Category: Reykjanes peninsula

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Increase in earthquake activity in Reykjanes and Fagradalsfjall volcano

During the night of 3. June 2023 an earthquake swarm took place in Reykjanes volcano, at location called Reykjanestá. Largest earthquake in that swarm had a magnitude of Mw3,0. Other earthquakes where smaller. This earthquake swarm suggests a magma movement, but it is difficult to be sure if that is what happened now.

Earthquake swarm out in the ocean next to Reykjanestá and there's also an earthquake activity in Fagradalsfjall volcano. Time on map is 03. june. 23 12:35 (Iceland time)
Earthquake activity in Reykjanes volcano and Fagradalsfjall volcano. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

Its been ten months since last eruption took place in Fagradalsfjall volcano. It is likely that a new eruption is going to happen soon, but it is impossible to know when. In last few weeks earthquake activity has been increasing in Fagradalsfjall volcano and that suggests that magma pressure inside the volcano is increasing. It just has not reached the levels to start a new eruption.

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Earthquake swarm north of Grindavík town, next to Blue Lagoon

This morning (25. April 2023) an earthquake swarm started north of Grindavík town, next to the Blue Lagoon. This earthquake swarm is ongoing at the writing of this article. If this is going to result in a eruption is impossible to know. The magma has reached the depth of 2 km and that is not good news if this continues to intensify. Large earthquakes do not need to happen before an eruption starts under the correct conditions in the curst and there has been a lot of dyke activity in Reykjanes volcano in last 3 years. Without that activity resulting in a eruption.

Red dots north of Grindavík town and next to the Blue lagoon on the map (the lagoon doesn't appear on the map). Time on map 25. Apr. 14:00.
Earthquake activity north of Grindavík town. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

Eruption at this location would be bad, because of the tourist infrastructure next to this location that is the Blue Lagoon. Only thing that can be done now is to monitor the situation and see if it changes from what is currently happening.

It is possible to view the earthquake swarm in high resolution on Skjálfta-Lísa and other private websites that have similar maps.

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Early signs of next eruption phase in Fagradalsfjall volcano

Since end of February 2023 there have been slowly growing signs in form of a small earthquake activity in Fagradalsfjall volcano and nearby area. It is impossible to know when next eruption starts in Fagradalsfjall volcano, but last time the quiet time was around 10 months. If it is going to be shorter or longer now is impossible to know.

Red dots and orange dots, not many of them in Fagradalsfjall volcano, in Krýsuvík-Trölladyngja volcano east of Fagradalsfjall and orange and blue dots west of Fagradalsfjall volcano in the volcano Reykjanes.
Earthquake activity in Fagradalsfjall volcano. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

Currently the earthquake activity is minor, but that can change quickly and without much warning. At the writing of this article, its been 6 months and 24 days since the eruption in Meradalir valley ended. I don’t know if this is going to happen the same was as it did before last eruption. Since there’s a lot of magma at depth of 5 to 10 km now and that changes how everything functions and behaves in the crust.

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Eruption expected in Fagradalsfjall volcano this year (2023) or next year (2024)

It was reported in Rúv News that eruption is expected to happen in Fagradalsfjall volcano this year (2023) or next year (2024). When those eruptions happen is impossible to know. But before any eruption there’s going to be a large earthquake swarm as happened before the eruption in March 2021 and in August 2022. Fagradalsfjall volcano before the eruption in March 2021 had not erupted for 6000 to 8000 years. That means it unclear how the volcano is going to behave and its going to take a while until that is figured out, but for now it is probable that Fagradalsfjall volcano is going to work in similar way how Krafla volcano erupted between the year 1975 and 1984. With the difference that eruptions in Fagradalsfjall volcano are possibly going to last longer, based on data from other volcanoes on Reykjanes peninsula. This might go on for the next 10 to 20 years, with eruptions and quiet time period between them. Currently Fagradalsfjall volcano is in a quiet time.

This does not rule out eruptions in Reykjanes volcano (west of Fagradalsfjall volcano) and Krýsuvík-Trölladyngja volcano (east of Fagradalsfjall volcano) in next few years. Neither of those volcanoes have erupted in 700 to 900 years and at the writing of this article, don’t show any clear signs that they are about to erupt. Reykjanes volcano has had a lot of dyke intrusion activity since 2019, but no eruptions so far. Krýsuvík-Trölladyngja volcano has not had any dyke intrusion activity. Volcanoes east of Krýsuvík-Trölladyngja volcano, Brennisteinsfjöll volcano and Hengill volcano are currently quiet, but that might change without warning if magma starts to find path up those volcanoes.

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Strong earthquake swarm in Reykjanes volcano on Reykjanes ridge / Reykjanes peninsula

This earthquake swarm is ongoing at the writing of this article and information can change without warning. The largest earthquake recorded by automatic magnitude of Mw3,7 at the writing of this article. Around 30 to 40 earthquakes have happened so far, but that number might change quickly. This earthquake activity has some signs that it might be happening because of magma intrusion in the area, out in the ocean but signals are not clear.

Three green stars and red dots on the left down side on the map of Reykjanes peninsula, the earthquake activity is happening out in the ocean on the Reykjanes ridge.
The current earthquake activity on Reykjanes ridge. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

This earthquake activity is in the volcano Reykjanes, that volcano goes into the ocean and is on dry land. Making possible future eruptions both explosive and flowing magma at the same time. To date, Reykjanes volcano only has had earthquake swarms and no eruption. When that is going to change is impossible to know.

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Earthquake swarm 3 km north of Grindavík town

Today (19. December 2022) and yesterday (18. December 2022) an earthquake swarm took place 3 km north of Grindavík town in the Reykjanes volcano. Largest earthquake had a magnitude of Mw2,9 and was felt in Grindavík. Earthquakes with magnitude Mw2,0 are felt in Grindavík, possibly even smaller earthquakes. At the writing of this article, this earthquake swarm is ongoing but weather is blocking almost all of the automatic earthquake detection.
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Earthquake swarm in Reykjanes volcano (3-December-2022)

Today (03-December-2022) at 12:49 UTC an earthquake with magnitude of Mw3,5 at 7,0 km depth. This was the largest earthquake in the swarm. Around of 40 earthquakes took place at the writing of this article. There are no reports about the largest earthquake was felt in nearby populated areas.

Green star on the left down corner of the image with orange dots showing smaller earthquakes. With few red dots in the same area.
Earthquake activity in the Reykjanes peninsula. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

This earthquake activity suggest that a new inflation period is about to start in this part of the Reykjanes peninsula and Reykjanes ridge. There has been rather quiet time in Fagradalsfjall volcano and Reykjanes volcano since August when last eruption took place in Fagradalsfjall volcano. Reykjanes volcano has not erupted so far, but has continued activity of magma injection into the crust. When that is going to result in a eruption is impossible to know.