Day: May 25, 2011

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The eruption in Grímsvötn / Grímsfjall volcano most likely not over

Here is a interesting paradox. While the eruption it self has currently stopped in Grímsfjall volcano. The tremor chart around Grímsfjall volcano is still acting like there is a eruption ongoing. I do not know why this is like this. But because of that I don’t think that geologist that monitor Grímsvötn eruption in Iceland are not ready to call off this eruption at current time. At least that is what the news did say at 12:20 UTC on Rúv.

They are also issuing warning to people not going to close to the volcano. As explosions due happen and they can throw up rocks that weight up to 1 ton. If anyone gets hit by that rock, that person does not have to worry about what happens next. The save distance for viewing the crater is estimated to be 2 km or more.

I have no idea what happens next. But I am guessing that this eruption might resume soon and without an any warning at all.

The tremor plot at 15:00 UTC. Pictures are from Icelandic Met Office.

This pattern of tremor is interesting. I am yet unsure what it means. But my guess is that this eruption is not over. Even if it has just stopped for now. I normally consider eruption over when the tremor has gone back into background noise (wind, ice, ocean etc..). That has not yet happened with Grímsfjall volcano eruption at this moment.

Update 1: Here is an tremor plot that Icelandic Met Office has released. The article where this picture is from Icelandic Met Office can be read here, it is in english.


Click on the picture for full size. I must point out that this picture is big. Copyright of this picture belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

Blog post updated at 20:46 UTC.

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Grímsvöt eruption appears to be over

Given the current tremor plot on Icelandic Met Office and with reports it seems that the eruption in Grímsvötn (Grímsfjall volcano) is about to be over for now. It is impossible to know if the eruption is going to resume soon or not. But at the moment this eruption seems to be over as it looks now. If it remains like that has to be seen however.

This drop in the eruption has been confirmed by Icelandic Met Office tremor plots.

Tremor plots as of 07:00 UTC. This tremor plots are from Icelandic Met Office web site. Copyright of this pictures belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

Early news this morning in Iceland reported that steam was only coming from the main crater of Grímsvötn.

Other interesting development is that an earthquakes have started to appear SSE of Grímsfjall volcano (Grímsvötn). It is unclear why earthquake are happening at this location. But dike intrusion at this location is not impossible.

The reason for flight problems in Europe is because of the volcano ash that was ejected into atmosphere in the first days of the eruption. It is going take few days for that volcano ash to disappear from the air. Until that happens, it is going to create problems for air traffic.

Update 1: Even if the eruption appears to be over the tremor is still high. I do not know why that is. It is a question why that is or if this is just break in the eruption or not. Only time is going to tell what happens next.

Update 2: There was an news report this morning that before 02:00 UTC there was an spike in activity in Grímsvötn that did shoot the ash cloud up to 8 km. But that spike did only last for few moments before it was over. Rúv has released video here (Windows Media Player) of the eruption site.

Updated at 07:37 UTC.
Updated at 07:50 UTC.
Updated at 08:33 UTC. Blog post title updated.
Updated at 11:42 UTC.
Updated at 12:23 UTC.