Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull Volcano - Discussion Thread

[LadyPakal]

I'm getting all lyrical in my old age... and on that note, time to go home I think!

[coldfingers]

Overall the tremor charts are down to the lowest ever, I so hope this isn't the begining of the end, I keep trying to be positive but it looks worse every day.

Three small quakes today but mostly they are few and far between now, even the plume height is dropping.

[The PIT]

latest report which also suggests a slowing down in the eruption.

According to radar observations, the plume has been at around 5 km/18,000 ft. today. The volcano has not been visible for two days due to cloudy weather. Ash fall has only been reported at Fljótsdalur, the innermost farm in Fljótshlíð, beginning last night and continuing all day.

Melt water from the eruption site is still at a low. Water discharge in rivers around the Eyjafjallajökull glacier has decreased again after the increase caused by rainfall yesterday.

Radar images from TF-SIF show no major changes in the ice cauldrons where the cinder cone is forming. The eruption is mainly explosive and almost no lava flows down Gígjökull.

The height of the ash plume has decreased in the last few days which suggests a decrease in magma flow (considerably less than 50 tons/sec) compared to the flow over the weekend and at the end of last week. Fluctuations in eruption activity and varying ash fall can still be expected.

The above is based on a status report issued collectively by the Icelandic Meteorological Office and the Institute of Earth Sciences at 17:00.

[Tom D]

Could this not be the calm before the storm, ie pressure/magma transferring towards Katla?

Surely it could just be a dip in the activity too, and could increase again in a week or so.

[coldfingers]

latest report which also suggests a slowing down in the eruption.

The eruption is mainly explosive and almost no lava flows down Gígjökull.

The height of the ash plume has decreased in the last few days which suggests a decrease in magma flow (considerably less than 50 tons/sec) compared to the flow over the weekend and at the end of last week.

Sniff, sniff! I think Lady Eyja is dying. Looking at the tremor plot shows she is fading fast under her blankets.

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

She will be sadly missed but never forgotten.

[Darren Bown]

Im off on holiday next Thursday and I am desperate for ash to not come this way!

[coldfingers]

Im off on holiday next Thursday and I am desperate for ash to not come this way!

Looking like you shouldn't have too much of a problem I would have thought. Plume is pretty low at the moment so I wouldn't think it would be travelling far.

[Darren Bown]

True, coldfingers, the GFS is desperately trying to pull the plume southwards from Tuesday onwards, so hopefully a low plume will stop the extent of it!

[coldfingers]

True, coldfingers, the GFS is desperately trying to pull the plume southwards from Tuesday onwards, so hopefully a low plume will stop the extent of it!

Wish you luck and a safe journey.

Look at this, http://hraun.vedur.is/ja/Katla2009/gosplott.html She doesn't look like she is going to do a lot more belching for the forseeable future. If the tremor goes any lower it just wont register at all.

Edited May 20, 2010 by coldfingers

[Darren Bown]

Great stuff! Is there anything more on Katla's activity, or is she still dormant?

[coldfingers]

Great stuff! Is there anything more on Katla's activity, or is she still dormant?

A small quake a couple of hours ago. Just 1.3 and 2.9km depth. http://en.vedur.is/earthquakes-and-volcanism/earthquakes/myrdalsjokull/#view=map

I wouldn't read anything into that at the moment though. Would need to be a lot more quake activity regularly before anyone would get excited about it.

If I see five in one day I will show an interest but I still don't think it would prove a lot.

Edited May 20, 2010 by coldfingers

[Darren Bown]

Cool, well hope they both keep quiet for a couple of weeks!

[The PIT]

Probably a pause coming up for the eruption soon while it recharges and starts again.

As for the Ash no problem they'll just do new guidelines again so you'll be flying regardless.

[LadyPakal]

Thoro cam clearing somewhat and there is a lot of steam where the glacier used to be up top.

Is there also steam rising from one of the peaks above & to the left of it as well, or is it just cloud?

Edited May 21, 2010 by LadyPakal

[coldfingers]

Oh wow! She's just been playing dead. Look at the jump on the tremor chart. http://hraun.vedur.i...todvaplott.html

Just hope it's not the death rattle.

