Dramatic vision of the eruption Holuhraun - photo Lukas Gawenda 2015.
The eruption of Holuhraun / Nornahraun continues in a minor key ... which does not mean the end of the eruption, according to volcanologist Ármann Höskuldsson who speaks in an interview with RUV News.
The seismic activity, which began on the edge of the caldera of Bárðarbunga on August 16, 2014, decreased in the last month ... and a tendency to a rapid decrease is possible, as shown seismicity weekly charts at the caldera and the intrusive dyke (IMO).
Chart showing logarithmically the accumulated earthquakes per week respectively at Bárðarbunga and at the intrusive dyke. The red line marks the beginning of the eruption. We must interpret the trend of the curve, and does not take into account each point, which could lead to outliers. - Doc. IMO
Number and magnitude of earthquakes in the Vatnajökull 19.02.2015 / à10h15 - Doc IMO
Presentation by Armann Höskuldsson - photo Vizier / Fréttablaðið-VALLI
In case of the end of the eruption Holuhraun and persistence of seismicity in subsurface, the scenario could develop into an eruption of Bárðarbunga itself, according to Dr. Höskuldsson.
As he says in his colorful language: " The "mother of volcanoes" as he called Bárðarbunga is in turmoil, and the decrease in the eruption Holuraun / Nornahraun is a sign of alarm, as if another turn events was expected "... and he concluded as follows: " it is impossible for the mother (volcanoes) not manifest his presence. "
The IMO reported a total of 30 earthquakes on around the caldera, most grouped between 1:25 and 2:10, characteristics of seismic activity related to subsidence ... to watch !
"The Krafla fires" - eruption 15/09/1984 - photo Michael Ryan / USGS
The type of activity met at Holuraun could last a few years, as the "Fires of the Krafla" where this took place over a decade.
The eruptive cycle began in 1975 at Krafla, developed six eruptions until 1984. The fissure eruptions began western side of the caldera, and took place in a NS axis ... the site of each new fissure eruption moving to the N and E, with an increasingly important issue of materials.
Sources :
- Visir - „Bárðarbunga er mamman og börnin eru byrjuð að leika sér“ - link
- Bárðarbunga - decay of seismic activity - link
- The Krafla Fires - link
- Global Volcanism Program – Krafla
