Sometimes nature does something unexpected. This applies now to Torfajökull volcano. It seems that this earthquake activity started on 27-January-2019 without any warning. The article about that earthquake swarm can be found here.
The earthquake activity on 29-April-2019. A clear line of earthquake has appeared. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.
Second earthquake swarm on 3-May-2019. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.
The earthquake swarm on 4-June-2019. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.
After Bárðarbunga volcano eruption in 2014 I set-up a new system (that I use for my self. No-one uses something something similar that I know of) to detect possible eruptions. Each volcano is different and there is also a risk of false detection. However I do think that based on latest activity that something is going on in Torfajökull volcano. If this results in a eruption is too early to say at the time of writing of this article. If this is on a path to an eruption there might not be any warning or much of a warning besides few magnitude 3,0 to 4,5 earthquakes in Torfajökull volcano. Last eruption in Torfajökull volcano was in 1477 (north of the caldera) so its behaviour before an eruption is unknown. Last time a eruption took place in west side of the caldera was in the year 1170 or around that year.
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If you donate with the bank please update your information here. I have switched everything back to Denmark since I expect to move to Denmark by September. When I am back in Denmark I am going to open a new Danish PayPal account for donations. It is going to take ~3 months due to security requirements that are now in place by PayPal and the law.
Certainly looks interesting, am I right in saying the earthquakes in this latest swam are slightly larger to the one in April?
It seems to be larger in number of earthquakes taking place. There is no difference in magnitude.
This is not Torfajökull volcano, it is actually the Veidivotn fissure !
This is inside Torfajökull volcano system. It can be seen here on this map, you just go to “Höggunarkort” and click on it. Its bit hard to read on the screen.
https://www.ni.is/midlun/utgafa/kort/jardfraedikort
I find it interesting how a number of dormant volcanoes are becoming restless. Torfajokull, Herdubreid, Herdubreidartogl and Oraefajokull. Besides this we see that other volcanoes are overdue with an eruption (Katla, Hekla) and other volcanoes behave normally. Question: Have we seen in the geological past or during the time that Iceland was settled a time when many Icelandic volcanoes erupted simultaneously?
It is known from history that two or more eruptions can happen in Iceland. Its not a common thing that can happen, but it does happen from time to time. I don’t know how often this happen.
Katla Vulkan wirft Aschenwolke aus:
https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/de/katla/nachrichten/81569/Katla-Vulkan-wirft-Aschenwolke-aus.html
Hi Jon, it’s a pity that there are no eruptions at the moment to write about. I was following your blog during the Holurhaun eruption, which made me very happy. Sometimes I think you just should take a break and wait for the next eruption. As there are happening little or bigger earthquakes all the time in Iceland, so it’s not really necessary to write about it.
What I noticed is the increased writing about donations and your money problem. If you are short of cash, the first thing is to stop moving around from Iceland to Denmark and back. Nobody could afford such moving around between the most expensive countries in the world. Maybe you are actually not moving around at all.
Some things make no sense in your explanations for receiving donations. If you are short on money, then for sure you would not think about collecting funds to buy an appartment in Spain. Even people which earn quite a bit of money can’t just go and buy an appartment in Spain.
What I would understand is a fee for reading monthly on your blog. Then you don’t have to ask for donations, and you won’t have trolls.
Looking forward to the next eruption. Would love to read about that only.
Cheers
Stefan
I take work to be able to afford moving to Denmark and back to Iceland and back again (I’m doing that this summer). The housing market is horrible in Iceland and Iceland is more expensive than Denmark. Iceland is the most expensive country in Europe. I am far better off in Denmark than Iceland in terms of money.
The money issue I am having is because of the Icelandic government policy of paying people on social welfare less than minimum wage as it is today. There is no change in sight for that in recent future. The last two years that I was living in Denmark were plagued with financial problems. After looking at why that was after I moved to Iceland in 2018 I discovered this issue was more because of Iceland than because of Denmark. I do get stuff wrong all the time and this was one of those times.
In recent months (because of increased prices) it has become more difficult for me to keep everything afloat in Iceland then I expected. Also when there isn’t anything going on in Iceland I in general don’t get many donations. That’s just the way it is. Moving to a subscription model is also something that would not work for me.
I can buy apartment anywhere within the EU without any issue. If I had the money and I don’t. This time around I don’t plan on moving back to Iceland. It just isn’t going to happen. I’ve been burned one too many times for that too happen.
You can see the cost of living in Iceland compared to other countries in EU/EEA here. Iceland has number 166 (EU28 = 100) and Denmark has number 139.
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Comparative_price_levels_of_consumer_goods_and_services
I don’t know when next eruption is going to happen in Iceland. It might be a big one. I’ll just have to wait and see what happens.
its a pitty not to be able to live in your own country .Such a wonderfull country .
Jón, I wish you every success with your summer (and possibly autumn) work projects and your planned move to Denmark. We all know, if history and geology are anything to go by and they have to be, that Iceland won’t remain eruption free for that long a period. Meanwhile, I very much enjoy your posts featuring the slightly out of the ordinary EQ activity patterns that occur from time to time.