Safe to say I'm chuffed to bits with my new DSLR lens! Apologies for the shakiness of the video, despite using a tripod the wind was pretty strong yesterday but I did my best to capture the lava fountaining close up. Enjoy!
#Geldingadalir
Somewhat miraculously I’ve managed to find an image of
#Geldingadalir
taken at some point before the eruption began, from the exact position the RÚV webcam is located! The original fissure opened parallel to the small hyaloclastite ridge and lava is gradually filling the valley.
91/ Incredible image of the team of engineers working to close off the gap in the berm where the road was, even as the lava flow closed in on them.
Given how effective the berm proved in diverting the lava, this is incredible work.
That lava barrier has been seriously effective. Massive credit to the workers that spent day and night constructing it for the past week or so, they've undoubtedly prevented many more properties in Grindavík from being engulfed by the lava.
Myndir úr þyrluflugi yfir gosstöðvarnar í dag. Þrjú hús við götuna Efrahóp í Grindavík gjöreyðilögðust í eldgosinu í gær. Myndatökumaður Stöðvar 2 myndaði gosstöðvarnar úr lofti úr þyrlu Landhelgisgæslunnar skömmu fyrir hádegi.
Geldingadalir photo & video thread ⬇️
First off some images showing some spatter from the main vent! Ejected molten lava lands on the sides of the vent and solidifies, and over time builds a cone around the vent. This is typical of effusive fissure eruptions of basaltic lava.
For those asking what a phreatomagmatic submarine eruption at
#Reykjanes
would look like, probably quite a lot like this. Worth noting though that according to the Icelandic scientists, a submarine eruption is considered the *least* likely of all the possible outcomes.
Humbled and honored that my photo taken on the second day of the Fagradalsfjall eruption in March 2021 has won the
@vmsg2024
60th anniversary photo competition for the Volcanoes & Society category. A big thank you from me to everyone that voted for it ❤️
The activity at Reykjanes seems to have reached a crescendo this evening. Feels inevitable now given the frequency and magnitude of fault rupturing that magma will find a pathway into the crust, if not all the way to the surface. Seems like the waiting game might be over...
Twitter, I need some help/advice. I’m very keen to continue along my chosen career path in Volcanology following on from my Master’s, but at this point in time I don’t feel like a PhD is right for me. Is there anything else I can do, i.e. jobs/internships? Replies appreciated :)
About the best video I've ever seen. My favourite thing is how the fissure opens up along sections of a pre-existing fissure separated by transform faults. Absolutely stunning.
Historical records and tephra deposits have shown that phreatomagmatic (water-magma) submarine eruptions on the peninsula are possible. An eruption in the winter of 1226-27 was said to have produced darkness at midday. Further submarine eruptions occurred in 1231, 1238, and 1240.
..Guard ship moved further from Grindavík for safety reasons..
Last few hours, tremors have come out to sea just SW of Grindavík.
If eruption in sea, it will be explosive, patrol ship Þór, arrived at Grindavík, has been asked to stay away for safety
So important to remember, that for all of us sharing information images of the eruption, these people are at the heart of it. Many are realising they won't be returning home. Always communicate with respect and sensitivity, it's been very emotional for these people.
The people of
#Grindavik
gather in the capital for a Town Hall discussion with the Government about their future; whether their unique and dynamic community will again have a home.
I’m back! I’m delighted to announce that I’ll be starting a PhD in Volcanology at
@UniExeCornwall
in September under the supervision of
@jameshickey77
! The project will involve applying complex numerical deformation models to Icelandic volcanoes. Very excited for this research 😄
Considerable change over the past four hours. Lava has began to flow around the small mountain in Geldingadalur, activity has slightly intensified. Aviation code remains orange, and there is still no significant risk posed by the forecasted SO2 plume.
#Reykjanes
As can be clearly seen, a second prominent vent has now formed adjacent to the previous central vent at
#Geldingadalir
. This vent has been there since the eruption began but has grown in size to form a spatter cone. This is typical of effusive fissure eruptions of basaltic lava.
Geldingadalir 17/04 HD video thread
Sound on 🔊 for this video of an a'a flow slowly inching its way forwards. This type of flow is characterised by thicker and more viscous lava, which advances much more slowly than hot, low-density pahoehoe lava.
Finally to round things off, here are some pictures of yours truly having what can only be described as the best day of his life. Thanks for reading, thanks for following and the support on my tweets, and happy eruption-watching :)
Approximate length and location of the fissure eruption on the
#Reykjanes
Peninsula. Reported to be 3.5 km long and potentially growing towards the North, with estimated output volumes of 150 m³/s, 3 to 4 times greater than the three previous eruptions at Fagradalsfjall.
This will likely be one of the most observed and documents eruptions in Iceland every to occur. It is in a perfect location for observation and poses very few hazards. However, if you do plan to visit, please check
@almannavarnir
's guidance and absolutely do follow their advice!
