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Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) reported that at 2330 on 6 July earthquake activity increased in an area close to Eldey and by 1500 on 7 July the seismic network had detected over 480 events. The earthquakes were located at depths of around 8 km, with several of the events over M 3 and six over M 4; the largest event was a M 4.5 recorded at 0506 on 7 July. Activity that strong had not previously been detected in conjunction with seismic swarms related to magma intrusions in Fagradalsfjall. The Aviation Color Code was raised to Yellow (the second level on a four-color scale). On 11 July IMO noted that seismicity had decreased during the past few days so at 1640 the Aviation Color Code was lowered to Green.
Source: Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO)
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Young lava flow identified from submersible
The following is from a report by Lynn Johnson. "A young lava flow has been identified from deep-diving submersible observations on the northern Reykjanes Ridge at 59.87°N, 29.65°W. A complete lack of sediment cover or biological colonization, minimal alteration, and a distinct boundary between this flow and underlying sediments suggest that this flow is less than 10-20 years old. However, exceptional bottom conditions including unusually strong currents might act to prevent sediment accumulation and biological colonization, allowing this flow to be significantly older (a few hundred to a few thousand years).
"In June, 1992 a 5-member team from the United States joined 10 Russian scientists on Russian Mir deep-diving submersibles to study a possible young lava flow on the Reykjanes Ridge at 59.78°N 29.72°W. The cruise was a cooperative project organized by Kathy Crane (Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory), Peter Vogt (Naval Research Lab), and Anatoly Sagalavitch (Laboratory of Deep Manned Submersibles, Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Moscow). The site was chosen because of a microseismic swarm located there by the Worldwide Standardized Seismic Net and an airborne sonobuoy survey in 1989 (Nishimura and others, 1989, and 14:5). In 1990 a SeaMARC II sidescan sonar study showed a highly reflective patch of seafloor within the error radius of the sonobuoy-based epicentral region of the seismic swarm (Shor and others, 1990, and 15:8).
"Our Mir submersible observations reveal that the high backscatter region at 59.78°N is not a young flow, but a flat featureless plain covered with 20-40 cm of sediment. Subsequent dives identified a young flow farther north, but outside of the epicentral region calculated for the 1989 seismic swarm. Four dives in the region between 59.75°N and 59.85°N traversed the ridge axis and several of the ubiquitous small seamounts along the ridge crest (figure 5). Two of these dives also investigated the bounding scarps of the large double ridge segment at that location. Two dives traversed over the northern end of this large segment and the southern end of a smaller segment to the north (59.90°N). With the exception of the one young flow, all of the seafloor observed during over 50 hours of bottom time is comprised of relatively old, sediment-covered and biologically colonized pillow lavas. The young flow was observed and sampled on the flanks of a small seamount at the southern end of the smaller northern axial-ridge segment. Abundant fresh glass is preserved in rocks recovered from this location, and palagonite development is essentially non-existent. The flow lacks sediment cover and biological colonization, and appears to have advanced over an older, sedimented area. Although, except in a few special cases, radiometric dating of mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB) younger than a few thousand years is not possible, we will try to have the sample dated by recent experimental methods to obtain a more accurate age for recent volcanism at this site.
 |
Figure 5. Bathymetric map of a segment of the Reykjanes Ridge. Location is shown by a box on the inset map. The arrow marks the site of a young lava flow. Contour interval, 100 m; areas deeper than 1,000 m are shaded. Courtesy of L. Johnson. |
"In addition to video and photographic observations we collected conductivity, temperature, and depth information from one of the submersibles and from the R/V Keldysh, the support ship. No temperature or salinity anomalies indicating hydrothermal activity were recorded. We also collected samples of volcanic rock, water, and sediment using both the submersibles and the surface ship, and conducted a magnetic survey over a 100 km2 area."
References. Nishimura, C.E., Vogt, P.R., Smith, L., and Boyd, J.D., 1989, Investigations of a possible underwater volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes Ridge by airborne sonobuoys and AXBT's: EOS, v. 70, p. 1301.
