A sharp earthquake was recorded in a submarine volcanic system east of Grímsey island yesterday evening. Two 3+ magnitude earthquakes, a 3.3 and a 3.0 magnitude quakes were recorded in short succession shortly after six pm. A few smaller tremors were detected in the swarm.
Read more: Eruption cannot be ruled out: Grímsey quakes concentrated in submarine volcanic system
To the Seismic Monitoring System of the the Icelandic Meteorological Office detected a 3.0 magnitude quake at 18:12 some 16.5 km (10.2 mi) east of Grímsey island at a depth of 10.7 km (6.6 mi) beneath the ocean floor. The second quake, a 3.3 magnitude tremor was detected only 2 minutes later 15.3 km (9.5 mi) east-northeast of the island, 2.5 km (1.5 mi) north east of the first tremor. The epicenter of the second quake was also at a significant depth of 15.8 km (9.8 mi).
Yesterday's quakes took place in the southern part of the Nafir volcanic system, one of four volcanic systems which are part of the Tjörnesbeltið fracture zone, an area known for very high levels of seismic, volcanic and geothermal activity. Hundreds of powerful quakes took place in the system in February, culminating in a 5.2 magnitude earthquake on February 19.
The intense seismic episode was most likely a fissure rifting event, but geologists at Iceland Geosurvey ISOR pointed out that the activity were also likely linked to magma movements in the submarine volcanic system. Any quake in an active volcano which is larger than three on the Richter scale is considered a powerful quake.
Read more: Grímsey watch: 60 powerful 3+ earthquakes hit yesterday, hundreds of smaller tremors
A sharp earthquake was recorded in a submarine volcanic system east of Grímsey island yesterday evening. Two 3+ magnitude earthquakes, a 3.3 and a 3.0 magnitude quakes were recorded in short succession shortly after six pm. A few smaller tremors were detected in the swarm.
Read more: Eruption cannot be ruled out: Grímsey quakes concentrated in submarine volcanic system
To the Seismic Monitoring System of the the Icelandic Meteorological Office detected a 3.0 magnitude quake at 18:12 some 16.5 km (10.2 mi) east of Grímsey island at a depth of 10.7 km (6.6 mi) beneath the ocean floor. The second quake, a 3.3 magnitude tremor was detected only 2 minutes later 15.3 km (9.5 mi) east-northeast of the island, 2.5 km (1.5 mi) north east of the first tremor. The epicenter of the second quake was also at a significant depth of 15.8 km (9.8 mi).
Yesterday's quakes took place in the southern part of the Nafir volcanic system, one of four volcanic systems which are part of the Tjörnesbeltið fracture zone, an area known for very high levels of seismic, volcanic and geothermal activity. Hundreds of powerful quakes took place in the system in February, culminating in a 5.2 magnitude earthquake on February 19.
The intense seismic episode was most likely a fissure rifting event, but geologists at Iceland Geosurvey ISOR pointed out that the activity were also likely linked to magma movements in the submarine volcanic system. Any quake in an active volcano which is larger than three on the Richter scale is considered a powerful quake.
Read more: Grímsey watch: 60 powerful 3+ earthquakes hit yesterday, hundreds of smaller tremors
