Iceland volcano: Bardarbunga aviation alert raised to red

[jakeXT]

Source: The Associated Press

Iceland's Meteorological Office says a subglacial eruption is underway at the Bardarbunga volcano, which has been rattled by thousands of earthquakes over the past week.

Vulcanologist Melissa Pfeffer said seismic data indicates that lava from the volcano is melting ice beneath the Vatnajokull glacier. She said it was not clear when, or if, the eruption would melt the ice and send steam and ash into the air.

Iceland raised its aviation alert for the volcano to the highest level of red on Saturday, indicating an eruption that could cause "significant emission of ash into the atmosphere." Red is the highest alert warning on a five-point scale.

Scientists had planned to fly over the glacier later Saturday to look for changes on the surface but it was not clear if that would still take place.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/iceland-volcano-bardarbunga-aviation-alert-raised-to-red-1.2744897

[FLPanhandle]

1. If you are flying to Europe anytime soon, plan on staying a few extra days

The last Icelandic volcano stranded some of our staff there for over week.

[melm00se]

16. crap

I leave for London next weekend

[Bosonic]

2. Webcam + seismic info

http://baering.github.io/

[gvstn]

5. Thanks!

[mainer]

3. I am leaving for a wedding in Norway next week, layover in Iceland.

I seriously wonder if I should go.

[bigworld]

4. West of the volcano should be okay

So at least you'll have an interesting layover even if you can't continue onwards to the wedding. Seriously, Iceland is beautiful, enjoy it.

[mainer]

6. It's a good excuse to skip the wedding!

Although I was looking forward to exploring Norway.

[cosmicone]

7. I've to be in London for a meeting

on the 25th and 26th .. flying back on the 27th. It takes a few days for the ash to affect British air traffic and hopefully I'll be back in California before the extreme shutdowns of air traffic.

[elfin]

8. Love the name "Bardabunga"

Also love that "volcanologists" study it.

great vocabulary, not great result if Bardabunga blows.

[DFW]

9. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUGH!! Not again!!!!!

I'm in Washington and have to be back in Germany Tuesday morning no matter what!!

Murphy, I hate your f***ing law.

[xocet]

12. How about Washington -> Chicago -> Tokyo -> Frankfurt?

[DFW]

13. I treid that last time.

Trouble is, air space west of Moscow was blocked.

[BlueEye]

10. The red alert actually has nothing to do with volcanic activity.

And everything to do with the difficulty of pronouncing the names of the volcanoes.

[belltower]

11. Here comes geologic methane

An excellent summation is below of material from http://arctic-news.blogspot.com/, that clearly states what the timeline is for our extinction, due primarily to abrupt release of geologic AND biologic methane. The video discusses earthquakes along the faults in the Arctic, in some detail.

It's happening now and will surely be abundantly clear in time for 2016.

[Electric Monk]

14. It's erupting now, underneath the glacier

[font size=+1]Iceland raises aviation threat to red as volcano erupts[/font]

A significant eruption is under way underneath a glacier at the Bardabunga volcano in Iceland, according to the country’s meteorological office, which has now issued a red aviation alert.

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/world/europe/article4185280.ece

[font size=+1]Bardarbunga volcano in Iceland starts subglacial lava-eruption[/font]

REYKJAVIK, Iceland — Iceland’s Bardarbunga volcano began erupting Saturday under the country’s largest glacier after a week of seismic activity rattled the area with thousands of earthquakes, the country’s Meteorological Office said.

The eruption prompted Iceland to raise its aviation alert level to red — the highest level on a five-point scale — indicating the threat of “significant emission of ash into the atmosphere.”

Seismic data indicates that magma from the volcano is melting ice beneath the Dyngjujokull icecap on the Vatnajokull glacier, Met Office vulcanologist Melissa Pfeffer said.

The remote area, 320 kilometres east of the capital of Reykjavik, is uninhabited.

She said it was not clear when, or if, the eruption would melt through the ice — which is between 100 and 400 metres thick — and send steam and ash into the air. She said it could take up to a day for the ice to melt — or the eruption might remain contained beneath Europe’s largest glacier.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/08/23/bardarbunga-volcano-in-iceland-starts-apparent-subglacial-lava-eruption/

[LloydS of New London]

15. Sorry for the Dupe

I have deleted it.

[MADem]

17. I have relatives flying there today. nt

[Helen Borg]

18. Flying from London to Atlanta on the 9th !

Hope it does nothing or that it's done by then. Damn... I remember 2010. There was a conference in Boston, and all the people from the UK could not make it...

[MADem]

19. Well, if they get stuck it'll be interesting--they've landed and are safe on the ground, now! nt