Posted on by Jón Frímann

Eruption update at 15:24 UTC

This is a short update on the eruption north of Vatnajökull glacier. The eruption has its origin in Bárðarbunga volcano. This information is going to get outdated quickly.

  • North end of the eruption fissure is in an area were no eruption has happened before (at least known eruption).
  • The eruption started around 03:00 – 04:45 UTC.
  • The eruption now is about large as largest eruptions in Krafla volcano during its eruption period according to the news.
  • Largest earthquake today was magnitude 5,1 that took place in North-east Bárðarbunga caldera. There is now an high risk of eruption in the Bárðarbungu volcano caldera.
  • There is a crazy storm in the area. Limiting viability at the moment. Wind is goes up to 25 to 30 m/s and wind gusts are even stronger.
  • The eruption fissure is now around 2 km long. It is on the glacier free area. The eruption fissure is the same one that erupted on 29-August-2014.
  • There is a high risk of new fissures opening up without warning in this area and under the glacier.
  • There are currently no signs of the eruption stopping at the moment.
  • The lava is now covering around 3 to 5 square km of area. This is just a desert area and nothing is at risk. It is running over the lava field that was created in the eruption of 1797.
  • There is currently no risk of any volcano ash. Since this is Hawaiian (Wikipedia link) type of eruption that is now taking place.

The eruption can be viewed on Míla web cam here (Bárðarbunga) and here (Bárðarbunga 2). Extremely bad weather is limiting visibility at times down to nothing. Weather is expected to clear up in few hours at the earliest.

Updates (as they come in)

  • There is now more power in the eruption. Reported by Rúv in last few minutes.
  • Lava fountains have been reported to up 70 meters high.
  • There is nothing indicating that the eruption is about to end.
  • North part of the fissure seems to have extended. There also seems to be less activity for the moment on the south end. That might change without warning.

Article updated at 15:25 UTC.
Article updated at 15:33 UTC.
Article updated at 19:41 UTC.
Article updated at 19:43 UTC.

210 Replies to “Eruption update at 15:24 UTC”

  4. “BBC transport correspondent Richard Westcott says that even if a big cloud of volcanic ash were emitted, it would not cause the same level of disruption to flights that brought Europe to a halt in 2010.

    He says new equipment that airliners and engine makers have been testing would allow planes to identity and fly around ash clouds.”

    @richardwestscott ur talking through your arse.

    1. I think what Dick is saying although he doesnt understand it is mitigation measures have been put into place, its not that they will fly around most ash clouds but they will fly through some ash clouds, if the concentrations are low enough.
      UK’s CAA says airlines will be given the decision on if they want to fly if they can demonstrate that measures have been put into place for the safety of the passengers and crew.

  6. Earthquake activity seems to have calmed A LOT.

    Maybe this fissure is going to release enough pressure to calm things down?

      1. It (storm) neutering detection of the low magnitude quakes. I am hopeful that this fissure will take some pressure off the dyke.

      3. Oh you only make me sad. 🙁

        I *really* need to fly on Friday to the UK. Please volcano Gods, please let me fly.

      4. People asserted deflation about 10 days ago but I’ve seen none in the geodetics yet, just cyclic pumping around the same level, as the crust distension keeps getting wider and the magma keeps rising- there is a balance ff this continues into Sept it will not be deflation we need to dwell on so much.

  9. The aviation color has been downgraded to orange again. Is the fissure eruption over? Hard to tell if there still is an eruption or not by the images from mila web camera (because of the weather).

      1. Yeah, I can see it now. It surely looks like it has increased the last hours. A bit strange that the aviation color has been downgraded. What is the reason? Could it be that they don’t expect any ash problems from this fissure eruption?

      2. Not really, at the moment aircraft cant land over much of Iceland anyway due winds, and as the links I posted in the old thread show, the ash is not going to be an unmanageable danger for the next two days because the upper winds are toward Greenland then Russia. Aircraft can fly around that for a couple of days even if there were a major blast. The airspace in most of Europe would be OK until about Friday.

  10. Sorry Elizabeth yes you’re probably correct. Personally I hope the skies remain open – I’m due back in UAE Saturday I’ve no wish to get stuck in Europe lol. Watching with interest…….

    1. I keep running HYSPLIT ash scenarios from NOAA. Of course they only let you run a 48 hour eruption up to 48 hours in advance.

      However so far so good, most ash seems to be targeted anywhere from Greenland to Norway to Russia should an ash eruption occur this next week (and no offense to Norway…hopefully Oslo’s airport will remain open also)

  12. I was just about to ask whether a second fissure had opened up more or less parallel to the first one. Looks like it, but could be my imagination.

  14. Out of curiosity, but what can we take away from the harmonic tremor information. I notice there is another distinct shift in pattern that has occurred since this eruption, the bands seem to have become more tightly constrained:
    http://hraun.vedur.is/ja/oroi/dyn.gif

    What’s causing that constraint.

  15. Wow impressive line of fire!!!!!
    Earth drifting!!
    To consider:
    Length initial fissure 600m
    Today morning 1000m
    Now they say 2000m
    What if tomorrow gets 4000m
    And later 8000m?

