Category: Magma

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Minor earthquake swarm in Katla volcano

Today (28.05.2012) at 11:22 UTC an small earthquake swarm did start in Katla volcano. This earthquake swarm did end at 12:28 UTC. This is small earthquake swarm, both in numbers of earthquakes and in the magnitude of the earthquakes in the swarm. With the largest earthquake having the magnitude of ML1.4. The depth of this earthquake swarm was around 0.1 km, but that gives the depth around 100 meters or so. Following this earthquake there has been some minor disturbance at Álftagróf SIL station. But because it only appears on one SIL station. This change might have its origin in something else. Like human traffic, local wind etc. For the moment I cannot rule that out.


The change in tremor at Álftagróf SIL station. This change in tremor might not be because of Katla volcano. But something else. Please keep that in mind. Copyright of this picture belongs to Iceland Meteorological Office.

If the tremor changes at Álftagróf SIL station where from Katla volcano. They where highly local and did not show up on other SIL stations for some unknown reason. That has happened before, but the SIL network was not as dense around Katla volcano back then.


Image of the active area in Katla volcano. Copyright of this picture belongs to Iceland Meteorological Office.

I find it most likely reason for this earthquake swarm where some changes in hydrothermal areas inside Katla volcano caldera. All hydrotheraml areas in Katla volcano are under high pressure due to the glacier that is on top of them. So changes might not happen without some earthquake activity as did happen few hours ago. This is also not in any way a sign that Katla volcano might be about to erupt. This is far too low earthquake activity for such event to be starting. There is an chance of small glacier flood following this earthquake swarm in next 8 to 24 hours. But it is far from certain that is going to happen.

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Krísuvík volcano inflates and deflates regularly

It seems that Krísuvík volcano is inflating and deflating on regular basic. I do not know how regular this change is. But it has been noticed by Icelandic scientists how are bit puzzled by this behavior. Last inflation episode did last until end of the year 2011. Since then deflation did start again and is currently ongoing. It is uncertain if what this means. At the moment it is too early to know for sure if this means if that Krísuvík volcano is getting ready for an eruption. But if there was an eruption in Krísuvík volcano, it would be Hawaiian eruption so no volcano ash. Volcano ash eruption would only take place if an eruption started in Kleifarvatn lake. But the effects of that would be limited to local area (Reykjavík and other nearby towns). It would not create any global problems, as many would want to believe.

Inflation and deflation period have been the years 2009, from January to September. In May 2010 inflation did start again, that inflation period lasted until end of the year 2011. Since then deflation has been taking place. Today there is continues GPS monitoring in Krísuvík volcano. But it is unknown if this type of behavior has taken place before in Krísuvík volcano. But for now Krísuvík volcano is being monitored both with GPS and the SIL network. What happens next anyone guess.

Icelandic news about this.

Land rís og sígur í Krýsuvík (Rúv.is)

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Earthquakes in Katla volcano. Earthquake swarm continues close to Herðubreið. Other earthquake activity

This morning there was a short earthquake swarm in Katla volcano caldera. This earthquake looks like a minor dike intrusion did take place this morning. Current series of events did start on 28. April 2012. With a small earthquake event and a small glacier flood that did follow it. Along with harmonic tremors coming from the glacier flood and possibly Katla volcano caldera (hydro-thermal activity boiling or something of that nature). I do not yet know if there was any glacier flood following the event this morning. But so far there is nothing that suggests a small glacier flood did take place following the earthquake swarm this morning.

The earthquake swarm this morning took place on an location that did erupt on 8 and 9th of July 2011. So it is clear the area that erupted last year is picking up activity again. But there was an drop in activity from end of November 2011 until end of April 2012.


Earthquake activity in Katla volcano this morning. Copyright of this picture belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.

This earthquake activity did appear well on my geophone at Skeiðflöt farm.


Earthquake activity in Katla volcano caldera this morning on my Skeiðflöt geophone. There is a lot of noise on this geophone. But earthquake activity can still be seen on this. The earthquakes are marked by red (some noise is also marked by red). This picture is released under Creative Commons Licence. See CC Licence page for more details.

It is clear that Katla volcano seems to be warming up to an eruption. But it is impossible to know when such eruption might happen, or how big it is going to be.

