Three powerful earthquakes, followed by a swarm of smaller quakes, shook Bárðarbunga early Monday morning, the Icelandic Meteorlogical Office reports. The first quake, a powerful 3.5 magnitude quake hit at ten minutes past four in the morning, which was followed by two additional powerful quakes fifteen minutes later. The second quake measured 3.9 on the Richter scale and the third quake was a massive 4.2 magnitude quake. The three powerful quakes were accompanied by a swarm of nine smaller quakes, 1-1.9 in magnitude.
Iceland’s most powerful volcano stirring
Geologists have been watching the volcano Bárðarbunga since the 2014 Holuhraun eruption, north of the Bárðarbunga caldera. The Holuhraun eruption, which produced the largest lava field in Iceland since 1783, is believed to have been the latest in a series of activity in the Bárðarbunga system. The centre of the system is the Bárðarbunga caldera , located beneath Vatnajökull glacier.
The continuing seismic activity in Bárðarbunga is believed to be connected to its magma chambers filling up from below, and magna pushing into fissures. The system was particularly active this past spring.
Read more: Bárðarbunga continues to stir with a 3.3 magnitude quake and a swarm of smaller quakes
Bárðarbunga, which is the second highest mountain in Iceland, measuring 2,009 metres (6,591 ft) above sea level, is believed to be the most powerful volcano in Iceland. The system and fissure swarm of Bárðarbunga is 190 km long and 25 km wide. Bárðarbunga has erupted on average once every fifty years, with large eruptions every 250-600 years. The largest known volcanic eruption in Iceland after settlement took place in Bárðarbunga in 1477. This eruption, which was one of the most powerful eruptions in the past 10,000 years in Iceland, had a Volcanic Explosive Index, VEI of 6. The VEI index measures the distribution of ash and volcanic materials from an eruption. An eruption in Bárðarbunga could pose significant challenges for airline travel in the Northern hemisphere.
Three powerful earthquakes, followed by a swarm of smaller quakes, shook Bárðarbunga early Monday morning, the Icelandic Meteorlogical Office reports. The first quake, a powerful 3.5 magnitude quake hit at ten minutes past four in the morning, which was followed by two additional powerful quakes fifteen minutes later. The second quake measured 3.9 on the Richter scale and the third quake was a massive 4.2 magnitude quake. The three powerful quakes were accompanied by a swarm of nine smaller quakes, 1-1.9 in magnitude.
Iceland’s most powerful volcano stirring
Geologists have been watching the volcano Bárðarbunga since the 2014 Holuhraun eruption, north of the Bárðarbunga caldera. The Holuhraun eruption, which produced the largest lava field in Iceland since 1783, is believed to have been the latest in a series of activity in the Bárðarbunga system. The centre of the system is the Bárðarbunga caldera , located beneath Vatnajökull glacier.
The continuing seismic activity in Bárðarbunga is believed to be connected to its magma chambers filling up from below, and magna pushing into fissures. The system was particularly active this past spring.
Read more: Bárðarbunga continues to stir with a 3.3 magnitude quake and a swarm of smaller quakes
Bárðarbunga, which is the second highest mountain in Iceland, measuring 2,009 metres (6,591 ft) above sea level, is believed to be the most powerful volcano in Iceland. The system and fissure swarm of Bárðarbunga is 190 km long and 25 km wide. Bárðarbunga has erupted on average once every fifty years, with large eruptions every 250-600 years. The largest known volcanic eruption in Iceland after settlement took place in Bárðarbunga in 1477. This eruption, which was one of the most powerful eruptions in the past 10,000 years in Iceland, had a Volcanic Explosive Index, VEI of 6. The VEI index measures the distribution of ash and volcanic materials from an eruption. An eruption in Bárðarbunga could pose significant challenges for airline travel in the Northern hemisphere.
