Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull Volcano - Discussion Thread

[coldfingers]

A couple of extracts from the latest by the host of the Eruptions website.

This is hosted by.......

"Your host is Dr. Erik Klemetti, a geologist who spends most of his professional time thinking about magma."

He writes the following about Katla..........

"I would also like to derail some of this continued Katla-mongering, this time over at Cosmic Variance. This is not to say we shouldn't watch Katla, but all these swarms are still (1) too small; (2) too shallow and; (3) too short. I would place a safe bet that there are many more volcanoes worldwide that are much closer to eruption than Katla - and the connection between Eyjafjallajökull and Katla is tenuous at best. So relax!"

So let's hope it isn't a case of famous last words.

Eruptions Website is......... http://scienceblogs.com/eruptions/ a very interesting site to read if you are interested in volcanos

Edited July 23, 2010 by coldfingers

[michail]

Another EQ near Katla, just clear of the main icecap? and greater than one in magnitude.Also tremer charts on the rise (esp esk)

http://en.vedur.is/earthquakes-and-volcanism/earthquakes/myrdalsjokull/

http://hraun.vedur.is/ja/oroi/esk.gif

Interesting!

[masheeuk]

The biggest swarm I have seen north of Iceland including a couple of larger magnitude quakes.

meant to add this

[coldfingers]

The biggest swarm I have seen north of Iceland including a couple of larger magnitude quakes.

meant to add this

Yes, over 200 quakes in 48 hours! I read somewhere that on a underwater survey (during a quiet period) there was evidence of submarine volcanic activity in the area. Looks good for another eruption underwater. Wondering if it will reach the surface this time.

[coldfingers]

Yet another swarm of quakes near Grimsey.

http://en.vedur.is/p...100726_1535.png

Eyja showing an increased amount of steam coming from the crater. Most noticable from the hvolsvelli cam. At least I think it is steam. It looks darker than usual but that is probably the poor light at the moment.

http://eldgos.mila.i...fra-hvolsvelli/

Edited July 26, 2010 by coldfingers

[coldfingers]

Thorlfsfelli cam looking interesting. Surely that can't only be steam?

http://eldgos.mila.i...-thorolfsfelli/

http://eldgos.mila.is/eyjafjallajokull-fra-hvolsvelli/

http://www.simnet.is/jonfr500/earthquake/vefmyndeyjafjalmulaen.html

Edited July 26, 2010 by coldfingers

[kerensa]

hi, ive been watching as well, and are there more steam holes down the side, looks like it to me.

[coldfingers]

hi, ive been watching as well, and are there more steam holes down the side, looks like it to me.

I have been told that the conditions on the mountain make clouds appear along the flanks of the mountain. Whatever is coming out of the top, (and it is more likely to be steam, perhaps mixed with a little ash) there is definitely an increased amount today.

Edit.

Looking again at the Thorolfsfelli cam there does seem to be steam rising from one particular spot on the glacier. In the area of one of the original hotspots. shame the thermal cam isn't working, it would have helped today.

Edited July 26, 2010 by coldfingers

[coldfingers]

A nice view of Eyja tonight on the Thorolfsfelli webcam. Steaming visible down along the top of glacier, presumably from the hot area of the earlier lava flow.

http://eldgos.mila.i...-thorolfsfelli/

Hmmm, steaming seems to come and go, at one point there was a considerable amount of steam from well below the top, wondering if it could be rainwater coming down and contacting hot areas?

Wish i knew how to take screen shots and post them. reckon I am may be too old to learn, <_<

Edited July 31, 2010 by coldfingers

[coldfingers]

Tremors on charts have been steadily rising since midnight. Interesting to see if they rise any further as they are now almost at the maximim level for quite a few weeks.

Nothing to see on webcams because of cconstant low cloud though. Not much earthquake activity for quite a while.

http://hraun.vedur.is/ja/Katla2009/stodvaplott.html

Edited August 2, 2010 by coldfingers

[The PIT]

Tremors on charts have been steadily rising since midnight. Interesting to see if they rise any further as they are now almost at the maximim level for quite a few weeks.

Nothing to see on webcams because of cconstant low cloud though. Not much earthquake activity for quite a while.

http://hraun.vedur.is/ja/Katla2009/stodvaplott.html

Perhaps another injection of magma. Hopefully anyway.

[Jiesheng]

Hi i am currently doing a project on "Volcano eruption: Effect on Society"

How does the recent iceland volcano eruption effect society?

