Earthquake Swarm and Possible Dike Intrusion at Krísuvík Volcano in Iceland

There is not a whole lot going on in the world in respect to new eruptions or volcanoes at this moment, however Iceland is always fascinating to watch. Today there was a swarm of quakes just SW of the Kleifarvatn lake, just south of the epicenter of Krísuvík volcano. The quakes were shallow, weak, and numerous, but the area is highly active, much like most of Iceland. Most of the quakes registered below a 1.0 magnitude, but were clearly seen on the many Icelandic seismic sensors. The are is home to many thermal vents, as well as hot springs, fumeroles, and fissures.

The last known eruption of Krísuvík volcano was in the 14th century (the 1500's). A few eruptions have taken place at this location after Iceland was settled, but nothing in recent times. It is probable that this swarm will not lead to an eruption any time soon, but Iceland sits on a spreading fault, so it is not a matter of if, but when this volcano will erupt again.

There are several volcanoes in Iceland that are expected to erupt at least within the next 10 years. Those are Katla, Askja, Grimsvötn (or Grimsfjall, Grimsnes), Hekla, and the Reykjanes Ridge, all of which show heightened seismic and thermal activity. However for most of these volcanoes, it is normal to display some kind of activity, and no eruption for any of these, save probably Katla and Hekla, are certain.

Icelands last major eruptions were from Eyjafjallajökull, and Grimsvötn. The Grimsvötn eruption, while spectacular to watch, was nowhere near as big a deal as the Eyjafjallajökull eruption which caused widespread economic damage due to flights to and from Europe being grounded for weeks because of the ash cloud it produced. The ash from Grimsvötn is much more coarse and larger grained than the very fine and powdery ash produced by the Eyjafjallajökull eruption, and thus fell to the earth quickly and did not get picked up by the jet stream.

The activity at Krísuvík can be attributed to a few causes. For one, Iceland is one of the worlds largest users of hydrothermal/geothermal energy, and regularly injects water into hot rocks to produce steam. This does sometimes cause swarms of quakes to occur, and it is rather hard to tell whether or not this could be related, but as the quakes happened on an active spreading fault, I suspect this is not the case, rather a small magma dike intrusion probably occurred.

Around the world most dormant volcanoes are sleeping or slowly rumbling away. Mt Etna did display some nice activity this weekend, but other than Etna's fireworks show, most active volcanoes showed relatively little activity during the month. Not good for us volcano bloggers out there to tell a story, but hey, the Earth does what it wants on its own time with little concern for my Google money! Hopefully this post is at least a good diversion! I'll post more as it occurs!

6.2 Mag Quake Strikes Chile Near Bio-Bio

A 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck today near Bio-Bio in Chile, off the coast. No tsunami warning was issued (at least according to the few reports I read). The quake was at a depth of 29.7KM, and was followed by a 4.9 aftershock. The town of Tome' was the hardest hit, with shaking in the area characterized as strong-very strong on the USGS scale. The quake was felt further inland.

Chile is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and resides entirely on the rim of the Pacific Ring of Fire, the tectonic plate boundary where the majority of Earth's active volcanoes are located.

Chile has seen some very strong quakes in recent years, with an 8.8, and 9.0 striking last year alone. The 9.0 quake did cause a tsunami, that resulted in only one fatality (a guy from my hometown no less!) where a man was taking pictures of the wave at his own risk, and got swept up the West Coast from California and ended up in Oregon. Some damage was caused by the tsunami in various ports where boats got knocked together, and a minor wave also 'hit' Hawaii, although this caused little damage as well.

There is no word yet on whether or not the current quake caused any damage or injuries. 

Costa Rica's Turrialba Volcano Alert Level Raised To Yellow

Costa Rica's Turrialba volcano has been raised to alert level "Yellow" in response to reports of increased seismicity, and emissions. Residents and pilots reported seeing a gas plume (possibly containing ash), and some photos seem to confirm this (below). Turriabla has had several major explosive eruptions in the last 3200 years, with most historical activity being fairly small (some phreatic eruptions and minor explosive events). It is anyone's guess as to how this particular volcano will behave if it does decide to erupt.

