iceland Bárðarbunga and Askja - Volcanic Activity

[Jonathan Lang]

Since the caldera is sinking, where would you say the top of the magma is below it or is that unknown?

[Daniel*]

Very interesting thread/read keep the reports coming

[john pike]

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/usb000sfbs#summary

 

M5.6 - Reykjanes Ridge

M4.7 - Reykjanes Ridge

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/usb000sfax#summary

http://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=401154#summary

interesting as on the faultline effecting iceland

 

heres an interesting read

 

http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/users/menke/ridge2000.html

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tuesday
23.09.2014 18:49:06 64.672 -17.467 6.4 km 4.0 99.0 4.5 km NE of Bárðarbunga

Edited September 23, 2014 by john pike

[john pike]

Tuesday

23.09.2014 18:49:06 64.672 -17.467 6.4 km 4.0 99.0 4.5 km NE of Bárðarbunga Tuesday

23.09.2014 13:44:23 64.679 -17.480 6.2 km 4.5 99.0 4.9 km NNE of Bárðarbunga Tuesday

23.09.2014 12:48:04 64.681 -17.486 8.4 km 3.0 99.0 5.0 km NNE of Bárðarbunga Tuesday

23.09.2014 11:35:52 64.678 -17.481 7.9 km 3.4 99.0 4.7 km NNE of Bárðarbunga Tuesday

23.09.2014 07:57:20 64.671 -17.485 6.9 km 4.0 99.0 4.0 km NNE of Bárðarbunga Tuesday

23.09.2014 06:18:24 64.679 -17.462 8.0 km 3.5 99.0 5.3 km NE of Bárðarbunga Tuesday

23.09.2014 04:33:55 64.683 -17.418 4.9 km 5.2 99.0 7.1 km NE of Bárðarbunga Tuesday

23.09.2014 01:54:06 64.676 -17.415 8.0 km 3.6 99.0 6.7 km NE of Bárðarbunga Tuesday

23.09.2014 01:51:51 64.656 -17.379 0.5 km 3.9 99.0 7.3 km ENE of Bárðarbunga Tuesday

23.09.2014 00:06:57 64.682 -17.422 7.9 km 3.0 99.0 6.9 km NE of Bárðarbunga Monday

22.09.2014 18:45:46 64.671 -17.479 7.3 km 4.6 99.0 4.2 km NE of Bárðarbunga Monday

22.09.2014 13:46:48 64.672 -17.481 7.7 km 3.0 99.0 4.2 km NNE of Bárðarbunga Monday

22.09.2014 13:36:02 64.671 -17.460 7.3 km 4.7 99.0 4.7 km NE of Bárðarbunga Monday

22.09.2014 13:03:13 64.657 -17.517 4.7 km 3.4 99.0 1.9 km NNE of Bárðarbunga Monday

22.09.2014 09:51:50 64.616 -17.414 6.2 km 4.8 99.0 6.1 km ESE of Bárðarbunga Monday

22.09.2014 08:30:36 64.619 -17.464 2.8 km 3.3 99.0 3.8 km SE of Bárðarbunga Monday

22.09.2014 08:14:33 64.672 -17.460 7.7 km 3.8 99.0 4.8 km NE of Bárðarbunga Monday

22.09.2014 05:28:28 64.677 -17.473 4.9 km 3.5 99.0 4.9 km NNE of Bárðarbunga Monday

22.09.2014 03:13:57 64.683 -17.495 8.7 km 3.7 99.0 5.0 km NNE of Bárðarbunga Monday

22.09.2014 00:19:07 64.683 -17.488 8.9 km 3.6 99.0 5.1 km NNE of Bárðarbunga Sunday

21.09.2014 23:08:43 64.658 -17.350 0.9 km 3.5 99.0 8.7 km ENE of Bárðarbunga

 

has felt quieter today

 

but according to above its actually picked up

[Freddie123]

Tuesday

23.09.2014 18:49:06 64.672 -17.467 6.4 km 4.0 99.0 4.5 km NE of Bárðarbunga Tuesday

23.09.2014 13:44:23 64.679 -17.480 6.2 km 4.5 99.0 4.9 km NNE of Bárðarbunga Tuesday

23.09.2014 12:48:04 64.681 -17.486 8.4 km 3.0 99.0 5.0 km NNE of Bárðarbunga Tuesday

23.09.2014 11:35:52 64.678 -17.481 7.9 km 3.4 99.0 4.7 km NNE of Bárðarbunga Tuesday

23.09.2014 07:57:20 64.671 -17.485 6.9 km 4.0 99.0 4.0 km NNE of Bárðarbunga Tuesday

23.09.2014 06:18:24 64.679 -17.462 8.0 km 3.5 99.0 5.3 km NE of Bárðarbunga Tuesday

23.09.2014 04:33:55 64.683 -17.418 4.9 km 5.2 99.0 7.1 km NE of Bárðarbunga Tuesday

23.09.2014 01:54:06 64.676 -17.415 8.0 km 3.6 99.0 6.7 km NE of Bárðarbunga Tuesday

23.09.2014 01:51:51 64.656 -17.379 0.5 km 3.9 99.0 7.3 km ENE of Bárðarbunga Tuesday

 

has felt quieter today

 

but according to above its actually picked up

 

 

Yes that was also my comment earlier today, it seems like the larger ones are more frequent at the moment with less smaller ones in between. I wonder if we are on the start of a more general collapse, everything is so fragmented from the last month of rumbling that each EQ now triggers more to collapse and so on. I guess time will tell. Those EQ's down in the Atlantic are interesting, as was the one near Portugal a few weeks back. Interesting to see the movement and stresses on a much larger scale than just Iceland.

