Posted on by Jón Frímann

Eruption update at 21:29 UTC

This information is going to go outdated quickly.

This is the current information about the eruption in Bárðarbunga volcano.

Please note: Since I cannot go to the area that is erupting my self (it is closed and I also live in Denmark at the moment). I have to relay on what is being told in the news and released by Icelandic Met Office along with other data. This means that I spend most of the day collecting data and working out what is going on (my view in most cases). This means that in most cases I write post late in the day when daily observation is done.

Current status of the eruption in Bárðarbunga volcano

  • New fissure did open around 2 – 3 km south of the eruption fissure that started erupting 31-August-2014.
  • Comments on this website did notice the eruption around 04:00 UTC on 05-September-2014. At the same time there was an minor increase in harmonic tremor on SIL stations close to the eruption.
  • The new eruption fissure is around 1 – 2 km long. It might get longer as time passes.
  • The new eruption was first reported by the press around 06:00 – 08:00 on Rúv.
  • New cauldron has formed some 6 km in Dyngjujökull glacier. The  glacier in the that area is 300 to 350 meters thick. Last report was that this cauldron was getting deeper during the day.
  • Higher conductivity has been reported in Jökulsá á fjöllum glacier river. That is currently continuing on that last check I did on Icelandic Met Office website.
  • Smell of rotten eggs is now coming from Jökulsá á fjöllum. Normally there is no such smell of that glacier river.
  • Inflation in the dyke continues, not on the same speed as before, but it is ongoing.
  • The rift valley appears to continue expand were he is visible.
  • The air around the eruption site is toxic due to release of SO2, CO, CO2, fluorine gases and other dangerous gases.
  • The water vapour cloud goes up to 4,5 km according to latest measurements.
  • The SO2 goes the way of the wind direction at any given time.
  • The lava field has just 1 km to Jökulsá á fjöllum glacier river. Once the lava enters the river it might start to build a dam and the lava is going to explode and steam a lot in the process.
  • Largest earthquake since midnight was magnitude 5,3 that took place at 01:19 UTC. It took place in Bárðarbunga volcano caldera rim. As other large earthquakes since this events started.
  • Largest earthquake in the dyke area took place at 14:31 UTC and had the magnitude of 3,2. It was under the glacier were most earthquake activity is now taking place.
  • Volcano eruption with ash cloud is now expected to take place. When and exactly where it is going to take place is not known at current time. I don’t think it going to have effects on international flight. But the local effects might be big if wind is in the direction of populated areas of Iceland.

GPS inflation

DYNC_3mrap.svd.05.09.2014.at.20.56.utc
GPS measurements of the inflation that is currently taking place in the dyke. More GPS data can be found here. Copyright of this image belongs to University of Iceland.

Magma continues to flow into the dyke. It is at slower rates than before, but it still flowing into the dyke at rates that current eruption is not powerful enough to equal or drop the pressure inside the dyke. This is going to result in more eruptions as we have already started to see. When and where they are going to take place is something that is not known.

The eruption area is closed to the public

Due to risk of dangerous gases and flood the eruption area is closed to the public. Anyone that is found within the closed zone is going to get heavy fine. Going to this area is also extremely risky sine the area that is now eruption is extremely unstable with the risk of new eruption opening up without warning in the fault area and even outside it (if there is a weakness in the crust the magma is going to go that way). Police in Iceland have already spotted and fined two cars that were trying to enter the closed off area. This area of Iceland is also out in the middle of nowhere. The town is up to 10 hours away in a car (due to bad roads). Weather is also extremely unpredictable and can change without warning. So if you are thinking about going on car or foot. Don’t go!

The good news is that it is still allowed to fly over the area. So get one of those tours. I don’t know what they cost, but I know they take place if weather allows.

News bits

Arrested near the Holuhraun eruption (Rúv.is)
See the lava creeping forward at Holuhraun (Rúv.is, video)
The powers at play beneath the surface (Rúv.is, video)

More news in English can be found here (Rúv.is).

Updates for 06-September-2014

  • As noted by many here there is now news report on how much Bárðarbunga volcano has lowered since 16-August-2014. Bárðarbunga volcano has lowered some 15 meters according to latest measurements. This does not reduces the risk of eruption in Bárðarbunga caldera, in fact, this might increase it by a large margin. Such large drop in a mountain has not happened in Iceland since Askja 1875 when that volcano dropped some 300 meters in one of the largest eruption in the 19th century. According to the news on Rúv the caldera crust is in fact floating the magma that is keeping it up. Part of that magma is now erupting just north of Dyngjökull glacier.
  • Magnitude 5,0 earthquake took place in Bárðarbunga volcano at 05:40 UTC. It was in the NE Bárðarbunga in the caldera rim.
  • The risk of large eruption in Bárðarbunga volcano has increased due the current activity and drop of the caldera (as explained above). When such eruption would take place is impossible to know at this time.
  • The lava field is now just 900 meters from Jökulsá á Fjöllum glacier river. It is going to get into contact with the main stream sometimes in the next 24 hour period.
  • The activity in the new eruption fissure has decreased a little over the past 24 hours. It is now only erupting in one or two craters at the moment.
  • There is high risk of new fissures opening in the rift valley without warning. Both outside the glacier and below it. If an eruption takes place under the glacier there is going to be sudden glacier flood that is going to hit without warning.
  • Possible minor eruption might have happened under Dyngjökull glacier in last few days. As there have been cauldron formations in it. One of the cauldron is some 6 km from the glacier edge. The deepest cauldron is 35 meter deep according to radar measurements.
  • A new cauldron was also found some 10 km from the edge of Dyngjujökull glacier. This suggest that minor eruption took place there in past few days.
  • Blue mist has been seen today in east Iceland. It is not clear what is happening, but there are clues that this blue mist is connected to the eruption. Sensors to measure this blue mist have been sent to east Iceland. This blue mist can also be seen on satellites that Icelandic Met Office uses for weather measurements.