Turrialba Volcano in Costa Rica (Credit not given from original website)

Increase emissions with ash and gas do not always lead to a major event. The volcano Cerro Hudson in Chile recently came out of 'hibernation' and gave a small 'burp' of ash and gas for a couple days, but then quieted down quickly. As the M.O. for Turrialba seems to be many brief, weak events, with the very occasional large event, this event will likely be small and brief. Time will tell.

Costa Rica has many active volcanoes, 5 of which are the typical repeat offenders (Poas, Irizu, Arenal, Rincon de la Vieja, and Turrialba) as far as frequent eruptions. Of the volcanoes in Costa Rica, only a few have little to no historical volcanic activity (Tenorio, Miravalles, Orosi, an Platanar). The four least active volcanoes doe however display hydrothermal or fumerolic activity, and were considered to be of Holocene age by the Smithsonian GVP, and their referenced volcanologists.

Costa Rica, like most Latin-American countries, the US, and Canada lie on the Pacific Ring of Fire. Costa Rica, is prone to frequent eruptions from Poas, and Arenal (very rare to see these volcanoes dormant).

Yemeni Volcano Jebel Zubair Erupts (VIDEO)

John Seach Reports:

"Yemeni volcano Jebel Zubair has entered an eruptive phase (below)

Zubair Islands, Yemen

15.05 N, 42.18 E
summit elevation 191 m
Shield volcano

Jebel Zubair Volcano is located in the Red Sea, Yemen. Eruptions have formed the islands of Zubair, Centre Peak, Saba, and Haycock. 

Eruptions occurred at Saddle Island in the 19th century. Thee islands form the summit of a submarine rise. The volcanic cone is barren and rises 191 m above sea level.

2011 Eruption
A possible eruption occurred at Zubair volcano on 19th December 2011. Fishermen from Salif port city in the west of Yemen reported seeing an eruption with red lava rising to a height of 30 m. This was the first eruption the fisherman can recall from the area. Satellite images showed raised sulphur dioxide emissions close to the volcano on the following day"

From the Smithsonian GVP:
"The 5-km-long Jebel Zubair Island is the largest of a group of 10 small islands and submerged shoals that rise from a shallow platform in the Red Sea rift. The platform and eruptive vents forming the islands and shoals are oriented NNW-SSE, parallel to the rift. An early explosive phase was followed by a brief period of marine erosion, and then by renewed explosive activity accompanied by the extrusion of basaltic pahoehoe lava flows. This latest phase of activity occurred on the morphologically youngest islands of Zubair, Centre Peak, Saba, and Haycock. Historical explosive activity was reported from Saddle Island in the 19th century. Spatter cones and pyroclastic cones were erupted along fissures that form the low spine of Zubair Island."

(Now from me)

About two years ago now, another volcano on the same tectonic spread erupted, named Jebel al-Tair. That eruption was witnessed by a Coast Guard ship on patrol at the area. The island held a small Yemeni military contingent which was evacuated. At least two seven people died either swimming into the water in a panic to escape the lava, or from toxic gas. The new eruption is the island directly south of this volcano.

This could end up being a crustal trend in the area, although this is speculative. There are two other holocene volcanic islands to the SSE of Jebel al-Tair, and Jebel Zubair, which are morphologically fresh, although neither have a record of historical eruptions. The area is quite remote however, so it would not surprise me in the least if these islands had erupted behind our backs once or twice. Below is a screenshot from Google Earth of the Jebel Zubair volcanic island chain.
 

****UPDATE****

There seems to be some confusion as to whether or not this is Jebel Zubair, or Jebel al-Tair volcano. You can read about the confusion at Wired.com for yourself. Apparently, local reports place the eruption at Zubair, but satellite images are confusing. There does appear to be a steam/gas plume over Zubair, but satellite images show SO2 emissions over Al-Tair. It could even be that BOTH volcanoes may be showing signs of activity, which would not be entirely surprising. However, I have not known John Seach to post anything about an eruption unless he has confirmation somehow, so I honestly don't know who to believe at this point... interesting, nonetheless. 