Herðubreið

Earthquake activity continues south-west of Herðubreið. But almost all of the earthquakes have been less then ML2.0 in magnitude. Earthquake activity has been slowing down all day. At the moment, it appears this earthquake swarm is close to being over.


The earthquake activity close to Herðubreið mountain. Copyright of this picture belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.

This area is well known for for earthquake activity. So this is not something that is new in this area.

Reykjanes Ridge

According to EMSC and USGS there have been several earthquakes with the magnitude of Mb4.5 to Mb4.8 on the Reykjanes Ridge. Earthquake activity is common on the Reykjanes Ridge. But because of the location and depth (around 2km) it is impossible to know if there any volcano eruption taking place at this location. It might well be, or not.

Kolbeinsey Island

Over the past weeks there has been some earthquake activity close to or in Kolbeinsey Island. The largest earthquakes have had the magnitude around ML3.0, with some underestimates due to distance from the SIL network. At this moment it is impossible to know if this earthquake activity is related to possible eruption activity. But it believed that an eruption (or dike intrusion) took place on Kolbeinsey Ridge in the year 1999. It started off with a large earthquake swarm.

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Katla volcano warming up for an eruption. Small glacier flood continues

This is going to be a short blog post. As I am going to be short of table and a cheer for few more days.

It seems that Katla volcano is warming up for a eruption. As I did mention in last blog post. But there is more to this. As the glacier flood that started on the 28. April 2012 continues according to a email that I got from an geologist working at Iceland Meteorological Office. But that suggests two things. That there is currently an ongoing melting of glacier taking place in Katla volcano, or there is a slow drainage taking place from some area in Mýrdalsjökull glacier. But given increased conductivity following this it is clear that this water has been in contact with magma. But that can be seen with the increased conductivity in the water.

There have not been many earthquakes following this events. But from the earthquakes that have happened. It seems that most likely source for current events is close to or the same area that erupted in July 2011. But at the moment this is just speculation based on limited data. It has not been confirmed so far.


The harmonic tremor that started on 28. April 2012. This is Lágu Hvolar SIL station. Copyright of this picture belongs to Iceland Meteorological Office. Used with written permission.

This plot shows clearly how the harmonic tremor starts and continues at same level for several days. I do not know if the harmonic tremor is ongoing. But I find it likely, if the small glacier flood is currently going on (that was my last information, but things might have changed during the day). But it is hard for me to know that for sure. But based on latest data from the water monitoring system around Katla volcano, the spike in this glacier flood is most likely over for now. But it impossible to know what happens next in Katla volcano. All that can be done is to wait and see what happens next.

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Small glacier flood from Mýrdalsjökull glacier on 28. April 2012 [Updated]

This has to be short. I do not have any table to cheer right now. I have already bought one (used and cheap). But I get it next week. I also do not yet have a ADSL connection so far. But this is what happens when one moves between countries.

On the 28. April 2012 there was a small glacier flood from Mýrdalsjökull glacier that on top of Katla volcano. This activity did start few days earlier according to Iceland Meteorological Office. But it did peak on the 28. April 2012. This was then followed by a small glacier flood in Múlakvísl river. The same river that had the glacer flood last summer, that did destroy a bridge in that same area.


The red line marks the harmonic tremor of Katla volcano. The blue line marks the conductivity in Múlakvísl glacier river. This is from Week 18 of the year 2012. Copyright of this picture belongs to Iceland Meteorological Office.

There was also a second event that took place in Katla volcano on 6 and 7. May 2012. But I do not know if there was any glacier flood in Múlakvísk glacier river following that event. Buit it is clear that Katla volcano is warming up again. This events are clearly something that I consider a warning on what is going on in Katla volcano. But it is a question if it continues or just stops, as so often does happen with volcanoes.

Update 1: According to a email answer that I got with a question of mine. This glacier flood is currently ongoing. It has not stopped so far. But this is a small glacier flood. But this is a interesting what is going on in Katla volcano at the moment.

Icelandic news about this.

Smáhlaup í Múlakvísl (mbl.is, Icelandic)

Blog post updated at 14:38 CEST on 11.05.2012.

