Category: Swarm

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Minor earthquake swarm on Reykjanes Ridge

A minor earthquake swarm started on Reykjanes Ridge today. So far no earthquake has had the magnitude 3.0 or larger. The largest earthquake so far has had the magnitude 2.8. The depth of this earthquake swarm is around 4 to 7 km.

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The earthquake swarm on the Reykjanes Ridge at 18:50 UTC. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.

It is hard to know what happens with this earthquake swarm. But if any major changes happens with this earthquake swarm. I am going to post a blog post about it soon as possible.

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Interesting earthquakes close to Tungafellsjökull volcano

There is some interesting earthquake activity taking place close to Tungnafellsjökull volcano. This earthquake activity started last year in this area. It is unclear what is happening. But this might just be normal tectonic activity. The earthquakes are on the depth of around 4 km.


Earthquake activity close to Tungafellsjökull. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.

I am not sure if earthquake activity is going to continue in this area. As earthquake activity is intermittent in this area. The Torfajökull volcano however remains silent. But this activity is interesting. Since this area normally does not have earthquake, since it remains outside the main fault zones. But it is still inside the main rift zone in Iceland.

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Magnitude 3.2 earthquake in TFZ

At 04:03 UTC on 29.01.2013 an magnitude 3.2 earthquake did happen at TFZ. This earthquake was not felt according to news on this earthquake. Several aftershocks where detected following this magnitude 3.2 earthquake.


The magnitude 3.2 earthquake in TFZ. Along with aftershocks in the same area. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.

There is a lot of tension in TFZ. But this earthquake swarm does not mean it is ready to break yet. When that happens is impossible to know at this time. Earthquake detection is difficult in Iceland at the moment due to bad weather and strong winds.

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Magnitude 3.8 earthquake in Bárðarbunga volcano

During the night at 04:50 UTC there was an earthquake with the magnitude 3.8 in Bárðarbunga volcano. This appears to be a minor dike intrusions into Bárðarbunga volcano. This happens regularly in Bárðarbunga volcano. Often resulting in a lot larger earthquakes then current earthquake swarm that is taking place in Bárðarbunga volcano.


Earthquake activity in Bárðarbunga volcano. The star is the magnitude 3.8 earthquake. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.

It is impossible to know what is going on in Bárðarbunga volcano. But there is no risk for volcano eruption for now. Even if there is possibility of minor dike intrusion taking place in Bárðarbunga volcano at the moment. I am not expecting anything more at the moment. But more earthquakes can not be ruled out, as Bárðarbunga volcano is a earthquake active volcano.

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Earthquakes deep on the Reykjanes Ridge

Yesterday (20.01.2013) there where few medium sized earthquakes deep on the Reykjanes Ridge. This earthquakes where far off the coast of Iceland (around 1340 km from Reykjavík). So this earthquake swarm is just being noticed on instruments. What is going on there is impossible to know. The largest earthquake in this swarm is a magnitude Mb5.2 earthquake that did happen at 21:40 UTC. Earlier and earthquakes that did follow this earthquake had the magnitude from Mb4.7 to Mb5.0. But any smaller earthquakes are unlikely to be detected at this distance from any seismometer network in Europe or America.


Location of the largest earthquake in this swarm. A magnitude 5.2 earthquake. Copyright of this image belongs to EMSC.

More earthquake activity might take place on this location. But it is hard to know due to lack of data. But it is worth keeping an eye on it. As things remain quiet in Iceland at the moment.

Blog post updated at 00:37 UTC on 21.01.2013.

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Earthquake swarm in Katla volcano caldera

Yesterday (14.12.2012) from 20:50 UTC until 22:52 UTC there was an minor earthquake swarm in Katla volcano caldera. The largest earthquake in this swarm was a magnitude 2,2 earthquake. With the depth of 0,1 km. So it was a shallow earthquake. This is not uncommon for this part of Katla volcano. This earthquake activity has its origin in hydrothermal activity or changes in hydrothermal systems in this area of Katla volcano caldera.


Earthquake swarm in Katla volcano. This area has had earthquakes swarms before. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.