Thoro cam clearing somewhat and there is a lot of steam where the glacier used to be up top.

Is there also steam rising from one of the peaks above & to the left of it as well, or is it just cloud?

It is really hard to tell isn't it? I just saw a puff of steam from lower down also, maybe the rise in tremor was a fresh pulse of lava?

Edited May 21, 2010 by coldfingers

[The PIT]

Thoro cam clearing somewhat and there is a lot of steam where the glacier used to be up top.

Is there also steam rising from one of the peaks above & to the left of it as well, or is it just cloud?

Top one cloud the bottom steam. At the moment can see not a lot which is annoying.

[cooling climate]

This picture is taken from the Spaceweather.com website, taken yesterday which shows the ash plume

at 11,000km (over 35,000 feet). Tina Olholm Image taken:May. 20, 2010Location:The southwest side of Island.Details:I was leaving Island, as we spotted the vulvano Eyjafjallajokull in the altitude of 11.000 km. The ashsky was easy to observe from the windov of the aircraft.

Edited May 21, 2010 by cooling climate

[coldfingers]

The god tremor chart has by far the steepest rise. Could this one be originating from Katla this timeand Eyja picking up that signal?

Not trying to worry anyone but it just seems strange to me.. Hopefully someone can put me right on the complexities of these charts.

Bother!! Cancel the above, it has just been adjusted downward! Still the high rise is being sustained on Eyja.

Edited May 21, 2010 by coldfingers

[LadyPakal]

I've been expecting something - a bit like a horror movie when you know there is a huge man-eating shark in the water but all is calm and quiet and someone has just gone for a swim...

Long way to go before it really registers compared to long term activity though: http://hraun.vedur.is/ja/Katla2009/gosplott.html

From the eruptions blog, #257 latest entry FYI:

'It appears that IMO web site has frozen up. I am recording earthquakes that don't show up on IMO web page when they should.'

Edited May 21, 2010 by LadyPakal

[coldfingers]

'It appears that IMO web site has frozen up. I am recording earthquakes that don't show up on IMO web page when they should.'

I did wonder why there hadn't been a single quake in the whole country since midnight.

Flir thermal cam is finally 'readable' and a lot of heat showing in a long line down the slope.

Those tremor charts are looking really interesting now.... but I have to be out all day.

Edited May 21, 2010 by coldfingers

[cooling climate]

Refering to my earlier post I find it strange that the latest Icelandic update plus our own

met office, John Seach volcano news and the international volcano research centre had the

plume yesterday between 4 and 6km yet from the earlier post I made it shows the plume

at 11km.

[picog]

Activity looking much weaker now, and no real hot spots showing on the FLIR cam. Lots of ash on the top of the hill/mountain opposite though!

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

[LadyPakal]

EQs map updated now the IMO site is working. http://en.vedur.is/earthquakes-and-volcanism/earthquakes/myrdalsjokull/#view=table

[LadyPakal]

INteresting comment on the eruptions blog.

Comment 17 from here: http://scienceblogs.com/eruptions/2010/05/a_closer_look_at_the_eyjafjall.php#comments

'The following is a comment from a friend at the FAA/Engine Safety Division, regarding the effect of ash on airplane engines:

The engineers have been working every day to try to establish an objective "safe" level of ash in order to allow air carriers to operate. Their conclusion is that a low density, the ash cloud is about the same as flying into and out of Bombay, India, with all its air pollution. The real question is who is going to bear the burden of the extra maintenance required after flying through that kind of debris. It may be safe, but it will cause more rapid deterioration of internal engine parts that will have to be replaced sooner than expected. My bet is that you will see the costs of tickets rise to account for that extra cost.'

[Crimson_Sprite]

It seems as if the IMO is lagging in its time-line for recorded quakes (like its a few hours out of date) but has anyone noticed the increased earthquake activity around Katla? Only small tremors, and I know its not a big thing, but interesting none the less!! Usually you only see about 1 earthquake under her every few days if not longer, and now there is 4 in less than 24 hours! hmmmmm.....