An Icelandic Volcano May Be About To Explode

[octoberlib]

How likely is an eruption? And how bad could it be?

Bárðarbunga is a big volcano directly beneath Iceland’s largest glacier. Over the past 10,000 years, it has erupted “more lava than any other volcano on the planet.” Still, not much is known about it, mostly because it sits below so much ice. Plus, the last major eruption here was more than 100 years ago.

GPS measurements from a station just north of Bárðarbunga in recent days show movement well beyond the bounds of readings taken over the last year.

Via an email conversation, Gísli Pálsson, an anthropologist at the University of Iceland agreed that even in Iceland, an earthquake swarm like this is raising eyebrows. “There is a risk of false alarm, but on the other hand we should try to be objective and say something immediately. The alarm signal is orange and rescue teams are preparing for eruption. This could either be outside the glacier, with floods to the north, or under the glacier, with risks for air travel.”

http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2014/08/19/iceland_volcano_bardarbunga_how_bad_would_an_eruption_be.html

Good blog post on the subject from a resident of Iceland http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/08/17/1322378/-Just-To-Let-You-All-Know?detail=facebook#


Webcam : http://vedur2.mogt.is/grimsfjall/webcam/

http://www.ruv.is/frett/live-webcam-of-bardarbunga-volcano

[Skink]

1. What happens to the glacier

[Mnemosyne]

2. jökulhlaup - glacier run. nt

[alsame]

3. Iceland evacuates area near Bardarbunga volcano

Iceland evacuates area near Bardarbunga volcano

Iceland's authorities have evacuated an area close to the country's Bardarbunga volcano over fears it could erupt.

The area, which is more than 300km (190 miles) from the capital Reykjavik, has no permanent residents but sits within a national park popular with tourists.

The move came as geologists said about 300 earthquakes had been detected in the area since midnight on Tuesday.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-28870969