    Anyone has the max. length this has gone on the past?
    I mean if there s a record or knowledge??
    Regards and keep the good job!!

    1. The Laki fissure eruption in Iceland (1783-1784) was one of the biggest in recorded history, that was ~26km long and put out 14 cubic km of lava.

      Though that is just a fragrant guff compared to pre historic events like the Siberian traps (Triassic period), which put out between 1 and 4 million cubic kilometers of lava.

    1. I think you’re right Jón, it seems to be getting more intense and also it looks like it is increasing in length. If you look to the left of the webcam picture there are a couple of areas where lava has broken through ahead of the main fissure.

  18. Looking at the Mila2 cam – there is obviously a new fissure point far to the left (north). It started just around 15 minutes ago. Don’t know if it was open during the nigth as well or is completely new?

    1. I just saw that — I didn’t see it a little while ago. It appears to be growing quickly.

      1. I’m seeing two new ones actually — on Mila cam 2, first one, small dot of orange to the left and apparently in back of the current line. Then further to the left, a larger one (the first one I saw), which now seems to be belching smoke or steam from it.

    2. Smoke and steam have been coming from that point for quite a while but lava has been visible for only about 15 minutes. Other points in between now too.

    3. Left side means more to south not north and it is a part of the old fissure from first eruption period.

      1. Uh, I do not think so. The camera is apparently in the north, yesterday, when it was panning, Kverkfjoll was on the left and Kistufell or the right.

      2. Yeah, the whole thing seems to be moving right (north) into an area that did not have existing visible cones, and that spark on the left is a remnant of earlier activity, although admittedly it wasn’t there a few minutes ago and who can say what a volcano is going to actually do. But at least on the surface it seems seems to be moving towards Askja, albeit still a long way off. Does anyone know how the surface activity relates to the north end of this part of the dike that’s opened?

      3. My guess is, that the magma will try to find the easiest way ,and it has been slowly moving toward Askja. But remember the rocks in that area is very hard granite, and it wont be very easy to break through from underground. Thats some of the reason there is a fissure eruption now, it os pushed upward the easiest way to the surface and old riftzones is easier to penetrate than hard Granite rock.Now I wont rule out that all this comotion and earthquakes can stirr so much around that Askja it self will activate its magma chamber again,as she has been rumbling quite a lot in the last years. when it comes to the Bårdarbunga crater I believe we might get an eruption there as the risk is growing by the hours and days to come.Depends of course if the preassure is maintained underneat the caldera and crater and the magma chamber will continue to build .If not,the fissure will just continue to spew out lavas until the preassure is to low to be mantained and it will finaly calm down.

    2. I fixed your links. Please note that using php board tags does not work. Please use html tags in accordance with the guidance information when you post the comment. They are above the “Post Comment” button.

  23. This continues to be fascinating! This is a new type of eruption for me to witness, I’m used to more Strombolian or Hawaiian eruptions. And when I think Hawaii, I think of slowly creeping lava flows, or effusive dome-type volcanoes. Thank goodness for a long holiday weekend in the US. 😀 I’ve enjoyed the discussions and information. Thank you so much, Jon!

  25. Sure! I shutdown last night just before this started. Then I check this am before church and there she be. Better fountains now than 5 hours ago when I checked real quick. Waxing and waning fountain activity since it started I suppose. Now the real big ??? is Big B!

  26. I think Laki was a fissure eruption with a little more explosive start but lasted får 8 months. Lanzarote etc. Fissure does not mean little or weak automatically.

    1. Also saw those lights blinking in the same “rythm” – dont think it could be cars in that position. VERy weird. Just the other day I read about “earthquake lights” – had never head of such before… Try to google that…. any other ideas?

  33. Can someone inform about estimated gas content being now released? Also estimated volumes of gases?
    Also length status of the active eruption??
    Finally, estimated height of the fountains ??
    Thank you in advance!

  35. Hi folks, I have just noticed an ‘new’ point of eruption on B2. Have a look and see what you think. Just to the right of and closer to the camera than the extreme left of the eruption.

  39. I wonder if the glowing areas in front of the fissure are lava rivers flowing from the fountains?

  42. Anyone else watching the cam have you seen the fountains seem to be getting higher .

  45. I’m really crazy looking the hole day at this fascinating place. 🙂
    Now I have to go to bed, but they say that this scenery will go on a long time…

    It’s slowly getting darker. Twilight lasts long…
    So we can see the lava flows glow.

  46. Hi Jon, thanks so much for all the info. I have been looking at your site regularly for the past few weeks and have a much better understanding of what is going on thanks to you.

  47. I guess those scientists out & about in the fissure eruption area last night must’ve known something was going to happen!

  48. Thank god I stumbled actoss all this. By the end of the week I’ll be sn expert thanks to all the brilliant entries. Thank you everyone. Im truly in awe. 🙂

  50. It is so beutyful, amazing, awsame. One wich one could be there feeling the heat from the magma. It is like a fire in the stove. co00000zy.

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