Category: Grímsvötn / Grímsfjall

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Last activity update before Christmas and Christmas stuff

Here is the last activity update before Christmas starts. As I did expect a deep earthquakes have started again under Eyjafjallajökull volcano. So far the main depth is about 10 to 15 km. So far nothing indicates a immanent eruption in Eyjafjallajökull volcano. But it is wise to keep watch on the deep earthquakes that have started to re-appear under Eyjafjallajökull volcano.

But Eyjafjallajökull volcano is not the only volcano making earthquakes. There are also earthquakes taking place in Grímsfjall volcano and in Esjufjöll volcano. The continues earthquake swarm in Krísuvík volcano. But this is the same that has been going on in previous weeks in that area.

There has also been some minor earthquake activity in Grímsfjall volcano. A signal that Grímsfjall volcano is getting ready for a eruption in the year 2011 maybe.

Non-volcanic earthquakes

There has been a lot of earthquakes in the Tjörnes Fracture Zone (TFZ). But the largest earthquakes in the last 24 hours did get the size ML3,0 according to the automatic SIL system that Icelandic Met Office runs. The size might be subject to a review later on.

But other then this it has been quiet in Iceland earthquake wise and volcano wise. But when the most frost was going on over Iceland there was a lot frost earthquakes taking place. But those events are false earthquakes and are due the fact that freezing water appears to crack the ground, sometimes with considerable force. The frost needed for this to happen has to be below -10C far as I understand.

Christmas stuff

I am going to take my Christmas break from 12:00 UTC on the 24th of December (2010) until the 27th of December (2010). While this break is on comments might be held longer in the moderation queue then normally. If anything major happens, I am going to post information about it when I can in this time. But unlike us humans nature doesn’t care about our days off. But I am hoping for a quiet Christmas in Iceland like everywhere else.

There is going to be special Christmas blog post tomorrow for all those Christmas greetings.

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Signs that a eruption in Grímsfjall volcano might be close

Over the past two weeks there have been signs appearing that a eruption might be close in Grímsfjall volcano. But a GPS station named Skrokkalda. This GPS station has started to move north, but this indicates that inflation has started in Grímsfjall volcano at full power. This did also happen at the same GPS station in 2004 before the eruption in Grímsfjall volcano that same year. But it is debated if this movement was created by ice or by a dike intrusion in Grímsfjall volcano. It is my just my personal opinion on this movement that takes place at the GPS station.

It currently remains to be seen if this northerly movement continues or if it starts to deflate again. So far this is the only indicator that Grímsfjall volcano is getting ready for a eruption. When this did happen in the year 2004 it was almost three weeks after this process started until a eruption took place. But then a glacier flood did trigger the start of the eruption in the year 2004.

For the moment the only thing to do is to wait and see what happens with Grímsfjall volcano. Nobody can tell how long the wait is going to be.

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Uncertainty level for Grímsfjall volcano cancelled

According to Icelandic news it seems that Almannavaranir (Iceland Civil Authority) have cancelled the uncertainty level for Grímsfjall volcano. But the uncertainty level was put in place following the glacier flood from Grímsvötn glacier lake.

The announcement from Iceland Civil Authority in Icelandic. Please use Google Translate.

Óvissustigi aflýst vegna Grímsvatna (Icelandic)

Icelandic News. Please use Google translate.

Óvissustigi aflýst vegna Grímsvatna (Vísir.is)

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Glacier flood subsides, harmonic tremors drops down

According to the news the glacier flood from Grímsvötn is subsiding and is expected to be over in the next two to three days. At the same time the harmonic tremor that started at 3rd of November 2010 is also subsiding. No clear reason is for the harmonic tremors.

Currently there is nothing that indicates that a eruption is about to start in Grímsfjalli. But that can change with a short notice, as Grímsfjall sometimes does not give a long warning before it starts erupting.

Icelandic News. Please use Google Translate.

Farginu létt af eldstöðinni (Vísir.is)
Hlaup í rénun (Rúv.is)

English news.

Flood waning, Iceland volcano eruption less likely (washingtonpost.com) – Thanks to Erik for this news.

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Glacier flood from Grímsvötn has peaked, harmonic tremors continue

According to news the glacier flood from Grímsvötn has peaked and is already dropping down. So far there has not been any volcano eruption. But harmonic tremor is still ongoing in Grímsfjall volcano and does not show any signs of stopping. But this harmonic tremor appears to be a bit fluctuating for some unknown reason.

Icelandic News. Please use Google translate.

Hlaupið að minnka (Rúv.is)
Vísindamenn í könnunarflugi (Vísir.is – Has video)
Hlaupið hefur náð hámarki (mbl.is – Has video)

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No signs of a eruption at Grímsfjall volcano, harmonic tremors continue

Since 02:30 UTC on the 3rd of November 2010 there has been constant harmonic tremor in Grímsfjall volcano. It is currently unclear why harmonic tremors are happening at Grímsfjall volcano. But there have been some ideas that this might be because a small eruption has started at Grímsfjall volcano.

