Report on Reykjanes (Iceland) — 8 May-14 May 2024
Smithsonian Institution / US Geological Survey
Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 8 May-14 May 2024
Managing Editor: Sally Sennert.
Please cite this report as:
Global Volcanism Program, 2024. Report on Reykjanes (Iceland) (Sennert, S, ed.). Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 8 May-14 May 2024. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.
Reykjanes
Iceland
63.817°N, 22.717°W; summit elev. 140 m
All times are local (unless otherwise noted)
IMO reported that no active lava in the cone just E of Sundhnúk and along the fissure within the Reykanes volcanic system was visible in aerial photos taken during the evening of 8 May, indicating that the eruption was over. The Aviation Color Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-color scale) because magma continued to accumulate at depth at a consistent rate, increasing the likelihood of a new eruption. Seismicity was relatively stable with 50-80 earthquakes recorded each day during the previous week. Most of the earthquakes were below M 1, though a few earthquakes had magnitudes close to 2.
Geological Summary. The Reykjanes volcanic system at the SW tip of the Reykjanes Peninsula, where the Mid-Atlantic Ridge rises above sea level, comprises a broad area of postglacial basaltic crater rows and small shield volcanoes. The submarine Reykjaneshryggur volcanic system is contiguous with and is considered part of the Reykjanes volcanic system, which is the westernmost of a series of four closely-spaced en-echelon fissure systems that extend diagonally across the Reykjanes Peninsula. Most of the subaerial part of the system (also known as the Reykjanes/Svartsengi volcanic system) is covered by Holocene lavas. Subaerial eruptions have occurred in historical time during the 13th century at several locations on the NE-SW-trending fissure system, and numerous submarine eruptions dating back to the 12th century have been observed during historical time, some of which have formed ephemeral islands. Basaltic rocks of probable Holocene age have been recovered during dredging operations, and tephra deposits from earlier Holocene eruptions are preserved on the nearby Reykjanes Peninsula.