A year after I moved to Cornwall, I have finally reassembled my rock cabinet.
Top shelf - Gemstones and crystals
2nd shelf - Shells and fossils
3rd shelf - Volcanics
Bottom shelf - Everything else (mainly plutonics and various cool metamorphic things)
Wow... speechless. A slow burner culminating in an incredible spectacle. Praying that Grindavík and the power station are unaffected. Follow
@Vedurstofan
for official updates, and for media updates head over to RUV, Vísir, or mbl.
Just goes to show how much pre-existing topography can influence the spatial extent of lava flows. Geldingadalir '21 lasted 6 months but was confined to bowls and valleys, whereas Sundhnúkur, which erupted on flat-ish topography, lasted ~3 days and covers roughly the same area.
Very pleased to announce that I have accepted a job offer working as a mineralogist at
@PetrolabLtd
in Redruth, Cornwall. Will be starting in early March 😊
Absolutely thrilled to announce that I have been accepted into the University of Iceland to study a Masters in Geology! My first semester will be starting this August, and I couldn’t be more excited to begin a new chapter in my life and my career as a geologist 😄🌋
This video highlights how dangerous breakouts can be! The flow front may look solid but the core is still molten, and when the brittle surface fails then the result is a sudden outburst of fast moving 1000 degree+ lava. Keep your distance from the flow!
#Geldingadalir
Been teaching myself how to make interferograms from Sentinel-1 data this week, with Reykjanes providing a great deformation source to practice with :)
This video shows the vent after the collapse of the crater rim. Many lava flows spread out at great speed in several directions with significantly higher flow rates than previously observed. Some 30 minutes later the opposite side of the crater also failed, producing a new flow.
Large and sustained earthquake just felt here. Biggest one since the 24th of February in terms of intensity and lasted for at least 10 seconds. Wow!
#Reykjanes
Out in the freezing sunshine on Reykjanes with the ISVOLC team, around Thorbjörn and the Eldvörp crater row, where the current seismic activity and ground deformation has been most prominent.
Didn’t have service in Geldingadalur, heading home now. Safe to say it’s been the best day of my life, felt like everything I’ve worked for in Geology had lead up to today. Will be posting photos and videos later :)
#Reykjanes
Currently making our way to the top of Fagradalsfjall, almost there. Looking back towards the south coast road and Gríndavík hidden behind the mountains.
#Reykjanes
I will be setting off at 08:30 tomorrow morning with some fellow Masters students at
@uni_iceland
to watch the eruption at Geldingadalur! Will be posting updates and pictures/videos throughout the day. Mega excited 🤩
#Reykjanes
These images show the vent before and after the collapse of part of the spatter cone. Large volumes flowed out of the vent at great speed as now unconfined lava gushed out. These events are unpredictable and can immediately change the direction and speed of a lava flow as shown.
Short ~5 minute time lapse showing how the lava is currently flowing within
#Geldingadalir
. This flow continues to the right and into
#Meradalir
where it is forming an a’a’ flow.
Just found these pictures from Day 2 of the
#Fagradalsfjall
eruption in March 2021! The location of the first image is now buried beneath more than 50 to 80 metres of lava, and the whole of the Geldingadalur valley in the second picture is completely full!
This is a now solidified flow that was one of the first to emanate from the fissure on Friday evening. The lava forms a brittle crust while hot molten lava continues to flow beneath, causing it to wrinkle and fold over on itself. Vesicles can be seen on overturned slabs of lava.
Will be very interesting to see what the GPS station data looks like in the coming days. Will the inflation above Svartsengi kick back into gear as the hypothesised sill refills or will the system have stabilised after this release of pressure?
Scientists who flew over the eruption site this morning confirm that no eruptive activity is visible and that lava flow from the craters seems to have ceased. Glowing is still visible in the lava field, possibly within closed channels.
These two images show the formation of a breakout at the side of a lava channel. Breakouts occur where the brittle crust of the lava flow fails, and the hot molten lava in the core flows out. These are unpredictable and move quickly, so keep a good distance away from the flow!
This image from an online article by
@RUVfrettir
shows the area of the current activity. You can see Borgarfjall on the left and Langahryggur on the right, with a valley called Nátthagi separating them. This is where the dyke is thought to be currently propagating.
#Reykjanes
Líkön benda til þess að kvika geti komið upp á syðri enda kvikugangsins rétt utan Grindavíkur. Líkur á eldgosi á hafsbotni hafa því aukist og búa þarf sig undir möguleika á sprengigosi. Meðfylgjandi mynd er frá gosinu í Surtsey árið 1963 (dæmi um surtseyskt sprengigos).
Throwback to Day 2 of the Fagradalsfjall eruption! In every photo here, the location where I’m standing has now been inundated by lava, which in Geldingadalir is probably getting close to about 100 metres thick. It’s insane how much the landscape has evolved since March.
