Posted on by Jón Frímann

About the earthquakes north of Askja volcano

The earthquakes that are now taking place north of Askja volcano are interesting for many reasons. One of the biggest reason why this earthquakes are interesting is the fact how shallow they are. But it is also interesting on how small the area the earthquakes are taking place on.

This earthquake activity did start in Week 15 with one earthquake. In Week 16 the activity had grown up to few earthquakes. In Week 17 (current) the activity has continued to grow in this area. This activity currently stands out in the earthquake activity around Askja volcano.

While it is common for Icelandic volcanoes to erupt from a central vent. It is also common for Icelandic volcanoes too erupt from fissures (like Fimmvörðuháls Eruption 2010). One of the clues to this type of eruption close to a central volcano is a earthquake activity. It is my opinion that this earthquake activity qualifies as pre-activity for a fissure eruption in the area of Askja volcano. But if anything happens soon is a different question and it is impossible to predict for now. It is however sure that before such eruption the earthquake activity in this area needs to increase a lot more from the current levels of earthquake activity that are being seen today.

Currently no eruption is immanent in Askja volcano.

9 Replies to “About the earthquakes north of Askja volcano”

  1. The earthquakes are all happening inside and just outside the caldera.

    If you have been to Askja, you know the shape of this big caldera and where the earthquakes are happening is just in the center, at the lake, and on two places on the sides of the whole caldera (where fissure eruptions have happened on the past – abundant lava fields are located there).

    This seems to show that we will have an eruption at Askja sometime in the future, but this can be next week, next year or in 20 years. Remember that Askja had a massive eruption in 1875 but the eruption of 1961 was small.

    I remember speaking to someone last summer that told me that some local changes were happening recently in Askja, like inflation, the early signs of magma pushing upwards.

  2. you know, i rekon that now it has been said that an eruption is likely some time in the near future askja will quiet down.

  3. There were 3 more quakes in Askja, but more deep.
    I don’t know if Askja usually has lots of earthquakes before, or just erupts suddently, with not so much warning, like Grimsvotn.

    1. I did record it clearly. I am going post a picture in a new blog post about this minor earthquake. But given how small it was, it appears poorly on the webicorder.

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