Month: December 2024

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Earthquake activity in Hamarinn volcano

Today (19-December 2024) at 12:18 UTC an earthquake with magnitude of Mw3,1 took place Hamarinn volcano. Few smaller earthquakes also followed, there was also small amount of earthquakes before the largest earthquake.

Green star in western Vatnajökull glacier, just south of Bárðarbunga volcano. This is Hamarinn volcano. Few dots showing smaller earthquakes in this area.
Green star in Hamarinn volcano. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

Last time this happened in Hamarinn volcano an eruption that lasted 6 to 8 hours happened in July 2011. When or if an eruption happens in Hamarinn volcano is impossible to know. This activity might quiet down again. If there is a ongoing increasing earthquake activity, then a eruption in Hamarinn volcano is more likely, but it is impossible to know if it is going to happen.

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Strongest earthquake in Ljósufjöll volcano since start of modern recording

Yesterday (18-December 2024) at 22:50 UTC. The strongest earthquake since modern recording started took place in Ljósufjöll volcano. This earthquake was felt in Borgarnes, Akranes and other nearby towns. Magnitude of this earthquake was Mw3,2 at depth of 18 km. The reason for this earthquake is injection of magma at depth at this location.

Green star and blue and orange dots showing the smaller earthquakes.
The earthquake activity in Ljósufjöll volcano. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

As it looks now. An eruption is unlikely to happen in Ljósufjöll volcano. In the last few months, the depth of this earthquake activity has not changed that much and continues to be at 15 to 25 km depth in this area. The crust is also thicker and more dense in this part of Iceland and that requires more magma to break up to the surface. At the writing of this article, that has not changed since this earthquake activity started. As more magma injects into this location is going to result in more earthquakes. Currently, the amount of magma in this injection seems to be minor and is unable to break a path to the surface.

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Earthquake swarm in Hofsjökull volcano

One of Iceland largest volcanoes has been having an earthquake swarm this evening on 13-December 2024. This is the Hofsjökull volcano. Largest earthquake in this swarm had a magnitude of Mw3,3 at 8,8 km depth. Other earthquakes have been smaller.

Green star and two blue dots and one yellow dot in north part of Hofsjökull volcano. The green star is located in the western part of caldera edge. Hofsjökull glacier and the volcano is on the centre on this image.
Earthquake activity in Höfsjökull volcano. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

This earthquake swarm seems to be over. However, the problem with Hofsjökull volcano is that earthquake activity often stops and then resumes several hours to days later in the same location. If that happens now I do not know.

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Magnitude Mw5,2 earthquake in Bárðarbunga volcano

During the night of 8-December 2024 at 01:49 UTC an earthquake with magnitude of Mw5,2 took place in Bárðarbunga volcano. This is a inflation related earthquake, as Bárðarbunga volcano continues to inflate from the collapse during the 2014 and 2015 eruption.

Green star in Bárðarbunga volcano, showing the largest earthquake. With lot of smaller dots in the caldera.
The earthquake activity in Bárðarbunga volcano. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

A lot of smaller earthquakes also happened before and after the main earthquake. This is not unusual, there are just more of them now. Why that happened is not clear. This is an ongoing earthquake activity in Bárðarbunga and is going last for the next 30 to 90 years in the longest. Depending on how this evolve in Bárðarbunga volcano.