Iceland’s most active volcano, which grounded 900 passenger flights in 2011, looks set to erupt again.
- A volcano called Gramsvuton is almost completely covered by dense ice
- Earthquake measurements indicate that magma is accumulating at the bottom of the volcano
- Experts do not believe the eruption will be as large or interrupted as in 2011
Experts say a volcano in rural Iceland could be ready for an eruption.
The volcano called Gramsvuton is the most active on the island and is almost completely covered by ice.
It last erupted in 2011 and the ash cloud spread 12 miles (20 kilometers) into the air, canceling 900 flights.
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Experts say an iceberg in rural Iceland will reduce the volcano rupt
Smoke billows from the Grimsvoton volcano, about 120 miles (200 km) east of the capital, Reykjavik
Grimsvatton volcano erupts thousands of tons of volcanic ash over Iceland on May 23, 2011
Another Icelandic volcano, Izafzallajakul, erupted in 2010 and caused further instability, with about 10,000 aircraft flying.
This is despite the fact that Aizafzallajakul is quite small compared to Gramsvaton.
Scientists have recorded signs of unrest in the region, with seismic activity indicating that the volcanic plumbing majma is swollen.
Dr Dave McGarvey, a volcanologist at Lancaster University, added in an article in The Conversation: “Increasingly thermal activity is melting more ice and there has been a recent increase in seismic activity.”
Gramsworth was last photographed (pictured) in 2011 and gave the ash cloud 12 miles (20 kilometers) in the air, canceling 900 flights.
All of these signs point to an impending eruption, and the next signal that experts see is an ‘intense quake lasting a few hours.’
This will indicate that the magma is moving upwards and tending to erupt.
As a precaution, the Icelandic Met Office (IMO) has increased the color code for volcanoes from green to yellow.
This is evidenced by the fact that experts fear that an explosion may occur and subsequently cause a slight disruption to air travel.
The IMO said in a statement: “Multiple datasets now indicate that the Gramsvuton volcano has reached unrest.”
A massive eruption in Gromston occurred in 2011, almost once in almost a century. According to Dr. McGarvey, however, small explosions occur within it once in about a decade.
‘If there are occasional large-scale eruptions in the form of large-scale volcanoes in Gramsvton and if they continue in the future, the next eruption should be of a smaller size (there was a larger one in 2011) given
Gramsworth’s ice roof means its eruption is not as catastrophic as other volcanoes.
The ash scattered in the blast collided with an ice wall, it could be 850 feet (260 meters) thick and rise to the top.
Instead of being a fine debris that stays in the atmosphere, it becomes wet and sticky and evaporates quickly from the air, disrupting and limiting damage.
“Ash clouds only travel decades for volcanoes,” said Dr. McGarvey.
‘It’s a good sight for Icelanders and also for air travel, because it prevents the formation of enough ash clouds that can blow around and close the airspace.’
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