Shor, A.N., Nishimura, C.E., Czarnecki, M., and Vogt, P.R., 1990, Lava extrusion from the 1989 Reykjanes Ridge seismic swarm? Probably yes (SeaMARC II): EOS, v. 71, p. 1602.
Information Contacts: L. Johnson, Naval Research Lab.
2023: July
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Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) reported that at 2330 on 6 July earthquake activity increased in an area close to Eldey and by 1500 on 7 July the seismic network had detected over 480 events. The earthquakes were located at depths of around 8 km, with several of the events over M 3 and six over M 4; the largest event was a M 4.5 recorded at 0506 on 7 July. Activity that strong had not previously been detected in conjunction with seismic swarms related to magma intrusions in Fagradalsfjall. The Aviation Color Code was raised to Yellow (the second level on a four-color scale). On 11 July IMO noted that seismicity had decreased during the past few days so at 1640 the Aviation Color Code was lowered to Green.
Source: Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO)
Reports are organized chronologically and indexed below by Month/Year (Publication Volume:Number), and include a one-line summary. Click on the index link or scroll down to read the reports.
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Possible submarine volcanism
An earthquake swarm began shortly before midnight on 21 May, 500-550 km SW of the tip of Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula. The most vigorous activity occurred between about 0200 and 0600 on [22] May, when 45 events were recorded on seismographs in SW Iceland (figure 1). Preliminary WWSSN data yielded locations for 22 events (M >= about 4.5) in the range 59.9-60.1°N, 29.6-29.9°W. The largest (4.9 mb/4.6 Ms) and best-located, on 22 May at 0202, was centered at 59.94°N, 29.90°W. The events were shallow, but no precise focal depths could be determined. The ridge crest in the area is at roughly 1 km depth. Seismologists noted that the long-period character of the seismicity suggested that it was related to magma movement, associated with an intrusive episode or an eruption onto the sea floor. No T-Phase signals were detected.
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Figure 1. Number of earthquakes/day along the Reykjanes Ridge near 60°N, 21 May-15 June 1989. Courtesy of Páll Einarsson. |
Low-level seismicity continued for the next 2.5 weeks, then a new swarm began on 11 June, when 29 earthquakes were detected on SW Iceland seismographs. On 13 June, a reconaissance aircraft dropped sonobuoys into the ocean and took thermal profiles (with XBT's) in the epicentral area. No thermal anomalies were detected. The sonobuoys recorded 140 discrete events during 4 hours of monitoring, and locations were refined to 59.73°N, 29.53°W ± 3 km, on the ridge axis. Although seismic stations in Iceland had recorded more than 100 shocks since activity resumed on 11 June, none of the events during the aerial monitoring were strong enough to be detected in Iceland. Further flights are anticipated that may better define the location and character of the activity.
Information Contacts: R. Stefánsson, Icelandic Meteorological Office; P. Einarsson, Univ of Iceland; R. Holcomb, Univ of Washington; B. Presgrave, NEIC; P. Vogt, Naval Research Laboratory.
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Strong seismicity SW of May 1989 swarm; possible new lava in 1989 swarm area
A 9 September earthquake swarm has been located on the Reykjanes Ridge, site of a large number of earlier swarms, including one in May-June 1989 (Nishimura and others, 1989, and 14:5). Bergman and Solomon (1990) made a detailed analysis of spatial, temporal, and other characteristics of Mid-Atlantic Ridge earthquake swarms detected by worldwide seismic networks. Their results indicated that the swarms are tectonic in origin, and not representative of volcanic activity, although not necessarily exclusive of it. Work by Shor et al. (1990) suggests that there has been recent volcanic activity at the site of the May 1989 swarm, potentially concurrent with the swarm activity.
A joint venture of the Hawaii Institute of Geophysics (Alex Shor and Clyde Nishimura) and the Naval Research Laboratory (Peter Vogt and Michael Czarnecki), aboard the RV Ewing (Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory), visited the May 1989 swarm site during July (S,hor et al., 1990). Simultaneous SeaMARCII sidescan imagery and Hydrosweep multibathymetry was used to examine a 1,000 km2 area of the seafloor at depths ranging from 700 to 1,350 m. Gravity and magnetics studies were also conducted.