Information from this part of Yemen and the Arabian rift is hard to come by. The area is not very populated, and the military outpost on Jebel al-Tair was destroyed in the last eruption, which was really one of the only "populated" (in quotes because 15 people does not a population make) island in the area. Reports will likely be few and far between, as far as Western Media.

*****UPDATE 1/5/12*****

Video footage via helicopter has been released!

Sierraville, CA Quake Swarm Returns

A quake swarm has again occurred (and is possibly ongoing) under Sierraville, CA at approximately the same depth as the previous quake swarm. The previous swarm was determined to be minor magma dike intrusion, which is also likely the case here. There is still no risk of a volcanic eruption, the intrusion is taking place at around 30-40KM beneath the surface, so it is still quite far.

The Sierraville swarm is an interesting one to watch. The area does not have any recent eruptive history, however hot springs and fumeroles can be found near the area.

The current continuation of the quake swarm occurred between December 29th, and January 3rd. Two quakes of mag 1.4 and 1.2 occurred today at a depth of 33KM.
                            

The Sierraville swarm has been felt by residents unaccustomed to frequent quakes. Given the fact that we know these quakes are volcanic intrusions, I'm sure the residents may be a bit nervous. But this swarm will likely never result in an eruption due to its depth. Indeed many magma dike intrusions never result in a surface eruption. It does not mean it's impossible, but I'd try your luck at the lottery first if I were a betting man.

Anyhow, something interesting to watch.

Sierra, CA Earthquake Swarm Resumes

Sierra CA has experienced another minor swarm of earthquakes in the same region as the previous swarm. The previous swarm was determined to be magma dike intrusion by geologists, although the intrusion is at a fairly deep depth and has very little if no chance of breaching the surface.

The below screenshot from Google Earth with the USGS KML file enabled details the locations of the quakes. They all occur at a depth of approximately 30KM or deeper.

                                  

The Sierra swarm is of little consequence to the community aside from the periodic shakes, however if the quakes do become shallower, they will be felt more strongly. There is very little chance of a new volcano or vent opening up (but as always, it is not impossible). While this event series is NOT tectonic in nature, the depth at which it is occurring does nto signal a volcanic eruption.

There are to my knowledge, very few news agencies reporting on this, so don't hope to find anyone else on the 'net!

Mono Lake Earthquake Swarm Ends

There has been no renewed activity at Mono Lake since the last post. The swarm at this time appears to be over. If the area does have some more earthquakes, they will likely be small and shallow (~5km) and become less frequent. This could have been magma dike intrusion, or even cryptodome intrusion, as the area does have a history of that. However given the seismographs I've reviewed in comparison to past tectonic events, this event was likely purely tectonic/structural and will likely not result in any eruptive activity.

Mono Lake has not had an explosive eruptive event in human history, but has a rather unique geological past. The last activity to occur in the area resulted int he intrusion of a rhyolitic cryptodome, which in turn created some hydrothermal activity resulting in the extrusion of the famed tufa towers. The lake has since been of particular interest to astrobiologists (those that study the biology of potentially extraterrestrial life forms) due to the presence of bacteria that thrive on the element arsenic.

The area is an extension (as some claim) of the Long Valley Caldera, a dormant supervolcano (similar to Yellowstone) that has experienced long periods of uplift and subsidence since the 1970's. Long Valley Caldera is monitored by the USGS at the Long Valley Observatory (http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/lvo/) but the observatory does not often keep up to date with Mono Lake. 

Eruption At Jebel Zubair Confirmed, New Island Forms (VIDEO)

NASA has finally put the confusion to rest as to whether it was Jebel al-Tair or Jebel Zubair that was erupting in the Red Sea. NASA has posted new pictures of the new island as seen from space. Several news outlets have published the before and after pictures (link provided above), which clearly shows a brand new, steaming volcanic island in the Jebel Zubair volcanic island chain. This puts to rest any question as to what island was erupting.