News bits for 06-September-2014

Rannsaka bláa móðu á Austurlandi (Rúv.is, picture of the blue mist, Icelandic)
Eldstöðvarnar í Holuhrauni – Myndband (Rúv.is, Icelandic, video)

Updates for 07-September-2014

  • Earthquake with the magnitude of 5,4 took place at 07:07 UTC. This earthquake took place in the caldera rim as other earthquakes in Bárðarbunga volcano.
  • The flow of magma is currently 100 to 200 m³ every second.
  • The new fissure has stopped erupting according to latest news.
  • There is a high risk of new fissure opening up in the erupting area without warning.
  • The lava field has reached Jökulsá á Fjöllum glacier river. This is going to increase conductivity in the river as the lava goes more into the glacier river. There is a lot of steam cloud being created following this. It is not clear when the lava field is going to dam the glacier river.
  • There are now only 2 – 3 craters erupting in the main erupting fissure. The power of the eruption remains the same.
  • Earthquake activity continues south of current eruption. Most of the earthquake activity now is taking place in the glacier, where minor eruptions have been taking place in past few days.
  • There is no sign of this activity is about to end.
  • Bárðarbunga volcano caldera continues to sink. There is a lack of earthquakes in the caldera it self. That suggest the heat below the crust is high enough to make the crust soft and that prevents earthquakes from happening. More on this tomorrow (Monday).

News bits on 07-September-2014

100 – 200 rúmmetrar úr jörðu á sekúndu (Rúv.is, video, Icelandic)
Svona hefur Bárðarbunga sigið (Rúv.is, picture of the lowering of Bárðarbunga caldera, Icelandic)

Article updated at 14:04 UTC on 06-September-2014.
Article updated at 14:11 UTC on 06-September-2014.
Article updated at 18:16 UTC on 06-September-2014.
Article updated at 18:18 UTC on 06-September-2014.
Article updated at 18:29 UTC on 06-September-2014.
Article updated at 19:43 UTC on 06-September-2014.
Article updated at 14:52 UTC on 07-September-2014.

480 Replies to “Eruption update at 21:29 UTC”

  1. Great update Jon, do you think the cauldron could blow at anytime and what about Bardarbunga itself, do you think that become unstable due to the rift.

  2. Watching videos and listening to the sounds is such an experience!
    Crazy people scooping hot lava!!! But they know what they are doing and proly have permisison. Its so beautiful – and so awesome.

    I saw vehicle headlights around dusk across the way. – earlier

  3. Jon’s going to (try) and have a break?

    That means something big is about to happen 🙂

  4. Fantastic update Jon, so thorough.

    Hope the winds keep all of the poison gas away from any populated areas.

    No cams is making me have severe cam withdrawal.

  8. Cams have stopped working can’t get on, getting error message. Must be overloading again.

  9. A couple days ago I opined on the possibility of Askja. Now that the rift is expanding and erupting, whatever magma did reach up there will not have the needed pressure to erupt. I really believe magma from Big B system did get up there. This will be the next area to watch after this event stops. Probably months after, but nonetheless great underground changes have and are happening. Iceland always has something up her sleeve.

    Like the comment above, this so much better than TV.

    1. That would only be part of the reason Askja would go off anyway. If/when the magma in the dyke meets up with the magma in Askja, it will cause a geochemical (think that is the term) reaction, causing major gassing and expansion and stress….that is what would lead to Askja going off.

  10. Just got camera 2 up on my pc, she looks mighty fine tonight. As far as I can gather both Barda and Askja are still restless, but it still Amber for Barda and yellow for Askja.

    1. Im certain that Askja might go off, but she will do it either due to the stress and turmoil in the area,but she will go by her own.She has showed signs of unrest for quite some years now

  12. Is it me or is that fissure looking a bit more intense looking from Camera 1, to me it’s looking a lot brighter and higher than earlier.

  13. Quite a show on the webcams! The flashing lights on the right side are from a truck that has been sitting there all day with flashers going. Truck is on an overlook, way up, and not endangered by the rift flow–yet. There were two trucks there a few hours ago. Very bright emissions, and looks like a bit more of steam and smoke coming out. The separate areas look to have merged into one larger fissure eruption.

  14. That’s what I it has really got more intense than earlier. A he’ll of a show though

  15. Yes Askja will go off, probably through the stress from magma coming from under Bardar. I don’t think anybody is 100% sure how far the magma went.