A probable young lava flow was identified, centered near 59.47°N, 29.43°W, within the error radius of sonobuoy-based epicenter locations from the May 1989 swarm. The apparent lava flow (roughly 4 x 2 km) extends from the E margin of the neo-volcanic zone (NVZ) S over sedimented and faulted terrain and is bounded on the E by an inward-facing normal fault with an 80 m throw. The region is heavily faulted (faults are W-facing, spaced
During the investigation of the Reykjanes Ridge, the Ewing followed and surveyed the ridge axis from 52.8°N to 63.0°N. More than 100 discrete volcanic cones were identified within one 65-km-long, 10-km-wide strip, with many additional cones on the flanks.
On 9 September, six earthquakes were recorded originating near 56.7°N and 34.4°W (table 1), about 500 km SW along the ridge from the May 1989 swarm (figure 2). Preliminary planning and requests have been made to conduct an airborne sonobuoy mission similar to that employed during the May 1989 swarm. Pre-swarm seafloor imaging of the site was obtained during the July ridge axis survey. A second Ewing mission to the site of the May 1989 swarm (Lindsay Parson, Institute of Oceanographic Sciences, U.K.), had already been planned for October and should complete "before and after" views of the September swarm site.
Table 1. Earthquake epicenters and magnitudes for Reykjanes Ridge earthquakes, 9 September 1990. Courtesy of the USGS National Earthquake Information Center.
| Time | Location | Magnitude (mb) |
| 0017 | 56.94°N, 34.29°W | 5.0 |
| 0030 | 56.1°N, 34.5°W | 4.8 |
| 0215 | 56.78°N, 34.37°W | 5.5 |
| 0625 | 56.60°N, 34.33°W | 5.2 |
| 0635 | 56.65°N, 34.59°W | 5.1 |
| 1235 | 56.75°N, 34.38°W | 4.8 |
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Figure 2. Locations of earthquake swarms on the Reykjanes Ridge, after Bergman and Solomon (1990). The approximate site of the September 1990 swarm has been added. |
References. Bergman, E.A., and Solomon, S.C., 1990, Earthquake swarms on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge: products of magmatism or extensional tectonics?: JGR, v. 95, p. 4943-4965.
Nishimura, C.E., Vogt, P.R., Smith, L., and Boyd, J.D., 1989, Investigation of a possible underwater volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes Ridge by airborne sonobuoys and AXBT's (abs.): Eos, v. 70, p. 1301.
Shor, A.N., Nishimura, C.E., Czarnecki, M., and Vogt, P.R., 1990, Lava extrusion from the 1989 Reykjanes Ridge seismic swarm? probably yes (SeaMARCII) (abs.): Eos, v. 71 (Fall AGU Abstract Volume).
Information Contacts: R. Stefánsson, Icelandic Meteorological Office; P. Vogt, Naval Research Laboratory; B. Presgrave, NEIC.
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Strong seismicity; turbid water and hydrothermal area but no new lava detected
The following is a report from Páll Einarsson. "An intense earthquake swarm started on the N part of the Reykjanes Ridge on 30 October (figure 3). The first event recorded by seismographs in Iceland occurred at 1021 and had a magnitude of 3.5. Smaller events occurred at 1052 and 1152. The epicenters cannot be located accurately, but appear to be near 63°N, or ~180 km SW of Reykjavík. At 1229, activity in this area increased dramatically, and for the next 19 hours hundreds of earthquakes were recorded. The largest events approached M 5 and at least 14 were of M 4 or larger. For large parts of this time, the seismographs showed continuous motion due to the dense sequence of small and large earthquakes. However, motion resembling volcanic tremor could not be identified.
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Figure 3. Sketch map showing the approximate location of the earthquake swarms near 63°N and 63.7°N on the Reykjanes Ridge. After Perry and others (1980). |
"The intense activity came to a rather abrupt halt at about 0800 on 31 October, but activity at a lower level continued, gradually diminishing. A temporary increase occurred 5-6 November (figure 4).
