A earthquake swarm on Reykjanes Ridge is currently under way. At this time is it quite impossible to know how big and how long this earthquake swarm is going to be or if happens at all. But the biggest chance is that this earthquake swarm is going to be a small one, and is only going to last for a few more hours. But this earthquake swam started today with a small earthquake at 13:09 UTC close to Geirfuglasker. Over the past few hours the earthquakes have been getting more dense and growing slighty in size at the same time. A common feature for a earthquake swarm in Iceland.
The location of the earthquake swarm as it is now (19:49 UTC 17th of October 2010). Image is from Icelandic Met Office web page.
The best way to monitor this earthquake swarm is on IMO web page. They can also be seen on my helicorders. But they show clearly up on the Hekla helicorders.
Jón: Not the first swarm I see since Eyjaf’s crisis. Are they merely tectonic? I have noticed that they usually occur after a 5+ quake hits MAR or Reykjanes ridge. According to USGS there was a 5.1 on Friday, October 15, at 46.975°N, 27.177°W and a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles) NORTHERN MID-ATLANTIC RIDGE. Any ideas of possible connections?
Thanks in advance.
@Renato Rio, This are mostly all tectonic earthquakes. But sometimes I do see earthquakes that appears to be more volcanic in nature then tectonic. Last time I did see that was in 2009 or 2008 if I remember correctly.
I do not believe that there is any connection. As the distance is too great for that earthquake to have any effect that far away.
@Jón: Could we expect another eruption there, near Geirfuglasker or Eldey sometime?
@Renato Rio, This area is definitely going to erupt sometime again. But when is a good question and currently nobody has the answer.