Posted on by Jón Frímann

Earthquake activity in Tjörnes Fracture Zone (TFZ)

For the past month (or so) there has been a constant earthquake activity close to Flatey island on the Tjörnes Fracture Zone (TFZ). This earthquake swarm has not been strong, with majority of the earthquakes only having the magnitude of 0,0 – 2,5 and only one or two earthquakes with magnitude 2,8 – 3,0. While this earthquake swarm might not be a risk, it might suggest that something is about to give in this area.


The earthquake activity in TFZ as it is today. The activity close to Flatey island is clearly visible. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

Other areas of TFZ have also been having minor earthquake swarms. I don’t think they are connected to this activity near Flatey island. None of those earthquake swarm have been big in both number of earthquakes and magnitude. TFZ is Iceland most active earthquake area with hundreds of earthquakes taking place each year. What is unusual now is the earthquake activity close to Flatey island, but this is not the first time this type of earthquake swarm happens in TFZ. Normally this type of earthquake swarm slowly die out without anything major happening.

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9 Replies to “Earthquake activity in Tjörnes Fracture Zone (TFZ)”

  1. Thanks Jon. Just wondering whether the activity near Gjögurtá on Thursday was part of the same events you mentioned taking place near Flatey

    1. It’s a different fault but its part of the TFZ fault area. That part of the TFZ can make earthquakes up to Mw5.5 at times. Last such earthquake was in the year 2011.

  2. Saturday
    20.05.2017 20:35:30 64.666 -17.339 1.1 km 3.2 90.17 9.4 km ENE of Bárðarbunga
    Saturday
    20.05.2017 20:32:54 64.675 -17.448 7.4 km 3.8 99.0 5.4 km NE of Bárðarbunga

  3. Saturday
    20.05.2017 20:35:30 64.666 -17.339 1.1 km 3.2 90.17 9.4 km ENE of Bárðarbunga
    Saturday
    20.05.2017 20:35:30 64.669 -17.412 8.9 km 3.9 99.0 6.4 km ENE of Bárðarbunga
    Saturday
    20.05.2017 20:32:54 64.675 -17.448 7.4 km 3.8 99.0 5.4 km NE of Bárðarbunga

    1. And the swarm continues… there will be more stars and they are deep!

  4. Saturday
    20.05.2017 21:15:58 64.660 -17.350 1.1 km 3.5 50.5 8.7 km ENE of Bárðarbunga
    aturday
    20.05.2017 20:35:30 64.666 -17.339 1.1 km 3.2 90.17 9.4 km ENE of Bárðarbunga
    Saturday
    20.05.2017 20:35:30 64.669 -17.412 8.9 km 3.9 99.0 6.4 km ENE of Bárðarbunga
    Saturday
    20.05.2017 20:32:54 64.675 -17.448 7.4 km 3.8 99.0 5.4 km NE of Bárðarbunga

  5. I’ll write an article about this activity in Bárðarbunga volcano tomorrow. It is going to take Icelandic Met Office several hours to properly analyse and get the correct magnitudes of those earthquakes that have happened so far.

    1. EMSC is also reporting that magnitude. I guess IMO is going to do more correction to the magnitudes tomorrow when the data is reviewed again.

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