Posted on by Jón Frímann

More earthquakes should be expected on the Reykjanes

The earthquake swarm on the Reykjanes has slowed down considerable since it did start yesterday. But it is still ongoing in my opinion. Even if there are no earthquakes currently taking place at the moment. There are several reasons for this. The biggest one is that this area seems to be getting more active now then it has been for many decades now. The fissure that is currently moving is connected to Krýsuvík volcano, but this was reported in the news. I do not know every fault line in this area and how they are connected (plus, my volcano map is in an box until I move back to Denmark) together. But I do know that

During the past 2 to 3 years the volcano Krísuvík has been showing more activity. With inflation and deflation episodes that lasts from few days to weeks at the time. Followed by an earthquake swarms both before and after each episode of activity. This activity seems to be increasing, at least that is my opinion on what is happening at the moment.

While this earthquake swarm is still ongoing. It might have long periods of no activity at all. This is common for faults that have not moved in an long time. As seems to be the case in Helgafell mountain and nearby area. But the fault lies close to that mountain or under it (I am not sure). But this started this year with an magnitude ML3.2 earthquake in this area earlier this year.

It is hard to know exactly when next episode of this activity is going to continue. But I am sure that it is going to be soon.

21 Replies to “More earthquakes should be expected on the Reykjanes”

  1. There is something wrong with the times and everything on your Katla helicorder.

  3. Hmm… don’t like the look of that one at Laki. 10 km depth and well constrained…

    1. This is not Laki. This is Veidivotn fissure, which has a few earthquakes some days ago, and has been inflating significantly already for many years. Veidivotn fissure is connected to Hamarinn and Bardarbunga central volcano. It seems clear that the whole system is awakening and approaching an eruption (by approaching this does not mean an eruption will happen in the next years!).

      But Hamarinn actually had a minor eruption last July. Maybe more activity in Veidivotn or Hamarinn is likely to occur in the next years. Veidivotn often has massive efusive eruptions every few centuries.

      1. Ok, thanks – I should have realised that, but they’re all so close together…. Besides, as I understand it, it’s too soon for Laki to be contemplating another big eruption…

  4. Thank you for the update Jon. I’ve been wondering what has been going on here!

  5. Is there any monitoring of the Jan Mayen ridge and fracture zone to the North West of Iceland? USGS dont report Iceland EQ’s, and Europe only seems to record some of them.

  8. My laptop is on its last days to weeks or so. So if it fails I might not be able to update this blog in good time until I get an new one. But I use the laptop while I am travelling in Denmark and moving (in next month I hope).

    I can get used laptops cheap in Denmark. But I hope that my laptop is going to survive until I am fully moved back to Denmark.

  9. I hope you get a laptop asap Jon – we need you up and running, I dont think it’s going to be quiet for long.

    The NORSAR site is interesting, they are having quite a bit of activity in the Norwegian area and Finland too. I was looking for some way of tying in the simultaneous activity here in Scotland and over there in Iceland, I did not expect The Norway area to be active too. It looked like the Jan Mayen fracture zone and Atlantic ridge union off the East of Greenland could be playing a role in that. Perhaps the glacial EQ’s (up to 5.1) in Greenland are not so glacial?

    1. My laptop is currently not yet dead. But it is getting close to it. When it is going to fail I am not sure.

      I just hope that it doesn’t happen while I am travelling or moving.

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