According to news from few moments ago (around 14:00 UTC) there are no signs of a eruption at Grímsfjall volcano at present time. But harmonic tremors continue at this moment like they have been doing since 02:30 UTC last night.

The possible reason why the scientists don’t see any signs of a eruption is because none are visible on the glacier at the moment. But until something appears on surface what is going on in Grímsfjall it is going to remain unclear what is going on at the volcano.

Icelandic News. Please use Google Translate.

Hlaup og órói í Grímsfjalli (Rúv.is)
Engin merki um gos (Rúv.is)
Gos gæti verið hafið (Vísir.is)
Könnunarflug yfir Grímsvötn: Engin merki um gos (Vísir.is)
Vísindamenn fljúga yfir Grímsvötn (mbl.is)
Engin ummerki um eldsumbrot (mbl.is)

International news.

New eruption could be looming in Iceland, experts warn (AFP)

Updated at 14:59 UTC on the 3rd of November 2010. News link added.
Updated at 15:22 UTC on the 3rd of November 2010. News link added.

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Uncertainty level declared for Grímsfjall volcano

Icelandic civil protection (Almannavarnir) have declared a uncertainty level over Grímsfjall volcano due to glacier flood coming from them. This level is the lowest level of warning that Almannavarnir have in case when there is a risk of dangerous events taking place.

At current time no eruption has started in Grímsfjall volcano. Note that this volcano is often called Grímsvötn in Iceland. But it is the same location with two names.

Almannavarnir announcement. Please use Google Translate.

Óvissustig vegna Grímsvatna (Icelandic)

Icelandic news. Please use Google Translate.

Almannavarnir lýsa yfir óvissustigi (Rúv.is)
Óvissustig vegna Grímsvatna (mbl.is)

Text updated at 19:47 UTC on the 1st of November 2010.

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Good chance of Grímsfjall eruption following the glacier flood

According to Icelandic news there is a good chance of a eruption in Grímsfjall. Following the glacier flood from Grímsvötn glacier lake. That is at least the opinion of Páll Einarsson, a geologist at University of Iceland. This is not going to be a big eruption in Grímsfjall in Páll opinion. But it is most likely going to be similar in size to the eruption in Grímsfjall in the year 2004. But no damage did happen from that eruption and it did not erupt international flight paths (just domestic ones). In the news Páll also says that the pressure inside Grímsfjall magma chamber appears to be slightly higher then in the year 2004. But otherwise the situation in Grímsfjall is almost identical to the one in the year 2004.

Icelandic News. Please use Google Translate where possible.

Miklar líkur á gosi (Rúv.is)
Rúv evening news on 31st of October 2010. Note: This link is going to die after two weeks as Rúv deletes older news streams from there web pages after that time.
Líkur á eldgosi í Grímsvötnum (mbl.is)
Meiri líkur en minni á gosi í Grímsvötnum (DV.is)

Text updated 2nd November 2010 at 20:11 UTC.

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Glacier flood has started from Gímsvötnum

Few hours ago a glacier flood started from Grímsvötnum. But it was only confirmed few moments ago. The flood noise can be seen on following SIL stations around Vatnajökull.

Grímsfjall (increased noise)
Kalafell (increased noise)

This glacier flood is expected to reach it’s peak in about 4 to 5 days. If this is a repeat of the year 2004 events a eruption should start in Grímsfjalli in about 1 to 4 days from now. But if that plays out exacly like the year 2004 eruption remains to be seen. GVP has the eruption history of Grímsfjall here.

This glacier flood starts on the exact day as it did in the year 2004.

Icelandic news. Please use Google Translate.

Hlaup er hafið í Grímsvötnum (Rúv.is)
Hlaup í Grímsvötnum hafið (mbl.is)
Hlaup hafið í Grímsvötnum (Vísir.is)

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Expecting a glacier flood and possibly of a eruption from Grímsfjall at any time

According to the Icelandic news today geological scientists in Iceland are expecting a eruption and a glacier flood from Grímsvötnum at any time and without a any warning. But last week they did detect harmonic tremors on the SIL station that is on Grímsfjall volcano. It is not known if the harmonic tremors where created by water or by magma.

Currently the Grímsvötn lake is full and is ready to burst at any time without warning. Because of that scientists and Iceland Met Office have increased the monitoring of Grímsvötn and Grímsfjall volcano. It has been six years since the last eruption at Grímsfjall (2004) and it only where six years before that eruption (1998).

Iceland News. Please use Google translate.

Enn skelfur jörðin undir Vatnajökli (Rúv.is)
Búast við hlaupi hvenær sem er (mbl.is)