General Volcanic Activity Thread!

[karyo]

Sadly I think it would also be very dangerous as there are so many people living around the lower slopes.

Perhaps better to look to Katla for such a spectacular eruption, if we don't die of frustration waiting for it.

I bet after all this waiting and frustration, Katla will come up with a VEI4 eruption and we will all feel underwhelmed! lol

[scotty_boy_winter]

If all you have in your life is to wish for a bigger eruption and for peoples lifes to be affected I. E people die and for peoples lifestyles to be inconvenienced then you should be ashamed of yourself. Your a disgrace. Your not a scienticst

I bet after all this waiting and frustration, Katla will come up with a VEI4 eruption and we will all feel underwhelmed! lol

[summer blizzard]

If all you have in your life is to wish for a bigger eruption and for peoples lifes to be affected I. E people die and for peoples lifestyles to be inconvenienced then you should be ashamed of yourself. Your a disgrace. Your not a scienticst

If all you have in your life is to wish for a bigger eruption and for peoples lifes to be affected I. E people die and for peoples lifestyles to be inconvenienced then you should be ashamed of yourself. Your a disgrace. Your not a scienticst

I do not want people dying however as for the inconvenience i see no reason to feel guilty, those people have chosen to live on a volcano with the knowledge that at some stage there may be inconvenience.

The inconvenience factor to me is the same as when London is brought to a standstill by snow, you know it will happen and you should be prepared.

[Martin M]

People on the Eruptions blog seem to think El Hierro might be about to start erupting. And looking at this tremor plot I think they could well be right.

http://www.01.ign.es/ign/head/volcaSenalesAnterioresDia.do?nombreFichero=CHIE_2011-10-10&estacion=CHIE&Anio=2011&Mes=10&Dia=10

No official conformation yet though...

[karyo]

If all you have in your life is to wish for a bigger eruption and for peoples lifes to be affected I. E people die and for peoples lifestyles to be inconvenienced then you should be ashamed of yourself. Your a disgrace. Your not a scienticst

Thank you for the kind comment!

I am not a scientist (where did that come from?) but I am fascinated by volcanoes and their power. I will never feel ashamed for that!

Karyo

People on the Eruptions blog seem to think El Hierro might be about to start erupting. And looking at this tremor plot I think they could well be right.

http://www.01.ign.es...1&Mes=10&Dia=10

No official conformation yet though...

That's interesting! Something to keep an eye on.

I was starting to think that it will erupt in November, when I go to the Canaries for a break but she probably can't wait that long.

Karyo

[toggerob]

Talk that El Hierro may have already started a under-oceanic eruption with constant tremors now being reported, as opposed to yesterdays on/off quakes (registering 10,000 at a depth between 5-1km each.)

http://www.01.ign.es/ign/head/volcaSenalesAnterioresDia.do?nombreFichero=CHIE_2011-10-10&ver=s&estacion=CHIE&Anio=2011&Mes=10&Dia=10&tipo=1

[Moomin]

If all you have in your life is to wish for a bigger eruption and for peoples lifes to be affected I. E people die and for peoples lifestyles to be inconvenienced then you should be ashamed of yourself. Your a disgrace. Your not a scienticst

Sorry I don't post very often but watch many discussion on the forum, however I feel I have to reply to this one to defend Karyo and most of the people writing and watching this thread. No body wants people to die but we are all fascinated by the humbling power of volcanic eruptions and the larger they are the more fascinating and frightening. I am a geologist and still interested to see larger eruptions. The more interest people show, the more people watch and analyse the data and discuss them (Scientist and non scientist alike) the more we are likely to understand these things and the closer we get to being able to predict an eruption more reliably and so avoid more deaths and inconvenience.

As ever with these discussions if you are offended by the discussion either respond in a measured professional and polite manner expressing your diagreement or don't read the posts.

M

[toggerob]

CONFIRMED eruption at El Hierro

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/10/submarine-eruption-off-of-el-hierro/

[Crepuscular Ray]

They're still not entirely sure, but have detected gas in the sea nearby at about 500 m down.

[yamkin]

CONFIRMED eruption at El Hierro

http://www.wired.com...f-of-el-hierro/

Hi SNOW_JOKE, Here's some more info:

A submarine volcanic eruption is taking place approximately 5 kilometres off the southern coast of El Hierro, the smallest of The Canary Islands.

