Posted on by Jón Frímann

Most likely water creating harmonic tremors in Katla volcano (for the moment)

In the news from Rúv at 22:00 UTC it was sad that water is the most likely source of the harmonic tremors in Katla volcano. But it seems that hydrothermal activity in Katla volcano is increasing and melting the glacier. But for the past few hours there have been signs of hydrothermal melt water getting into Múlakvísl glacier river, making the river have more water then normal and increasing conductivity in it. This is not glacier flood as such. The cauldrons that formed in July have not changed according to this news, but it was not reported if they had actually gotten deeper or larger.

Due to cloud cover it was not possible to explore the north part of Mýrdalsjökull glacier. Just the south part. According to the news on Rúv at 22:00 new small cauldron have formed in the south part of Mýrdalsjökull glacier. They are shallow at present time and may have taken few weeks for form to present size (not sure how big they are), but among this cauldrons is a cauldron that has not been seen for past seven to eight years, cracks have formed around the cauldron and he has gotten deeper and water has collected in the cauldron. But with more earthquake activity and increased hydrothermal activity under the glacier. So more monitoring is needed on Katla volcano according to Magnús Tumi Guðmundsson volcanologist at University of Iceland.

Note: When I wrote this blog post. It seems that new earthquake swarm is about to start in Katla volcano. At least I think so.

News about this events in Icelandic. Use Google translate if you want to insult the Easter-bunny.

Telja að vatn valdi óróa (Rúv.is)
Engin augljós skýring á óróa (mbl.is)
Jarðhiti aukist mjög mikið undir Kötlu – dæmigerð einkenni að menn eigi að búa sig undir gos (Vísir.is)

23 Replies to “Most likely water creating harmonic tremors in Katla volcano (for the moment)”

  1. Easter Bunny…?
    Keep up the good work. Do you have any idea of the underlying topography beneath the glacier , caldera depth etc…?

    2. It is a long in-house joke on how bad Google Translate actually is.

      I do not have the information that you ask about. But from what I know there is a lot of ridges and peaks under the glacier in Katla volcano caldera.

      1. Bloody Hell, the caldera is pretty much filled up to the brim with stratovolcanos, tabletop-volcanos (Tuja), shield-volcanos, flood-basalts.

        I am starting to wonder when it Deity it calderad the last time? It seems to be fairly close to be filled over again. Ie, soon ready to have another caldera-forming event.

  2. With the velocity of quakes/tremors, one might conclude (albeit prematurely) that the changes in the mountain will not allow it to stabilize and go back to extended periods of rest until it erupts. Its getting harder to imagine Katla going back to rest.

    Conversly, I am wondering if we are in phase 3 of labor with contractions coming faster and harder and less rest inbetween and not so much development of the fetus. The question then lies in will Katla give birth to a “difficult” boy or a quiet girl? And what will it weigh? These questions are starting to burn in the minds of those affected by Katla.

    1. Quiet girl? Are you kidding? Katla nearly always has violent ash eruptions, with immense flooding, and when it’s not under the glacier, it forms fissures that release large amounts of lava. But that is rare. And earthquakes seem to point for a E-W fissure inside the caldera, under the glacier.

      The question is more when it will erupt. And how large would that powerful eruption would be. Something ranging from a large VEI3 to a VEI6. Most likely it will be a VEI5 eruption (my bet). Something like Grimsvotn 2011 but lasting a little bit longer, and with immense flooding at first.

      1. There was a powerful solar flare at X 2.1 and a possible follow CME event just hours ago. It is very likely its effects show up on the earth from now on to September 9-10.

        If katla erupts around at these time, it would not be a surprise.

    1. Thanks JReykdal… I imagine that is the view looking NW, complex series of peaks and flows, with not a normal subglacial Tuya in sight.

    1. I really get a feeling Google does not like Icelandic… Bad url?
      I was asking, thinking of how the cauldrons were forming and subsequent release of melt if the worse happened in the kettle. Thanks for the effort tho’.

  6. The Reykjanes Peninsular is also getting in on the action: VOS, KRI and NYL are lively and HEI is joining in. Hope you get some sleep.

    I’m heading for bed so no eruptions before tomorrow please.

  7. I am sure Hekla or Hamarinn will feel jealous this next days. They will say “hey Katla, you think you are big, watch me, I can also do something to appear on the news!”

    You will see 😉

    Im going to sleep now. Katla, please be quiet. I dont want to wake up with an eruption noise during the night.

  9. Does anybody know what is happening at Krisuvik? Is it a tectonic swarm , magmatic or has someone taken the plug out of the lake? 🙂

  11. Maybe even my first guess (on the previous post) that the elves are playing with the instuments.

Comments are closed.