This is a short update on the eruption in Meradalir valley in Fagradalsfjall mountain. This article is written on 4-August-2022 at 15:17 UTC.
- The eruption is stable for now. The fissure has closed up in part and now the eruption is only take the south part of the fissure and the centre.
- Crater has not formed because of the lava lake that is at the south end of the fissure.
- The amount of lava coming up is around 20 m3/sec to 30 m3/sec at the moment. This amount might change without warning.
- The valley were (Meradalir?) this eruption happens is getting full of lava and the bottom of the valley is now 800C hot lava pond, the valley might fill up after about one week of an eruption (according to the news) if the flow of lava remains the same. The lava has started flowing into other nearby smaller valleys (not sure if they have any names). If the eruption slows, the time it takes for the eruption goes from one week to three to four weeks until Meradalir valley is full of lava and starts to flow in the direction of roads and other infrastructure in the area.
- The eruption fissure can started expanding in both direction if the current eruption vents can’t handle the flow of magma. It has been noted in the news that the north part of the fissure is on the move and that increases the risk of eruption in the north part of the fissure. The south part of the fissure is all under lava, both new and old so it is impossible to monitor that part of the fissure.
- Harmonic tremor (middle band, 1 – 2Hz) continues to increase and that shows a increase in magma flow in the magma dyke. This suggests to me that a larger eruption is possibly on the way. When that might happen is impossible to know.
- Largest earthquake in the last 24 hours had a magnitude of Mw3,4 at 09:26 UTC. Yesterday (03-August-2022) an earthquake with magnitude of Mw4,6 took pace at 05:42 UTC and a magnitude Mw4,2 took place at 12:00 UTC. This earthquake activity is interesting, since it continues after the eruption starts. Minor earthquakes also continue after the eruption starts.
- There is more water is this magma, making it degas more when it erupts. There is also more dangerous SO2, CO, CO2 gas in this eruption because there is more lava erupting.
I’ll post next update when something new happens or by the latest of Friday (tomorrow). Since I plan on posting updates on this eruption every Friday unless something happens (eruption starts at new location and so on). The normal day to day changes are mostly just minor stuff.
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