Posted on by Jón Frímann

Update for Bárðarbunga volcano eruption at 17:59 UTC

This information is going to get outdated quickly.

Current status on Báðarbunga volcano eruption

  • Eruption continues in Holuhraun. Most of the craters have stopped erupting for now. The main craters continue to erupt.
  • It is my view that eruption under the glacier is imminent. That eruption would take place close to the location of today magnitude 4,5 and 3,0 took place today. When it might start is impossible to know.
  • Earthquake activity continues in Bárðarbunga volcano.  With largest earthquakes today having magnitude 5,0.  Most of the earthquake take place on the caldera rim, since the caldera is sinking into the crust. More on this below [1].
  • The lava field is now going into Jökulsá á Fjöllum. It is currently crossing the glacier river and creating a dam in the process. Only steam has been seen in this process.
  • Risk of eruption in Bárðarbunga volcano slopes is extremely high. There has not been any eruption in Báðarbunga volcano slopes since 23-August-2014.
  • GPS instruments have now be installed on top of Bárðarbunga volcano today. This is to measure exactly what is going on inside the volcano.
  • There is less blue haze today. There is concern that it is going to have effect on people, animals and plants if the blue haze stays for long time in any given area. Acid rain is a big concern at the moment. The SO2 levels in eastern Iceland have been the highest since measurements started in Iceland back in 1970.
  • There is high concentration of gas in the lava around the eruption site. It is in fact so high that it has put the geologist that are working there at great risk. Due the local weather the lava field is creating [2].

The caldera issue in Bárðarbunga volcano [1]

The caldera in Bárðarbunga volcano is dropping and it is dropping fast. According to latest news from Rúv (see link below) the caldera is dropping up to 90 cm/day. That is a huge drop for a mountain. There is also clue that central part of the caldera floor is now so soft that it no longer breaks and creates earthquakes, it is just buckling under the strain. This increases the risk of eruption in the central caldera up to almost certainty levels (for me that is 96+% chance of happening). The latest news from Rúv tell that the thickness of the glacier in the central part of the glacier is up to 850 meters thick. Since last Saturday the caldera has dropped 2 – 3 meters, meaning that current drop is now around 18,5 meters.

There is also high risk of eruptions in the slopes of Bárðarbunga volcano. None have taken place since 23-August-2014. It is not clear why that is. Some ideas say that it might be due to pressure release of the dyke eruption that is now taking place. I am now not personally convinced that is the case. The reason for lack of eruption must be some other. I don’t know what that reason is yet and I don’t think anyone knows at current time.

Local weather around the lava field [2]

The lava field has been creating a lot of it’s own weather. So much that is creating hazardous working environment for the geologist working close the lava field and the eruption site.

The local weather has also created small localized tornadoes. I spotted this one earlier today.

Bardarbunga.svd.08.09.2014.at.15.27.utc
It is difficult to see the tornado on this picture. But it is the white line across the image. Image taken at 15:27 UTC on 8-September-2014. Screen-shot of Míla web-camera.

This local weather is not going anywhere while the heat is at the levels as it is now. It might even last for months after this eruption finishes.

News bits in Icelandic and English

Continuing subsidence in Bardarbunga (Rúv.is)
Askjan í Bárðarbungu sigið um 2,5 til 3 m (Rúv.is, Icelandic)
Eitt stærsta hraungosið frá því á 19. öld (Rúv.is, Icelandic)

Updates 08-September-2014

  • According to latests news on Rúv this is now the largest lava eruption since 19th century in Iceland. The eruption in Holuhraun is now many times larger than largest eruption in Krafla volcano during its 10 year eruption period.

Note on comments

In order to keep things running smooth on this website. Please just post links to images. Along with some text about what they are. That also prevents the ant-spam system false flag it and me from regarding links as spam. I also have to ask people how copy data from Icelandic Met Office and University of Iceland to provide a link to the source. This is disclaimer that they added in recent weeks. I want to be on the right side of this government organizations. I also want to prevent that I have to remove comments due there demands.

Article updated on 08-September-2014 at 18:50 UTC.

102 Replies to “Update for Bárðarbunga volcano eruption at 17:59 UTC”

  2. … What’s happening just to the north of askja? That’s a pretty decent swarm kicking off, and some of those quakes are pretty deep.

      1. Does seem to have been a lot of activity in this region over the past couple of weeks, I’m also noticing that the swarms in that region are very slowly moving northwards.

        Could the cause of the barda dyke also of alowed for a small less potent dyke to form to the north?

    1. I think the Mila 1. But they can change the direction. They did it at the start of the fissure. And perhaps other webcam at the Mila site from a distance…?

  6. Things seem to be gathering pace at Bardar, the clouds above the eruption site look alive!

  7. Thank you for your ongoing updates, Jon. Always concise, balanced and informative.

    Just a quick note: in the final bullet point under ‘Current Status’, I think you meant to write ‘concentration’ rather than ‘consternation’?

    Best wishes, as always.

  8. Jon, if I understand you right, there could be an eruption under the glacier near Dyjujökull (where the 4.5 and 3. occur) and also at Bardabunga?

    1. Yes. There can be eruption anywhere along the dyke area. There have already been minor eruptions under the glacier. They where just so small that they didn’t create any glacier flood, but they created some minor cauldron in the glacier.

      There can also be eruption in Bárðarbunga volcano at the same time if there is enough magma to go around and that seems to be the case. Even if only one eruption has happened in Bárðarbunga volcano so far (it is not erupting now).

  9. Looks very dark on the web cams.

    Time will tell what is going to happen, don’t think anyone is sure.

    Great job John keep up the good work

  10. Jon
    Have you seen anything interesting that you would share with us in the waveforms of some of the earthquakes that have been happening.

