Posts Tagged ‘Earthquakes’
Friday, May 14th, 2010
Volcanic activity at the Eyjafjallajokull eruption in Iceland remains stable, but the gas and ash cloud is higher today than yesterday. The Icelandic Met Office says there are still no signs the eruption is coming to an end.
Four small earthquakes shook the glacier yesterday afternoon, but they did not appear to change the intensity of the volcano.
The volcanic cloud is reaching a height of 6km, which is less than the 9kn height it reached at its peak. “Very gentle winds are over the volcano and there is unstable air flow south of Iceland. These two factors affect the height of the volcanic cloud,” a Met Office spokesman explained.
Ash fall is currently restricted to areas near the volcano in South Iceland but the amount of ash falling suddenly increased last night and police in South Iceland say that the ash fall has not been as great since the volcano’s first days. Visibility was reduced to just two metres in some places.
Photographer: Anders Peter Amsnæs / www.imagix.dk
Tags: Air Flow, Ash Cloud, Ash Fall, Earthquakes, Flow South, Gentle Winds, Iceland Volcano, Imagix, Intensity, Met Office, Office Spokesman, Photographer, Signs, South Iceland, Unstable Air, Visibility, Volcanic Activity, Volcanic Ash, Volcanic Cloud, Yesterday Afternoon
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Tuesday, May 11th, 2010
The activity in the volcano underneath the Eyjafjallajökull icecap in south Iceland fluctuates but there are no indications that the eruption is winding down. Yesterday a series of earthquakes were detected underneath the icecap which indicates that magma is still being thrust out of the mantle.
Tags: Earthquakes, Magma, Mantle, South Iceland, Volcanic Activity, Volcano, Waves
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Tuesday, May 11th, 2010
Keflavik International Airport and Reykjavik’s domestic airport both re-opened yesterday afternoon, and ash cloud forecasts show clear skies for the foreseeable future and no further closures predicted for the time being.
The same is true for affected airports in Scotland, Ireland and southern Europe.
Meanwhile RUV reports a series of earthquakes under and around Eyjafjallajokull which could signal changes to the volcanic eruption.
According to geophysicist Steinunn Jakobsdottir, the quakes could be a sign of a new vent about to open. The volcano already has three vents, but only the one on the northernmost edge is still erupting.
Ash fall in the area has been decreasing and is currently very fine but large rocks have replaced the ash production, apparently caused by the earthquakes. The rocks are being shot high up into the air and crashing down onto the glacier, making holes in the ice. The size and weight of the rocks means that they are a very localised problem and only fall very near to the volcano.
Tags: Air Travel, Airports, Ash Cloud, Ash Fall, Clear Skies, Earthquakes, Foreseeable Future, German Equipment, Iceland Volcano, Large Earthquake, Northernmost Edge, Quakes, Reykjavik, Ruv, Scotland Ireland, Southern Europe, Vent, Volcanic Eruption, Volcano Picture, Yesterday Afternoon
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Thursday, May 6th, 2010
The gas cloud from South Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull volcanic eruption reached a height of ten kilometres yesterday evening before settling back to six kilometres. Gunnar Gudjonsson at the Icelandic Meteorological Office told Visir.is that the volcano is producing large amounts of ash again and the cloud is darker than in previous days.
The wind is mostly blowing the ash southeast, which could have an effect on aviation in Ireland, Wales and western England, Gudjonsson says. Over a dozen small earthquakes were registered at the volcano yesterday, but they stopped around 02.00 and none was over 2 on the Richter Scale.
Gudjonsson said that the volcano appears to be entering a new phase, saying that volcanic activity seems to have reduced with a shift back from lava to more ash production. This does not, however, mean that the eruption is coming to an end just yet.
Photographer: Anders Peter Amsnæs / www.imagix.dk
Tags: 60 Minutes, Ash, Aviation, Earthquakes, Gas Cloud, German Equipment, Gunnar Gudjonsson, Iceland Volcanic Eruption, Iceland Volcano, Icelandic Meteorological Office, Imagix, Kilometres, Lava, Photographer, Richter Scale, South Iceland, Volcanic Activity, Volcano Picture, Western England, Yesterday Evening
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Monday, April 26th, 2010
A series of earthquakes were measured at Mt. Kistufell on the northern side of Vatnajökull glacier last night. The strongest earthquake, which hit at 5 am, measured 3.3 on the Richter scale.