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Figure 4. Number of earthquakes from the Reykjanes Ridge swarm area recorded daily at the Háhryggur seismic station in SW Iceland. Detection threshold of the station for this area is near magnitude 2.5. Courtesy of P. Einarsson. |
"A second swarm started 3 November closer to Iceland, near 63.7°N. It began at 1426 with an event of M 3.8. Thirty events were recorded in the area that day, and five events the following day. This swarm was small and short-lived, and probably unrelated to the first one.
"The question of whether or not the swarm at 63°N is related to intrusive or extrusive activity at the sea floor cannot be answered from the available seismic data. Earthquake swarms are common on the Reykjanes Ridge and its landward continuation on the Reykjanes Peninsula. None of the recent swarms on the peninsula have been accompanied by eruptive activity, and they do not resemble the seismic swarms that accompany magmatic intrusions in the Krafla area along the rift zone in NE Iceland. Intrusion tremor, commonly observed at Krafla, has not been recorded during the swarms on the Reykjanes Peninsula despite a relatively dense seismograph network there.
"The current swarm at 63°N is unusual in both intensity and duration. The large distance to the nearest seismograph (roughly 150 km) means that intrusion and extrusion tremor could have occurred without being observed. Some characteristics of the swarm - for example the slow beginning, the high density of events at its culmination, and the abrupt end - in some respects resemble those of some of the Krafla eruptive events. If an analogy is drawn, one could speculate that the intense part of the swarm accompanied an intrusion of magma and that a dyke propagated for 19 hours. If an eruption occurred, it most likely began at about 0800 on 31 October when the seismic activity suddenly dropped to a lower level. Eruptive activity may have ended on 5 November, when there was a temporary increase in earthquakes."
A U.S. Navy P3 aircraft overflew the swarm area on 2 November between 1000 and 1400. Five sonobuoys were deployed; the central sonobuoy (at 63°15'40"N, 24°11'52") detected 50 Hz noise at 97 dB; sound intensity at four others (~ 9 km N, S, E, and W) was about 85 dB.
The following is from Jón Olafsson. "In response to the earthquake swarm on the Reykjanes Ridge, an international team assembled in Reykjavík on 2 November, sailing at midnight on the RV Bjarni Saemundsson of Iceland's Marine Research Institute.
"Investigations were concentrated on the area of the ridge crest between 62.9°N and 63.3°N, where the water depth ranged from 100 to 500 m. The ship is equipped with echosounders, sonar, and a CTD (Conductivity-Temperature-Depth) + light transmissometer with a rosette for water column sampling. On board were sonobuoys (provided by the U.S. Navy), equipment for analysis of dissolved silica, and a bottom dredge. Signs of possible eruptive activity were sought by deployment of sonobuoys, and water sampling on sections along and to the sides of the ridge crest. No signs could be detected of explosive activity of the type that created Surtsey in 1963, which would have given rise to extensive silica anomalies. However, the water above a segment of the ridge centered at 63.1°N showed some anomalous properties, particularly decreased light transmissivity and water column stability. A hydrothermal region was discovered near the summit of a seamount in this region, but has most likely been there beforehand, judging from previous information from fishermen. On the afternoon of 5 November, two nearby earthquake shocks were felt on the ship. Reports of earthquakes also came from deep-sea trawlers in this region, confirming that the research effort was in the region of seismic activity. Twelve dredge hauls brought up some fresh basalts but none were newly erupted.
"The ship returned to Reykjavík on 6 November with water samples for analysis of helium isotopes, manganese, methane, and hydrogen. Processing of these samples and the instrument records will be conducted in the UK, Iceland, and USA."
Locations of four of the largest earthquakes in the swarm were determined at the U.S. National Earthquake Information Center on 4 November (table 2). Arrival time values were obtained from the NEIC database, and from two seismic stations in Iceland (~150 and 250 km from the epicentral area), reported by Páll Einarsson. The following is from Eric Bergman.