Finally to round things off, here are some pictures of yours truly having what can only be described as the best day of his life. Thanks for reading, thanks for following and the support on my tweets, and happy eruption-watching :)
Do not be tempted to visit today! Icelandic storms can be deadly and many people were caught out overnight. Weather conditions are expected to improve in the coming days. See
@Vedurstofan
and
@almannavarnir
for information and updates.
#Reykjanes
Final video - Geldingadalir at dusk. All vents along the fissure are visible in this video - the original vent being on the far left. The three prominent vents in the centre seem to be the most active currently. Once again an absolutely breathtaking experience 😄
I will be returning to
#Geldingadalir
on Saturday! The last time I visited was on the 20th of March, so I cannot wait to see in person how the landscape has changed since then. Will try and tweet as much as I can while I’m there :)
@BSteinbekk
Utterly heartbreaking to see. Since the first large earthquakes in 2021, Grindavík has been anxious about such an event occurring and here we are. Truly incredible footage Bjorn, and I'm sure everyone appreciates the humility of your post as well ❤️
Seismic activity continues to steadily decline in intensity on
#Reykjanes
. The activity continues to be monitored through seismic, GPS, and gas measurements. Eruption looking less and less likely as time goes on, but authorities are still vigilant and prepared for all outcomes.
I can’t quite believe it. Two years, 117 pages, and 25,000 words later, and I’ve finally submitted a first full draft of my MS thesis to my supervisors. Still got a fair bit of a polishing to do, but it feels like a huge weight off my chest. Almost at the finish line 😅🤞🏻
Drumplot from Gríndavík showing a significant increase in seismic tremor intensity since ~22:00. No clear changes observed on the
@RUVfrettir
webcam though, activity appears to be normal. No large (>mag 3.0) earthquakes have been recorded either. Source:
After a spurt of seismic activity last night, things have once again calmed down here. A new InSAR image reveals the intruding dike has moved slightly to the SW, but is still propagating beneath Fagradalsfjall. EQ’s near Gríndavík are not thought to be magma-related.
#Reykjanes
Press conference confirms no sign of eruption yet. But the tremor is not something to be ignored and there is still the potential of an eruption within the next few hours, the next few weeks or not at all. The Civil Defence system has been mobilised as a precaution.
#Reykjanes
Loads of felt earthquakes today in Reykjavík starting off with a large 5.7 magnitude quake. My flat in student housing has been shaking almost every 10 minutes since about 10am this morning!
Heading back to
#Geldingadalir
tomorrow for Round 3! Just bought a 70-300mm lens for my DSLR as well so am hoping to get some awesome photos and videos of the lava fountaining 🤩
If a subglacial eruption does not reach the surface then the hyaloclastite accumulates beneath the ice and forms a smooth ridge-shaped cast. If the surface is breached, the hyaloclastite will be capped by a lava flow. These two morphologies can be seen all over Iceland. (2/2)
Heading home now, legs are like lead but round 2 was even better than the first time. The fissure with its 5 or more vents erupting simultaneously is an absolutely extraordinary and truly humbling sight to bear witness to. Will post DSLR pics and videos tomorrow :)
#Geldingadalir
Quick terminology description: hyaloclastite is a volcanic rock formed where magma erupts into water or beneath a glacier or ice cap. The magma is subject to a high degree of fragmentation, forming ridges of fine-grained volcanic material. (1/2)
Screenshots taken 24 hours apart. Despite looking similar, the volumetric flow rate of lava from the vents remains consistent with previous days. As the valley radius increases, greater volumes of lava are required to yield the same increase in height.
#Geldingadalir
Fagradalsfjall seems to have woken up again. These repeated dyke intrusions are in my opinion a clear indication that we are seeing a “fires” type episode as was seen during the last eruptive episode on the Reykjanes Peninsula in the 12th century.
Yes, is a new dyke intrusion! The fourth one into our
@naspmon
seismic network 😁🙏 you can see the time evolution on the zoomed pic of the refined events. The dyke is propagating aprox. from 2022 eruption site to Mt. Keilir.
Images from:
@Vedurstofan
The abstract produced using the data collected during my
@GeoTenerife
internship in September 2018 has now been published and submitted to
@EuroGeosciences
2019, with my name on it! Very exciting 😁
New earthquake swarm started on the
#Reykjanes
peninsula. Over 1400
#earthquakes
since yesterday, the strongest one 4.2M at 5am GMT this morning. Scientists believe this is due to lateral magma movement. No signs of eruption, but
@icao
color code for
#volcano
upgraded to orange.
Víðir Reynisson says the eruption is located within Fagradalsfjall in a valley called Geldingadalur. If this information is correct a proposed name for the eruption would be Geldingadalsgos. And we thought Eyjafjallajökull was a mouthful!
#Reykjanes