Tags: Earthquakes, Glacier, Richter Scale, Strongest Earthquake
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Friday, April 16th, 2010
When the ongoing Eyjafjallajokull eruption began this week, other volcanic monitoring stations in Iceland were put on alert and worrying results started coming in from Grimsvotn under Europe’s largest glacier, Vatnajokull.
Pall Einarsson, earth sciences professor at the University of Iceland said that Grimsvotn started rumbling with a series of earthquakes.
Grimsvotn is now in a similar condition to how it was in 2004, when it last erupted. Last time the Grimsvotn eruption was started by a jöklahlaup, which is when the pressure of melted water under the glacier builds up to such an extent that it lifts the entire ice cap and rushes out in a highly destructive torrent. There is every indication this will happen again within 24 months, Einarsson told Visir.is.
He said that scientists have had great success in predicting activity at Grimsvotn and that they now predict an eruption at the site within two years – although it could easily come in the next weeks or months.
We must also not forget Hekla, he added. Since settlement, Hekla has erupted roughly every ten years. She erupted in 1970, 1980, 1991 and 2000.
Tags: Earth Sciences, Earthquakes, Europe, Extent, Glacier, Grimsvotn, Iceland Eruption, Last Time, Pall Einarsson, Scientists, Torrent, University Of Iceland
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Monday, April 12th, 2010
The Icelandic Meteorological Office has recorded significantly lower volcanic activity at Fimmvorduhals in recent days and today’s earthquakes have not increased the lava flow.
There are several signs that the volcano near the Eyjafjallajokull glacier in South Iceland is slowing down, says earth scientist Armann Hoskuldsson. The official danger level has been lowered accordingly to ‘high’ from ‘emergency’. Volcanic activity has not increased since the 3.2 earthquake early this morning. The land has begun to sink back and the lava flow has slowed considerably.
Helicopter pilots are confirming the lower activity from the air. Hoskuldsson stops short of saying the eruption is ending; but says several signs indicate that is the case. Travelling conditions in the area are being made difficult today by high winds.
Photos: Agust Rafnsson
Tags: Armann, Danger Level, Earth Scientist, Earthquake, Earthquakes, Fimmvorduhals, Glacier, Helicopter Pilots, High Winds, Iceland Volcanic Eruption, Icelandic Meteorological Office, Lava Flow, Photos, Signs, South Iceland, Travelling, Volcanic Activity, Volcano
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Monday, April 12th, 2010
An earthquake measuring 3.2 on the Richter Scale took place under Eyjafjallajokull glacier in South Iceland near the active Fimmvorduhals volcano this morning.
The quake was accompanied by a number of smaller earthquakes under the northeast portion of the glacier.
According to volcanologist Einar Kristjansson, despite today’s seismic activity, all measurements still indicate a slowing down of the volcanic eruption, RUV reports.
Photos: Agust Rafnsson
Tags: Active Volcano, Earthquake, Earthquakes, Einar, Glacier, Iceland Volcano, Measurements, Northeast Portion, Photos, Quake, Richter Scale, Seismic Activity, South Iceland, Volcanic Eruption, Volcanologist
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Thursday, April 1st, 2010
A few earthquakes were detected in the eastern part of Eyjafjallajökull between three and four o’clock. The quakes were not very big, the biggest just below 3 on the Richter scale.
Tags: Clock, Earthquakes, Quakes, Richter Scale, Volcano Video
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Tuesday, March 30th, 2010
Volcanic activity at the crater on Fimmvörduháls in south Iceland increased yesterday afternoon after having subsided the night before and yesterday morning. Shortly after 6 pm last night a series of earthquakes measuring 2-2.5 on the Richter scale shook the region.
Tags: Earthquakes, Richter Scale, South Iceland, Volcanic Activity, Yesterday Afternoon, Yesterday Morning
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Thursday, March 11th, 2010
The seismic activity around Eyjafjallajökull glacier in south Iceland, which is on top of an active volcano, remains stable but the earthquakes have decreased in strength. Around 300 smaller quakes were measured in the area last night.
