Volcano and earthquake activity in Iceland
Yesterday I did order two new geophones to expand my geophone network. I am not yet sure when they are going to be up and running. But that is going to happen soon (hopefully) after they arrive in Iceland.
I want to thank everyone how did support this effort so that I was able to buy this two new geophones. All that is left now is to get a computer for the geophone station that is going to be close to Katla volcano.
During the past two weeks there have been tremor pulses in Hamarinn volcano (is claimed to be part of Bárðarbunga volcano system), at least most likely that volcano. But it might also be a volcano that I call Skrokkalda Volcano (other name might be Hágöngur volcano) (it has no entry on GVP web page, I do not know why). But given recent history I find it unlikely to be the case.
This harmonic tremors might be due to dike intrusions. I find it unlikely to be from a man made lake called Hágöngulón that is in this area. The harmonic tremor pulses look like sharp spikes on the tremor plot on the Skrokkalda SIL station.
Harmonic tremor spikes from Hamarinn volcano. Copyright of this picture belongs to Iceland Met Office.
This pattern of harmonic tremor spikes was seen all last year and all of the year 2009 from what I can remember. I do not have tremor charts from that period. But however this suggests that more magma has now started to flow into Hamarinn volcano. But there was a small volcano eruption (it seems so, given the flood that took place in July) in Hamarinn volcano last summer (summer 2011). What happens next is a good question.
This process of inflow of magma seems to without earthquakes, or close to it. I do not know why that is and I have no ideas that explain it.
I just want to know that the amount needed to buy two new geophones has been reached. So far total of 7,341.86 DKK has been collected. But I needed 6,731.18 DKK to buy two geophones. This however does not cover the cost of 25,5% VAT and possible customs that I might have to pay. Update 1: I am also missing one of the PC computers that I need to run the software for the data collections from the geophones. How I solve that problem is unclear at the moment. There is a computer ready on the Eyrarbakki geophone location. As the man how is going to house the geophone and the hardware for me there is in computers and had one spare computer at least.
This thing here is just a repeat of a comment that I made earlier.
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Finally good news about my financial status.
I am going to get paid a computer job that I was working on for several weeks. That is a good amount that is going to cover my cost on moving back to Denmark. But that is why I am not going to touch that money. But given the circumstance this month I am going to give my self a loan of that money at 0% interest to cover this month and the import of the two new geophones if donations do not cover this on there own. The loan is going to get paid back into that account when I am finished paying up my debt with the bank. I hate to do this. But for the moment it is the only way that I have to make my financial work in reality. I’ve been the other path and I am still cleaning up that mess!
This still however leaves out paying up my debt in the next few months and it is clear that I cannot cut into this money that I am just earning now . As that would just leave me worse off then I already am. I don’t want that.
But at least the worries that I had about the cost of moving to Denmark are over. I am happy about that for a change.
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I want to thank everyone that donated for this. When the time comes there is a e-book about volcano in it for those how donated. Just drop me a email if you want one of the e-book when the time comes (I can register you for the future release, that is no problem). I do not yet know when I finish writing and releasing them. But I hope that is sooner then later. This also goes for people how donate directly into my Danish bank account. But you have to send me email if you do donate that way. As the bank might not let me know if I get a money that way.
Blog post updated at 15:29 UTC.
There has not a lot changed in the past few hours since the earthquake swarm did start in Katla volcano. Eruption has not yet started in Katla volcano and when it might start is still a mistery.
Current map of the earthquake activity.
Current earthquake activity in Katla volcano. Copyright of this picture belongs to Iceland Met Office.
Here are traces from my Heklubyggð geophone. But that is currently the geophone that I have that is closest to Katla volcano. I am collecting donations so I can buy two new geophones. The blog post about that can be found here. I do not expect to have the geophone in place before a eruption starts in Katla volcano this time around. So far the donations are up too 5,410.74 DKK, so I am not far from what I need to collect. I do not have to pay customs of this according to a email I got from the customs office when I did ask about it. But I have too pay 25,5% VAT on this when it gets here. That might be a good amount I think in Icelandic Kronas (ISK).
One of the large earthquakes. This is not the strongest earthquake in the earthquake swarm that took place this morning in Katla volcano. This is also a double earthquake, that is two earthquakes taking place at the almost the same time. That is the reason for the odd looking wave form on this earthquake trace. This picture is released under Creative Commons licence. See Licence web page for more details.