The Red Sea Rift has been a bit more active lately with an eruption of Jebel al-Tair preceding the eruption at Jebel Zubair. There are no historical records of eruptions at Jebel Zubair that I am aware of, but I will check my volcano almanac tonight and this statement may change. Historical explosive activity was reported from Saddle Island in the 19th century (-GVP).

Enjoy the pictures of the new island! I can't help but be a bit miffed that I have been sitting and watching the eruption of El Hierro with the hopes of seeing the moment where the volcano breaks the surface, and then one goes and does it behind all our backs! This new island in the Jebel Zubair chain was built quite quickly, and its structure looks pretty solid from the pictures. Many new volcanoes are quickly eroded and reclaimed by the sea within days to decades, so it will be interesting to see if this is a permanent addition, or if it's going to be a temporary island.

Below is a link to good video from Yemeni TV of the new island erupting!

Video from Yemeni TV of the eruption

Pictured below are the before and after shots of Jebel Zubair:

Jebel Zubair Before Eruption

Jebel Zubair After Eruption

Earthquakes Continue At Katla, Reykjanes Peninsula

Earthquakes continued to be present within Katla's caldera under the Mýrdalsjökull glacier in Iceland. Approximately 13 quakes have occurred within the last 72 hours, most under 1.5 magnitude. These quakes have been ongoing for a while now, ever since the last minor/small eruption at Katla earlier this year when a glacier outburst flood (Jökulhlaup) resulted in some minor damage to bridges and infrastructure. Katla has been relatively quiet since, with some scientists seeing the minor eruption as a precursor to something bigger, however they point out that is just speculation.

It is entirely possible however that these small quakes are merely crustal adjustments, with more ice being deposited on the Mýrdalsjökull glacier during the peak of Winter. Slight harmonic tremor has been detected, which could also indicate minor dike intrusion into the caldera, but again, that is speculative.

Also in Iceland there has been an ongoing swarm of earthquakes at the Reykjanes peninsula, occurring near the volcano Hengill, in the Hveragerdi thermal area. These quakes are likely due to geothermal projects in the area, much like what is occurring at Clear Lake in California, at the Geysers geothermal field. Injecting water and chemicals miles deep to interact with superheated rock results in steam and steam pressure coming up to the surface, which in turn power turbines creating electrical and heat energy. Iceland is home to some of the largest and most advanced geothermal energy production plants in the world, with the entire country now using almost completely renewable energy. This does however, come with the trade-off of near constant small quakes. I suppose it is less annoying to Icelanders than it is to Californians, given Iceland's sparse population and the frequency of eruptions and earthquakes in the area.

In any case, the quakes at Reykjanes are likely man-made, however the area is active thermally (obviously), and the last eruption was "only" a thousand years ago. The area lies on the spreading ridge which separates the American and European plate, and will erupt in the future (as with the rest of Iceland's volcanoes that share this rifting system). The rift itself spreads at a rate about the same as a growing fingernail, and has created some of Iceland's most spectacular geological features, such as the famed Thingvallir rift valley, the site of one of the first democratic councils in the world's history (due to its formation, leaders would sit atop a natural "throne" and speak down to their population, with resounding acoustics).

Back to Katla, it will probably have an eruption one of these days, however I want to point out that the mainstream media is hyping this possibility to ridiculous levels. It's not going to be a doomsday scenario, it's not going to be a major disaster as Icelanders are VERY aware of the possibility and likely have plenty of emergency contingencies to prepare for the worst, and the media hype is the direct fault of Eyjafjallajokull, who's ash cloud made some airlines very nervous. The effect, if any, of another ash cloud over Europe this time around will be smaller, as airlines fed up with having to deal with natural occurrences such as eruptions have invented a new system for airplanes to detect airborne ash called A.V.O.I.D. (I think this stands for Automated Volcanic Object Infrared Detector... something along those lines) which combines infrared, GPS, satellite, and air sample data to enable pilots to alter course without putting any aircraft at risk of volcanic ash being sucked into jet engines.

More on this if anything develops.

