull volcano an earthquake swarm happens.

At the moment there are no signs that an eruption is imminent. That might change without warning but I do expect to see earthquakes in the thousands before an eruption happens in Öræfajökull volcano. Until then its just normal monitoring of Öræfajökull volcano earthquake patterns and inflation.