Since earlier this week (Week 45) there has been a ongoing earthquake swarm in Askja volcano. Largest earthquake in this swarm so far had a magnitude Mw2,8 while other earthquakes have been smaller in magnitude. This earthquake activity is happening on a fault that is North – South directions. The earthquake activity is happening just inside or just outside (this is unclear) in the main Askja volcano. This might be dyke injection into Askja volcano at this location but that remains unclear since there are no clear signs of what is happening. This might just be a tectonic activity in Askja volcano as often happens in rift zones.
Askja volcano earthquake swarm. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.
What makes this earthquake swarm something to monitor is how long it has been going on. Its been going on at least five days and maybe even six days at the writing of this article. In most cases this type of earthquake swarm activity stops without anything more happening in Askja volcano. I suspect that is also going to be the case with this earthquake swarm.
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Several times in the last two weeks, Mirova reported a thermal anomaly in the same area of the swarm.
In August 2014 it was something like this? Lava eruption 1961 and big explosive eruption 1875. But as Jon says it likely stops.
Still working: the BB eq visualisation
https://baering.github.io/
It stretches upto the Askja-area.
Thanks! 🙂