[If Wishes made Weather]

Something strange showing up on the tremor plots around Grimsfjall (also HUS and VOT) a la:

[Polarlow]

Strange readings from Grims !

http://hraun.vedur.is/ja/vatnajokulsvoktun/grf_trem.gif

Edited September 23, 2014 by Polarlow

[john pike]

http://icelandreview.com/news/2014/09/23/eruption-under-northern-lights-video

 

 

watch the video :rolleyes: in link above

[john pike]

looks like another quake

 

another drop

 

[karyo]

Something strange showing up on the tremor plots around Grimsfjall (also HUS and VOT) a la:

According to Jon Frimman, this could be due to a small eruption.

 

http://www.jonfr.com/volcano/?p=5030#comments

[john pike]

http://www.livefromiceland.is/webcams/bardarbunga/

 

spooky

 

re the spike at grimsfjall

 

too hard to call as near on impossible to verify

[john pike]

 

creeping up again

 

but looks like no updates at present from mo

 

http://en.vedur.is/earthquakes-and-volcanism/earthquakes/vatnajokull/

Edited September 23, 2014 by john pike

[john pike]

another +4 quake there

 

but too late updating

 

back tomorrow

 

nite all

 

[NorthNorfolkWeather]

expect some updates this morning  --  no manual checking after 21:21, probabilities all lower than 99%  --  so automatic.

 

But doesn't look as though there's anything over 3 overnight

Edited September 24, 2014 by NorthNorfolkWeather

[If Wishes made Weather]

Looking at the latest tremor measurements possibly another small eruption under the glacier in the Grimsfjall area at present?

[SteveB]

A 3.4 @ 0.1km around 5am this morning. Very shallow!

[NorthNorfolkWeather]

and now

 

Date Time Latitude Longitude Depth Magnitude Quality Location Wednesday
24.09.2014 06:59:58 64.676 -17.418 1.0 km 3.7 99.0 6.6 km NE of Bárðarbunga

 

 

Not quite as shallow as the previous but very much in the same area

[SteveB]

Followed by a 5.2

 

 

Wednesday
24.09.2014 08:14:36 64.675 -17.460 6.6 km 5.2 99.0 5.0 km NE of Bárðarbunga

[karyo]

Followed by a 5.2

 

 

Wednesday

24.09.2014

08:14:36

64.675

-17.460

6.6 km

5.2

99.0

5.0 km NE of Bárðarbunga

With a nice drop on the GPS

[NorthNorfolkWeather]

just over a day (approx 28 hrs) between the 2 5.2 quakes

 

Only separated by about 2km.  I'm glad I'm nowhere near it, it would be horrific the number of quakes

[SteveB]

But what does it all mean, really hope we see something happen soon.....

[NorthNorfolkWeather]

But what does it all mean, really hope we see something happen soon.....

It's not allowing itself to be rushed.  As the IMO says it could yet fizzle to nothing  --  or we could get a very large bang

 

Nobody know what will happen

 

Nobody knows when it will happen

 

All I know is that there is a shedload of lava coming out of the fissure (and it seems there's plenty more in the pipeline)

 

Just looked at the quakes again after a couple of hours and they are definitely thinning out.

 

Down to 229 for Vatnajokull ( was over 2,000 a couple of weeks ago)

 

Seems that each big one now reduces (dramatically) the number of little ones following.  Until strain builds up again within the system

Edited September 24, 2014 by NorthNorfolkWeather

[BrickFielder]

Some indications for me that one earthquake is triggering another today.

 

24.09.2014    03:41:42 Depth 7.4 km Magnitude    1.8    99.0    4.9 km N of Bárðarbunga
24.09.2014    03:40:52 Depth 7.3 km Magnitude    1.8    99.0    5.4 km NNE of Bárðarbunga

24.09.2014    02:28:08 Depth    8.1 km Magnitude 2.0    99.0    3.1 km SE of Bárðarbunga
24.09.2014    02:27:08 Depth    8.9 km Magnitude 1.9    99.0    3.3 km SE of Bárðarbunga
24.09.2014    02:20:18 Depth    8.1 km Magnitude 0.8    99.0    7.0 km NNE of Bárðarbunga

 

Similar depths but different places along the caldera ring.

 

Eruption at Holuhraun  seems to have formed a Y shape or at least lava flow seems to have created a Y shape. We probably should remeber that the fissure will most probably be affected by the stresses and strains caused by Askja at its northern most extent.

 

Slight pick up in the tremors being picked up on the Vonaskard Sil

 

Image from the university of Iceland site

 

http://hraun.vedur.is/ja/englishweb/tremor.html

 

 

 

This could be the effects of weather, but looks like a small pick up in activity after a slight lull over night.