Table 2. Relocations of four large earthquakes from the Reykjanes Ridge swarm, 30-31 October 1990. Courtesy of Eric Bergman.
| Date | Time | Latitude | Longitude | Magnitude (mb) |
| 30 Oct 1990 | 1307 | 62.95 ± 0.08°N | 24.60 ± 0.07°W | 4.7 |
| 30 Oct 1990 | 1403 | 63.06 ± 0.06°N | 24.64 ± 0.07°W | 5.0 |
| 30 Oct 1990 | 1915 | 63.11 ± 0.08°N | 24.75 ± 0.10°W | 4.7 |
| 31 Oct 1990 | 0658 | 63.17 ± 0.06°N | 24.64 ± 0.07°W | 4.6 |
"The swarm events were relocated as part of a multiple-event relocation analysis for earthquakes on the Reykjanes Ridge between 62.5°N and 63.5°N. In all, 30 well-recorded earthquakes were relocated, using the hypocentroidal decomposition technique. Locations were estimated using the 1968 Herrin tables for P-wave travel times, except for the two Icelandic stations. Because the Herrin tables assume a thick continental crust, the theoretical travel times are longer than the true travel times for these phases, which propagate predominantly as refracted waves along the oceanic Moho with a velocity of around 8 km/s. Theoretical travel times for the two Icelandic stations were calculated by dividing the epicentral distance by 8.0 km/s. This admittedly crude estimate is a substantial improvement over the standard tables and is in good agreement with other data. No station corrections were used in the relocation. All focal depths were fixed at 10 km, consistent with many studies of the depth distribution of mid-ocean ridge seismicity. Further work is needed to refine this type of analysis, and it should be recognized that the locations reported here are to some extent biased by these assumptions. The results of the analysis will also change as more arrival data accumulate."
Reference. Perry, R.K., Fleming, H.S., Cherkis, N.Z., Feden, R.H., and Vogt, P.R., 1980, Bathymetry of the Norwegian-Greenland and western Barents Seas: U.S. Naval Research Laboratory-Acoustics Division, map and chart series MC-21
Information Contacts: P. Einarsson, Univ of Iceland; J. Olafsson, Marine Research Institute; E. Bergman, NEIC; P. Vogt, Naval Research Laboratory; T. Stroh, Univ of Washington. Scientific team on the RV Bjarni Saemundsson: Jón Olafsson, Icelandic Marine Research Institute (leader); Johnson R. Cann, Univ of Leeds (deputy leader); Kjartan Thors, S. Kristmansson, and Jón Benjaminsson, Icelandic Marine Research Institute; David Francis, Univ of Leeds; Cherry Walker, Univ of Durham; and Marie de Angelis, State Univ of New York, Stony Brook. Sponsoring Institutions: Icelandic Marine Research Institute; Natural Environmental Research Council, UK; and RIDGE Office, National Science Foundation, USA.
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About 30 events near 61.7°N
Another Reykjanes Ridge earthquake swarm began on 2 January. About 30 events were detected from its start at 1947 to its end the next morning. S-waves were rather indistinct, so the distance from Iceland was difficult to determine accurately, but epicenters were probably at roughly 61.7°N. None of the shocks was larger than M 4.
Information Contacts: Páll Einarsson
, Science Institute, Univ of Iceland, Dunhaga 5, 107 Reykjavík, Iceland.Cite this Report
Young lava flow identified from submersible
The following is from a report by Lynn Johnson. "A young lava flow has been identified from deep-diving submersible observations on the northern Reykjanes Ridge at 59.87°N, 29.65°W. A complete lack of sediment cover or biological colonization, minimal alteration, and a distinct boundary between this flow and underlying sediments suggest that this flow is less than 10-20 years old. However, exceptional bottom conditions including unusually strong currents might act to prevent sediment accumulation and biological colonization, allowing this flow to be significantly older (a few hundred to a few thousand years).
