Category: Earthquakes

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A Mw6.8 earthquake in Siberia, Russia

At 06:17 UTC this morning (26.02.2012) there was an earthquake with the size of Mw6.8 in Siberia, Russia. The depth of this earthquake was registered at 10 km. But it might be more or less when the data gets properly reviewed. Given the location of this earthquake to villages in this area, I am expecting some damage to be reported. How much and how excessive is hard to know at current time. This earthquake was also not far from the border with Mongolia. But I have not seen any reports of how it was felt there, or if there was any damage in that area following this earthquake.


The intensity map of the earthquake according to EMSC data. Copyright of this picture belongs to EMSC.


The regional view of this earthquake. The borders with Mongolia are marked with black. Copyright of this picture belongs to EMSC.


Local view of the earthquake. There are several small villages close to the epicenter of this earthquake. Copyright of this picture belongs to EMSC.

There is continued aftershock activity after this earthquake, the largest aftershock so far has had the size Mb5.3. More information about this earthquake can be found on EMSC web site here. USGS information about this earthquake can be found here.

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An ML4.2 earthquake close to Sicily coast, Italy

At 20:34 UTC on 25.02.2012 there was an ML4.2 earthquake close to the coast of Sicily, Italy. The depth of this earthquake was registered at 10 km. But this is based on early and automatic data, and is subject to an change.


Intensity map of this earthquake as it was felt in Sicily. This map might change as more data comes in about this earthquake. Copyright of this picture belongs to EMSC.


The regional map of this earthquake. The red line in the map is the fault line that separates the tectonic plats in this area. Copyright of this picture belongs to EMSC.


Local view of this earthquake. It also shows the towns that are closest to this earthquake location. Copyright of this picture belongs to EMSC.

More information about this earthquake can be found on EMSC web site. Along with updated information about this earthquake and where it was felt.

Other

On Monday I am going to Denmark. So that might mean lack of updates while I am travelling. So if anything happens. It can be discussed in the comments. I have also decided to change the comments in such way that comments are not held for moderation unless they contain more then 4 links. But I am planning more changes on the comment system in the future in order to battle spam that is an big problem on this blog. Update 1: This is just an test, if the results are poor. I am going to change it back until I can do the changes to the comments that I am planning. The changes are nothing big and I am not going to install any 3rd party comment system up here.

Donations

While I am not yet broke at current time. I am soon to be. As I am moving to Denmark in April (as it looks now). I am also have to buy new glasses, as my current glasses are damaged due to old age (the glass is getting damaged due to old age, it as anti-refection skin on it that is getting damaged). Because of that I need to buy glasses, but without glasses I do not see an anything. I am in fact blind without glasses. But I also need to buy an round plane ticked in March when I finally get an apartment in Denmark to get my belongings in Iceland and finish moving to Denmark. I have saved up for all this cost in the past few months, everything except the glasses and the plane ticked. As moving in April was bit sudden for me, but I was expecting to get an apartment in May, rather then April. But with this all I am cutting it close money wise (I am hoping to be good money wise without donations). So I am asking for donations if people can spare them so that I do not hit the financial strain too hard. But I am hoping for the best if I do not get many donations. Thanks for the support!

P.S: I have not forgot about the Eyjafjallajökull eruption e-book that I am planning on writing. But with everything that has been going on with me in the year 2011 and the part of the year 2012. I have not yet been able to write it. But I do hope to have time to write it after I finish to move to Denmark. Along with few other stories that I have been working on in past few months. Those how have already requested the e-book copy get it when it is ready. I have not forgotten about this.

I am going to post more information on updates when I move in April. Just before I move.

Blog post updated at 00:09 UTC on 26.02.2012.

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Two minor earthquake swarms in Hengill volcano

Yesterday, last night and this morning there has been minor earthquake swarm in Hengill volcano. This earthquake swarm is more or less over for now. But it might pick up at any time. This time around only around 140 earthquakes where detected in this two earthquake swarms.


The earthquake swarm in Hengill volcano. The location of this earthquake swarm is quite common. Copyright of this picture belongs to IMO.


The earthquake swarms in terms of each earthquake being marked. This clearly shows the two earthquake swarm pattern. Copyright of this picture belongs to IMO.

