According to the Icelandic Met Office’s website long-term seismic and GPS data indicate that there is increased unrest in the area northwest of Vatnajökull glacier, Iceland’s largest ice cap. Seismic activity in Bárðarbunga has gradually increased over the last seven years. This activity dropped down at the Grímsvötn eruption in spring 2011, but has since reached similar levels of activity to that before the Grímsvötn eruption.
The Icelandic Met Office has decided to increase surveillance in the area and to turn Bárðarbunga volcano’s status to yellow, meaning the volcano is exhibiting “signs of elevated unrest above known background level”.
Professor Páll Einarsson suspects this might only be the beginning to a much longer process and says there is little indication that magma has reached the surface. “Most commonly a volcanic eruption will follow a seismic swarm within 14 hours. These 14 hours have already passed,” he explained.
Seismic activity in Bárðarbunga volcano, central highlands, has been ongoing since Saturday, August 16th. However, there are still no signs of magma moving to the surface. Roads leading to Gæsavötn lakes, Dyngjufjall mountain and Herðubreiðarlindir have been closed to traffic until further notice.
According to the Icelandic Met Office’s website long-term seismic and GPS data indicate that there is increased unrest in the area northwest of Vatnajökull glacier, Iceland’s largest ice cap. Seismic activity in Bárðarbunga has gradually increased over the last seven years. This activity dropped down at the Grímsvötn eruption in spring 2011, but has since reached similar levels of activity to that before the Grímsvötn eruption.
The Icelandic Met Office has decided to increase surveillance in the area and to turn Bárðarbunga volcano’s status to yellow, meaning the volcano is exhibiting “signs of elevated unrest above known background level”.
Professor Páll Einarsson suspects this might only be the beginning to a much longer process and says there is little indication that magma has reached the surface. “Most commonly a volcanic eruption will follow a seismic swarm within 14 hours. These 14 hours have already passed,” he explained.
