Volcano and earthquake activity in Iceland
Today (24-May-2022) an earthquake swarm started north of Geysir. This earthquake swarm is mostly small and only around 40 earthquakes have been recorded so far. Largest earthquake had a magnitude of Mw2,8 and all other earthquakes have been smaller.
This earthquake activity is normal tectonic activity and I am not expecting anything more to happen. Larger earthquakes might happen, but at the writing of this article it seems unlikely. This area also has regular earthquake swarms.
Starting yesterday (22-February-2019) and ending today (23-February-2019) a swarm of earthquake happened north-east of Geysir volcano. This was not a large earthquake swarm with only around 24 earthquakes.
Earthquake activity north-east of Geysir volcano. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.
Largest earthquakes in this swarm had a magnitude of 2,4. Other earthquake were smaller in magnitude.
Earthquake swarm north of Geysir volcano (this is a minor volcano) continues, with breaks. Largest earthquake in last few days had the magnitude of 3,2 and was felt on nearby farms.
Earthquake activity north of Geysir volcano in the last 48 hours. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.
New earthquake swarms more west than current one have also been appearing, so far the earthquake activity has not lasted more than few hours before stopping again. Earthquake activity is common in this area, larger earthquake swarms do happen in this area every few years.
For the past few days there has been a minor earthquake swarm north of Geysir (a minor volcano in this area). The earthquake swarm has not been inside the volcano, it has been just outside it. The earthquakes have all been tectonic in nature so far.
Minor earthquake swarm north of Geysir. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.
All of the earthquakes that have taken place are minor in magnitude. With the largest only having magnitude 2,5. Others earthquakes being smaller in magnitude. So far only 25 earthquakes have taken place. The earthquake swarm seems to be ongoing, it however has slowed down in last few hours and it might end soon.
Yesterday (05-February-2014) an minor earthquake swarm took place in Geysir volcano (no GVP information) and in Presthnjúkar volcano. None of the earthquakes where above the magnitude of 2,6. The largest earthquakes did appear on my geophone network and were (are for the next few hours when this is written) visible on my webicorders website.
Earthquake activity in Presthnjúkar volcano and Geysir volcano. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.
Other than this minor earthquake swarm it remains quiet in Iceland. I am not sure why that is at current time. This is the longest quiet period that I remember for the past 5 years at least.
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While all the active volcanoes in Iceland get all the press and coverage. There are volcanoes in Iceland that are not so active and have remain dormant for thousands of years now and currently do not show any signs of activity. Some have some hot spring activity. But that is about it for them. The following volcanoes in Iceland have not erupted in historical times. Some have not even erupted in past 12.000 years best to my knowledge. But as history has proved in other parts of the world. An dormant volcano can start to erupt when it feels like it and without any warning at all in some cases.
This is based on Global Volcanism Program data. So it might be subject to errors and updates.
Volcano
Hrómundartindur – Last eruption is unknown. This volcano is an stratovolcano.
Grensdalur – Last eruption was in Pleistocene and its current status is Pleistocene-Fumarolic. This volcano is an stratovolcano.
Grímsnes – Last eruption is believed to have taken place around 3500 BC. But this volcano is marked as tephrochronology. This volcano makes crater rows when it erupts.
Geysir – This volcano last erupted in Pleistocene and is marked as Pleistocene-Geysers. This is an stratovolcano.
Hveravellir – This volcano last erupted around the year 950 AD. It is currently marked as radiocarbon. This is an subglacial volcano.
Hofsjökull – This volcano has erupted sometimes in the last 12.000 years. It has the marking holocene. This is an subglacial volcano. The second volcano in this system is not marked in GVP database. But that volcano is named Kerlingarfjöll. I do not know when it last erupted. There is also an embeeded second volcano in Hofsjökull volcano that is Independent from the main Hofsjökull volcano (yes, this is the case it seems). I do not have any idea when that did last erupt.
Esjufjöll – This is an sub-glacier volcano in Vatnajökull glacier. Its last eruption is uncertain. But is believed to taken place in the year 1927. From the year 2000 this volcano has been showing signs of increased activity. This volcano is an stratovolcano.
Fremrinamur – This volcano is last believed to have erupted in the year 1200 BC. This volcano is an stratovolcano.
Þeystareykjabunga – This volcano last erupted around the year 900 BC. This volcano is an shield volcano.
Snæfellsjökull – This volcano last erupted around 200 AD. It is currently marked as radiocarbon. This is an stratovolcano.
Helgrindur (also known as Lysuhóll) – This volcano has no record of eruption. But it is thought that it erupted sometimes in the past 12.000 years. But exact time is not known. This volcano makes pyroclastic cones. This volcano is the smallest volcano system in Iceland.
Tindafjallajökull – It is unknown if this volcano has erupted during holocene. But the GVP information say that dozen of small eruptions took place in early holocene. This is an stratovolcano.
Snæfell – This volcano is located east of Vatnajökull glacier and south of Kverkfjöll volcano. It was once believed that this volcano was extinct. But new research into it has changed that opinion. This is most likely an stratovolcano. But I do not have it confirmed. This volcano has at least not erupted for several thousands years or more. Currently there are no information about this volcano in the Global Volcanism Program database.
Skrokkalda – This volcano is dormant. But I do not know if it has erupted in historical times or not, but I do no think that is the case. I am also not sure what type of volcano it is.
There are few more volcanoes missing due the fact that they are not in the Global Volcanism Program database. But I have them on a map that I own. So they are going to be added later when I update this blog post.
Tonight at 01:34 UTC (9th of January 2011) a earthquake swarm started at Geysir volcano. So far this earthquake swarm is slow moving, but with the largest earthquake reaching the size ML2.7 at 4.2 km depth according to automatic earthquake detection system that Icelandic Met Office has (SIL system).
So far it is hard to know how this earthquake swarm is going to develop. As this area normally does not have a lot of earthquakes.
I am going to post more updates of there are any major developments in regards to this earthquake swarm at Geysir volcano. I do expect the largest earthquake to have been felt in nearby farms in this area.