Small earthquake swarm in Öræfajökull volcano Monday 23-July-2018

On Monday 23-July-2018 there was an small earthquake swarm in Öræfajökull volcano. This type of earthquake swarm is a common activity at the moment. Around 100 to 200 earthquakes now happen in Öræfajökull volcano each week. Almost all of them are small and less than 1,0 in magnitude.


The earthquake activity in Öræfajökull volcano. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

Largest earthquake so far this week had a magnitude of 1,2 and it had a depth of 4,9 km. Other earthquakes where smaller in magnitude. When a earthquake swarm happens in Öræfajökull volcano it is because magma is pressuring it self upwards inside the volcano. Earthquakes far outside Öræfajökull volcano are because of stress changes in the crust and that re-activates fault lines in the area. This might increase as more magma collects into Öræfajökull volcano along with stronger magnitude. That process might take weeks or months from what it is today.