A ML3.0 earthquake that took place in Katla volcano this morning. This picture is released under Creative Commons licence. See Licence web page for more details.
The largest earthquake in the earthquake swarm this morning. Its size was ML3.55 with the depth just short of 1 km. This picture is released under Creative Commons licence. See Licence web page for more details.
A ML2.94 earthquake in Katla volcano this morning. This picture is released under Creative Commons licence. See Licence web page for more details.
So far it has quieted down in Katla volcano. But that does not mean a lot. As magma can go on the move at any time. Without any warning at all. So monitoring Katla volcano is important with that fact in mind. According to Iceland Met Office, this is the largest earthquake swarm in Katla volcano caldera since the year 2002.
I am expecting more strong earthquakes to take place in Katla volcano. But it is impossible to know when a new earthquake swarm might start in Katla volcano and how large and long it is going to last. For the moment, it is just wait and see.
Iceland Met Office has put up a news about this in English. Thanks too the readers how pointed this out!
Earthquake activity in Katla volcano October 2011
Icelandic News about this earthquake swarm.
Snarpasta hrinan í Kötlu frá 2002 (Rúv.is, Icelandic)
Snörp hrina í Mýrdalsjökli í nótt (Rúv.is, Icelandic)
Snörp hrina í Kötlu (Vísir.is, Icelandic)
Sterkir skjálftar undir Mýrdalsjökli (mbl.is, Icelandic)
Um 20 skjálftar yfir 2 stig (mbl.is, Icelandic)
At 02:45 UTC a large earthquake swarm did start in Katla volcano. I do not know if this an start of a eruption in Katla volcano or not. For the moment it is too early to know for sure. I have to wait few more min before that becomes clear on the harmonic tremor plots. The largest earthquake so far according to the automatic SIL systems is a ML3.9 earthquake.
The earthquake swarm in Katla volcano. The second green star is from a fake ML3.3 earthquake from yesterday. Copyright of this picture belongs to Iceland Met Office.
The harmonic tremor plot on Slysaalda SIL station at 03:04 UTC on 5 Október 2011. Copyright of this picture belongs to Iceland Met Office.
It takes a few moments to become clear if Katla volcano is starting a eruption or not. I am going to post updates as this situation changes if I have too.
This is happening faster then I expected. But it seems that magma is now on the move upwards in El Hierro volcano in Canary Islands. This is evident by the earthquake patterns that are emerging from the volcano. Given the earthquake locations, most likely place for a eruption to take place is out on the ocean based on that. But sometimes magma can find different pathways up the surface without a lot of warning.
Latest earthquake map from Instituto Geográfico Nacional that shows clearly the earthquake pattern since the dike intrusion did start in El Hierro. Copyright of this picture belongs to Instituto Geográfico Nacional.
At the moment it is impossible to know when and where a eruption might start. It depends on many factors. But it is now clear that magma is on the move upwards. So far the magma seems to be around 10 km up in the earth crust under El Hierro. So it is clear that the magma is on the way up and most likely preparing for a eruption.
This is a off-topic blog post.
I feel that I have made too many of this “please donate” blog posts. But my money problems are not over and I am also trying to get enough donations so that I can buy two new geophones so that I can monitor Katla volcano and Reykjanes, Reykjanes Ridge (and all the volcanoes that are on it) and also SISZ. Donations post for that can be found here. So far 4,486.82 DKK have been donated so that I can buy the geophones, so I am not far from the target of 6,731.18 DKK that I need to buy the two geophones (I do not have the customs and VAT number, since I do not have a clue what that is going to be).
However, that is not enough I feel. As I need something to survive this month. Thankfully I spend less on food as I have already paid for it with the school. But there is always something that I need to buy outside of school kitchen. Almost all of my welfare income goes into paying up the debt with the bank. That is what does not go into paying bills that needs to get paid and sending money into my Danish account, so I can pay the bills there too. Today I owe the bank around 3.346,05 Euro, 4.518,96 USD, 24.894,14 DKK (I am going too lower that amount today (3 October 2011) by a good amount.). This month I did get paid from Google Adsense amount of 1,128.77 DKK (but nothing from Amazon, not enough money for a payout). So that improves the situation a little bit for me. But that is not a lot for me too have during a month. I have some savings in my Danish account, but they are being cut by spending. That I am trying to keep in total minimum and I do not allow my self a lot these days. What is also a problem for me is the costly hardware replacement that I had go into in September. As my hard drives where failing (one failed completely) and needed a replacement.
