More than 8 000 earthquakes near Keilir, Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland
The earthquake swarm that began just SSW of Keilir in the Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland on September 27, 2021, has produced more than 8 200 earthquakes by October 6, 2021. The quakes are occurring not far from the ongoing Fagradalsfjall eruption at depths between 5 and 7 km (3.1 to 4.3 miles) below the surface.
In 48 hours to 08:57 UTC on October 6, a total of 177 earthquakes have been detected in the area, 17 of them M2+ and 4 M3+.
14 earthquakes with magnitudes above 3 have been recorded since the start of the swarm, with the largest M4.2 at 15:32 UTC on October 2.
"They have been felt in the Reykjanes peninsula and in the southwestern part of Iceland," IMO said.1
The earthquakes could be a sign that magma is collecting below ground, but they are still far from the surface.
Geological summary
The Krýsuvík-Trölladyngja volcanic system is described by the Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes as an approximately 50 km (31 miles) long composite fissure swarm trending about N38°E, including a 30 km (18 miles) long swarm of fissures, with no central volcano.
It is one of the volcanic systems arranged en-echelon along the Reykjanes Peninsula west of Kleifarvatn lake.
The Fagradalsfjall and Krýsuvík fissure swarms are considered splits or secondary swarms of the Krýsuvík–Trölladyngja volcanic system.
Small shield volcanoes have produced a large portion of the erupted volume within the system.
Several eruptions have taken place since the settlement of Iceland, including the eruption of a large basaltic lava flow from the Ogmundargigar crater row around the 12th century.
The latest eruption, identified through tephrochronology, took place during the 14th century.2
References:
1 IMO's Specialist Remark – October 5, 2021 at 16:42 UTC
2 Krýsuvík-Trölladyngja – Geological summary – GVP
Featured image credit: IMO
If you value what we do here, create your ad-free account and support our journalism.
Your support makes a difference
Dear valued reader,
We hope that our website has been a valuable resource for you.
The reality is that it takes a lot of time, effort, and resources to maintain and grow this website. We rely on the support of readers like you to keep providing high-quality content.
If you have found our website to be helpful, please consider making a contribution to help us continue to bring you the information you need. Your support means the world to us and helps us to keep doing what we love.
Support us by choosing your support level – Silver, Gold or Platinum. Other support options include Patreon pledges and sending us a one-off payment using PayPal.
Thank you for your consideration. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Teo Blašković
PLEASE MARK MY PREDICTION ABOUT ICELAND………………..Iceland will call for help in the next few months to evacuate all its residents before the devastation that will be caused by the explosion of several volcanoes and most likely the population will move to Canada
Jamal,
If global volcanic activity is on the increase. Why do all the websites dedicated to the science of volcanology say that there is no increase? And again you make a claim and present no evidence to back up your assertion!
Oh My Gosh….Hahahahaha…Glenn, I am sure you know answer to your question, so I do not know why asked it in the first place. Even people who are suffer from deaf-blindness know volcanic eruption is on the increase
THE CLIMATE SCIENCE OF THE MYTH MAKERS…………………..The delegates in the coming United Nations Climate Change Conference that will be held in Glasgow, between Oct 31, 2021 and Nov 12, 2021, will find a solution to the rapid increase in the number of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. CO2 emission by the poor people is the reason for the increase of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. The emission of CO2 is also the reason for the shifting of Earth’s Magnetic Poles. Moreover, global warming has shifted the Earth’s axis, https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/apr/23/climate-crisis-has-shifted-the-earths-axis-study-shows