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Earthquakes recorded in Snæfellsjökull volcano

Snæfellsjökull volcano is not often in the news in Iceland. But today there was a short news about it due a study that was done last summer on earthquake activity in Snæfellsjökull volcano. The study was to see if there where any earthquake activity in Snæfellsjökull volcano. The results are really interesting, the main result was there is a lot of earthquake activity in Snæfellsjökull volcano. But also that most of the earthquakes take place on the depth from 9 to 13 km depth. This study was done by Matteo Lupi and Florian Fuchs at Bonn University in Iceland.

The reasons for earthquake activity in Snæfellsjökull volcano is magma. There are not a lot of tectonic movement in Snæfellsjökull volcano area. As it is a volcano zone, but not a rift zone as is the case in most areas of Iceland. But so far it seems that there is no risk of volcano eruption for now. At least that is the opinion for the moment.

Image removed at the request of its author.

Currently there is no permanent SIL network (IMO wants to install SIL stations, but they lack funding to do so) or other type of Seismometer network on Snæfellsnes peninsula. This is bad, because this area has three active volcanoes that erupted around 1000 years ago. Along with populated areas close to this volcanoes. I plan on trying to setup few geophones in that area if I can. But currently I do not have any money or way to install and run geophones on Snæfellsnes peninsula. My closest geophone to Snæfellsnes peninsula is at Hvammstangi village. Closest the distance is around 84 km or so to the Ljósufjöll volcano. But that means I can record earthquakes down to ML1.0 in the best weather. But since I just have one geophone in this area at the moment. I cannot locate any earthquakes. I just know that they take place.

This is based on blog post from Haraldur Sigurðsson, geologist.

Blog post and news about this in Icelandic

Jarðskjálftar undir Snæfellsjökli kalla á skjálftamælanet (blog.is, Icleandic)
Þörf á skjálftamælum við Snæfellsjökul (mbl.is, Icelandic)

Blog post updated at 20:10 UTC on 17.04.2012
Blog post updated at 20:13 UTC on 17.04.2012
Blog post updated at 15:23 UTC on 20.04.2012

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Harmonic tremor event in Hamarinn volcano

Tonight there was an small harmonic tremor event in Hamarinn volcano (Loki-Fögrufjöll, Bárðarbunga). This event was not big. But did appear on the Skrokkalda SIL station and on Grímsfjall SIL station. The pattern that is now appearing is the same one that did appear in July 2011 in the minor eruption in Hamarinn volcano. But that event took place week after Katla volcano minor eruption.


The harmonic tremor pulse on Skrokkalda SIL station. This is most likey from Hamarinn volcano. Copyright of this picture belongs to Iceland Meteorological Office.


The harmonic tremor pulse on Grímsfjall SIL station. This is most likey from Hamarinn volcano. Copyright of this picture belongs to Iceland Meteorological Office.

What gives clues that this Hamarinn volcano is that few days ago it had minor earthquake activity. But this area does not seem to need a lot of earthquake activity before a minor eruption takes place. Why that is I have no idea at present time.

I am going to update this blog post as event progress.

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Few earthquakes in Hamarinn volcano and Kverkfjöll volcano

After several weeks of quiet period, activity in the volcanoes that are close to or in Vatnajökull glacier. During the past few days there have been earthquakes in several volcanoes in Vatnajökull volcano. Today it is the Hamarinn volcano and Kverkfjöll volcano.

Hamarinn volcano (Loki-Fögrufjöll)

Hamarinn volcano had its first eruption in July 2011. This eruption was small and started without even a hit of earthquake activity. It created a glacier flood that topped at 2100 M3. It did not create any damge. But it filled a human made lake that is used for power production in this area. That eruption was short, it only lasted for about 24 hours, maybe even less. Today this area of Hamarinn volcano has been having minor earthquake swarm. But this does not mean it is going to erupt again. But it also shows that current activity in Hamarinn volcano is not over.


Earthquake activity in Hamarinn volcano today (08.04.2012). Copyright of this picture belongs to Iceland Meteorological Office.


The earthquakes seen on Skrokkalda SIL station. The earthquakes from Tungnafellsjökull volcano are also clear on this tremor plot from Iceland Meteorological Office. Copyright of this picture belongs to Iceland Meteorological Office.

Kverkfjöll volcano

Kverkfjöll volcano have been warning up to a eruption for some time now. When they might erupt is impossible to know at current time. But it is save to say that at present time, no eruption is going to take place any time soon. This however means that earthquakes are increasing in Kverkfjöll volcano. Most of the time there are just small earthquake swarms in Kverkfjöll volcano. No other changes have so far been noticed in Kverkfjöll volcano. But that is unlike what has been taking place in Askja volcano in the past few weeks.


