Category: Eldeyjarboða

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Earthquake swarm close to Eldeyjarboða on Reykjanes ridge

Today (9. December 2023) at 05:55 UTC to 06:44 UTC an earthquake swarm took place deep on the Reykjanes ridge. This earthquake swarm is far from the coast so smaller earthquakes where not detected by Icelandic Met Office. Largest earthquake in this swarm had a magnitude of Mw3,8.

Green star and yellow dots far from the coast of Reykjanes peninsula. This is far out in the ocean.
Earthquake activity deep on Reykjanes ridge. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

This is in a volcano, its unclear if this is in the volcano Eldeyjarboði or a different unnamed volcano. This earthquake swarm seems to have stopped by now.

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Update on earthquake activity close to Eldey island on Reykjanes ridge on 7th July 2023 at 13:31 UTC

This is a short update because there’s a lot going on.

  • Largest earthquake during the last 24 hours close to Eldey island had a magnitude of Mw4,5.
  • This earthquake swarm looks like a dyke intrusion. Since the area is out in the ocean it is impossible to be sure.
  • Difficult to know if an eruption is going to happen in this area. If an eruption happens, effects are unlikely to be big because of ocean depth.
A lot of green stars all over the place and a lot of red dots. Since there has been heavy earthquake activity on Reykjanes ridge and Reykjanes peninsula in last few days.
Strong earthquake swarm activity on Reykjanes ridge and Reykjanes peninsula. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

It is my opinion that is unlikely to be an earthquake activity that is connected to the inflation in Fagradalsfjall mountain. Those earthquakes are closer to Fagradalsfjall mountain. It can’t be ruled out, but is unlikely to be the reason for this activity. Earlier activity in this same area also makes this unlikely to be a tectonic earthquake activity. It can’t be ruled out. Areas out in the ocean are always more difficult to figure out than activity on land with easier access.

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Earthquake swarm close to Eldey and Eldeyjarboða á Reykjanes ridge

It seems that sometimes in the last 24 hours an earthquake swarm started close to Eldey and Eldeyjarboða on the Reykjanes ridge. Largest earthquakes seems to be around Mw3,2 to Mw3,7 or in around that magnitude. Since it is close to impossible to see the earthquakes on the map in all the activity that is happening close to Keilir mountain and Fagradalsfjall mountain.

Green stars out in the ocean is the activity on the Reykjanes ridge. There's a lot of activity on this map and the whole thing is a mess to read.
Heavy earthquake activity on the Reykjanes peninsula and Reykjanes ridge. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

I don’t know if this earthquake swarm is connected to what is happening in Fagradalsfjall mountain and Keilir mountain. It seems unlikely, but this activity might have been triggered by that earthquake swarm. What is going on there is unclear. Since this is out in the ocean.

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Strong earthquake swarm on Reykjanes ridge close to Geirfugladrangur and Eldeyjarboða

This evening on 16-October-2022 an strong earthquake swarm started close to Geirfugladrangur and Eldeyjarboða on the Reykjanes ridge. At the writing of this article the strongest earthquake had a magnitude of Mw4,4 but that might change without warning.

Red dots and green stars on the Reykjanes ridge out on the ocean. Reykjanes peninsula on the left side of the image
Earthquake activity close to Geirfugladrangur and Eldeyjarboða on the Reykjanes ridge. Image from Icelandic Met Office.

It is difficult to know how this earthquake swarm is going to evolve but there are clues in this activity that this might be a large earthquake swarm. However, activity in this area is also known to just stop without warning.