Category: Ash cloud

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Grímsfjall/Grímsvötn volcano eruption update at 16:02 UTC

Here is the second update today of the Grímsfjall volcano. But it is also known as Grímsvötn.

Process of the eruption: The eruption has not changed a lot since this morning. But its power has dropped a little bit since it started yesterday. But there also seems to be the case that this eruption increases on regular basis. But it is impossible to know for how long that eruption pattern is going to continue in Grímsfjall volcano. Early estimates of this eruption (reported by the news in Iceland) is that this eruption is about 10 times bigger then the eruption in Eyjafjallajökull volcano. But that is a early estimate and is a subject to a change. But in general there is nothing to suggest that this eruption is slowing down, even if it does not have the same power as it did in the first few hours of eruption.

Ash cloud: The ash cloud has dropped a little from it’s high of 20 km. Current measurements place the hight of the ash cloud around 15 to 18 km high up. Reports say that the lowest point was around 10 km, before the ash cloud did get higher again. Update 1: There have been recorded over 15,000 lightnings in this eruption alone. But they where recording 2198 lightning in 1 hour since the eruption started. News about it can be found here (Icelandic, picture). Update 2: The ash cloud is now from 10 to 20 km high. But it depends on the power of the eruption. But that seems to change over time and does not remain a constant.

Earthquakes: So far, most of earthquake activity in Grímsfjall volcano has stopped. But that suggest that the magma now has a clear path to the surface. There has been some earthquake activity in Hamarinn volcano. But it is unclear if that is connected to the eruption in Grímsfjall volcano.

Other: It is dangerous to go into the ash cloud. The government has closed off part of road one due the ash cloud. People how find them self in the ash cloud should find a shelter soon as possible, or of they are inside a house they should remain there. Reports are of communication problems where the ash clouds goes over due to static charge in it. This interferes with GSM, 3G phones, radios and tv receptions. In worst cases people can not expect a reception of any radio signal where the ash cloud is most dense.

Sorry for lack of links. I do not have the time to post them into this blog post.

Please note that information here might get outdated really fast and with no warning at all!

Updated at 16:17 UTC.
Updated at 16:26 UTC

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Grímsvötn/Grímsfjall volcano eruption update at 08:52 UTC

This is a short update on Grímsfjall volcano/ Grímsvötn eruption. This is short update because a lot of details in this eruption are still unclear at this moment.

Process of the eruption: The eruption in Grímsvötn is still growing strong. Icelandic Met Office SIL sensors show a uneven process in the eruption. But they also show that the eruption has dropped a little bit in power since it originally started in yesterday. That is normal for a eruption in Grímsfjall volcano. It starts strong and then slowly drops in power over time. But what is unusual for this eruption is the uneven process that is taking place (seen with SIL data) in the eruption. What that means is unclear. It is more unclear what it means to the eruption. While it is unclear at the moment. It appears that the eruption is taking place a little south of the eruption in the year 2004. But that is unconfirmed, as ash cloud to the ground blocks the view the eruption site.

Ash cloud: The ash plume is reported to have reached 20 km high yesterday. From as I can gather that has not changed. This ash plume appears be made from two to three ash cloud columns. With the strongest one getting the highest. A lot of lightning is taking place in the ash cloud. Due to the ash cloud, all flight from and to Iceland has been cancelled until further notice (don’t ask question about that here, ask your airliner for information about this closure). The ash did start to fall in populated areas few hours after the eruption did start in Grímsvötn. The ash is described as fine, but more crude (bigger particles) then the ash from Eyjafjallajökull volcano eruption in the year 2010. The ash cloud is moving west in higher layers of the atmosphere over Iceland. While it moving south in the lower layers of the atmosphere as the wind is from north in Iceland at the moment.

Earthquakes: After the magma has found it’s way to the surface. All earthquake activity did stop in Grímsfjall volcano. This is normal. But what is unusual is that there have been few earthquake swarm after that in Grímsfjall volcano. I do not know what it means or why this is happening. But this is interesting development.

Other: The earliest estimation on the size of the Grímsfjall volcano eruption 2011 is that this looks like it is a bigger eruption then in Eyjafjallajökull volcano eruption in the year 2010. But that is closer to speculation based on visual observation of the eruption. But it is clear that this eruption is bigger then the year 2004 eruption in Grímsfjall volcano.

A new video has been relased of the eruption. It is from yesterday when the eruption was starting.

Update 1: They now say that this is the largest eruption in Grímsvötn / Grímsfjall volcano in the last 100 years. Rúv news about this, Stærsta gos í Grímsvötnum í 100 ár (Icelandic).

Please note that information here might get outdated really fast and with no warning at all!

Update at 09:24 UTC.

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Ash cloud confirmed from Grímsfjall volcano

A eruption ash cloud has been confirmed from Grímsfjall volcano. I do not know how high it currently is. But Icelandic news is reporting that the cloud is rising fast and high (estimated 3000 – 4000 meters and rising). Explosions have been seen from good distance.

Update 1: They estimate that there are 10 to 12 hours until the glacier flood appears from this eruption. The ash cloud can be tracked with lighting map here.

News about this.

Strókur rís hátt yfir Grímsvötnum (Rúv.is, picture)
Tíu til tólf klukkutímar í hlaup (Rúv.is, new picture)
Allir viðbragðsaðilar komnir af stað vegna gossins (Vísir.is, Picture)
Mjög öflug gosstöð (mbl.is, New picture)

Updated at 19:41 UTC.
Updated at 19:53 UTC.
Updated 20:21 UTC.

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Less risk of large airspace disruption in a Katla volcano eruption

In the evening news in Rúv they tell about research (based on models) that suggest that it is going to be less chance of large airspace disruption like took place in Eyjafjallajökull volcano eruption in the year 2010. Reason for that is the fact that volcano ash from Katla volcano is normally not as small (less then 1 micron in size) as the volcano ash from Eyjafjallajökull volcano. But this small size of the early ash cloud allowed it too travel longer and hang up longer in the air then from more common ash clouds.

The reason for this is because of the fact that lava from Katla volcano are mostly basaltic and would create Hawaiian eruption if no glacier was on top of Katla volcano. Ash cloud from Surtseyan eruption is more heavy, as the volcano ash particles are larger and more heavy.

This might be a good news for the air travel industry in Europe when Katla volcano starts erupting. But this might create issues for the area closest to Iceland anyway. Depending on wind direction.

The Rúv news about this. Use Google translate at own risk.

Kötlugos hefði ekki sömu áhrif (Rúv.is)

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Extensive research into Eyjafjallajökull volcano ash cloud

According to news on Rúv. The British government is starting a major research into the ash cloud from Eyjafjallajökull volcano. The size of this research is big and the cost is around 3 million pound. The aim of this research is into how ash cloud behaves, how it spreads and to compare models to reality. This research might also aim to improve satellite detection of ash clouds. But it proved to be not quite reliable in the Eyjafjallajökull volcano eruption that took place in the year 2010.

Icelandic news about this. I have not found any english news about this yet. Use Google translate like when you play the lottery. Hope for the best.

Viðamikil gosrannsókn (Rúv, Icelandic)

News in english about this. Thanks to Erik Klemetti how did point this out.

£530,000 to study Icelandic volcano (Press Release)
New Class of Ceramic Coatings Could Protect Jet Engines from Volcano Ash (Related press relase)

Post updated at 19:49 UTC on 22 April 2011.