The Mayor of La Frontera (El Hierro), David Cabrera, confirmed in an interview on Radio iron Garoé that ‘underwater eruption’ is taking place about 900 metres beneath the sea surface five kilometres south of La Restinga. The eruption has been ongoing for four hours, the Mayor said.

The eruption is taking place because ‘the seismic movement of 4.3 occurred on Saturday afternoon caused a fissure, from where the energy is been released..........http://www.irishweatheronline.com/news/earth-science/geology/subsea-volcanic-eruption-underway-near-el-hierro-the-canary-islands/41266.html

[GulberwickWeather]

Whatever it is, it's ongoing - latest webicorder trace from El Hierro:

http://www.ign.es/ign/head/volcaSenalesAnterioresDia.do?nombreFichero=CHIE_2011-10-10&ver=s&estacion=CHIE&Anio=2011&Mes=10&Dia=10

[Azores Hi]

Official statement.

http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=es&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gobcan.es%2Fnoticias%2Findex.jsp%3Fmodule%3D1%26page%3Dnota.htm%26id%3D143588

Translated by google so a bit muddled.

[The PIT]

10/10/2011 16:29 – The El Hierro Council (Cabildo) has stated that the underwater eruption has happened at sea in an area known as ‘La Punta de La Restinga’ and not in ‘Mar de Las Calmas’ as previously reported.

source http://www.canariesnews.com/2011/09/28/el-hierro-earthquakes-update/

[GulberwickWeather]

Seems to have intensified judging by the webicorder trace:

http://www.ign.es/ig...1&Mes=10&Dia=10

Also check out this plot of the quakes directly below the volcano itself (thanks to the guys on Eruptions for this)

http://i52.tinypic.com/ehj9td.png

Edited October 10, 2011 by GWW

[Martin M]

This seems to be getting a bit confusing now as the guys on Eruptions are now saying that there probably has not been an eruption yet, and that it was possibly just a gas release.

Seems the local authorities had jumped the gun about an eruption before it had been confirmed. Although Jon Frimann thinks the actual eruption could start very soon (3-6 hours).

[cyclonic happiness]

Wouldn't a sub amrine eruption be more dangerous because of the potential for a massive explosion when the magma vaporises the sea water?

Would it be that sort of eruption I mean?

[Paranoid]

I think a massive explosion (a'la Krakatoa) would only happen if water was injected directly into the magma chamber so the pressure couldn't be easily released into the surrounding water.

[Martin M]

I think it all depends on the depth of the water it erupts in. I can remember seeing a graph (of the depth and pressures that are needed for it to start producing major interactions with the magma) on eruptions the other day, i'll have a look to see if i can find it again.

[Crepuscular Ray]

I read that it's about 1km down if that's any help.

[Love Snow]

http://beforeitsnews.com/story/1204/713/Watch_Out_East_Coasters_Dr_Deagle_Guest_Says_Within_One_Week_Canary_Island_To_Blow.html

[Crepuscular Ray]

^^^^^^^ Hmm, "prophetic seer channel". Scientifically peer-reviewed then????????

As regards El Hierro, the harmonic tremor appears to be getting stronger...

http://www.ign.es/ign/head/volcaSenalesAnterioresDia.do?nombreFichero=CHIE_2011-10-10&ver=s&estacion=CHIE&Anio=2011&Mes=10&Dia=10&tipo=1

Edited October 10, 2011 by crepuscular ray

[tinybill]

http://beforeitsnews...nd_To_Blow.html

this sounds fun i wonder how long before the likes of sky news pick this up!!

[Martin M]

this sounds fun i wonder how long before the likes of sky news pick this up!!

I'd hope sky news have more sense than to report this rubbish though. The express or the mail on the other hand...

[Crepuscular Ray]

this sounds fun i wonder how long before the likes of sky news pick this up!!

Don't stake your house on it...

[GulberwickWeather]

Still no solid confimation of an actual eruption, lots of Spanish media reports quoting local Govt etc but nothing firm. Also, there appears to be concern that this may just be the prelude to something bigger. If Jon Frimanns guess was right she should be about ready to blow any time now.