A small earthquake swarm hit Katla volcano this week. Katla is one of the Iceland's most notorious volcanoes and is nestling under the ice cap of Mýrdalsjökull glacier in South Iceland. According to the Icelandic Met Office (IMO) the strongest quake was of magnitude 3.1 and struck at 23.06 (11.06 pm) on 13 July. Around 20 aftershocks followed.
Katla has historically erupted at least once every century. It’s closely monitored magma chamber is 2 km (1.24 mi) below the top of Mýrdalsjökull's ice cap. Katla last erupted in 1918. Until then, eruptions at an interval of 13 to 95 years marked its history. Volcanologist expect it to blow its top any day now.
When Katla will eventually erupt it has, according to renowned volcanologist Haraldur Sigurðsson, the potential of generating an eruption that is at least ten times larger than the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption, which was felt around the northern hemisphere when the dispersal of the ash cloud shut down all aviation across the North Atlantic for one week.
Read Haraldur's feature: Iceland's most notorious volcano is kept under close surveillance
In this great feature by Haraldur he explains that history shows that Katla generally erupts shortly after its neighbouring volcano in Eyjafjallajökull glacier, in 960 AD, 1612 and 1823.
Mýrdalsjökull is Iceland's fourth largest ice cap covering 596 km2 (230 sq mi). Its located on the south coast. The summit is at 1.493 m (4.898 ft) above sea level.
Read more: A guide to Iceland’s glaciers, what to do there & their claim to fame
Sólheimajökull, the long outlet glacier on the southwest side of Mýrdalsjökull, is a very popular travel destination. It's close to the Ring Route with a good parking space close by and it's easily accessible to hikers.
A small earthquake swarm hit Katla volcano this week. Katla is one of the Iceland's most notorious volcanoes and is nestling under the ice cap of Mýrdalsjökull glacier in South Iceland. According to the Icelandic Met Office (IMO) the strongest quake was of magnitude 3.1 and struck at 23.06 (11.06 pm) on 13 July. Around 20 aftershocks followed.
Katla has historically erupted at least once every century. It’s closely monitored magma chamber is 2 km (1.24 mi) below the top of Mýrdalsjökull's ice cap. Katla last erupted in 1918. Until then, eruptions at an interval of 13 to 95 years marked its history. Volcanologist expect it to blow its top any day now.
When Katla will eventually erupt it has, according to renowned volcanologist Haraldur Sigurðsson, the potential of generating an eruption that is at least ten times larger than the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption, which was felt around the northern hemisphere when the dispersal of the ash cloud shut down all aviation across the North Atlantic for one week.
Read Haraldur's feature: Iceland's most notorious volcano is kept under close surveillance
In this great feature by Haraldur he explains that history shows that Katla generally erupts shortly after its neighbouring volcano in Eyjafjallajökull glacier, in 960 AD, 1612 and 1823.
Mýrdalsjökull is Iceland's fourth largest ice cap covering 596 km2 (230 sq mi). Its located on the south coast. The summit is at 1.493 m (4.898 ft) above sea level.
Read more: A guide to Iceland’s glaciers, what to do there & their claim to fame
Sólheimajökull, the long outlet glacier on the southwest side of Mýrdalsjökull, is a very popular travel destination. It's close to the Ring Route with a good parking space close by and it's easily accessible to hikers.
