Category: Magma

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Earthquake in Askja volcano

Yesterday (10-November 2024) at 08:13 UTC an earthquake with the magnitude of Mw3,0 took place in Askja volcano. This earthquake had few minor aftershocks, but nothing more happened following this earthquake.

Green star at the end of this map. In Askja volcano. There is one blue dot, showing a smaller earthquake in Krafla volcano.
Earthquake activity in Askja volcano. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

There is magma flowing into Askja volcano at current time. However I do not think this time it is going to result in a eruption. If this earthquake is connected to this magma inflow I do not know.

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Small dyke intrusion into Sundhnúkagígar in Svartsengi volcano during the night (4-November 2024)

During the night of 4th November 2024 at 02:30 to around 03:00 UTC an small dyke intrusion took place in Sundhnúkagígar crater in Svartsengi volcano. Around 20 to 25 earthquakes took place in this minor dyke intrusion that stopped as quickly as it had started.

Dots of small earthquakes all over Reykjanes peninsula. The dots in Svartsengi volcano, in Sundhnúkagígar crater row. This group of small earthquakes is the dyke intrusion that was trying to happen during the night.
Earthquakes in Svartsengi volcano, Sundhnúkagígar crater row. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

There is a ongoing risk of more sudden dyke intrusion like this. Those can go on for hours and might not even erupt at all. A lot more earthquake activity is going to happen if such a dyke intrusion happens.

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Large earthquake in Bárðarbunga volcano

Today (06-October-2024) at 17:56 UTC an earthquake with magnitude Mw4,5 to Mw5,1 took place in Bárðarbunga volcano. Icelandic Met Office reported this earthquake as Mw4,5 and EMSC reported this earthquake as Mw5,0. USGS reported this earthquake as Mw5,1. Yesterday (05-October 2024) two magnitude Mw3,7 and Mw3,9 earthquakes took place in Bárðarbunga volcano.

Four green stars in Bárðarbunga volcano. One to the north-east and the other to the south-west. There are few other points on the map, showing smaller earthquakes.
Earthquake activity in Bárðarbungna volcano. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

This earthquake activity in Bárðarbunga volcano happens because of inflation that is now happening in Bárðarbunga volcano. This inflation is going to take decades to complete and in that time, this type of earthquake activity is going to be frequent with several magnitude Mw5,0 earthquake over the year, but fewer as the time goes on from last eruption (ended in February 2015). After 10 to 30 years, there is only going to be one magnitude Mw5,0 earthquake larger every few years.

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Update on the eruption in Svartsengi on 23. August 2024 at 17:39 UTC

This is a short update on the eruption in Svartsengi volcano. This information might go outdated quickly.

  • The eruption is now on a 2 km long fissure. It is located just north of Stóra Skógfell. This is the most north part of the eruption fissure so far. Total length of the eruption fissure is 7 km, but most parts of it have stopped erupting.
  • The eruption can be seen from Reykjanesbraut on the way to Keflavík or Keflavík airport.
  • It is impossible to know how long this eruption is going to last. But harmonic tremor is already dropping and has been doing that since around 06:00 this morning. This eruption might last a day or it might last a month, at current time it is impossible to know.
  • Icelandic Met Office lost a seismometer (Litla Skógarfell) and a GPS station under lava in this eruption. So far, its only two stations. Since one (Norðurljósavegur) GPS station had been moved out of harms way earlier in August.
  • Largest earthquakes had the magnitude of Mw4,1 and Mw3,3. The larger one was just off Fagradalsfjall volcano and the smaller one was in Keilir mountain. The larger one was felt in Reykjavík and nearby areas.

This eruption can change without warning. If anything worth reporting happens. I’ll write a new article about what is going on.

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Eruption has started in Svartsengi volcano, Sundhnúkagíga

Eruption started in Svartsengi volcano, in Sundhnúkagíga crater row. The eruption is powerful as is the normal with this type of eruption. The time from earthquake start to the eruption started was around 30 to 40 minutes.

