Sharp earthquakes have shaken two of Iceland's most powerful volcanoes in the past 12 hours. The monster volcano Katla, hidden beneath Mýrdalsjökull glacier in South Iceland and the giant Bárðarbunga, located beneath Vatnajökull glacier, both reminded us that they are still active and that they could erupt at any moment.
Read more: Quick primer on Bárðarbunga, Iceland's most powerful volcano
A 3.6 magnitude quake was detected in the eastern edge of the caldera of volcano Katla yesterday evening. The epicenter of the quake, which hit at 18:52, was at a depth of only 100 m (330 ft). A hour and a half later, at 19:31, a second powerful quake, magnitude 3.0, was detected by the IMO at a depth of 1.1 km (0.7 mi). The two powerful quakes were accompanied by a swarm of nearly two dozen smaller tremors and quakes.
A seismologist with the IMO told the local newspaper Morgunblaðið that there were no immediate signs of growing volcanic activity in Katla. We have not seen any signs of an imminent eruption, or anything of the sort, but when we see a swarm of this strength we keep a close eye on the development.
Read more: All of Iceland‘s major volcanoes showing unusually high levels of activity
Several hours later, in the early morning, Iceland's other monster volcano, Bárðarbunga, joined Katla with a number of powerful earthquakes. At 6:31 a 2.9 magnitude quake was detected in the south-eastern part of Bárðarbunga caldera at a depth of 5.4 km (3.3 mi), followed only a few minutes later by a 3.1 magnitude quake at a depth of 10.1 km (6.3 mi) and a 3.2 magnitude quake at a depth of 1.1 km (0.7 mi).
Both Katla and Bárðarbunga have been showing significant levels of activity. In the case of Bárðarbunga the activity is connected to the re-filling of magma chambers after the 2014-15 Holuhraun eruption. Historically Bárðarbunga has erupted in a series of episodes with several eruptions. Katla in turn is long overdue for an eruption. Historically Katla erupts every 60-80 years: The last eruption took place in 1918.
Sharp earthquakes have shaken two of Iceland's most powerful volcanoes in the past 12 hours. The monster volcano Katla, hidden beneath Mýrdalsjökull glacier in South Iceland and the giant Bárðarbunga, located beneath Vatnajökull glacier, both reminded us that they are still active and that they could erupt at any moment.
Read more: Quick primer on Bárðarbunga, Iceland's most powerful volcano
A 3.6 magnitude quake was detected in the eastern edge of the caldera of volcano Katla yesterday evening. The epicenter of the quake, which hit at 18:52, was at a depth of only 100 m (330 ft). A hour and a half later, at 19:31, a second powerful quake, magnitude 3.0, was detected by the IMO at a depth of 1.1 km (0.7 mi). The two powerful quakes were accompanied by a swarm of nearly two dozen smaller tremors and quakes.
A seismologist with the IMO told the local newspaper Morgunblaðið that there were no immediate signs of growing volcanic activity in Katla. We have not seen any signs of an imminent eruption, or anything of the sort, but when we see a swarm of this strength we keep a close eye on the development.
Read more: All of Iceland‘s major volcanoes showing unusually high levels of activity
Several hours later, in the early morning, Iceland's other monster volcano, Bárðarbunga, joined Katla with a number of powerful earthquakes. At 6:31 a 2.9 magnitude quake was detected in the south-eastern part of Bárðarbunga caldera at a depth of 5.4 km (3.3 mi), followed only a few minutes later by a 3.1 magnitude quake at a depth of 10.1 km (6.3 mi) and a 3.2 magnitude quake at a depth of 1.1 km (0.7 mi).
Both Katla and Bárðarbunga have been showing significant levels of activity. In the case of Bárðarbunga the activity is connected to the re-filling of magma chambers after the 2014-15 Holuhraun eruption. Historically Bárðarbunga has erupted in a series of episodes with several eruptions. Katla in turn is long overdue for an eruption. Historically Katla erupts every 60-80 years: The last eruption took place in 1918.
