Today (21. December 2022) an earthquake with magnitude of Mw3,4 took place in Krýsuvík-Trölladyngja volcano. This earthquake is because of inflation in Fagradalsfjall volcano. This possibly means that the inflation in Fagradalsfjall volcano is reaching critical point and might result in a eruption soon, when that point is reached is difficult 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.
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.
Magnitude Mw3,8 earthquake in Bárðarbunga volcano
Today (29-November-2022) at 01:09 UTC an earthquake with magnitude of Mw3,8 took place in Bárðarbunga volcano. This is a normal inflation earthquake in Bárðarbunga volcano and more earthquakes like this are going to happen in next few years.
This is just regular earthquake activity in Bárðarbunga volcano. After the eruption in Bárðarbunga volcano in 2014 and until 2015 it is going to be a while until next eruption happens. Until then, earthquakes like this are going to happen.
Strong earthquake swarm in Öræfajökull volcano
Today (23-November-2022) at 10:04 UTC an earthquake with magnitude Mw3,1 took place in Öræfajökull volcano. According to the news and Icelandic Met Office, this is the largest earthquake in Öræfajökull volcano since the year 2018. This earthquake was felt on nearby farms. There is no town close to Öræfajökull volcano. A smaller earthquake with magnitude of Mw2,6 was also felt in the nearby area. A swarm of smaller earthquakes also took place inside Öræfajökull volcano caldera. Bad weather in south Iceland is preventing detection of all the earthquake activity in Öræfajökull volcano.
Öræfajökull volcano last time had this type of earthquake activity in the years 2018 and 2019 when it started to quiet down again. There are signs that magma is moving inside the volcano. When and if that is going to result in a eruption is impossible to know.
Strong earthquake swarm in Katla volcano (22-November-2022)
Today (22-November-2022) a strong earthquake swarm started in Katla volcano at 19:55 UTC. Strongest earthquake had a magnitude of Mw4,4. One Mw3,5 earthquake was recorded with several smaller earthquakes. Magnitudes and number of earthquakes are changing. This is an updated text of the earthquake magnitude.
What is going on is unclear at the writing of this article. At the writing of this article I am not seeing any change in harmonic tremor, but that might change without warning. I’ll post updates if anything more happens in Katla volcano.
Added: I added the donate buttons back if people want to support my work. I had to remove them because of a increased fraud risk in October and that might be ongoing risk.
Article updated at 21:16 UTC.
Article updated at 23:06 UTC.
Possible dyke intrusion in Fagradalsfjall volcano
Early morning today (10-November-2022) an swarm of earthquakes took place slightly north of the place where the eruption in August 2022 took place in Fagradalsfjall volcano. This possible dyke intrusion was small and only lasted for about 1 hour before it stopped. Depth of the earthquakes was from 5 km to 7 km.
This activity might give a clue on in what area next eruption is going to take place in Fagradalsfjall mountain. Based on earlier eruption there won’t be any warning before an eruption earthquake swarm starts. In August that eruption started with a minor earthquake swarm, created from a dyke intrusion that was happening. In the hours before an eruption starts there’s going to be a strong earthquake swarm, based on what happened just before the eruption in August. It is interesting if the eruption activity moves north-east, rather than south-west. Why that happens, if it does so, is not something I am clear on why happens.
Earthquake with magnitude Mw4,2 in Bárðarbunga volcano
Today (31-October-2022) at 14:57 UTC an earthquake with magnitude of Mw4,2 took place in Bárðarbunga volcano. This is a normal inflation earthquake as Bárðarbunga volcano continues to inflate after the large eruption in 2014 to 2015.
This earthquake activity is normal and happens every few months in Bárðarbunga volcano.
Change in the earthquake activity in close to Herðubreið mountain
Sometime yesterday (24-October-2022) a change happened in the earthquake swarm close to Herðubreið mountain. I am not sure when that change happened and it probably took few hours to happen before I detected it. But the change seems to be that now the earthquake swarm is at two locations and not just one. The second change is that the earthquake swarm is now getting more intense. The earthquakes at the writing of this article are minor, only magnitude Mw0,0 to Mw2,7 at the strongest. Nothing above Mw3,0 so far, but that might change without warning. Depth of this earthquake swarm is around 2 to 3 km at the writing of this article.
What is going to happen next is impossible to know. An eruption in this area has not happened for at least 12.000 years or even longer. I don’t know if stronger earthquake activity is required for this area for an eruption to happen. It already is rather fractured from older earthquake activity and rift activity, that makes it possible for magma to have easier paths to the surface without much earthquake activity. That is at least one idea on the situation in this area. I might be wrong on this, since I don’t have information on the finer details of the crust around Herðubreið mountain.
Earthquake swarm in west part of Fagradalsfjall volcano
This morning on 23-October-2022 an earthquake swarm took place in west part of Fagradalsfjall volcano. Largest earthquake in this swarm so far had a magnitude of Mw3,0.
This earthquake activity is the result of magma pushing up into the crust at around 5 km depth. This is not a large dyke intrusion and possibly won’t result in a eruption, unless there’s a sharp increase in earthquake activity and that has happened (the August 2022 eruption started this way). This is currently a situation that requires monitoring for changes. If anything is going to happen is impossible to know.