More earthquake swarms should be expected in this area. As Orkuveita Reykjavíkur (OR) continues to pump down water in this area. But that is creating this earthquakes it seems. This earthquake activity takes place at random times.

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Continued harmonic tremor in Katla volcano

The harmonic tremor that started yesterday in Katla volcano continues. It is however at less strength then yesterday. Often there are small earthquakes following it. They can be poorly observed on my Heklubyggð geophone. Few earthquakes have happened during this unrest. GPS data is unreliable, as it has not been updates since mid December 2011 (why that is I do not know). At current time it seems that this harmonic tremor is dropping down at the moment. It is impossible to know for sure if this is the end of this tremor in Katla volcano for the moment or not.


The tremor noise as seen on Slysaalda SIL station. Copyright of this picture belongs to IMO.


The harmonic tremor noise as seen on Skrokkalda SIL station. Copyright of this picture belongs to IMO.

There are now two possible reasons why this is happening. This might be an increase in hydro-thermal activity in north part of Katla volcano. Second reason might be that this is magma moving around inside Katla volcano at depth, then out visible effects on the surface. That is earthquakes have not happened following this event to any extent. There have only been two registered earthquakes so far. There location is both poor and depth poorly located. It has been my experience that following smaller event of this type there is generally an earthquake swarm in Katla volcano caldera. The time is is from from this type of event to take place until the earthquake swarm takes place differs a lot.

Last minor eruption that took place in Katla volcano was on 6. September 2011. My blog posts about it can be found here. It was believed at the time this was water. But today I now think this was an small eruption rather then water flooding under Mýrdalsjökull glacier.

Strong harmonic tremor pulse starting in Katla volcano
Most likely water creating harmonic tremors in Katla volcano (for the moment)

Both blog posts are from 6. September 2011.

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A ML3.3 earthquake in Tenerife volcano

Today at 13:28 UTC there was an ML3.3 earthquake in Tenerife volcano. The depth of this earthquake was at 31 km depth. But I do not know if this earthquake was felt, so far nothing suggests it. But this is was just an minor earthquake on the earthquake scale.


The location of this earthquake according to IGN. Copyright of this picture belongs to IGN.


The regional view of the earthquake from EMSC. Copyright of this picture belongs to EMSC.


The local view of this earthquake according to EMSC. Copyright of this picture belongs to EMSC.

It is normal for volcanoes to earthquakes at times, even when they are dormant. So I do not believe this earthquake means anything special for the Tenerife volcano. More details on this earthquakes can be found on EMSC web site here.

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Earthquake swarm in Katla volcano, earthquake in Hekla volcano

Tonight at 21:13 UTC there was an earthquake with the size of ML1.2, it had the depth of 0.1 km. But that is about 100 meters. This is the second earthquake in Hekla volcano during that past three weeks (almost an month since last earthquake did happen in Hekla volcano). So far nothing more has happened. But that might change without warning.


The earthquake in Hekla volcano. It is the red dot in Hekla volcano. Copyright of this picture belongs to IMO.

Katla volcano

Today at 16:04 to 16:27 UTC there was an minor earthquake swarm in Katla volcano. The largest earthquake had the size of ML2.6, with the depth of 1.4 km. Like before this earthquake swarm was because of an dike intrusion into Katla volcano caldera. But this suggests that the unrest that started in Katla volcano in July 2011 is not over. But for the moment it continues at lower rate then before. But that might also change without warning at any time.


The earthquake swarm in Katla volcano. The earthquake in Hekla volcano can also be clearly seen on it. Copyright of this picture belongs to IMO.

It is impossible to know for sure what is going to happen next in both of this volcano. But it is clearly worth watching what is going on. The earthquake in Hekla volcano can clearly be seen on my Heklubyggð geophone, as it forms an clear spike on it, the web site can be found here. Same does the largest earthquake from Katla volcano earlier today.

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Interesting earthquake activity in El Hierro volcano

Over the past two weeks there has been interesting earthquake activity in El Hierro volcano in Canary Islands. What is so interesting about this earthquakes is the fact they are getting more shallow every day or so. Currently the most shallow activity that has been taking place is around 6km depth. But this is an rise from about 12 km depth.