6.6 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Russia Near Mongolia Border

A shallow (4.29mi) 6.6 magnitude quake hit Russia in the state of Tuva yesterday. This area is rugged, and remote, with very little in the way of population. No damage has been reported. The nearest volcanic center is almost 150 miles away, the Oka Plateau (Holocene). This quake is tectonic, not volcanic. There will likely be some small aftershocks.

The shake map provided by USGS shows that the quake was felt far from its epicenter, if only by a few people.

If anything further develops, I will update this post.

*****UPDATE 12/28/11******

At least 5 more strong aftershocks ranging from magnitudes 4.6-4.9 have hit the area since the main quake so far. 

Continuing Earthquake Activity At Mono Lake

Mono Lake quake swarm continues. As of this writing there have been now more than 40 localized quakes SE of the lake, concentrated in a 2 mile cluster on the surface, with most quakes occurring at a depth of approximately 5-6km. This so far has still not been reviewed or analyzed by any USGS authority that I am aware of. It is entirely possible that they consider this to be routine activity. I would however be pleased to see an analysis whether or not there is any harmonic tremor, or if these quakes are in any way volcanic in nature.

The last eruptions of Mono Lake occurred a 'mere' couple hundred years ago, when a  rhyolitic cryptodome uplifted parts of the lake, and created the famed tufa towers along the lake rim. There are tens of volcanic cones and other volcanic features in the area, which is also close, but not related to, the Long Valley Caldera. Other quake swarms have occurred further to the ESE or the Mono Lake Swarm, and this raises the question as to whether or not these quakes are preceding a minor eruption in the area.

Time will tell. This could be purely tectonic, but judging by the locations and depths of these quakes, it is my opinion that this ought to be looked at by geologists and an analysis should be made public. I will continue to monitor the situation.

As requests (in comments below) come in as to what tool I am using to monitor the quakes, I have provided links to the very USGS plugin I use for Google Earth. I find it extremely useful.

In any case, here is a screenshot of the latest data that the KML file provides. Data is updated every 5 minutes, with earthquakes in the last hour appearing as red, the last 24 hours as orange, and the last week as yellow. Clicking on each dot will being up the details of the quake, with links to the official USGS analysis.

Enjoy the screenshots!

                            

7.1 Earthquake Strikes Papua New Guinea

A very strong mag 7.1 earthquake hit the mainland of Papua New Guinea about 13.5m SE of the Koranga geothermal area where a lot of illegal gold mining occurs. The Koranga geothermal area has not had any magmatic eruption, rather it has had either a man made explosion int he past, or this was a hydrothermal eruption. In any case, the quake will likely destabilize the area, and this puts illegal gold miners at risk.

The quake occurred at a depth of around 75 miles, and was not expected to generate a tsunami based on its location.

The quake due to its depth is not expected to destabilize any other volcanic areas in the country, although this is always a possibility. Papua New Guinea lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, and is prone to volcanic eruptions, and large earthquakes.

Uturuncu Decoded, Magma Injecting Into Deep Chamber, Upset By Earthquakes

In an earlier post about the Bolivian volcano Uturuncu, I had pointed out that this volcano was rapidy inflating at a rate of up to 1.5cm a year (breakneck inflation geologically speaking). At the time I was not able to find out a whole lot of info about Uturuncu volcano, but the story I wrote got massive attention by several websites, and eventually some of the more professional media picked up on the story. I'll provide links to those articles below.

After reading the articles, which actually include a comprehensive scientific analysis of Uturuncu and its magma chamber, it has become apparent that this is a volcano to keep an eye on. It is massive, and has active fumeroles at the summit, however it has not erupted for hundreds of thousands of years. The article states that seismicity has been mapped, and a low-velocity zone lies underneath the volcano. They are at this point assuming that the low velocity zone implies partially melted crustal material, which they refer to as "crystal mush". This is similar to Yellowstone Volcano's low-velocity zone, and Campi Flegrei, Naples.

The articles and scientific analysis state that after a large 8.8 earthquake in the area in 2010, hundreds of quakes were recorded afterward under Uturuncu. This means that the crust has become upset with the activity, and is allowing magma to feed into the chamber of Uturuncu, thus the inflation we are seeing today. This does not, however, mean an eruption is imminent or close to happening. Magma chambers often can inflate with little to no surface activity... just look at Yellowstone.

