No signs of receding seismic actvity in Bárðarbunga

By Gissur Sigurðsson 21. ágúst 2014 14:03

There are no signs that the seismic activity in the norhtern Vatnajökull glacier is letting up.

Close to 300 earthquakes were recorded there last night, of which two reached over 3 on the Richter scale. The first one at 23:30 GMT measured 3.8 (Richter) while the second one struck at 02:15 and measured 3 (Richter).

A similarly strong earthquake struck the area yesterday afternoon. Despite all this, there are still no signs that the magma is heading for the surface, it is still flowing horizontally to the northeast via subterrainian caverns.

Civil Protection is still preparing for an eruption with subsequent flooding, and is taking all the necessary precautions. Scientists are estimating that the ash from a possible eruption in the area will be more coarse than the ash from the Eyjafjallajökull eruption, and thus will settle much faster to the ground and won't spread out so far.

Many travellers have had to alter their travel plans due to the closed-off area of the highlands north of the Vatnajökull glacier.

News in English

Tengdar fréttir

Composed music from the Bárðarbunga quakes

"All music is just data, in a way. You can interpret Beethoven's Fifth Symphony as data, which is just notes of variable pitches at variable times. In that way, earthquakes are no different."

20. ágúst 2014 14:52

Mapped the Bárðarbunga quakes in a 3D model

A 24-year old employee of CCP Games has set up a website that shows the seismic activity at Bárðarbunga in a 3D perspective.

19. ágúst 2014 22:45

Magma flowing into Bárðarbunga caldera with great force

All highland roads north of Vatnajökull glacier have been closed and all traffic banned, whether by vehicle or on foot. The Bárðarbunga situation is now attracting worldwide attention on a scale similar to the Eyjafjallajökull eruption in 2010.

20. ágúst 2014 14:41

2800 earthquakes in three days

Of these around 950 have occured since midnight today. Several of these events were larger than magnitude 3.

19. ágúst 2014 00:17

Icelandair stocks shake in quake scare

Icelandair stocks have dropped sharply since Monday morning. Market analysts agree that the situation at Bárðarbunga is a large factor.

20. ágúst 2014 13:15

Magma surge towards the surface would be very powerful

The current situation at Bárðarbunga is many times more powerful than the one that led to the Gjálpar eruption in 1996.

20. ágúst 2014 14:58

"There is full reason to expect an eruption"

The seismic activity in Bardarbunga on the Vatnajokull glacier is very powerful and therefore full reason to expect a volcanic eruption according to a specialist at The Icelandic Meteorological Office. A live webcam has been placed in the vicinity of Bardarbunga.

18. ágúst 2014 20:58

Mest lesið