What this means in my opinion is that magma is most likely rising to the surface at the location where the earthquakes are currently taking place (dike intrusions). This did happen before the first eruption in Eyjafjallajökull volcano. So it is an important to keep an eye on this earthquakes and where they happen, as eruption might take place in nearby area of this earthquakes. As magma might, and most likely is going find an clear path to the surface soon. The last part of that before an eruption might happen with no noticeable earthquakes at all. They might well be just over ML2.0 in magnitude or smaller.


Earthquake activity in El Hierro volcano over the past 10 days. Copyright of this image belongs to ING.

It is impossible to know for sure when or if an eruption happens in this area. But I find that is most likely going to be the case given the current activity. When and where is impossible to know for sure at current time.

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Earthquake with the size of ML4.2 in Switzerland on 11. February 2012

At 22:45 UTC in Switzerland and earthquake was felt, information from EMSC on this earthquake can be found here. The size of this earthquake was ML4.2 with the depth of 32 km. This was an tectonic earthquake, as Italy continues to push up into Europe plate. Earthquakes are frequent in this area, on both sides of the Alps. This is not the strongest earthquake that can happen in this area.


The locations of where the earthquake was felt and how strongly it was felt. Copyright of this picture belongs to EMSC-CSEM.

It is also important factor that most of the crust in this area is old, so it carries seismic waves better then young crust. This happens because older crust is more insulated with dirt and sediment that has been collected over time period of million of years.


Here is the regional view of where the earthquake took place. Copyright of this picture belongs to EMSC-CSEM.


Here is the local view of the earthquake. Due to how close it was to many small towns, it was well felt there. Copyright of this picture belongs to EMSC-CSEM.

From best to my knowledge, no aftershocks have taken place after this earthquake. But they might happen in several weeks to months time, if they do so to start with.

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Earthquake swarm on Reykjanes Ridge this morning

This morning at 05:48 UTC an earthquake swarm started on the Reykjanes Ridge. The earthquake swarm is believed to have been created by an dike intrusion in the area. Around 40 earthquakes have been recorded so far, the largest ones have had the size over ML3.0 in magnitude. But at the moment the earthquake swarm has stopped or is doing some idle time. As this earthquake swarm was created by an dike intrusion. It is not impossible that is going to resume in few hours to days time. But it is hard to know for sure what happens next in this area.


The area of activity. Please note that some earthquakes have wrong location due the distance from the SIL network. Copyright of this picture belongs to IMO.

This activity of dike intrusions suggests that this area of Reykjanes Ridge is getting more active then it has been since the year 1926, when the last confirmed eruption took place. But there might have been unconfirmed eruptions on the Reykjanes Ridge in the years 1966 and in 1970. It is also most likely that dike intrusion activity is going to continue for some time now. But as I sad above, it is impossible to know how long the breaks are going to be between activity episodes. Last large earthquake swarm in this area took place in early 2010 (Erik blog post about it can be found here). That activity was about one month before the eruption in Eyjafjallajökull volcano.

Largest earthquakes of this earthquake swarm appeared clearly on my geophones where the noise level was not too high. They can be viewed here on the 24 hour plot.

Icelandic news about this activity. Use Google translate and hope make sense of it.

Skjálftahrinan í rénun (Rúv.is)
Skjálftar við Eldey (Rúv.is)
Jarðskjálfti upp á 3,8 stig (mbl.is)
Á fjórða tug skjálfta við Eldeyjarboða (DV.is)

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More earthquake activity in Katla volcano

Yesterday (05.02.2012) there was an new earthquake swarm in Katla volcano. This activity suggests that it was due to dike intrusion as before in the Katla volcano caldera. The largest earthquake was ML2.1 with the depth of 0.1 (~100 meters) km. So this where really shallow earthquakes this time around.


The location of the earthquake swarm in Katla volcano yesterday. Copyright of this picture belongs to IMO.

This pattern of activity has been ongoing since July 2011, when a minor eruption took place in Katla volcano caldera. I am expecting this pattern of activity to continue for some time now. For how long I do not have any idea. It depends if this going to end in a larger eruption then took place in Katla volcano in July 2011 or if this is going to quiet down one day for several more years.

Activity in Katla volcano can be observed on Iceland Met Office pages. It also can be observed on a geophone that I run in Skeiðflöt (website here), a farm located few km south of Katla volcano.