Indeed due to the size of the volcano, the pressures would need to be IMMENSE to cause a full scale eruption, and at this point that is unlikely to occur in a short period of time. If inflation is consistent and the uplift does not cease at some point, this likely would lead to a large eruption. Thankfully, this volcano is not very close to any population centers, but an explosion would likely generate a very significant amount of ash, which can travel very long distances once it is picked up by the jetstream.

Check out the links below and get all the cool facts about this fascinating sleeping giant!

http://www.science20.com/tuff_guy/earthquakes_uturuncu_volcano-85017
http://www.springerlink.com/content/p2q52un028226h7v/

Indonesia's Mount Gamalama Forces Evacuations

Indonesia

Mount Gamalama erupted with force today, forcing residents of Ternate Island out of their homes on the slope of the volcano, and into five shelters. A total of 1,200 people so far have been placed in these shelters. Video from the area shows heavy rain mixing with ash, causing lahars and other problems. Some areas will likely be destroyed by this eruption, as the mix of ash and rain creates a sort of liquid cement that demolishes everything in its path.

The volcano is erupting a large amount of ash, and lava is descending the slopes. No fatalities have been caused by the eruption as of yet, and I suspect Indonesia is well prepared to handle such volcanic disasters, as they have more active volcanoes on their islands than most other places in the world. Indonesia lies on the so called Pacific Ring of Fire, and has hundreds if not thousands of volcanoes on all of its islands, most of them with historical activity records.

Another Indonesian volcano is also showing signs of activity, as Australian volcanologist John Seach reported:

"Sundoro volcano in central Java was raised to level 2 alert on 6th December 2011 after an increase in seismicity. The temperature of fumaroles at the summit increased from 75 deg C on 26th November to 95 deg C on 2nd December. On 2nd December a plume from the summit rose several tens of metres above the rim of the crater. The number of volcanic earthquakes were measured as 3 in October, 13 in November and 20 between 1-4 December. A 2 km exclusion zone has been placed around the volcano. The last eruption of Sundoro volcano occurred in 1971."

Alaska's Gareloi Volcano Showing Harmonic Tremor

Alaska's Gareloi volcano, in the Aleutian Islands, appears to be displaying strong harmonic tremor. AVO states "Seismic station GAEA is 3.3 km (2.0 miles) from the summit of Mount Gareloi", so this does appear to be directly monitoring the volcano. Note the increasing strength of the tremor, similar to the tremor recently observed at El Hierro in the Canary Islands during its current eruptive phase. (Image Below)

Gareloi is a very remote volcano on the SE of the Bering Sea, and thus visual reports from the area are few and far between. It is indeed possible that volcanoes regularly erupt in this area without anyone noticing due to inclement weather, and sparse population. The recent eruption/lava dome extrusion that occurred on Cleveland volcano this past few months was only observed through satellite photos, which are expensive to schedule, so it would not surprise me in the very least if AVO never confirms an eruption at Gareloi (although you can email them, and they do usually respond, which is nice).

Gareloi is one of the Aleutian Islands most active volcanoes, having had several historical eruptions. Below is information from Smithsonian GVP:

"The 8 x 10 km diameter Gareloi Island, the northernmost volcano of the Delarof Group at the western end of the Andreanof Islands, consists of a stratovolcano with two summits and a SE-trending fissure. This prominent fissure was formed during an eruption in 1929 and extends from the southern summit to the sea. Steep sea cliffs that are cut into rocks of an older, eroded center are found on the SW coast. Young lava flows cover the older volcano from the 1573-m-high summit of Gareloi to the coast along three broad axes trending NW, ENE, and south. The 1929 eruption originated from 13 craters along a 4-km-long fissure. Phreatic explosions were followed by the ejection of glassy pumice, lapilli, scoria, and older blocks, as well as by the emission of four short, steep lava flows, one of which reached the SE coast."