    1. has to also do with the chemical reactions of the 2 magmas mixing….could be explosive….mixing the 2 magmas could cause major gassing which could cause expansion, and stress, and eruption of Askja….it’s more than just the pressure of added volume of magma….if that makes any sense.

    1. Great find. That would be something to see assuming everyone is out of there at the time.

  17. Both Mila cams are so clear and absolutely amazing right at this moment.
    What a spectacular sight.

  18. I live in Akureyri, Iceland

    Just now I see bright orange lights on the horizon straight south from my appartment´s balcony!

    All sorts of mountains in the way, not to mention 150-200 km but the light is there!

      1. Yes. Amazing – I´ve never seen lights like this from an eruption, there´s been a few in my lifetime “over there” but never has the light shone (is that right?) all this distance. It´s pitch black out now, so its clear as day.

  19. I have noticed seismic activity has started to pick up again, and also a few around Katla.

  21. hi I might be wrong but there a new big glowing light in the background might be a new fissure on the glacier

  22. I am seeing a huge light from what would be somewhere up on top of the glacier in Cam 1. Has all hell broken loose?

    1. After posting, I noticed that it had moved from L-to-R, so yeah, it does appear to have been the moon (which is a lot better than the alternative).

  24. Look at the reflection of the glow off the glacier in the background in cam 1. She bright tonight for sure.

  25. Just remember to look for plumes when light is showing up somewhere different. That is the dead giveaway for vent activity. That was reflection of the eruption off the glacier. Really neat!

  27. Bright light to the left and behind the largest fountain. Looks like it could be a few mk away. Is that new? On the rift?

    1. 3.9 listed by Geophone. EMSC has 3.8. IMO shows 2.6 in Big B caldera. Interesting. Although they may not have manually looked at it to get proper magnitude. Sometimes it takes a while for them. It has been 3 hrs since that quake, though.

      Nyiragongo in Congo has been spewing out lots of sulfur off and on lately. This latest image showing the highest yet. Eruption going on there too I believe.
      http://satepsanone.nesdis.noaa.gov/pub/OMI/OMISO2/images/nyiragongo.gif

  30. Les Francis, I liked your laws, they can apply to almost everything . Thanks for sharing.

  31. Thank you, Jon. Great work, really appreciated. And say hello to Denmark from me. Icelanders, stay safe!!! Going back to bed now.
    hen

    1. A very very unlikely scenario from this eruption as it is totally different. Laki has been mentioned by a few people and the seed has been planted in people’s minds, but this is nothing like the Laki event. This may become a big event, but not a life changing event.

  34. That lava looks high and vigorous on mila 2. I was hoping i’d won the euromillions so i could charter a plane to take us all for a tour!

    1. It’s a really interesting museum built around one of the houses they digged out.
      Infos and films from 1974. You can feel with the people there. And outside you can see the volcano, the lava where it stopped…

    2. both cams working fine here.

      I would love to know how high the big ‘fountain’ is spewing, it looks quite impressive, what a sight it must be in real

      1. The mathematicians here should be able to work out the height of that fountain by triangulation using the heights of the camera, fountain valley floor and background ridge. simple to do. Done once it then becomes easier to estimate height just using distance to ridge from fountain base

  44. Nice update Jon. I do hope this sequence of events is not going to bring hoards of tourists determined to go off track. I recall top gear did a thing in Iceland once – they went to great lengths to explain how fragile the fauna is, how it takes years to establish and how very easily destroyed it is. Hence the hefty fines for driving where you shouldn’t.

  46. In the lavaflow you can see little white spots popping up, perhaps little “explosion” when coming at the wet land near the river.
    Ah, and I have no time to watch now until the evening.
    Hoping all of you watching the scene can take screenshots… 🙂

  47. Looking at morning in Iceland I keep thinking “have I stayed up all night??” but it’s still only just past 1 am where I am. Still, I should follow Seach’s Law 1 Corollary 5 and try to get some sleep.

    Seems like the eruption is a bit calmer now, but that might just be because the cams are adjusting their exposure settings as the day gets brighter.

  48. Well. I slept last night and missed so much. And now ive got to switch off my new found “tv” and go out all day. Cant wait to get bk tonight and read all your updates. Have fun without me 🙁

  49. The seismic activety is almost finished outside Bardarbunga and Dyngjujökull. Can we conclude tha the dyke has stoped and possibly open up backwards towards Dyngjujökull.
    Still >5 around Bardarbunga caldera.

  50. For those in the UK, take a look at this map showing SO2 concentrations. Not Good! 🙁
    I suffer from asthma! So I will make sure I carry my drugs with me!

    https://twitter.com/alexwitze you will need to scroll down a bit or look at this one

    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BwyWzECIQAAjWc7.png:large

    main site for info

    http://sacs.aeronomie.be/nrt/index_NRT.php?InstruGOME2=1&InstruOMI=2&InstruAIRS=3&InstruIASI=4&InstruIASIb=5&InstruSCIA=0&obsVCD=1&obsAAI=0&obsCCF=0&Region=000

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