This blog has become a big part of what I do today. When I did start this a little more then one year ago that was not the direction that I had planned for it. The original idea was too just have it like my other Icelandic blog. But this turned out differently and here I am. Working on what I want to do, writing about volcanoes and earthquakes. Alongside that I am trying too write books (not going so well at the moment, but that is up for a change) about fiction, volcanoes, earthquakes and what ever I want to write about. But until that gets going I am rather depended on the income that I get from this web page.
I am not asking for a big donations. Just a little something. Those how do not want to use Paypal too donate can get bank informations here.
So, many of my readers must be wondering when my period of being broke and in debt is going to end. My plan is too end the debt period in December 2011, or in January 2012. Until I move back to Denmark. I am going to be collecting as much money that I can. Both from a computer job that I got with fixing a computer. As I know from experience that it is a expensive too move from Iceland to Denmark. So when am I going back to Denmark. The goal is June 2012, but at no later point then in September 2012. But this depends on when I get apartment in Ringsted (the city I plan moving too in Denmark). My backup plan is too move back to Sønderborg, if Ringsted fails when it comes too getting a apartment. But that is currently a wait and see status on that for the moment. But that is all going to clear up in January 2012.
Why I am telling you all this. I want too do so. So people know 100% + 10% what they are donation for and supporting. Thanks for the support.
This is a special blog post about the volcano El Hierro in the Canary Islands. The resons for this blog posts are those that this activity is interesting and there is not a lot happening at the moment in Iceland due to bad weather (nothing gets recorded in this bad weather).
Currently El Hierro volcano is a phase that I personally call a magma intrusion phase (I have no other word for it). But that means that magma is currently coming from a depth, that is more then 20 km below the volcano and up the crust directly below the volcano. It is impossible to know how long this phase is going to last. As a example this phase for Eyjafjallajökull volcano lasted for good part of 17 years (with some breaks). When the pressure is high enough in the sill that is now forming in El Hierro the magma is going to break up the surface.
This pattern can clearly be seen on this image here.
The magma is flowing up into the volcano at around 30 degree angle from the depth of more then 20 km. When a new magma injection starts, a new earthquake swarm starts in El Hierro. This magma injections are different in size and length. But as more magma collects into the bedrock in El Hierro the stronger earthquakes are going to take place. But this increases the pressure on the rock and inside the magma chamber that is now forming and can clearly been seen with the earthquake pattern. Copyright of this picture belongs to Instituto Geográfico Nacional.
I did see a picture that was made on Eruptions blog that did show his clearly, both the feeder channel of the magma and the magma chamber that is currently in the making. It seems that magma inflow into the new magma chamber or the sill in El Hierro is stable at the moment. But I base that view on the constant earthquakes that are currently taking place. But this magma inflow seems to have been stable since 16 July, 2011 when the magma started to push upwards into El Hierro.
Earthquakes that signal new inflow of magma do not need to be strong in size. But they are deep, with the most depth around 20 km. But the crust in this area is around 10 to 26 km thick. As this is a ocean crust in this area. But the Canary islands are the thickest crustal part in the area. But it is also important to notice that the magma chamber or the sill is expanding in all directions, not just upwards. That in it self is also going to create deep earthquakes. But those earthquakes should remain a bit outside the main area of the deep earthquakes that are currently taking place in the area.
I am expecting a lot more earthquake activity when or if El Hierro starts erupting. But when that might happen impossible to know for the moment. The only thing that can be done is too wait and see what happens.
Update 1: Here is the earthquake activity for today (30 September, 2011).
Earthquake activity of today (30 September, 2011). There is less earthquake activity today. This happens when magma flows into a volcano. This did also happen with Eyjafjallajökull volcano in the year 2010. If anyone has the direct link too this plot, please leave it in the comments. Thanks. Copyright of this picture belongs to Instituto Geográfico Nacional.
Update 2: Links too El Hierro information can be found here.
Update 3: The Spanish news channel Canal 24 can be found here and it is live.
Update 4: Here is a news in english about the evacuation of El Hierro. It is from 28 September, 2011. Evacuation of El Hierro begins as fears of volcanic eruption grow. Thanks to Dr. John v. Kampen that did send this to me with a email.
Note: There are new pictures of Eyjafjallajökull volcano, Fimmvörðuháls craters here. They show the difference from the year 2010 and in the year 2011. The text is in Icelandic.