[The PIT]

Hi i am currently doing a project on "Volcano eruption: Effect on Society"

How does the recent iceland volcano eruption effect society?

I would read up on the MT St Helen eruption, Pinatubo eurption and the deadliest one of recent times Nevado del Ruiz, Columbia

[coldfingers]

Hi i am currently doing a project on "Volcano eruption: Effect on Society"

How does the recent iceland volcano eruption effect society?

Apart from the small area of Iceland where they needed to move livestock because of ash it didn't have too much of an effect. The biggest effect was the stopping of planes in many areas of Europe.

I think The PIT's suggestions above are more sensible than following the Iceland eruption.

Edited August 7, 2010 by coldfingers

[The PIT]

The only effect the Iceland eruption had on us was a bit of dust on the cars, odd the smell and air line industry lost money. The really positive effects were clear skies no noise and consider I don't live near a airport shows actually how much the human mind hears but discards information until it's missing.

However my previous suggestions are valid.

If you find out how to contact this guy it maybe worth asking him about effects Etna has in Sicily as well. I would go via eruptions owner though.

I would ask this guy http://scienceblogs.com/eruptions/2009/11/qa_dr_boris_behncke_answers_yo.php about effects Etna has on Sicily

Edited August 7, 2010 by The PIT

[coldfingers]

Well it's over a week since the top of Eyja has even been visible but tonight most of the glacier is clear. There does seem to be a small amount of steam still issuing from the top of the glacier so presumably the lava flow is holding a fair amount of heat. Not really possible at present to see if the crater is still steaming so hopefully the weather will clear further to give us a better view. The tremor rate is really low and so are the quakes on Eyja. A few more on Katla but nothing of note or to get excited about.

For anyone interested in geysers the following webcam is interesting. The geyser erupts every 4-5 mins, sometimes more often but that is rare. Quite a good show most days but a pain waiting for it. Worse than waiting for my son-in- law to be ready on time for anything! :lol:

Sorry, forgot to post the link. :blush: http://eldgos.mila.is/geysir/

Edited August 8, 2010 by coldfingers

[coldfingers]

Top of Eyja clear today and steaming well at least it looks darker than steam so not sure if it is just steam of a steam and ash mix. May just be it looks darker because the sun is behind it?

http://eldgos.mila.is/eyjafjallajokull-fra-thorolfsfelli/

http://eldgos.mila.is/eyjafjallajokull-fra-hvolsvelli/

Edited August 10, 2010 by coldfingers

[coldfingers]

Excerpt taken from the Eruptions Blog.

Over in Iceland, Eyjafjallajökull is being thanked for bringing a bumper crop of wheat to the southern part of the island. One of the wheat farmers, Olafur Eggertsson from Thorvaldseyri, says that he thinks the ash from the eruption helped by adding nutrients to the soil - although the especially warm summer for Iceland this year likely played an important role as well.

http://scienceblogs.com/eruptions/2010/08/odd_volcano_news_volcano_stadi.php

Nice to know some Icelanders got a bonus from the volcano this year. I certainly got a bonus in my enjoyment watching it and when I read the above I was pleased to know it was of benefit to somebody so that I didn't have to feel guilty as some had suggested at times.

[nightfire800]

Totally clear vieuw this morning and not even the smallest trace of steam anymore. It's really over now.

[coldfingers]

Totally clear vieuw this morning and not even the smallest trace of steam anymore. It's really over now.

All over and not even any shouting to focus on. I will continue to watch the tremor charts though to keep an eye on Katla and will also look forward to watching for the first snows on the webcams.

[Dorsetbred]

All over and not even any shouting to focus on. I will continue to watch the tremor charts though to keep an eye on Katla and will also look forward to watching for the first snows on the webcams.

The tops were covered in snow this morning

[coldfingers]

The tops were covered in snow this morning

Looks nice doesn't it? :lol:

For anyone yearning to see it all again the BBC news website has an interesting article with a video and links to older videos. Nice to see for one last time.

http://www.bbc.co.uk...europe-11039747

Edited August 22, 2010 by coldfingers

[Rustynailer]

Nice to see for one last time.

http://www.bbc.co.uk...europe-11039747

Famous last words there CF, I had better check where all the best links are and that they still work now you have said that lol

Or Will it be Katla next, personally I hope not as that will be too nasty it usually is, another bout of EJ will do me...

Russ

[Rainy]

Meanwhile ....

Enjoy this

http://live.mila.is/lonid/

[Will storm]

The volcano has a small plume this morning :/

http://live.mila.is/eyjafjallajokull-fra-hvolsvelli/