"In June, 1992 a 5-member team from the United States joined 10 Russian scientists on Russian Mir deep-diving submersibles to study a possible young lava flow on the Reykjanes Ridge at 59.78°N 29.72°W. The cruise was a cooperative project organized by Kathy Crane (Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory), Peter Vogt (Naval Research Lab), and Anatoly Sagalavitch (Laboratory of Deep Manned Submersibles, Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Moscow). The site was chosen because of a microseismic swarm located there by the Worldwide Standardized Seismic Net and an airborne sonobuoy survey in 1989 (Nishimura and others, 1989, and 14:5). In 1990 a SeaMARC II sidescan sonar study showed a highly reflective patch of seafloor within the error radius of the sonobuoy-based epicentral region of the seismic swarm (Shor and others, 1990, and 15:8).
"Our Mir submersible observations reveal that the high backscatter region at 59.78°N is not a young flow, but a flat featureless plain covered with 20-40 cm of sediment. Subsequent dives identified a young flow farther north, but outside of the epicentral region calculated for the 1989 seismic swarm. Four dives in the region between 59.75°N and 59.85°N traversed the ridge axis and several of the ubiquitous small seamounts along the ridge crest (figure 5). Two of these dives also investigated the bounding scarps of the large double ridge segment at that location. Two dives traversed over the northern end of this large segment and the southern end of a smaller segment to the north (59.90°N). With the exception of the one young flow, all of the seafloor observed during over 50 hours of bottom time is comprised of relatively old, sediment-covered and biologically colonized pillow lavas. The young flow was observed and sampled on the flanks of a small seamount at the southern end of the smaller northern axial-ridge segment. Abundant fresh glass is preserved in rocks recovered from this location, and palagonite development is essentially non-existent. The flow lacks sediment cover and biological colonization, and appears to have advanced over an older, sedimented area. Although, except in a few special cases, radiometric dating of mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB) younger than a few thousand years is not possible, we will try to have the sample dated by recent experimental methods to obtain a more accurate age for recent volcanism at this site.
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Figure 5. Bathymetric map of a segment of the Reykjanes Ridge. Location is shown by a box on the inset map. The arrow marks the site of a young lava flow. Contour interval, 100 m; areas deeper than 1,000 m are shaded. Courtesy of L. Johnson. |
"In addition to video and photographic observations we collected conductivity, temperature, and depth information from one of the submersibles and from the R/V Keldysh, the support ship. No temperature or salinity anomalies indicating hydrothermal activity were recorded. We also collected samples of volcanic rock, water, and sediment using both the submersibles and the surface ship, and conducted a magnetic survey over a 100 km2 area."
References. Nishimura, C.E., Vogt, P.R., Smith, L., and Boyd, J.D., 1989, Investigations of a possible underwater volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes Ridge by airborne sonobuoys and AXBT's: EOS, v. 70, p. 1301.
Shor, A.N., Nishimura, C.E., Czarnecki, M., and Vogt, P.R., 1990, Lava extrusion from the 1989 Reykjanes Ridge seismic swarm? Probably yes (SeaMARC II): EOS, v. 71, p. 1602.
Information Contacts: L. Johnson, Naval Research Lab.
This compilation of synonyms and subsidiary features may not be comprehensive. Features are organized into four major categories: Cones, Craters, Domes, and Thermal Features. Synonyms of features appear indented below the primary name. In some cases additional feature type, elevation, or location details are provided.
Craters |
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| Feature Name | Feature Type | Elevation | Latitude | Longitude |
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Eldeyjar
Eldoerne |
Submarine crater | 63° 49' 0" N | 22° 45' 0" W | |
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Nyey
Myoe |
Submarine crater | 63° 10' 0" N | 24° 10' 0" W | |
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There is data available for 5 confirmed Holocene eruptive periods.