Earthquake activity in Kverkfjöll volcano. This are just small earthquakes so far. Copyright of this picture belongs to Iceland Meteorological Office.


The tremor plot from the SIL station that is closest to Kverkfjöll volcano. It just barely shows the earthquakes that have been taking place in Kverkfjöll volcano. Copyright of this picture belongs to Iceland Meteorological Office.

After several weeks of quiet in Iceland it seems to be that the quiet period is over. But if it is going to going to result in any major activity is impossible to know at this point.


Volcanoes of Iceland. Copyright unknown, Google Inc. But the picture is from here (warning! Conspiracy web site.)

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Look at Tungnafellsjökull volcano earthquake swarm

Here is a quick look at the earthquake swarm in Tungnafellsjökull volcano this morning. This earthquake swarm is interesting, as it started with few earthquakes at the depth of around 10 km. This suggests that magma might be pushing up to the volcano at depth now. So far this is not any high volume in my option, at least not enough to start an eruption now. But if this progress continues, it is going to end with an eruption one day. But when and how big is impossible to know at current time. for the moment the earthquakes have stopped. But it is my opinion that this a dike intrusion, not tectonic earthquakes. This can be seen how the earthquakes line them self up from 12.6 km depth and up to 3.6 km depth in almost straight line based on there location.


The earthquake swarm in Tungnafellsjökull volcano. Copyright of this picture belongs to Iceland Meteorological Office.

The earthquake swarm is dense, but that suggests an magma dike intrusion from deep within the volcano. Similar earthquakes have been seen in other volcanoes, like Esjufjöll, Askja, Katla so few are mentioned. So I know this pattern when I see it.


The earthquake pattern as it did appear on Skrokkalda SIL station. The tremor chart shows that the earthquakes where high-frequency earthquakes for most part. Something like that was seen in Eyjafjallajökull volcano before it erupted (it had earthquakes like that many years before it erupted, not just few weeks before). Copyright of this picture belongs to Iceland Meteorological Office.

I did record the largest earthquake on my geophone at Hvammstangi and at Heklubyggð. Based on that trace, the earthquake was noisy. Given me even more clues that support my suggestion that the earthquake swarm was due to dike intrusion.

Similar dike intrusion events are now taking place in Kverkfjöll volcano. But I am going to write about that tomorrow. But earthquakes in Kverkfjöll volcano have been taking place for several years now, with short and long breaks between earthquake swarms.

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Interesting earthquake activity in Tungnafellsjökull volcano

This is not the most known volcano in Iceland, it also has not erupted in the last 10.000 years at least. Normally this volcano does not have any earthquakes and it remains really quiet. Last major earthquake activity was in the year 1996 in relation to the activity in Bárðarbunga volcano and in Grímsfjall volcano that year. This volcano is named Tungnafellsjökull. It is a small volcano compared to other volcanoes in the area. During the past few days there have been several interesting earthquakes in Tungnafellsjökull volcano. They are small, around ML1.6 the largest ones. But they do have the depth of 10 to 12 km. That is what makes this earthquake activity interesting. Since this suggest that magma might be pushing into the volcano. However at this point in time, there is nothing to suggest an eruption is even close to start there. But with all long dormant volcanoes, nobody never knows what can happen next in them.


The earthquake activity in Tungnafellsjökull volcano. The volcano is located NW of Vatnajökull glacier. Copyright of this picture belongs to Iceland Meteorological Office.

Following the later earthquake today. This activity started on Skrokkalda SIL station. But this might be due to activity in Hamarinn volcano (Loki-Fögrufjöll at GVP). Not Tungnafellsjökull volcano.


The odd tremor activity on Skrokkalda SIL station. I do not yet have any explanation for this activity. Note that Skrokkalda SIL station is on top of a volcano (not on GVP list, but geological maps made in Iceland), named Skrokkalda, it also has not erupted in historical times to my knowledge. Copyright of this picture belongs to Iceland Meteorological Office.

What happens next in Tungnafellsjökull volcano is impossible to know. But it is most likely going to do what it has been doing for the past 10.000 years. A lot of nothing.