Tags: Earthquakes, Glacier, Quakes, Seismic Activity, South Iceland, Volcano
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Wednesday, March 10th, 2010
The seismic activity in the area around Eyjafjallajökull glacier in south Iceland, which covers an active volcano, increased again last night with a series of smaller earthquakes measured between 3:40 and 5:20 am. The largest quake was 2.6 on the Richter scale.
Tags: Active Volcano, Earthquakes, Glacier, Iceland Volcano, Quake, Richter Scale, Seismic Activity, South Iceland, Tremors
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Tuesday, March 9th, 2010
After decreasing seismic trends in the past days, earthquakes are growing in strength and number in the area around Eyjafjallajökull glacier, which covers an active volcano, in south Iceland.
Tags: Active Volcano, Earthquakes, Glacier, Iceland Volcano, Seismic Activity, South Iceland
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Monday, March 8th, 2010
A series of earthquakes, the strongest of which exceeded three points on the Richter scale, shook the region around Eyjafjallajökull glacier, which covers an active volcano, in the past days. Now the tremors seem to be calming down.
Tags: Active Volcano, Earthquakes, Glacier, Richter Scale, Tremors
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Friday, March 5th, 2010
An earthquake measuring more than three points on the Richter scale hit the area below Eyjafjallajökull glacier in south Iceland early this morning. A series of smaller earthquakes has rattled the region for the past 24 hours.
Tags: Earthquake, Earthquakes, Glacier, Richter Scale, South Iceland, Volcanic Eruption, Watch Group
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Thursday, January 21st, 2010
The Icelandic search and rescue team, which has been searching for survivors of the earthquakes on Haiti for the past week, is now on its way back to Iceland. A large part of its equipment was left behind to be used for emergency relief.
Tags: Earthquakes, Emergency Relief, Haiti, Leaves, Left Behind, Rescue Team, Search And Rescue, Search Rescue, Survivors
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Tuesday, January 19th, 2010
Gísli Ólafsson of the Icelandic search and rescue team in Haiti said people are still being found alive in the rubble after a series of earthquakes hit the country one week ago. While there is still hope, the search will continue.
Tags: Earthquakes, Haiti, People, Rubble, Search And Rescue, Search Rescue
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Monday, January 4th, 2010
Iceland’s famous Hekla volcano could erupt soon with very little warning.
University of Iceland geophysicist Freysteinn Sigmundsson says that the pressure in the lava chamber below the volcano is similar now to immediately before the last Hekla eruption.
Sigmundsson told Visir.is that the information should be used as an early warning of an upcoming eruption and monitoring and general preparedness should be increased accordingly.
Last minute warnings that an eruption is underway include increased tectonic activity and small earthquakes, he continued; but added that these signs may not give very many hours warning. In fact, he concluded, it remains almost impossible to accurately predict volcanic eruptions.
Tags: Early Warning, Earthquakes, Geophysicist, Hekla Eruption, Hekla Volcano, Lava, Preparedness, Signs, University Of Iceland, Volcanic Eruptions
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Tuesday, July 21st, 2009
“The last three weeks there have been earthquakes about 10 kilometers deep below Eyjafjall-glacier, which is very similar to a series of events taken place in the years 1994 and 1999,” says geologist Pall Einarsson.
“Both years there were magma intrusions under Eyjafjall-glacier and it was leading to a possible eruption, although Katla never erupted. These magma intrusions are very close to each other and could have influence on each other causing a possible eruption at Katla.”
The Katla volcano is 4,961 feet (1512 meters) high and categorized as a sub-glacial volcano. Katla is located on the southern coast of Iceland close to the town of Vik. The last big eruption occured in the year 1918 with a small eruption in 1955. Since 930 AD, 16 eruptions have occured. The word “Katla” in Icelandic refers to a kettle and is also a female name in Iceland.
Tags: 1918, Earthquakes, Geologist, Glacial Volcano, Glacier, Kilometers, Magma Intrusions, Occured, Pall Einarsson, Volcano In Iceland
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