Indonesia's Mount Gamalama Erupts, Closing Airports

Another of Indonesia's volcanoes erupted today, causing airports to shut down near Halmahera. Mount Gamalama sent clouds of gray ash high into the air, while locals reported seeing lava descent from the summit down the volcano's flanks. The last major eruption of Gamalama was in 2003, and had similar affects on the local population.

From Smithsonian GVP:

Gamalama (Peak of Ternate) is a near-conical stratovolcano that comprises the entire island of Ternate off the western coast of Halmahera and is one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes. The island of Ternate was a major regional center in the Portuguese and Dutch spice trade for several centuries, which contributed to the thorough documentation of Gamalama's historical activity. Three cones, progressively younger to the north, form the summit of Gamalama, which reaches 1715 m. Several maars and vents define a rift zone, parallel to the Halmahera island arc, that cuts the volcano. Eruptions, recorded frequently since the 16th century, typically originated from the summit craters, although flank eruptions have occurred in 1763, 1770, 1775, and 1962-63.

New Activity in Grímsvötn Volcano, Iceland

Several sources are reporting harmonic tremor at Grímsvötn volcano in Iceland. Grímsvötn volcano had its largest eruption in 140 years just months ago in May of 2011, which was approximately 10 times the size of the eruption at Eyjafjallajökull in 2010. The eruption at Grímsvötn however fell upon favorable winds for Europe, and did not cause the same amount of airway chaos as the 2010 eruption.

Reports thus far are that the tremor in Grímsvötn is much higher and stronger than the tremor that led up to its last eruption. This however does not mean that an eruption is imminent, or going to occur for sure. Harmonic tremor does typically indicate magma movement, but it could also be hydrothermal. In any case, the tremor could merely mean that the magma chamber is beginning to inflate again, and this could stop at any time if the pressure is right.

Grímsvötn is one of Iceland's most active volcanoes, and also one of the largest. Its remote location in the middle of the Grimsfjall glacier, the largest in Iceland, makes it a relatively safe volcano, all things considered. It has however had massive eruptions that in the past have discharged incredible amounts of glacial melt water into the ocean. The last eruption, though powerful, did not last long enough to melt a significant portion of the glacier, though floods did occur.

More Quakes Added To Mono Lake Quake Swarm

At this time, the quakes in the initial Mono Lake swarm have reached over 15 shallow tremors East of the lake. No news from geologists as of yet on this, however the quakes do seem to be getting deeper, not shallower, which could be a good thing volcanically speaking... or not. There are a couple possibilities.

One possibility is that surface activity regarding the quakes is sending tectonic tension downward, eventually causing lower and lower depth quakes, with some upper region quakes accompanying that activity. The second possibility is that the surface tension has been broken, allowing for magma intrusion from a lower depth. As far as I know, that's the only reason for a shallow initial swarm, with lower depth tremors following. The only other explanation is that these quakes are possibly precursors to a larger one, or that these are simply tectonic in nature.

In any case, since nobody is really covering this yet, I'm keeping my eye on it. I highly doubt this has the possibility to lead to an eruption, but as the saying goes, speculation is useless. 

Growing Fears About Katla Eruption (And Why You Should Pay No Attention)

Previously I've written about Katla, Iceland's large volcano capped by a glacier, next door to the now infamous Eyjafjallajokull volcano. In that article I mentioned that Katla is a ticking time bomb, and an eruption from Katla would likely be devastating economically, and possibly physically, as molten lava crashes into glacial ice causing immense explosions. However I did state in that article that "attempting to predict when an eruption will happen is a waste of time, as is proven time and again."

The News Media in the UK does not seem to understand this. An article released by the BBC today has a lot of great facts about Katla, but injected a silly notion into the article that "An eruption is imminent" or "long overdue".... I'm sorry, I didn't know we were on the BBC's schedule when it came to volcanoes erupting... I was under the impression that volcanoes erupt when conditions are right, conditions that only the volcano knows.

So I want to be QUITE clear about this. Katla WILL LIKELY ERUPT in the future, but it is IMPOSSIBLE to say when. Like I said in a previous post, it could be a matter of hours, days, weeks, months, or even years, decades, or centuries. Heck, it might not even blow up at all, and simply seethe as other volcanoes of the world do. The point is, trying to play up the possibility of a massive eruption by calling it "Imminent" or "Overdue" is presumptuous and damaging to good science.

