A powerful earthquake swarm hit the Bárðarbunga caldera this morning. Eight quakes have been measured since 8:57 AM, five of which were 3+ magnitude quakes. All the quakes have taken place in the northern part of the caldera.
The first quake, a 4.1 magnitude quake which was detected 7 km NA of the center of the caldera was by far the largest. The epicenter of this powerful quake was only 100 m below the surface. A second 2.3 magnitude quake took place only a second later 8.2 km slightly further east, followed by two 3.4 magnitude quakes in the same area, a third, magnitude 3 quake and finally at 9:45 AM a 3.5 magnitude quake.
Three of the quakes took place close to the surface, at a depth of 0.1 km, while the others took place at depths ranging from 1.1 -2.3 km.
Read more: Scientists remove ice which had disabled monitoring equipment on Bárðarbunga volcano
Scientists have been monitoring Bárðarbunga closely since the 2014-2015 Holuhraun eruption. The current episode of activity began last fall, and has seen dozens of powerful earthquakes, larger than 3 on the Richter scale. The seismic activity is most likely caused by the re-filling of the magma chambers which were emptied in the Holuhraun eruption. The Bárðarbunga system usually erupts in drawn-out episodes which include several smaller eruptions.
Bárðarbunga, which is located beneath Vatnajökull glacier, is one of the two largest and most powerful volcanoes in Iceland. Katla, the other, is located beneath Mýrdalsjökull glacier. Both have been showing increasing levels of activity in the past weeks and months.
A powerful earthquake swarm hit the Bárðarbunga caldera this morning. Eight quakes have been measured since 8:57 AM, five of which were 3+ magnitude quakes. All the quakes have taken place in the northern part of the caldera.
The first quake, a 4.1 magnitude quake which was detected 7 km NA of the center of the caldera was by far the largest. The epicenter of this powerful quake was only 100 m below the surface. A second 2.3 magnitude quake took place only a second later 8.2 km slightly further east, followed by two 3.4 magnitude quakes in the same area, a third, magnitude 3 quake and finally at 9:45 AM a 3.5 magnitude quake.
Three of the quakes took place close to the surface, at a depth of 0.1 km, while the others took place at depths ranging from 1.1 -2.3 km.
Read more: Scientists remove ice which had disabled monitoring equipment on Bárðarbunga volcano
Scientists have been monitoring Bárðarbunga closely since the 2014-2015 Holuhraun eruption. The current episode of activity began last fall, and has seen dozens of powerful earthquakes, larger than 3 on the Richter scale. The seismic activity is most likely caused by the re-filling of the magma chambers which were emptied in the Holuhraun eruption. The Bárðarbunga system usually erupts in drawn-out episodes which include several smaller eruptions.
Bárðarbunga, which is located beneath Vatnajökull glacier, is one of the two largest and most powerful volcanoes in Iceland. Katla, the other, is located beneath Mýrdalsjökull glacier. Both have been showing increasing levels of activity in the past weeks and months.
