Category: Earthquakes

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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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Minor earthquake swarm in Katla volcano

During the night of 13-July-2018 a minor earthquake swarm took place in south part of the caldera of Katla volcano.


Earthquake activity in Katla volcano. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

Largest earthquake in this minor earthquake swarm was magnitude 2,9 and the second largest earthquake had a magnitude of 1,9. This earthquake swarm is over but new earthquake swarms might start without warning. July often marks the time when earthquake activity starts to increase in Katla volcano.

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Earthquake swarm north of Gjögurtá (Tjörnes Fracture Zone)

At 21:10 UTC a earthquake swarm started in Tjörnes Fracture Zone just north of Gögurtá. Largest earthquake so far had a magnitude of 3,7. Other earthquakes so far have been smaller in magnitude so far. That might change without warning.


The earthquake swarm in TFZ. Green star is the magnitude 3,7 earthquake. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

There is some mislocation on the map at the moment due to the automatic location system at Icelandic Met Office website.

Since my geophone at Böðvarshólar is down due to a failed computer and I cannot afford Raspberry shake sensor (weatherproof type) only the largest earthquakes are going to be recorded at Dellukot geophone.

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Ongoing earthquake swarm in Öræfajökull volcano (3-July-2018)

During the last few hours there has been ongoing earthquake swarm in Öræfajökull volcano. This earthquake swarm started around 29-June-2018 in the south side of Öræfajökull volcano. At the moment the earthquake activity seems to be close or directly under Road 1 in Iceland.


The earthquake activity in Öræfajökull volcano on 3-July-2018. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

This change in earthquake activity is interesting and is in my view a sign of trouble to come. There are not any older eruption vents in the side of Öræfajökull volcano, but such vents might have been wiped out by glacier over the centuries. There is a good reason to continue to monitor this earthquake activity in Öræfajökull volcano.