Tag: Torfajökull

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Long period, low frequency earthquake activity increases in Torfajökull volcano this morning

Around 10:00 UTC this morning (31-October-2021) the earthquake activity of long period and low frequency earthquakes increased this morning in Torfajökull volcano. The current swarm now seems to be coming from the glacier part of the caldera, the earlier activity seems to have taken part some place in north part of the Torfajökull volcano caldera. Location of the this earthquake activity is difficult if not impossible because of the type of earthquake activity being generated in Torfajökull volcano.

The volcano system of Torfajökull volcano north of Mýrdalsfjökull glacier. With few dots in it showing few poorly located earthquakes.
The located earthquake activity in Torfajökull volcano. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

The situation is difficult to figure out just by looking at seismometer data. Icelandic Met Office is going to make a flyover today with the help of Icelandic Coast guard and try and see what is going on in Torfajökull volcano. Last eruption in Torfajökull volcano was in the year 1477 and I don’t have any idea what happens before an eruption in this volcano.

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Swarm of low frequency earthquakes in Torfafjallajökull volcano

According to an announcement made by Icelandic Met Office there has been a swarm of low frequency earthquakes in Torfajökull volcano since midnight of 28-October-2021.  The earthquakes don’t appear clearly on the Icelandic Met Office map but they can be seen on nearby SIL stations. According to Icelandic Met Office the rate of earthquake activity is about 1 – 2 earthquake every 15 minutes.

A image show earthquake activity in Torfajökull volcano as it appears on nearby SIL station. This is a plot with line showing every hour. The earthquake activity appears as thickness on the earthquake plot.
Earthquake activity in Torfajökull volcano. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.
Harmonic tremor plot showing the earthquake activity in Torfajökull volcano since midnight as it appears on Slysaalda SIL station tremor plot.
Harmonic tremor activity showing the earthquake activity. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

There are two things that can create this type of low frequency activity. The first one is water that has been superheated in the crust. The second option is that magma is now moving in Torfajökull volcano. This type of activity has happened before without any eruption happening. I think that is going to be the same now at the writing of this article. Since this is an active volcano the situation can change quickly and without warning.

There are no web cameras in the area that I know of. It is remote and there is almost no mobile coverage at this location. If there is a mobile connection, it is limited to 2G (GSM) or slow 3G connection.