Volcano Watch 2014

Notice this uplift in Grimsfjall/Grimsvötn GPS data. There was 3.0 quake detected in middle of that quake swarm, there hasn't been other 3,0+ for 48 hours. The amount of 2-3M quakes has increased rapidly though. Now the quakes are rarely deeper than 10km. I tried to find information about Barðarbunga lava dome, but I didn't find anything, I guess its mystery how deep it lies. Most quakes happen in the depth of 3-6km, though there are some very shallow quakes at 1km.

latest CONFIRMED events since that last map I did on the previous page, up to 20/08/2014 16:54:07UTC, 159 events.

full size image

for those not familiar with the style of map the lines show the contours of the land under the ice.

Baroarbunga, Vatnajokull latest confirmed events (to 21/08/2014 02:22)
Lat 64.2 to 65.0
Long -18 to -15

click images for larger version

There seems to be 3 spots where the eruption could happen. Barðarbunga main caldera has some activity, recently 2 magnitude 3+ quakes, but the activity is lower than in 2 other spots. Then this nameless spot between 2 other spots, where main activity seems to be. That will be a whole new fissure if it erupts. Then lastly the Kistufell spot, which activity started much later than in other 2.

Other volcanoes in Vatnajökull are not active, thankfully. Kverkfjöll has some quakes, but may be just reflections from Kistufell. Grimsvötn is quiet, though its connected to Barðarbunga, as Grimsvörn eruption in 2011 halted the Barðarbunga activity.

Elsewhere in Iceland, The Katla still shows signs that eruption is coming sometime in the future. There are regular swarms of quakes, though only minor.

It's over or someone did some nasty cleaning at Icelandic Met office.

edit 1.

It was probably the cleaning lady messing up with the earthquake list. All red dots are back on the map now.

Wow, 2 strong earthquakes in Bárðarbunga caldera, first 4.0 of the swarm.



3D-presentation about quake locations:

(Depth is exaggerated 5 times to make quake locations more clear. The 3 planes are 10km, 5km and 0km under the sea level.)

I can't figure out how to upload an image.

Check this out, dont know when it will refresh!

vedur2.mogt.is...

originally posted by: berkeleygal
I can't figure out how to upload an image.

Check this out, dont know when it will refresh!

vedur2.mogt.is...

Is this the image you where trying to post?

a reply to: BGTM90

Yes! Thanks! WTH is that? lens flare? from what?

Has anyone seen this yet?

www.aol.com...

A volcano in Japan could cause a tsunami if it erupts & collapses.
WOQ

OK, the raw Verdur SIL data is about 4 hours behind the earthquakes during the last 48 hours (Preliminary results) page. You have to expect that when dealing with hundreds of quakes per hour.

But here is where things go wonky....
below is an example is the last one on my downloaded list of raw data, and matched with the preliminary entry on the 48 hour list
Preliminary off the 48 hour list
Date Time, Latitude, Longitude, Depth, Magnitude, Quality, Location
21/08/2014 06:30:24, 64.683, -16.967, 10.0 km, 2.6, 99%, 15.8 km SE of Kistufell
Raw data (reviewed)
21/08/2014 06:30:24, 64.6832, -16.96706 10.003, 2.27, 100%,

2.6 versus 2.27, quite a difference.

my expectation is that 4.0ML @ 21.08.2014 10:58:09, 64.670, -17.456, 3.1 km, 99%, 4.8 km NE of Bárðarbunga
will come down below 4

looking at the bigger picture ..........
the link to Iceland Aug 2014 on EQ Archives, I've fallen behind big time (like 9.5months!!) , mainly because the SIL data takes a ton of formatting to get the kml file right. I also decided in April 2013 to go from M1+ to ALL quakes, so there is still a lot of work to do there.
you will see Iceland 2013 on the dropdown list off Iceland at the top.

Quite an interesting site the IMO have, still finding stuff that I didn't know was there, everything has to be translated of course.
had a chuckle when I translated the text for the Tremors link, Órói hraun.vedur.is...
on the page itself the title translates as "Click on the red squares to see turmoil tomb"
and "turmoil grave" must be the archive hraun.vedur.is...

According to Jón Frímann, Bárðarbunga caldera seems to be collapsing. If that happens, the eruption will be very explosive event and ash cloud will be huge. That will also change the landscape of Vatnajökull dramatically.

www.jonfr.com...

A great website with 3D visual, seismic activity of the last 48 hours and a webcam.

Click

The thing that makes me nervous about this is that it could go several different ways with one of those possibilities being more or less benign for humanity, and the longer it keeps rumbling, it seems the less likely a benign outcomes is. But, it could rumble for weeks before deciding to erupt, too, and if it is just a displacement of magma, the more that moves, the longer it will be before it cools off enough to stop rumbling. So we could wind up sitting on pins and needles ... waiting this out for quite a while.

M 4.8 - 117km WNW of Hofn, Iceland

DYFI? - I
Time
2014-08-21 18:50:22 UTC-05:00
Location
64.560°N 17.548°W
Depth
3.9km

earthquake.usgs.gov...

Just saw this!
How far is it from the volcano???

4.8
117km WNW of Hofn, Iceland
2014-08-21 23:50:22 UTC
3.9 km

SOURCE: earthquake.usgs.gov...
WOQ

Let's wait for confirmation, on vedur it is listed as a 2.8

Update, it has been revised to a M3.3

right under Barðarbunga, SW flank

IMO now showing
21.08.2014 23:50:20, 64.620, -17.459, 4.3 km, 4.7ML, 99.0 4.0 km SE of Bárðarbunga

on the 48 hr table
en.vedur.is...=table



right clic "view image" for larger version

a reply to: earthling42

thats pretty cool

They have revised it again, it was indeed an M4.7, and at the spot where other heavier quakes occurred earlier this day and yesterday.

If you click the link which i have posted earlier tonight, you can see the 3D view.