 

Bárðarbunga caldera appears to be still slowly sinking with occasional large drops prompted by larger earthquakes  6 to 7km down.   GPS measurements dont really suggest a general dropping around the volcano.  Can be found at the following link

 

http://en.vedur.is/earthquakes-and-volcanism/gps-measurements/bardarbunga/

 

Think this suggests that the eruption is unlikely to stop in the immediate future and there are indications that magma might be moving elsewhere in the system.

 

Vonaskard Sil seems to be showing a leveling off in subsidence which to me means outflow of lava and new magma into the system is fairly balanced.

 

 

Source

http://jardvis.hi.is/gps_timaradir_vid_bardarbungu

 

 

Instead of whacky theory today I thought I would try to explain how in my amateurish way I interpret certain things.

 

Tremor Charts

 

0.5 - 1 hz is a relatively lower frequency (red lines) and I would take to indicate magma movement high up in the crust and even eruption.
2 - 4 hz is a higher frequency (blue lines) and usually indicates earthquake activity and tends to be more associated with shifts and movements lower in the crust.
There are of course exceptions especially where there is gas or water movements involved.
 

I base this on the following.

 

A low frequency tremor pulse is clearly seen just before noon 23rd August. This tremor (red line) was interpreted as signs of magma having arrived at the surface under the glacier and prompted IMO to raise the aviation colour code from orange to red. The tremor lasted a few hours and then gradually decreased during the afternoon.

The blue line reflects the seismic activity during the time the dyke was quickly advancing northward, as well as increased activity that morning.

Source
http://en.vedur.is/earthquakes-and-volcanism/articles/nr/2970

 

 

 

GPS Measurement Charts

 

I interpret these in the following way

 

 

Only it is more complicated than that in that during a rifting event plates move apart as well.

 

 

We should also remeber that as the rifting event dies back then there is some relaxation and the plates can move a little back in the other direction. There can also be ice on antennas or faults in the measuring devices (See GFUM SIL at the moment possibly).

 

So it is tricky and cannot be looked at in isolation.

 

Other Reports

 

I assume many of you will have looked at Jón Frímann Blog

http://www.jonfr.com/volcano/

and the posts at VolcanoCafe

http://volcanocafe.wordpress.com/

and the IMO updates

http://en.vedur.is/earthquakes-and-volcanism/articles/nr/2947

 

but what about Rei's blog at the daily kos.

http://www.dailykos.com/blog/Rei

 

Here are some pictures from that blog

 

 

Source

 

http://2012spiritinaction.wordpress.com/2014/09/03/bardarbunga-a-brief-update-daily-kos/

 

 

 

Yes those are vehicles in the forground

 

Source

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/09/23/1331950/-B-r-arbunga-Lava-Isn-t-The-Only-Thing-That-Cooks

 

 

 

Ok so just a little whacky theory for today. The plumbing system beneath Bárðarbunga may not be uniform. Here is an image of some modelling of a plumbing system beneath a rfiting volcanic area.

This suggests to me that there may be a curve somwhere in the magma chamber where possibly some crystal mush could be dropping off into the deeper chamber. Perhaps pushing magma up into another part of the plumbing.

 

As ever when I go off into the whacky world of theory take everything I say with the knowledge that it is about on par with the understanding limits of Homer Simpson.

 

[john pike]

Video: Scientists move burning lava into a pot

News in english

08:53 24. SEPTEMBER 2014

•  

PHOTO/INSTITUT OF EARTH SCIENCES

Kolbeinn Tumi Daðason skrifar:

Scientists at the Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland are still very much at work at the lava field Holuhraun north of Vatnajökull. They have released a video which shows them shoving burning hot lava into a pot and cooling it with water.

 

http://www.visir.is/video--scientists-move-burning-lava-into-a-pot/article/2014140929546

 

watch the video  :shok:

 

[john pike]

Wednesday
24.09.2014 18:53:04 64.668 -17.454 3.2 km 3.7 99.0 4.7 km NE of Bárðarbunga Wednesday
24.09.2014 18:41:56 64.628 -17.583 8.8 km 4.0 99.0 2.9 km WSW of Bárðarbunga Wednesday
24.09.2014 18:39:02 64.668 -17.399 2.7 km 3.5 99.0 6.8 km ENE of Bárðarbunga Wednesday
24.09.2014 18:38:29 64.792 -16.896 6.9 km 1.6 99.0 14.8 km E of Kistufell Wednesday
24.09.2014 18:25:51 64.457 -17.749 14.0 km 1.0 99.0 4.4 km SE of Hamarinn Wednesday
24.09.2014 17:56:57 64.679 -17.469 7.2 km 3.9 99.0 5.1 km NNE of Bárðarbunga

 

mmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

 

 

http://en.vedur.is/earthquakes-and-volcanism/earthquakes/vatnajokull/#view=map

 

 

jump is quite noticeable

 

http://hraun.vedur.is/ja/oroi/allarsort.html

 

saying that most stations still show a lot of hightened activity too

Edited September 24, 2014 by john pike