Rumblings from another Icelandic volcano

[GloriaSmud]

and it's a big 'un!
This time at Bárðarbunga, with over 200 earthquakes recorded so far and last night, the Icelandic Met Office raised the aviation colour code to yellow to reflect the unrest that's going on.

The tornadoes are very cool.

Is the amount of magma being ejected slowing down or is it that it is being confined to one vent, which looks like a young shield volcano? I think if there was a bottleneck we'd be getting more rift earthquakes.

volcano cafe stated this a couple of days ago:

There are minor crustal movements around the dyke supporting the assumption that the amount of magma flowing into the dyke slightly exceeds the flow of magma erupted to the surface.

Anyone understand how to read the GPS plot? Bardarbunga GPS

It seems to have changed direction this evening... it's going up (I think). So does that mean the caldera is moving a little upwards, perhaps magma pressure building below?

I don't think I 100% understand any of it but it's so fascinating. Just the fact that there are webcams focused on it and the seismology and the teams of people out there. Yet not one soul knows what's really happening under ground or what the outcome will be. I wish it was on an entirely unpopulated island so I could hope for it to blow for the spectacle but the fact that people live there and rely on the hydro-electric power stations has my heart in my mouth.

Wow. Thanks all for your help.

It is fascinating!

I actually feel almost guilty for being fascinated by something that is potentially very dangerous.

By the way, thanks for the pic of where the caldera is on the webcam image. That is where I thought it was but I'm not so good at discerning the scenery yet.

Xxx

Newbie ~ the caldera covers most of the background on the webcam. Like OYBBK says though, it might have been just the 'weather' that's being created in the area at the moment. There have been other black clouds like that before though but this one seemed to come from just one point on the glacier.

Nannynick ~ I think that's what the graph shows ~ deflation and then a sudden inflation.

Thanks Gloria.

That cloud did look like it was smoke rising.

LostInWales, thanks for that picture. i did say that's upthread but didn't remember who posted it when I posted that.

Xxx

Thanks, not that's. My ipad is playing up recently and won't type what I tell it too. Apologies for ALL my typos.

Yes, I feel totally guilty that I find something so fascinating when actually it is a serious danger to some. Go and submerse yourself in Volcano Cafe for a few days though, just watching people with amazing brains converse is a spectacle in itself! And OYBBK got them to change one of their answers

volcano cafe on plume or cloud

I'm not sure what causes the inflation to occur after a drop - is it the gps instrument settling? Is it some re-inflation? or a bounce of the caldera floor or perhaps the ice the gps is sat on?

However, there was a big drop a little while ago following a Mag 5.3 followed by another smallish bounce. Trend is def downwards!

I don't think any of them know why it does that! I'm finding it hard to get my head around the fact that they are all talking about stuff happening so far under ground. It's no wonder they don't know whats going on when it's going on 5k plus underneath everything!

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If that was truly a drop of nearly a meter that's really scary! I love the 'inhale/exhale' explanations.

Drop has flattened off after about 50 cms.I was getting worried that the Caldera was in freefall and was becoming pretty scared. And i'm in the UK not Iceland.

Strangely there has been very little information coming from the met office in Iceland today.No lunchtime announcements from the Scientific Advisory team yet.What's happening?

New video on RUV's site here.
I'm having a little at the tweets from a geologist in Iceland this morning ~ first one says, "SO2 sunrise at Askja yesterday. Last night we stayed at Myvatn as #Holuhraun plume was blowing directly onto hut." Followed 5 minutes later by, "Hard to quantify effect of gas exposure. Dull headache, strange taste, racing pulse are also symptoms of Icelandic coffee. #Holuhraun"

Canny ~ update has come as a pdf today.

www.jonfr.com/volcano/?p=4984

Interesting update.

There was an earthquake in Sweden according to the discussion below that update from JonF.

Someone was saying they felt it in their office in Oslo.

Sounds scary.

Swedish earthquake

Yes, somebody else thought that they felt it in Denmark as well.

Also: It was widely felt, as far as Tallin in Estonia – 600 km away. This is because the attenuation of seismic waves is low in Scandinavia.

Just found this on youtube.

It looks very clear and beautiful right now although it looks like there are more vents which are smoking to the left of r2d2, but not sure as still don't know what I'm really looking at.

I have also spotted a couple of what look like rivers which I haven't seen before, but that must just be because the images haven't been that clear when I've looked.

Actually, I have no idea if that is even live. Sorry if it isn't.