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Iceland's Bárðarbunga Volcano Alert Raised After Quake Swarm

Source info:

Author: Matt
Date: 2014-08-18 16:39:00
Blog: Volcano Science And News Blog
URL: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/VolcanoScienceAndNewsBlog/~3/TnWS_6cit9A/icelands-bararbunga-volcano-alert.html

Summary:

An ongoing volcano-tectonic quake swarm in Bárðarbunga in Iceland has prompted the Icelandic Meteorological Office to raise it's alert status to Yellow, and today, it was raised to Orange. Hundreds of quakes, some above magnitude 3.0 have occurred under the glacier. GPS instrumentation is detecting upward-and-outward movement, suggesting magma dike intrusion, and potentially signaling the beginning of eruptive activity. So far, no visible signs of an eruption have been detected, but given the situation, this can change at any time.Image from Iceland Met office showing continuous quake swarm on Northern Vatnajökull GlacierIt does look likely at this point an eruption will take place, however it is not certain. Many dike intrusions do not result in an eruption, however the area was last active in 2011, when the Grimsvötn volcano, under the same glacier, erupted. Given the amount of ice in the area, if an eruption were to occur, it would likely disrupt air travel as the eruptions of Grimsvötn in 2011, and Eyjafjallajökull in 2010 did.Aside from a suspected small eruption from Katla volcano, no eruptions have taken place since 2011 in Iceland. Some volcanologists suspected the island was due for some action, and it appears to be here.Web cams are being set up, according to Jon Frimann's blog. If eruptive activity does end up taking place, I'm assuming the world will probably be treated to a live feed, which will be interesting. The quakes have also seemed to possibly spur some activity in Kverkfjöll volcano, West of Bárðarbunga, with a couple mag >3.0 quakes striking at shallow depths there as well.Google Earth image of the Vatnajökull ice glacier and associated volcanoes.This volcanic system is dangerous, and has a long history of creating some misery for Iceland and Europe. The Grimsvötn system and associate Laki fissure system was responsible for one of the largest basalt floods in human history, killing off one fifth of the population of Iceland during the 1700's. Bárðarbunga volcano is related to this system, although it is a different eruptive center. North of Bárðarbunga is a large fissure field, very similar to Laki. I will post updates to this blog as further developments unfold. Stay tuned...

Content analysis:

Geographic context:

LocationCountryLatitudeLongitude
TennesseeUS35.8307-85.9787
IcelandIS64.9639-19.0212
Europe52.97627.85784

Keywords:

action, air travel, alert status, area, associate Laki fissure, Bárðarbunga Volcano Alert, continuous quake swarm, couple mag, did.Aside, different eruptive center, dike intrusions, eruptions, eruptive activity, Eyjafjallajökull, GPS instrumentation, Grimsvötn volcano, here.Web cams, human history, Iceland Met office, Icelandic Meteorological Office, island, Jon Frimann, Katla volcano, Kverkfjöll volcano, large fissure field, largest basalt floods, live feed, long history, magma dike intrusion, magnitude, misery, Northern Vatnajökull GlacierIt, Orange, point, quake swarm, quakes, Raised, shallow depths, situation, small eruption, taking place I m assuming the world will, time.Image, upward-and-outward movement, Vatnajökull ice glacier, visible signs, volcano-tectonic quake swarm, volcanologists, well.Google Earth image, West, Yellow

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