I’ll post more information if I have anything to report. Last eruption in this same area started on 29. May and ended on 22. June.

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Possible small eruption in Katla volcano, glacier flood ongoing

Starting sometimes late yesterday (26-July 2024), a small eruption seems to have started in Katla volcano. At the writing of this article, the eruption seems to be over, but it might restart at any time without warning, it is impossible to know at the moment, since harmonic tremor is unclear for now because of the glacier flood. Largest earthquake at the writing of this article had magnitude of Mw2,9.

Red dots showing small earthquakes in east part of Katla volcano caldera in Mýrdalsjökull glacier.
Earthquake activity in Katla volcano. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.
Harmonic tremor plot from Icelandic Met Office. Showing increased harmonic tremor starting at around midnight of 27-July 2024. Reaching peak few hours later before starting to lower again.
The harmonic tremor in Austmannsbunga SIL station. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

Glacier flood is ongoing and is going to be ongoing for next few hours. The area around Mýrdalsjökull glacier is dangerous because of this.

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Earthquake swarm in Brennisteinsfjöll volcano

Today (5-July 2024) an earthquake swarm started in Brennisteinsfjöll volcano. Largest earthquake had a magnitude of Mw3,1 at 07:17 UTC. This earthquake was felt in Reykjavík and nearby areas.

The earthquake swarm on the left side on this image, with orange dots because of the age of the earthquakes on the map. Green star shows the largest earthquake.
Earthquake activity in Brennisteinsfjöll volcano. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

At the writing of this article, the earthquake swarm seems to have stopped. It might restart again, since that is common in this volcano and in this area.

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Update on the eruption in Sundhnúkagígar on 30. May 2024 at 00:49 UTC

This is a short update on the eruption in Sundhnúkagígar on 30. May 2024 at 00:49 UTC. This might be the only update on this eruption, since normally, eruptions in Sundhnúkagígar only last one to three days normally. If that happens now remains to be seen.

Yesterday (29. May 2024) at 12:46 UTC an eruption started in Sundhnúkagígar, close to a small mountain called Sýlingafell and other nearby mountains. This is also the same area that has had eruptions in recent months. This eruption was large and peaked at 2000m3/sec. Since then it has slowed down and is maybe only around 200m3/sec to 600m3/sec for now. The flow from the eruption is going to change without warning and quickly. The eruption fissure today was at the longest around 4 km long. Currently, at the writing of this article, the eruption fissure is around 1 to 2,5 km long. How long the fissure is going to change without warning.

The eruption fissure seen from Þorbjörn mountain today at 12:58:01. A large gas cloud is coming from the eruption in a day that is slight cloudy but with sun at that moment.
The eruption just as it had started. Picture from Rúv web camera.
The eruption at 12:47:48 UTC as it was starting. The lava fountains are reaching up to 70 meters up in the air and the gas cloud keeps growing.
The eruption as it was starting. The picture is from Rúv web camera.
The eruption as it was at 12:51:24. The peak lava fountains are reaching slightly more than 70 meters up in the air and the fissure is expanding to the south and north. Gas cloud is growing and drifting to the east.
The eruption at the start. Screenshot from Rúv web camera.
The eruption as it was at 16:12:24 UTC and reaching peak of its activity. I am not sure what the peak is on this image, but based on the lava flow that is going over a small hill. It was high and a strong lava flow was happening.
The most active hour in the eruption. Screenshot from Rúv web camera.
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Eruption has started in Svartsengi, Sundhnúkagígar area

Eruption started in Sundhnúkagígar area í Svartsengi volcano. The start of eruption seems to have been at 12:47 UTC or around that minute. The fissure is getting longer as this article is being written.

The fissure and the eruption column in red and orange colour. A large gas cloud drifts to the east from the eruption.
The eruption in Sundhnúkagígar. Screenshot from Rúv web camera.