Month: November 2012

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Survey of dangerous Icelandic volcanoes has started

Rúv News reports that survey on Iceland volcanoes and possible risk factors has already started in Iceland. It is expected that this survey is going to take about 20 years. But there is a lot of science research following this survey.

This survey is going start with the volcanoes that are closest to populated areas in Iceland and cover risk factors like volcano ash, lava flow and field, earthquake risk and so on. The list is long and so is the work ahead for the people doing this survey and study.

Rúv News about this survey

Byrjað að kortleggja eldstöðvar

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Earthquake swarm in TFZ continues, little earthquake activity in Katla voclano, new earthquake activity in Askja volcano

Here is a short update on activity in Iceland for the past few days.

Tjörnes Fracture Zone

Earthquake activity continues in Tjörnes Fracture Zone. But this earthquake activity has been ongoing since 20 October, 2012. Every once in a while a magnitude 3.0 earthquake takes place, or larger. The risk of large earthquake taking place in this area remains. General alert for this area is also in effect because of this danger of large earthquake taking place in this area.


The earthquake activity in TFZ. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.

Katla volcano

Winter has come. At least when it comes to earthquake activity in Katla volcano. But little to none earthquake activity is now taking place in Katla volcano. Earthquake activity is now well below background level. It can be expected that current status is going to remain in Katla volcano until next summer.


Earthquake activity in Katla volcano for the past few days. Nothing important is taking place in Katla volcano as this image clearly shows. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.

Askja volcano

While Katla volcano is getting quiet. It seems that Askja volcano is getting slightly more active. But earthquake activity in Askja volcano during the past few weeks suggests a minor magma intrusion (dike intrusion) might have taken place. But none of the earthquakes that took place where above magnitude 2.0 in size.


Earthquakes in Askja volcano during the past few days. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.

I do not think this earthquake activity in Askja volcano means it is getting close for an eruption. Since there are no signs in that direction at the moment. But this earthquake activity is interesting. What ever it means in the short term for Askja volcano. It is also common that volcanoes have earthquake activity without anything happening at all following such earthquake activity.

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Earthquake activity update for Iceland and TFZ

This is update for TFZ over the past few days. Along with update for earthquake activity in Iceland during the past few days.

Tjörnes Fracture Zone

Earthquake swarm in TFZ continues. In the past days the largest earthquakes have had the magnitude of ML3.2. A second earthquake swarm is also taking place west of the village of Kópasker. That area also had an earthquake with the magnitude of ML3.2. That earthquake swarm is unrelated to the earthquake swarm taking place off north of Siglufjörður village. Earlier today an earthquake with the magnitude 3.8 took place. More earthquakes are expected to take place. This latest earthquake was clearly felt in Siglufjörður village. This earthquake swarm started on 20th of October. So it has been ongoing now for almost two weeks.


The latest earthquake in TFZ. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.


Earthquake tracker from Icelandic Meteorological Office showing the earthquakes during the past 48 hours in TFZ. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.

Earthquake activity is expected to continue in this part of TFZ. The risk of large earthquake in this area has not yet passed. Most of the earthquakes appears clearly on my geophone in Hvammstangi.

Iceland activity

Other the earthquake activity in TFZ. It has been generally quiet in Iceland. For the past four days there has been really bad winter storm taking place in Iceland. With wind up to 40m/s and wind gust up to 70m/s or more. This means that fewer earthquakes are being detected by the SIL network in Iceland due to increased wind noise. But earthquake activity has been low in Iceland for the past few weeks (besides TFZ). So I am not sure if that changes anything. There is no volcano activity taking place in Iceland at the moment.