Category: Earthquakes

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Around 1100 earthquakes recorded in Iceland during the month of January-2014

During the month of January-2014 around 1100 earthquakes where recorded according to Icelandic Meteorological Office. The largest earthquake during the month had the magnitude of 3,5 and took place on the Reykjanes peninsula. Earthquake swarm took place in Hveravellir geothermal area east of north Langjökull glacier.

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The total earthquake activity in Iceland during the month of January-2014. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.

Most of this earthquakes are small. Since no major earthquake activity took place in January-2014. There was however more activity in January-2014 then in December-2013 when only 800 earthquakes where detected by Icelandic Meteorological Office. More details about the earthquake activity in Iceland during the month of January-2014 can be found here, it is in Icelandic so Google Translate or such service is needed (quality of the translation is not guaranteed).

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Quiet period in Iceland continues

The quiet period in Iceland continues as it has been doing for the past five months (according to my best knowledge). There is always some minor earthquake activity taking place, that is normal and should be expected. It is highly unusual if no earthquake activity was taking place for a long period of time.

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All quiet in Iceland. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.

This has been a unusual period of quiet in Iceland best to my knowledge. At least in terms of earthquake swarms and such activity. Volcano eruptions in Iceland only happen on average every 4 to 5 years. Last eruptions (two minor ones) took place in the year 2011. When Grímsfjall volcano erupted. Same year there was also minor eruption in Katla volcano, a week later an minor eruption took place in Hamarinn volcano. since this activity took place it has remained quiet in Iceland volcano wise. There have been earthquake swarms in this period, several strong ones. AT the moment however there is not a lot of activity taking place. That might change at any time. But watching for activity takes a lot of patents since often nothing happens for a long time.

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Minor earthquake swarm in Geysir volcano and Presthjúkar volcano

Yesterday (05-February-2014) an minor earthquake swarm took place in Geysir volcano (no GVP information) and in Presthnjúkar volcano. None of the earthquakes where above the magnitude of 2,6. The largest earthquakes did appear on my geophone network and were (are for the next few hours when this is written) visible on my webicorders website.

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Earthquake activity in Presthnjúkar volcano and Geysir volcano. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.

Other than this minor earthquake swarm it remains quiet in Iceland. I am not sure why that is at current time. This is the longest quiet period that I remember for the past 5 years at least.

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Two earthquakes on the Reykjanes ridge on 10-January-2014

I am sorry for this late post of this events. I have been having computer problems and more then just one computer problem. More on that in next post.

On the Friday the 10-January-2014 three earthquakes took place on the Reykjanes Ridge. There magnitudes where 3,1 and 3,5. The third earthquake had the magnitude of 2,5.

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The earthquakes on the Reykjanes ridge on the 10-January-2014. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.

This where tectonic earthquakes and nothing suggests that they where connected to any magma movements in this area of the Reykjanes ridge.

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Increased conductivity in Múlakvísl glacier river

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It has been reported in Icelandic media today that there is an increased conductivity in Múlakvísl glacier river that comes from Mýdalsjökull glacier. This increased conductivity started in Múlakvísl on 31-December-2013 and has lasted until today (it might last for few days longer).

Mýrdalsjökull glacier is on top of Katla volcano. There are no signs of increased activity following this and according to the news this is most likely a cauldron under the glacier empting it self of water melted by hydrothermal area under the glacier. So far there is no risk to this increased conductivity in Múlakvísl glacier river.

There are no signs of glacier flood is about to take place, at least it is not going to a large one if it happens. That is the current idea at the moment anyway. No earthquake activity or tremor activity has taken place following this changes in Múlakvísl glacier river.

Icelandic News about this

Aukin rafleiðni en ekki útlit fyrir hlaup (Rúv.is)
Fylgjast vel með Múlakvísl (mbl.is)
Vaxandi rafleiðni í Múlakvísl (Vísir.is)

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Magnitude 3,5 earthquake on the Reykjanes peninsula

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Today (7-January-2014) at 12:11 UTC an magnitude 3,5 earthquake took place on the Reykjanes Peninsula. This earthquake was part of an swarm that has been taking place in this area of Reykjanes peninsula for past two weeks.

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The earthquake swarm on the Reykjanes peninsula. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.

I am not sure how this earthquake swarm is going to evolve, but there is a risk of more earthquakes in this area. But most of them are going to be minor, or less then 3,0 in magnitude.

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Earthquake swarm in Hveravellir

During the night of 6-January-2014 an earthquake swarm started in Langjökull volcano, the northern one. The nearby area is known as Hveravellir geothermal area. So far this has just been a minor earthquake swarm. With largest earthquakes not exceeding magnitude 2,0 at the moment.

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The earthquake swarm in Hveravellir geothermal area. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.

The tremor plot of nearby SIL station shows that more earthquake activity is taking place then appears on Icelandic Meteorological Office website. This are then earthquake that are too small to be detected by other nearby SIL stations.

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The earthquake activity at Hveravellir SIL station. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.

I do expect this earthquake activity to continue for some time now. It is impossible to know for sure if this activity is going to increase or not.

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Minor earthquake swarm on Reykjanes peninsula

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Yesterday (31-December-2013) an earthquake swarm took place on Reykjanes peninsula. This was an minor earthquake swarm with largest earthquakes having the magnitude of 2,5. The depth of this earthquake swarm was around 5 km.

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The earthquake swarm on the Reykjanes peninsula. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.

This earthquake swarm took place close to a mountain named Fagradalsfjall. I do not know (or remember) if this a cinder cone or some other type of volcano in this area. More details of this earthquake can be found here on Icelandic Meteorological Office website.

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Earthquake activity in Esjufjöll and Kverkfjöll volcanoes

Earthquake activity started again in Esjufjöll volcano today (20-Desember-2013). The largest earthquake had the magnitude of 2,9 and had the depth of 5,0 km. So far only two earthquakes have been recorded, but it is not uncommon that earthquake activity in Esjufjöll volcano starts slow before it picks up. Earthquake activity remains low in Esjufjöll volcano, but there is now more earthquake activity in Esjufjöll volcano for the past few years then in past several decades (perhaps, recording is missing in the past)

Kverkfjöll volcano

Earthquake activity continued in Kverkfjöll volcano today. None of the earthquake did reach the magnitude of 3,0. The largest earthquake had the magnitude of 2,0 and the depth of 5,3 km.

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Earthquake activity in Esjufjöll volcano and Kverkfjöll volcano. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.

I am expecting more earthquake activity in Kverkfjöll volcano. But I expect it to remain small as it currently is at least I do not expect any earthquake above the magnitude of 3,0 to take place as is.

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Magnitude 3,1 earthquake in Kverkfjöll volcano

Today (19-Desember-2013) at 09:30 UTC a magnitude 3,1 earthquake took place in Kverkfjöll volcano. The depth of this earthquake was 5,0 km. No aftershocks have been recorded following this earthquake.

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The magnitude 3,1 earthquake in Kverkfjöll volcano. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.

This is the first activity in Kverkfjöll volcano for some time now. But overall activity has been slowly increasing in Kverkfjöll volcano for the past few years. So far however there is nothing to suggest that volcano eruption is going to take place in near future.

Update 1: Three aftershocks took place in Kverkfjöllum volcano. The largest one had the magnitude of 1,7. The other two earthquakes had the magnitude of 1,3 and 1,5. With the depth of 6,5 km to 3,4 km.

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The aftershocks in Kverkfjöll volcano. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.

It is possible that more aftershocks are going to take place in Kverkfjöll volcano in next few hours to days.

Blog post updated at 16:37 UTC.