Also. Please support my effort so I can buy two new geophones and add them to my monitoring network in Iceland. Thanks! 🙂
Blog post has been updated 30 September, 2011 at 22:12 UTC.
Blog post has been updated 30 September, 2011 at 22:25 UTC.
Blog post has been updated 30 September, 2011 at 23:08 UTC.
Blog post has been updated 1 October, 2011 at 14:48 UTC.
I am asking for donations so that I can buy two geophone stations for Eyrarbakki town for SISZ and Reykjanes monitoring. The second geophone goes close to Katla volcano so I can monitor what happens there. The total cost is like this just for the basic geophone hardware. Not counting computers and other costs that I have too cover.
2 – PSN-ADC-USB Version III (USB version) = $175.00 each, total = $350.00
2 – PSN-ADC-EQAMP with 3 channels = $145.00 each, total = $290.00
2 – Mounting Kits @ $10.00 each, total = $20.00
2 – Garmin GPS 18x LVC OEM Timing System @ $80.00 each, total = $160.00
2 – Metal Enclosure @ $50.00 each, total = $100.00
2 – L15B Used Geophone with wires @ $110.00 each, total = $220.00
Shipping = $88.00
Total = $1228.00USD (904.600EUR, 6,731.18 DKK)
Amount at the moment (13:35 UTC, 1 October, 2011): 3,926.44 DKK
The hardware that I want to buy can be looked at here (pictures).
This donation button allows people to donate in USD. Use the donation button on the sidebar to donate in Euro.
So far I got 1,045.81 DKK in donations. But I also need some for the custom and VAT when I import this to Iceland. But I am sure think that the custom is going to 10% on some of this and the VAT rate is 25,5% of the price (plus customs). I am no good in math, so I am not sure how much amount this is going to be. I also want to buy backup power if I can, but that costs 101,69USD, 553,04DKK, 74,33EUR, 11950ISK.
I also need two computers. But those I need to get from somebody that lives in Iceland. They need to be able to run Windows XP and that needs to be legal too. Other versions of Windows are good too. But they have to support IPv6, as I plan to move my whole geophone network to IPv6 soon as it is supported by the software that I use. I plan to set-up this two new geophones soon as I can.
Update 1: About the PC issue that has been discussed in comments. If anyone has a suggestion about a embedded hardware that is cheap and might even run Windows XP (a minimal if I am too use that). Please let me know in the comments. I am also willing to run embedded linux software on the remote stations if it works with the software that I am using. That software is WinSDR.
Donations in other currencies (by request)
Danish Krona, DKK.
British Pound, GBP.
Swedish Krona, SEK.
Blog post updated at 20:23 UTC on 28 September, 2011.
Blog post update at 20:29 UTC on 28 September, 2011.
Blog post updated at 22:12 UTC on 28 September, 2011.
Blog post updated at 23:29 UTC on 28 September, 2011.
Blog post updated at 11:42 UTC on 29 September, 2011.
Blog post updated at 20:11 UTC on 29 September, 2011.
Blog post updated at 20:13 UTC on 29 September, 2011.
Blog post updated at 13:35 UTC on 1 October, 2011.
I really did think that a eruption was about to start in Hamarinn volcano yesterday. As the signal that I was seeing was not far from what I did see on 12 July, 2011 when a eruption did take place for sure in Hamarinn volcano.
Here is the tremor signal from 12 July early in the morning.
The harmonic tremor signal on 12 July, 2011 at 07:49 UTC. Copyright of this picture belongs to Iceland Met Office.
Here is the signal on the 27 September, 2011.
The harmonic tremor signal on 27 September, 2011 at 09:34 UTC. Copyright of this picture belongs to Iceland Met Office.
The tremor signal in July was stronger, but it looks almost the same way as the signal yesterday (27 September, 2011) did. So I think I know what did happen yesterday (27 September, 2011) in Hamarinn volcano. There might have been a minor dike intrusion into Hamarinn volcano. There where no earthquakes as it might have been going up resistance free pathway. But it is hard to know that for sure at the moment. Later events might however make what happened yesterday more clear what did happen on 27 September, 2011.
Note: I am looking for data on El Hierro volcano. As I am going to make a special blog post about it soon. I am looking for everything that I can get my hands on and might be useful to me.
Note 2: I have updated this blog post here and added the most recent eruptions in Iceland. Blog post: A short history of volcano eruptions in Iceland
Blog post updated at 12:59 UTC on 28 September, 2011.