1926 Jun 5 ± 4 days Confirmed Eruption VEI: 0
| Episode 1 | Eruption (Submarine) | Reykjaneshryggur (NE of Eldey) | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1926 Jun 5 ± 4 days - Unknown | Evidence from Observations: Reported | |||||||||||||||||||
| A fishing vessel observed "boiling water" NE of Eldey and many dead fish on theocean surface in early June 1926. Einarsson (pers. comm. 2008) considered this to be an eruption. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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List of 2 Events for Episode 1 at Reykjaneshryggur (NE of Eldey)
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[ 1884 Jul 26 ] Uncertain Eruption
| Episode 1 | Eruption (Submarine) | Reykjaneshryggur (NW of Eldey) | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1884 Jul 26 - Unknown | Evidence from Unknown | |||||||||||||||||||
| On 26 July 1884 and the following days an island was reported to be rising from the sea to the NW of Eldey. However, no eruption was seen from ships in the area. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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List of 2 Events for Episode 1 at Reykjaneshryggur (NW of Eldey)
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1879 May 30 (?) - 1879 Jun 15 ± 5 days Confirmed Eruption VEI: 1
| Episode 1 | Eruption | Reykjaneshryggur (Geirfugladrangur) | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1879 May 30 (?) - 1879 Jun 15 ± 5 days | Evidence from Observations: Reported | |||||||||||||||||||
| An eruption was first seen on 30 May 1879, and ended the middle of June. Tephra fell on Reykjanes Peninsula. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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List of 2 Events for Episode 1 at Reykjaneshryggur (Geirfugladrangur)
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1422 Confirmed Eruption VEI: 2
| Episode 1 | Eruption (Submarine) | Reykjaneshryggur (Geirfuglasker-Eldey area) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1422 - Unknown | Evidence from Observations: Reported | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| An eruption was reported off the coast of Reykjanes in 1422 CE, when an island that lasted for some time was formed. The location of the island is very uncertain, but is likely in the Geirfuglasker-Eldey area. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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List of 3 Events for Episode 1 at Reykjaneshryggur (Geirfuglasker-Eldey area)
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1340 (?) Confirmed Eruption VEI: 3
| Episode 1 | Eruption (Submarine) | Reykjaneshryggur | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1340 (?) - Unknown | Evidence from Observations: Reported | |||||||||||||||||||
| An eruption may have occurred SW of Reykjanes in about 1340 CE (Thorarinsson, 1965). Thordarson (pers. comm. 2008) listed an explosive eruption in 1340 CE. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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List of 2 Events for Episode 1 at Reykjaneshryggur
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1211 Aug 31 ± 30 days Confirmed Eruption VEI: 4 (?)
| Episode 1 | Eruption (Submarine) | Reykjaneshryggur, Karlsgigur; R-7 tephra | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1211 Aug 31 ± 30 days - Unknown | Evidence from Observations: Reported | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In the late summer of 1211 CE a new island was reported at Eldeyjar and old ones disappeared, coinciding with large earthquakes. Tephra fall (layer R-7) occurred on the Reykjanes Peninsula (Sigurgeirsson, 1992). This eruption originated from the Karlsgigur fissure (Thordarson, pers. comm. 2008). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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List of 5 Events for Episode 1 at Reykjaneshryggur, Karlsgigur; R-7 tephra
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There is no Deformation History data available for Eldey.
There is no Emissions History data available for Eldey.
The Global Volcanism Program has no photographs available for Eldey.
Maps are not currently available due to technical issues.
There are no samples for Eldey in the Smithsonian's NMNH Department of Mineral Sciences Rock and Ore collection.
| Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes (Link to Eldey) | The Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes is an interactive, web-based tool, containing information on volcanic systems that belong to the active volcanic zones of Iceland. It is a collaboration of the Icelandic Meteorological Office (the state volcano observatory), the Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland, and the Civil Protection Department of the National Commissioner of the Iceland Police, with contributions from a large number of specialists in Iceland and elsewhere. This official publication is intended to serve as an accurate and up-to-date source of information about active volcanoes in Iceland and their characteristics. The Catalogue forms a part of an integrated volcanic risk assessment project in Iceland GOSVÁ (commenced in 2012), as well as being part of the effort of FUTUREVOLC (2012-2016) on establishing an Icelandic volcano supersite. |
| Copernicus Browser | The Copernicus Browser replaced the Sentinel Hub Playground browser in 2023, to provide access to Earth observation archives from the Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem, the main distribution platform for data from the EU Copernicus missions. |
| MIROVA | Middle InfraRed Observation of Volcanic Activity (MIROVA) is a near real time volcanic hot-spot detection system based on the analysis of MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) data. In particular, MIROVA uses the Middle InfraRed Radiation (MIR), measured over target volcanoes, in order to detect, locate and measure the heat radiation sourced from volcanic activity. |
| MODVOLC Thermal Alerts | Using infrared satellite Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data, scientists at the Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawai'i, developed an automated system called MODVOLC to map thermal hot-spots in near real time. For each MODIS image, the algorithm automatically scans each 1 km pixel within it to check for high-temperature hot-spots. When one is found the date, time, location, and intensity are recorded. MODIS looks at every square km of the Earth every 48 hours, once during the day and once during the night, and the presence of two MODIS sensors in space allows at least four hot-spot observations every two days. Each day updated global maps are compiled to display the locations of all hot spots detected in the previous 24 hours. There is a drop-down list with volcano names which allow users to 'zoom-in' and examine the distribution of hot-spots at a variety of spatial scales. |
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WOVOdat
Single Volcano View Temporal Evolution of Unrest Side by Side Volcanoes |
WOVOdat is a database of volcanic unrest; instrumentally and visually recorded changes in seismicity, ground deformation, gas emission, and other parameters from their normal baselines. It is sponsored by the World Organization of Volcano Observatories (WOVO) and presently hosted at the Earth Observatory of Singapore.
GVMID Data on Volcano Monitoring Infrastructure The Global Volcano Monitoring Infrastructure Database GVMID, is aimed at documenting and improving capabilities of volcano monitoring from the ground and space. GVMID should provide a snapshot and baseline view of the techniques and instrumentation that are in place at various volcanoes, which can be use by volcano observatories as reference to setup new monitoring system or improving networks at a specific volcano. These data will allow identification of what monitoring gaps exist, which can be then targeted by remote sensing infrastructure and future instrument deployments. |
| Volcanic Hazard Maps | The IAVCEI Commission on Volcanic Hazards and Risk has a Volcanic Hazard Maps database designed to serve as a resource for hazard mappers (or other interested parties) to explore how common issues in hazard map development have been addressed at different volcanoes, in different countries, for different hazards, and for different intended audiences. In addition to the comprehensive, searchable Volcanic Hazard Maps Database, this website contains information about diversity of volcanic hazard maps, illustrated using examples from the database. This site is for educational purposes related to volcanic hazard maps. Hazard maps found on this website should not be used for emergency purposes. For the most recent, official hazard map for a particular volcano, please seek out the proper institutional authorities on the matter. |
| IRIS seismic stations/networks | Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) Data Services map showing the location of seismic stations from all available networks (permanent or temporary) within a radius of 0.18° (about 20 km at mid-latitudes) from the given location of Eldey. Users can customize a variety of filters and options in the left panel. Note that if there are no stations are known the map will default to show the entire world with a "No data matched request" error notice. |
| UNAVCO GPS/GNSS stations | Geodetic Data Services map from UNAVCO showing the location of GPS/GNSS stations from all available networks (permanent or temporary) within a radius of 20 km from the given location of Eldey. Users can customize the data search based on station or network names, location, and time window. Requires Adobe Flash Player. |
| DECADE Data | The DECADE portal, still in the developmental stage, serves as an example of the proposed interoperability between The Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program, the Mapping Gas Emissions (MaGa) Database, and the EarthChem Geochemical Portal. The Deep Earth Carbon Degassing (DECADE) initiative seeks to use new and established technologies to determine accurate global fluxes of volcanic CO2 to the atmosphere, but installing CO2 monitoring networks on 20 of the world's 150 most actively degassing volcanoes. The group uses related laboratory-based studies (direct gas sampling and analysis, melt inclusions) to provide new data for direct degassing of deep earth carbon to the atmosphere. |
| EarthChem | EarthChem develops and maintains databases, software, and services that support the preservation, discovery, access and analysis of geochemical data, and facilitate their integration with the broad array of other available earth science parameters. EarthChem is operated by a joint team of disciplinary scientists, data scientists, data managers and information technology developers who are part of the NSF-funded data facility Integrated Earth Data Applications (IEDA). IEDA is a collaborative effort of EarthChem and the Marine Geoscience Data System (MGDS). |
