Posted on by Jón Frímann

Sharp increase in eruption activity from El Hierro volcano

This is a short update on El Hierro volcano.

There has been a increase in harmonic tremor activity from El Hierro volcano. This suggest that new vent or vents might be opening up in El Hierro volcano. But this type of eruption pattern is to be expected from a fissure eruption. Like the one that is currently taking place in El Hierro volcano.


The harmonic tremor jump in El Hierro volcano at 16:06 UTC. Copyright of this picture belongs to IGN (Instituto Geográfico Nacional).

There are also some explosions that can be seen on this tremor chart. But they form spikes that can be spotted if looked closely. Is is now also possible to monitor the eruption via web cam located on El Hierro Island. That web cam can be found here.

450 Replies to “Sharp increase in eruption activity from El Hierro volcano”

  1. I for one wouldn’t want to be around for an arc between the earth and the moon. I wonder what the potential difference is between them. It’s likely however that there are plenty of processes that keep this at a minimal level.

      1. Following the OT meme…

        Lightning follows an ion channel. The potential difference needed to strike an arc, even in the atmosphere, is far too low for lightening to occur.

        The reason that lightning exists, is due to a cascade effect. Something generates the initial ion channel, be it a cosmic ray or a local arc. Once the current starts to flow, the over-run pushes the channel further and further along the path. Once the ion channel finds get within range of the appropriate range of the opposite charge, the main current flow takes place.

        This channel is commonly referred to as a “step leader”

        If you can show me the media that can generate a stable ion channel from the Earth to the Moon, then I’ll entertain the thought.

  2. another more than 3.2 in the Gulf area, the third of the day above the magnitude 3, if what you have sense, remember to fill in the questionnaire of the IGN, is very important (Henry).
    1112699 15/11/2011 18: 00: 59 27.7989 – 18.0540 21 3.2 4 NW FRONTIER.IHI

  3. VULCANOLOGY INSTITUTE OF CANARIES

    The Instituted recorded a decrease in the emission of SO2 from the submarine volcano of El Hierro

    The measurements have been performed using optical remote sensing in mobile air position with the support and collaboration of the Helicopter Service of the Guardia Civil in the Canaries

    Scientists at the Institute of Technology and Renewable Energies (ITER), an agency of the Cabildo of Tenerife, and is now part of volcanological Institute of the Canaries has reported to management of the Civil Protection Special Plan for Volcanic Risk Canary Islands (PEVOLCA) that they have recorded the decrease in emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) into the atmosphere from the eruption is taking place underwater south of La Restinga.

    The results show that the emission of sulfur dioxide (SO2) into the atmosphere which increased from 109 ± 19 tons per day on Sunday November 6 a record down to non-quantifiable values ​​on Saturday November 12. They are now below the limit detection of the analytical methodology used (<2 tonnes per day). The measurements made on Monday November 7 and Tuesday, November 8 yielded an emission rate of 36 ± 9 and 28 ± 15 tons per day of sulfur dioxide (SO2), respectively.

    Later on Thursday, November 10 the values of sulfur dioxide (SO2) during the past week, dropped to 7 ± 6 tons per day. These results reflect an emission rate of sulfur dioxide (SO2) relatively lower than those normally recorded in volcanic systems subaerial eruptive phase as a result of a neutralization reaction between acid volcanic gases and seawater by alkaline nature. Part of the sulfur dioxide (SO2) emitted by the submarine volcano south of the Restinga did not reach the atmosphere and contributes to lowering the pH of seawater and have been well documented by the measurements taken by research vessels "Professor Ignacio Lozano "and" Ramon Margalef "of the Canary Institute of Marine Sciences (ICCM) and the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO), respectively.

    Measurements of sulfur dioxide emissions (SO2) have been performed using optical remote sensing and COSPEC miniDOAS type air mobile position with the support and collaboration of the Helicopter Service of the Guardia Civil in the Canary Islands in order to strengthen the geochemical program providing information for volcano monitoring in the Canaries. The staff has extensive experience in the use and application of optical remote sensing and COSPEC miniDOAS type to evaluate the emission of sulfur dioxide (SO2) from active volcanic systems, the results are in the published studies on the emission of sulfur dioxide (SO2) into the atmosphere by volcanoes of Santa Ana (El Salvador), San Cristóbal and Masaya (Nicaragua), Arenal and Poas (Costa Rica), Tungurahua (Ecuador), Mayon (Philippines), Sierra Negra (Galapagos) and Etna (Italy).

    The Institute was created by unanimous vote by the Senate (2005), Parliament of the Canary Islands (2006) and House of Representatives (2009) with the aim of contributing to improving and optimizing the management of volcanic risk in Spain.

