Category: Katla / Mýrdalsjökull

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Deep earthquake in Katla volcano

Yesterday (18th October 2010) at 03:34 UTC there was a deep earthquake under Katla volcano. This earthquake was on a 14,8 km depth and had the size of ML0.7 according to reviewed earthquake data from IMO (this is too small for my Hekla geophone to detect at this distance). This was a single earthquake and does not indicate anything special at current time. However this earthquake might possibility signal a change inside Katla volcano and might be a start of a longer process that is in the end going to lead to a eruption in Katla some time in the future.

Currently it is unclear how the path to volcano eruption starts in Katla. But in 1918 there where no instruments to record that eruption.

This type of deep earthquake have sometimes created harmonic tremor signals in Katla volcano. But that happens due to dike event inside the volcano. This has happened regularly over the last few years. But has not been big enough to start a eruption.


Picture of the earthquake as it appears on IMO web site in the “EWIS (Icelandic)” that IMO has. Currently this earthquake is not on the weekly reviewed charts.

This is not the only earthquake that has been happening in Katla volcano over the past few weeks.


Week 41 earthquakes in Mýrdalsjökull and Eyjafjallajökull volcanoes.

The wait for Katla eruption is going to end one day. But that day is not today far as I know so far.

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Two pictures of the 1918 eruption at Katla volcano

Here is a pictures of the 1918 eruption at Katla volcano.

This is not the most famous pictures of the 1918 eruption in Katla. But they do tell a lot of story what we can expect next time Katla erupts.

Here is what we can expect in terms of ice that is going to come down with the flood from next Katla eruption.

There are two people on top of the glacier ice-bergs. Gives a idea of the scales in question.

Pictures are from various sources on the internet.

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Sudden rise in harmonic tremors around Katla and Eyjafjallajökull

There is a sudden and sharp rise in harmonic tremors around Katla and Eyjafjallajökull volcano. I currently do not know what volcano is responsible for the spike in harmonic tremor. But this does not look like is a noise from the weather. But that can happen often this time of the year, as the wind forecast is good for all of Iceland at current time.

I will post more information if and when I get them.

SIL stations where the harmonic tremor rise can be seen.

Mið-Mörk
Eystri-Skógar
Lágur Hvolar (Currently most rise here for some reason)
Snæbýli
Saurbær
Ásmúli

Icelandic Met Office tremor web page.