[Geology2] Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland acting up a bit

Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland acting up a bit

May 4, 2010  12:44 PM

The Eyjafjallajokull glacier spewing ash on April 17.

CAPTION

File photo, AP

The airspace over Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic was closed for about six hours on Monday because of concerns that ash from the Eyjafjallajökull might drift into the area.

The volcano has been somewhat more active in the past four days, according to the Icelandic Meteorological Office and Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland. It is estimated to be sending out between 11 and 22 tons of lava and ash a second.

Seismic tremor levels intensified Sunday night and have been high ever since. The earthquakes being felt at the site appear to be about 11 miles deep.

There's no indication the eruption is ending, but it doesn't appear to be extending to the nearby Katla volcano, as has happened in previous historic eruptions.

Eyjafjallajökull's plume has been observed at between 17,000 and 18,000 feet, higher than last week, and rising higher after explosions. It is clearly visible on satellite images 125 miles from the eruption site.

There are now two plumes, a dark grey ash cloud from the eruptive site itself and a white steam plume from the Gígjökull outlet glacier. Gígjökull means 'crater glacier.' It is flowing north down a break in Eyjafjallajökull's caldera rim out towards the Markarfljot plain. Markarfljot is a river in southern Iceland fed by meltwater from the Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull glaciers.

As the lava flows down Gígjökull, it melts the ice, increasing the size of the ice canyon that is forming. Large plumes of steam are produced where lava is in contact with ice and meltwater. Scientists who are working at Gígjökull say they regularly hear explosions and booming sounds and feel the ground vibrate. They have also reported some discomfort due to gas dissolved in the meltwater coming off the glacier.

The water comes in pulses about every ten minutes, the scientists at Gígjökull say. They've measured the water temperature at the Markarfljot bridge there at 51 degrees. Measurements Monday morning went as high as 62 degrees at Markarfljot bridge but then dropped down to 40 degrees.

By Elizabeth Weis

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(Coming soon---Volcano Watch!)

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