  4. @Oz

    I’m happy to accept that expanding earth is bullcrap.

    However….

    1) Nothing is ever proved “without doubt”.

    I find that extremely difficult to accept.
    It was once thought that The Earth was the centre of the Universe, and that everything else orbited The Earth.
    Surely it’s been proved without doubt that the Earth orbits the Sun.

    The big bang and string theory might be difficult to prove, but to say that “nothing” can be proved without doubt!

    Or should I walk away from anything scientific and go back to studying something easier?

    1. Try this mental exercise.

      Find something… anything for that matter, come up with some argument about it…. some negative argument.

      Now work through the logic of “proving a negative.”

  5. M Randolph

    Please could you explain what exactly it means if the readings of So2 are now dropping.

    Many thanks.

    1. Not sure of the context or reason of the question, so I will offer a generic answer.

      SO2 is a high temperature volcanic gas. SO2, H2O, CO2 are three of the heavy hitters in the volcanic gas realm… these are the main gases that you will find dissolved in magma. Additional gases are H2, CO, H2S, HCL, and HF.

      The solubility of pretty much all the gases is driven by how much H2O is present in the magma. The reason being is that it goes into chemical interaction with the existing minerals and the other gases and either forms new compounds or participates in their oxidation and destruction. Then you get into the whole realm of partial pressure etc.

      But for an SO2 reading to start declining during a volcanic event, either the gas has gone somewhere else, or it has been used up and there is less available to be emitted. That goes back to the H2O thing. A change in available H2O (in the magma) can change the dynamics of how the system is behaving.

      Another possibility, if is coming from a submarine eruption, is that less saturated (in H2SO4) water has become available so that more of the SO2 can go into solution in the water… making more H2SO4.

      And while we are on the subject of submarine eruptions, the greatest source for HCL in a submarine eruption is the interaction of the seawater and magma.

      So… when the SO2 levels drop… a lot of different things could have caused it… or a combination of all.

    1. I thougt about it. But as there are no sign at the other stations it could be some manmade noise perhaps. But I don’t really…

    2. As it seems to be local, it looks like something knocked the equipment.

      Do they have sheep in La Gomera?

  7. Yes, it’s been there for a while, more or less last hour or so. I noticed the spot still on the same place although the strong wind should make the spot to drift away.

    1. Wrong place on this comment … 🙂 But I was talking about the bubbles on the mouth of Restinga harbour

      1. Yes Mizar I noticed that also. At first I thought perhaps a trick of the tide flow into the harbour but two things against that. First it is a way out from the entrance, second it lasts too long. If volcanic it is in a very bad place. Let’s pray it is only a tempory and an unimportant phenomena.

  8. Okay, one last throw at the concept of “my” reality vs the mainstream reality, and I’ll go back to lurker mode.

    http://www.physicsforums.com/blog.php?b=8

    Double standards in mainstream physics.

    I’ve always been something of a Don Quixote in the science world, so there you go. Terrible beasts, those windmills of “common knowledge”

  11. Ken.P says: November 15, 2011 at 18:43

    @Oz

    1) Nothing is ever proved “without doubt”.

    I find that extremely difficult to accept.

    Oz: Its possible, but hugely unlikely, that there is a conspiracy handing you fake information…

    Surely it’s been proved without doubt that the Earth orbits the Sun.

    Oz: See above! J

    The big bang and string theory might be difficult to prove, but to say that “nothing” can be proved without doubt!

    Or should I walk away from anything scientific and go back to studying something easier?

    Oz: No, you should just accept that certainty is certainly fallacious!

    Oz: Note that this is the mainstream scientific view, all the proper scientists I know are hugely suspicious and hard to convince of anything. Except mathematicians, of course, for obvious reasons. Er, I think…. Usually… on most mathematical things… Mind you they cheat and call certainties “mathematical axioms”, but even these only apply to local theories…. Other mathematical objects might disagree…

    Oz: Certainty is the province of religion, and they will often kill you to prove it!

  14. Oh dear, here we go again. I was replying to a post by Bruce on something I wouldn’t entertain either. The post seems to have vanished or I can’t find it anyway. The idea of an arc (not lightning) between the earth and the moon was just a silly example I was making light with. A misunderstanding which absolves me from needing to ‘show you the media… etc etc’

    1. For goodness sake, this was a reply to Lurking who replied to a post I made in reply to a post that vanished. I failed the recaptcha and after that the blog treated it as a new post. I wish you could erase your own comments to clear up these problems.

      1. I did look for that comment in the spam box. It was not there. So I am not sure what might have been the problem.

        You might have better control over your comments if you register here. That disables the recaptcha test also.

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