I do not expect anything special to result from this earthquake swarm. Since it is highly unlikely that Katla volcano is going to erupt in December. It is also a when it comes to earthquakes. Katla volcano has a lot of them during the year and earthquake swarm as this one should be expected to happen every once in a while.

Blog post updated at 10:42 UTC on 15.12.2012.

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Earthquake swarm north of Kolbeinsey Island

During the night (on 15.12.2012) there was a swarm of earthquakes far north of Kolbeinsey Island. The distance from Kolbeinsey Island is about 100 to 200 km. What exactly is taking place at this location is impossible to know for now. Since this is far from Iceland and the SIL network. Last eruption is believed to have taken place around this area back in the year 1999, or at least there was an large dike intrusion at that time. What did happen exactly is not known.


The earthquake activity north of Kolbeinsey Island at midnight (00:00 UTC) 15.12.2012. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.


Earthquake activity at 09:00 UTC this morning (15.12.2012). More earthquakes have taken place since midnight. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.

There is a chance of more earthquakes in this area. It can also be expected that not all earthquake activity in this area is being detected by the SIL network. Due to distance, weather and ocean activity.

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Dike intrusion in Askja volcano

Today (14.12.2012) around 12:00 UTC Askja volcano had dike intrusion. This dike intrusion was not in the main volcano it self. But a good distance away from it. But this is in a area that has erupted before in distant past in a fissure style eruption (just lava, no volcano ash). What is the case now I am not sure at the moment. But this dike intrusion was at the depth of 25 to 22 km. So it has long way to go before any eruption takes place. This dike intrusion did also not show any sign of moving upwards according to Rúv News of this event.


Earthquake map from IMO showing the dike intrusion clearly. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.

What this means in the long term is impossible to know at this point. But this is one event in a long series of events that started in March 2010. This is going to end with a eruption. Large or small is impossible to know until it happens. What is also impossible to know is when and where such eruption might take place. As is always the case with active volcanoes. There is at least no reason to panic about this. Not now, not ever.

Donations: I am still needing donations to cover my cost of buying 3G hardware for upcoming geophone stations Böðvarshólar (total cost around 1300 DKK, or 29900 ISK). I have got some donations already. But they just cover the cost of UPS and USB card for Skeiðflöt geophone station. But I was fixing technical problems with it. Thanks for the support.

Icelandic News about this

Á annan tug skjálfta austur af Öskju (Rúv.is)

Blog post updated at 23:29 UTC on 14.12.2012

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Interesting earthquake swarm in TFZ

Today (12.12.2012) there was a interesting earthquake swarm in south part of TFZ (close to a place called Ásbyrgi). This earthquake swarm did consist mostly of minor earthquakes. With magnitudes of from ML0.2 and up to magnitude ML2.6. This earthquake swarm is tectonic in nature. I do not believe it is volcanic in nature. But this earthquake swarm is inside Krafla volcano fissure swarm or TFZ-NVZ two volcanoes. I am not sure in this case here.


The earthquake swarm is in the corner of this image. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.

This earthquake swarm might not mean anything special as is. But earthquake activity in this area has been some for the past few years. But it has so far never resulted in any major events so far in this area.

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TFZ earthquake swarm update on 06.12.2012

The earthquake swarm on TFZ continues to this day. It has been ongoing for more then one month already. The largest earthquake in the past few days has been a earthquake with the magnitude of ML2.7. Most other earthquakes that have been taking place are in the magnitude range of ML0.0 and up to ML2.7. Activity in this area happens with high and lows. With latest high being just few days ago. This continued earthquake activity shows that this area continues to be at risk of large earthquake.


Earthquake activity in TFZ yesterday (05.12.2012). It continues in the same area as Mb5.6 earthquake that took place on 21. October 2012. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.


Earthquake activity in TFZ today (06.12.2012). Not many new earthquake have taken place since yesterday (05.12.2012. Picture above). But there is regular activity in this area and that makes the earthquake swarm continuous. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.

Currently there are no signs that this earthquake swarm is about to end. Even if there is a drop in activity for a day or two. It continues as it has been doing since 21st October 2012. I am going to post updates on this earthquake swarm regularly. If anything major happens. I am going to post update soon as I can do so.