TheWanderer
1st Nov 2010, 17:25
This is from the Icelandic Newspaper "TheReykjavik Grapevine (http://grapevine.is/Home/ReadArticle/New-Volcano-Likely)":
New Volcano Likely
1.11.2010
Words by Paul Nikolov (http://grapevine.is/Author/Paul-Nikolov)
Photos by
A new volcano is likely to soon erupt in Iceland, according to an Icelandic geologist who spoke to RÚV.
Tremors have been reported around the Grímsvötn area of southeast Iceland over the weekend, and the glacial ice atop the mountains has begun to rapidly melt, causing flowing waters on par with flooding, the National Weather Service reports.
Geologist Páll Einarsson told RÚV that these combined indicators point to the impending arrival of a volcanic eruption under the ice. However, he adds, it is not his opinion that the eruption will be particularly catastrophic or devastating. This is due to how few people live in the path of the melting ice, and the better conditions of the roads than were present during Grímsvötn's 1998 eruption.
All the data that local scientists have rather indicate that the eruption will be on par with the one in 2004. Páll believes the eruption that will most likely result this time around will be "small and harmless".
Grapevine will keep you posted on any updates as they occur. IceNews (http://www.icenews.is/index.php/2010/11/01/flood-in-south-iceland-could-suggest-possible-volcano-eruption/) reports:
Flood in south Iceland could suggest possible volcano eruption (http://www.icenews.is/index.php/2010/11/01/flood-in-south-iceland-could-suggest-possible-volcano-eruption/)
Flooding began in the Gigjukvisl river in the south of Iceland yesterday afternoon after a small earthquake occurred at the Grimsvotn volcano in Vatnajokull. Gunnar Sigurdsson, a Hydrographic specialist working for the Icelandic Met Office (Vedurstofa Islands), told mbl.is that it may take 4-5 days for the flooding to reach a peak. Sigurdsson said, “The river flow is currently measuring 140 cubic meters per second which is about two times higher than a normal glacial river but it is still not very high compared to other floods. However, I except this number to increase over the coming days.”
Pall Einarsson, a geophysicist at the University of Iceland, also told mbl.is that the likelihood of the Grimsvotn volcano erupting following the end of the flood is not unlikely, although, it is somewhat difficult to predict at this early stage.
“In 2004, sufficient pressure accumilated in the magma chamber under Grimsvotn volcano. The same thing is happening now – there is currently a lot of magma in the magma chamber under pressure and it is therefore possible that the events of 2004 will repeat themselves.”
Hydrographic specialists will continue to monitor the flood tomorrow and the day after and activity at the Grimsvotn volcano will also be monitored.
So, let's wait and see what happenes... if something happenes...
New Volcano Likely
1.11.2010
Words by Paul Nikolov (http://grapevine.is/Author/Paul-Nikolov)
Photos by
A new volcano is likely to soon erupt in Iceland, according to an Icelandic geologist who spoke to RÚV.
Tremors have been reported around the Grímsvötn area of southeast Iceland over the weekend, and the glacial ice atop the mountains has begun to rapidly melt, causing flowing waters on par with flooding, the National Weather Service reports.
Geologist Páll Einarsson told RÚV that these combined indicators point to the impending arrival of a volcanic eruption under the ice. However, he adds, it is not his opinion that the eruption will be particularly catastrophic or devastating. This is due to how few people live in the path of the melting ice, and the better conditions of the roads than were present during Grímsvötn's 1998 eruption.
All the data that local scientists have rather indicate that the eruption will be on par with the one in 2004. Páll believes the eruption that will most likely result this time around will be "small and harmless".
Grapevine will keep you posted on any updates as they occur. IceNews (http://www.icenews.is/index.php/2010/11/01/flood-in-south-iceland-could-suggest-possible-volcano-eruption/) reports:
Flood in south Iceland could suggest possible volcano eruption (http://www.icenews.is/index.php/2010/11/01/flood-in-south-iceland-could-suggest-possible-volcano-eruption/)
Flooding began in the Gigjukvisl river in the south of Iceland yesterday afternoon after a small earthquake occurred at the Grimsvotn volcano in Vatnajokull. Gunnar Sigurdsson, a Hydrographic specialist working for the Icelandic Met Office (Vedurstofa Islands), told mbl.is that it may take 4-5 days for the flooding to reach a peak. Sigurdsson said, “The river flow is currently measuring 140 cubic meters per second which is about two times higher than a normal glacial river but it is still not very high compared to other floods. However, I except this number to increase over the coming days.”
Pall Einarsson, a geophysicist at the University of Iceland, also told mbl.is that the likelihood of the Grimsvotn volcano erupting following the end of the flood is not unlikely, although, it is somewhat difficult to predict at this early stage.
“In 2004, sufficient pressure accumilated in the magma chamber under Grimsvotn volcano. The same thing is happening now – there is currently a lot of magma in the magma chamber under pressure and it is therefore possible that the events of 2004 will repeat themselves.”
Hydrographic specialists will continue to monitor the flood tomorrow and the day after and activity at the Grimsvotn volcano will also be monitored.
So, let's wait and see what happenes... if something happenes...