This is a short update on current status on Bárðarbunga volcano.
Uncertainty level has been declared on Bárðarbunga volcano and it status has been raised to yellow. There are fluxuation in earthquake activity, this is normal since earthquake activity in volcanoes is never close to constant in this type of situations. There is also a storm taking place in the area at the moment, that is lowering what is detected by the SIL stations that are close to Bárðarbunga volcano.
The earthquake activity in Bárðarbunga volcano. Green stars show earthquake larger than magnitude 3,0. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.
Largest earthquakes recorded so far have the magnitude of 3,1 and 3,5. There is a chance that more magnitude 3,0 have taken place but have not been reviewed yet by geologist at Icelandic Meteorological Office due the amount of earthquakes taking place at the moment.
As can be seen here the earthquake swarm is dense. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.
Harmonic tremor in Dyngjuháls SIL station. It has been dropping in the past few hours. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.
Harmonic tremor in Vonarskarð SIL station. The drop in harmonic tremor also appears clearly here. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.
Harmonic tremor in Húsbóndi SIL station. The drop in harmonic tremor also appears here clearly. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Meteorological Office.
In the past few hours the harmonic tremors around Bárðarbunga volcano have been dropping slowly. The drop in harmonic tremor has not been followed by drop in earthquake activity. At least that is not the case when this is written. This means that the magma that is on the move there still has not yet found a pathway to the surface, even if some small part of it has done so in possibly in one or two eruptions vents under the thick glacier. If the harmonic tremor stops completely without the earthquake activity stopping it means that magma is still on the move there and it might look for a new pathway to the surface. When and where that might happen is impossible to know at current time, but once the magma has clear path to the surface, even if it is under a glacier all earthquake activity is going to stop (for most part).
I am going to post more information when more details are available.
