A strong 3.3 magnitude earthquake was detected in Bárðarbunga caldera yesterday evening, followed by a swarm of smaller quakes. The first quake in the swarm hit at 18:29, a 2.2 magnitude quake in the south-east of the caldera at a depth of 9 km (5.6 miles), followed by a more powerful 3.3. magnitude quake at 19:02 in the north-east part of the caldera. The epicenter of this second, more powerful quake, was near the surface, at a depth of 300 m (980 ft).
Read more: All of Iceland‘s major volcanoes showing unusually high levels of activity
The Icelandic Meteorological Office counted half a dozen smaller quakes in Bárðarbunga, as well as several quakes on the northern edge of the Bárðarbunga system last night.
Volcanic earthquakes tend to be smaller than earthquakes at the fault lines of continental shelves, like the San Andreas fault. The forces creating the two types of earthquakes are very different, as volcanic earthquakes are caused by magma being thrust from the mantle up into the crust. In this case, it the magma chambers of Bárðarbunga are filling up again after the 2014 Holuhraun eruption.
While a 3 or 4 magnitude quake on the richter scale might not be considered particularly powerful if it took place on a continental fault line, a 3+ quake in a volcano is considered a large quake and a sign of significant activity. Bárðarbunga is many times over larger than Eyjafjallajökull which erupted in 2010 and shut down air traffic over much of Europe.
Read more: Seven years ago today: Eruption in Eyjafjallajökull, the volcano with the un-pronouncable name
The Bárðarbunga system has been very active in the past few months, with several relatively large quakes being registered in the caldera and significant activity in the northern part of the system, including a powerful earthquake swarm south of Herðubreið mountain at the northern edge of the system over the past weekend.
A strong 3.3 magnitude earthquake was detected in Bárðarbunga caldera yesterday evening, followed by a swarm of smaller quakes. The first quake in the swarm hit at 18:29, a 2.2 magnitude quake in the south-east of the caldera at a depth of 9 km (5.6 miles), followed by a more powerful 3.3. magnitude quake at 19:02 in the north-east part of the caldera. The epicenter of this second, more powerful quake, was near the surface, at a depth of 300 m (980 ft).
Read more: All of Iceland‘s major volcanoes showing unusually high levels of activity
The Icelandic Meteorological Office counted half a dozen smaller quakes in Bárðarbunga, as well as several quakes on the northern edge of the Bárðarbunga system last night.
Volcanic earthquakes tend to be smaller than earthquakes at the fault lines of continental shelves, like the San Andreas fault. The forces creating the two types of earthquakes are very different, as volcanic earthquakes are caused by magma being thrust from the mantle up into the crust. In this case, it the magma chambers of Bárðarbunga are filling up again after the 2014 Holuhraun eruption.
While a 3 or 4 magnitude quake on the richter scale might not be considered particularly powerful if it took place on a continental fault line, a 3+ quake in a volcano is considered a large quake and a sign of significant activity. Bárðarbunga is many times over larger than Eyjafjallajökull which erupted in 2010 and shut down air traffic over much of Europe.
Read more: Seven years ago today: Eruption in Eyjafjallajökull, the volcano with the un-pronouncable name
The Bárðarbunga system has been very active in the past few months, with several relatively large quakes being registered in the caldera and significant activity in the northern part of the system, including a powerful earthquake swarm south of Herðubreið mountain at the northern edge of the system over the past weekend.
