Volcano and earthquake activity in Iceland
Today (24-January 2025) at 06:06 UTC an earthquake with the magnitude of Mw3,0 took place in Brennisteinsfjöll volcano. This doesn’t seem to have connected to magma movement in this area or volcano. This looks like more like a tension related earthquake. It was probably not related to inflation in Svartsengi volcano.
There is a risk of stronger earthquakes in this area. Currently there are no signs that this connected to magma movement in this area.
Today (18-January 2025) at 13:45 UTC an earthquake with magnitude of Mw3,2 took place in Krýsuvík volcano, this was just east of Keilir mountain. This earthquake was felt according to news reports. This resulted in a small earthquake swarm at this location.
This earthquake is not connected to magma movement in this area. This seems to be a tension release in the crust from the inflation of Svartsengi volcano. More earthquakes might happen in this area in next few days and until next eruption starts in Svartsengi volcano in Sundhnúkagígaröðin crater row.
Yesterday (16. January 2025) an earthquake swarm started in Ljósufjöll volcano. This is an area that has had an earthquake swarm since 2020 or 2021. Largest earthquake in this swarm had a magnitude of Mw3,2.
This earthquake swarm aligned it self with fault lines in the area. That is a change from earlier earthquake activity. Depth of the earthquake has also been decreasing. Its now around 14 km, from 17 to 23 km as it was before. Based on the earthquake activity, the amount of magma remains low and when the amount of magma is low. Its less likely to erupt. It rather is just stuck in the crust. However, if the amount of magma increases, that is going to increase the chance of an eruption in this area. This might take years, if not decades to happen as it stands now. Quick change seems unlikely at the writing of this article.
Today (14-January 2025) at 06:08 UTC an dyke intrusion started in Bárðarbunga volcano. This dyke intrusion lasted until around 09:00 UTC and might still not be over, even if the activity has stopped at the writing of this article. Largest earthquakes had the magnitude of Mw5,2 (USGS, EMSC). More than a dozen earthquakes with magnitude from Mw3,0 to Mw5,0 took place in this earthquake swarm.
The main activity was in the western part of the caldera. According to the experts, this earthquake swarm looks close to what happened in Bárðarbunga volcano before it erupted in Gjálp (Wikipedia, Icelandic) in the year 1996. Then a earthquake swarm started like this, slowed down for few days before it increased again and the eruption happened. It is unclear what direction the dyke might move to, but most likely is south-west in the direction of Torfajökull volcano and Katla volcano. If that happens, such dyke activity might get those volcanoes upset or start and eruption in them.
I am going to post update as needed for Bárðarbunga volcano as this activity continues.