Day: May 28, 2022

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Strong earthquake in Bárðarbunga volcano this morning

Today (28-May-2022) at 08:06 UTC an earthquake with magnitude of Mw4,4 or Mw4,7 (EMSC information can be found here) took place in Bárðarbunga volcano.

Green star and red dots in Vatnajökull glacier where Bárðarbunga volcano is located in north-west part of the edge of the glacier. Red dots showing deep earthquakes to the south-east of Bárðarbunga volcano
Earthquake activity in Bárðarbunga volcano. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

This earthquake activity is because of inflation in Bárðarbunga volcano magma chamber. That was emptied after the eruption in 2014 – 2015 and that resulted in collapse of Bárðarbunga volcano by drop of some 60 meters. This inflation now is reversing that process slowly. It is going to be decades until Bárðarbunga volcano erupts again because of this collapse.

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On Thursday 26-may-2022 there was a strong earthquake on Reykjanes ridge

On Thursday 26-May-2022 at 20:11 UTC an earthquake with magnitude of Mw3,5. I think this earthquake was maybe felt in populated areas closest to the earthquake. This earthquake was out in the ocean, a good distance from land.

Green star out in the ocean, a little distance from land. A lot of smaller earthquakes up the Reykjanes ridge and to Reykjanes peninsula, both in red and orange dots
Earthquake activity on Reykjanes ridge and Reykjanes peninsula. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

This earthquake possibly is part of the earthquake activity that is happening in Reykjanes peninsula and Reykjanes ridge. It is more difficult to know what is going on in the ocean, than on land.

Posts are going to get delayed for the next few days because I am moving to Denmark.