  12. Interesting to see the 3 and 4.5 under Dyjujökull. Not been many +3 eartquakes there lately.

    Another dike forming?

  13. The suspense continues. As much as I’d like to see nature roar into action, I’m not sure if it’s a good idea to want it too. It could become very bad for many people in many ways.

  14. Hi Jon, in your expert opinion, if there is to be an eruption in the bardasrbunga caldera, would it be sooner rather than later?

  15. Update on Vedur site:
    http://en.vedur.is/earthquakes-and-volcanism/articles/nr/2947

    8th September 2014 19:20 – from geoscientist on duty
    The earthquake activity today continues at the northern part of the dyke intrusion. The largest earthquake since the end of August in the dyke occurred at 16:27 today with magnitude 4.5. The largest earthquakes located today at the rim:
    kl. 06:15, M 4,8
    kl. 07:20 M 4, 6
    kl. 14:48, M 5,0
    kl. 17:53, M 4,3
    An earthquake swarm is being seen north of Herðubreið. About 80 earthquakes have been recorded today, all below magnitude 2. Swarms in this area are not uncommon. Due to high concentration of SO2, scientists are leaving the area.

  16. Is that steam rising on Mila 1? It’s difficult to see with the rain drops! I only ask because its the first time I’ve seen it so clearly.

  17. Serious looking grey/white smoke rising from centre of the caldera at Bardarbunga.
    Can be seen on Mila Barbarbunga Webcam 1.
    What do you think?
    Keep up the great work Jon.

  18. “this is now the largest lava eruption since 19th century in Iceland”. I hope we understand this even though many waits for somthing bigger. In a way its already here. Thanks for your work Jon.

  19. Hi Jon,
    Thanks for all your hard work, I am in Norfolk (uk), been looking daily. Mother Nature is amazing!
    I am a little worried about the Icelandic people, if B goes off, will everyone be safe?

  21. Ha ha any one seen the car M1, i hope its official, if not they are really stupid.
    Great update Jon much appreciate xx

  24. Large seismic spikes a sinking caldera toxic gases, me thinks it’s time to run. Things look like it going to go out with a bang. It’s all looking a bit unstable now. Lets hope all the volcanologists stay safe, don’t forget it they who put there lives on the line to make sure people understand and keep them safe.

    1. I thought R2D2 is burning 😉
      No, it’s still the steam from Lava/river-meeting. It only looks dark because of the light…but ist is getting more…so more lava in the river
      Like in this picture:
      http://t.co/EhMY8kejpe

  28. Some guy is a bright green shirt maintaining the radar (or whatever) on Cam1 – shows just how big that is.

  34. Could that be a new fissure opening up on B1 ? BTW Jon I have made some purchases via your Amazon link – hope you get the commission OK.

  35. The Truck on Cam1, one called R2D2(cute name), with its companion vechile has what looks like a small plume of dark material/smoke going up. Faintly I see more of the plume material, cloud in a line towards the fissure eruptions. They are very bright, Gates of Hell as it was called by my norwegian grandfather.

    4. That is interesting. I hope they can support it with data, as I think they are already doing. I am sure more research is going to provide more details.

  38. Jon, many thanks again for the continued coverage of this event. Just out of interest is there any way you could please give us a sense of size of the Dike. I get that it is a lateral “offshoot” from the main magma chamber of a volcano and in this case the pressure of the new magma coming into it was causing the ground in the area to lift and separate as evidenced on the GPS sites last week. Are we looking at “pipeline” of magma many kilometers in diameter or just hundreds of meters? Or is my sense of what it is way off the mark?
    Any help you could offer would be appreciated.

  39. I hope R2 & it’s new friend don’t get ‘ideas’ during the night, the ‘romantic’ setting, looking out over the view could get the better of them!
    If there’s little R2’s in the next few days we ‘know’ what they’ve been up to! 😉

    1. Lava is in the river to such a degree now, that it might be starting to dam it up a little bit. Constant steaming, and maybe some small steam explosions, should be a regular feature now.

  41. As I take my last look at Cam 1 for today

    Fire fire burning bright. Lets hope all the scientist stay safe, as they risk there lives to bring us this amazing sight and keep us safe….I bid goodnight

    1. I was thinking the same, but it’s difficult to gauge its size with all the reflection from the smoke plume. It’s certainly huge!

  43. ice melting can behave funny …. (in Netherlands in winter the IJsselmeer freezes sometimes, when temp goes up the ice starts to break in clumps and forms meters high ‘mountains’ agains the dikes around the lake). If an ice mass of ca. 800 m thick starts to crack and move it can form impressive cracks i presume. I was at the site in Netherlands and shot this picture: http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/originals/a6/3e/9d/a63e9d961dac18fa4f78a7b13d44181a.jpg If you are close by you really hear the ice work and see it move quite violently sometimes.

  44. The ‘other site’ seems to be more interested in raising money and “discussions behind closed doors” about events-which I find quite insulting! Thanks for the honesty of the discussion Jon! Seems to be a MUCH more open and honest discussion at this site! Thanks

  46. Thank you very much for all the info!
    As scientist, and as ICeland and volcano-aholic I really appreciate it.
    I would really love to have the chance in the future to take part in a similar research.
    And of course, to come back to Iceland.
    Good night.
    Eva

    1. Thanks. I do ask for donations when I remember to do so. But I am so busy watching for volcano activity that I always forget. I am just a hobbyist in this field, but I have read a lot of science papers on this subject and I am always trying to upgrade my knowledge.

  49. Someone asked in the previous thread if I live in Iceland or am just visiting. The latter. What a time to be here.

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