In any case, here is the real info on Katla. Yes, it may have had a minor eruption this year which caused a glacier outburst flood and damaged some roads and a bridge. Yes, Katla has indeed had over 500 earthquakes in the last month within the caldera. And yes, historically speaking, we should be aware of Katla after an eruption from Eyjafjoll... but these are all merely indicators that "the volcano is active, and not dead", and it does not mean that a volcano eruption is "Imminent" or "Overdue". The same thing could be said about Yellowstone Volcano, that it breathes in and out, has active geysers, and many many swarms of earthquakes... yet it has not erupted in our lifetime, or in historical time.

So before you go getting all panicky about an eruption from Katla, just remember who you're reading about the volcano from. The BBC, much like any news organization, is out to make money, not promote sound science. The more people they can get worrying about a supposed doomsday scenario, the more bad press they sell. Iceland is furious about the bad coverage about Katla, and is trying its best to get the truth out, so I will help them.

So to recap, yep, Katla isn't dead, it is an active volcano. That's the only fact you'll find that you can stake your reputation on. Other than that, yeah, its a dangerous volcano and probably will erupt. Saying when, again, is STUPID, unscientific, and foolish. Let's just say, I personally would not go hiking to the summit any time soon. Other than that, don't lose any sleep over Katla if you don't live in Iceland... and even if you do, you're probably fine.

Small Quake Swarm At Mono Lake Volcano (California)

Mono Craters, California
12/1/2011

A series of small quakes ranging from magnitude 1.9 to 2.5 occurred and is ongoing today just east of the shore of Mono Lake. The quakes were relatively shallow, from 5km underground to less than a quarter mile. The quakes were clustered in a somewhat linear direction, making it very possible this is just tectonic stress, but as is the case for most volcanoes, there is always the possibility for magma movement. The events have not undergone review as of yet by scientists, so speculation about the quakes is useless. A picture is posted below:

The Mono Lake, and surrounding Inyo Craters/Mammoth Mountain/Long Valley area are all volcanic areas and small quakes here are quite common. Every once in a while there is a scare in the area when it comes to the specter of an eruption. In the early 90's, tree kill occurred at Mammoth Mountain, and caused at least one fatality due to the inhalation of CO2 gases released from the ground. This was thought by scientists to be related to dike intrusion under Mammoth Mountain.

Mono Lake has had at lest one eruption in historical time, the last being somewhere between 100, and 250 years BP (Before Present). During this eruption, a rhyolitic cryptodome grew underneath the lake, resulting in the formation of spectacular "Tufa Towers" that stand around the rim of the lake like gigantic garden gnomes. The water in the lake is high in arsenic, and it was recently discovered that certain microbes in the water actually feed on and process arsenic, much to the amazement of biologists. This of course bolsters NASA's stance that where life can exist, it will.

At present nobody has raised the alert level at Mono Lake or sounded any alarms, so there is most likely no risk of any sort of eruption at this time. However the swarm just started today and it's probably worth keeping an eye on, as this area is home to some pretty large volcanoes. As of this morning, this concentrated area of earthquake activity has recorded about 8 tremors, which have all occurred within a few hours of themselves, with another one just having occurred as I am writing this.

From Smithsonian GVP:


"The Mono Lake volcanic field east of Yosemite National Park and north of the Mono Craters consists of vents within Mono Lake and on its north shore. The most topographically prominent feature, Black Point, is an initially sublacustral basaltic cone that rises above the NW shore and was formed about 13,300 years ago when Mono Lake was higher. Holocene rhyodacitic lava domes and flows form Negit and parts of Paoha islands off the northern shore and center of the lake, respectively. The most recent eruptive activity in the Long Valley to Mono Lake region took place 100-230 years ago, when lake-bottom sediments forming much of Paoha Island were uplifted by intrusion of a rhyolitic cryptodome (Stine, in Bailey et al. 1989). Spectacular tufa towers line the shores of Mono Lake."