Icelandic ash cloud part two? Scientists monitor rumblings of larger volcano

[Celefin]

Source: Guardian

Brooding over rugged moss-covered hills on Iceland's southern edge, Katla is bigger than the nearby Eyjafjallajokul volcano, which spewed ash all over Europe for several weeks and cost airlines $2bn (£1.2bn).

Named after an evil troll, Katla has a larger magma chamber than Eyjafjallajokul's, according to local scientist Páll Einarsson. Its last major eruption, in 1918, continued for more than a month, turning day into night, starving crops of sunlight and killing off some livestock. The eruption melted some of the ice sheet covering Katla, flooding surrounding farmlands with a torrent of water.

Now, clusters of small earthquakes are being detected around Katla, which means an eruption could be imminent, seismologists say. The earthquakes have been growing in strength, too. After a long period of magnitude-3 tremors, a magnitude-4 quake was detected last week.

"It is definitely showing signs of restlessness," said Einarsson, a professor of geophysics at the University of Iceland.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/13/icelands-katla-volcano-eruption-imminent

[MADem]

1. That's not good--who likes a north atlantic sea crossing in winter? nt

[AndyTiedye]

10. Done That

It's pretty amazing how an ocean liner can be tossed around in a Nor-easter.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

2. Iceland volcano: media continues to play up possible Katla eruption

An article published in the national British newspaper, The Guardian, today, detailing the possible eruption of the Iceland volcano, Katla, is a prime example of the media over reacting, yet again.

It is true that a recent increase in cluster earthquakes led scientists to question whether an eruption was starting. However, research flights over Katla suggest that the most likely cause of the small earthquakes was geothermal melt-water pouring down into a heated crevasse.

Read more: http://www.icenews.is/index.php/2011/10/13/iceland-volcano-media-continues-to-play-up-possible-katla-eruption/#ixzz1afe837ew


El Hierro is the Volcano to pay attention to right now. We've been "watching" the magma rise and deformation for weeks, it's venting now, if not actually erupting. Caught everyone unprepared tho, not much equipment in the field yet. It won't be causing any air traffic problems or massive destruction but it's an amazing process to watch.

http://earthquake-report.com/2011/09/25/el-hierro-canary-islands-spain-volcanic-risk-alert-increased-to-yellow/
Update 12/10 – 20:04 UTC : 2 new eruption locations have been detected this afternoon. The eruption sites discovered today are much nearer to the coast than the initial location at 5 km out of the La Restinga coast.
Today’s most remote location is at a depth of 750 meter and 2 nautical miles out of the coast. The second at a depth of 500 meter and 1.5 nautical miles from the coast. (1 nautical mile = 1.85 km)
Authorities told the press that fissures has been opened which resulted in green water spots with a strong sulfurous odor. Just like Monday a lot of dead fish have been detected at the surface waters too.

[Celefin]

5. But it has a cool name!

Yeah I know...

nonetheless it always makes for a good story, if nothing else.

When Katla finally decides to erupt, everybody will delight in its easy pronunciation.
Only to be crestfallen when the massive destruction across all of northern Europe doesn't materialize.

So, is it breaking 'news'?
Since I love everything relating to Volcanoes, I decided yes.

Cheers :)

[bigworld]

3. It's been restless all summer

I think that the Iceland volcano is the go-to story for British media on a slow news day.

[dipsydoodle]

4. ditto

[defendandprotect]

6. Global Warming is bringing more earthquakes and of increasing severity ---

earthquakes in turn generate more volcanic activity ---

[AndyTiedye]

9. Global Warming May be Responsible for a Lot of Things, But Earthquakes and Volcanoes?

I don't think so. The other way round does apply to some extent: Massive volcanoes do release a bunch of greenhouse gasses.

[defendandprotect]

11. No ... glacier melting is creating earthquakes and more severe earthquakes ....

The melting of the glaciers moves weight from techtonic plates onto other

tectonic plates which generates earthquakes.

That's why the government in Fukushima wanted to close down their reactors --

their were built to withstand only 7.1 earthquakes and Japanese scientists were

reporting increasing seismic activity. Imagine the pain and suffering that the

world would have been saved had they been able to go ahead and do that.

Seems that Bush sent in a team to pressure/advise them.

There's a lot of info on this --

Here are a few links for now -- if you're interested I can pull up others.

I'm working on something else at the moment.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=617007&mesg_id=621162


That GW would bring earthquakes was mentioned in a Pentagon memo to W Bush ... maybe 2004?

However, after a few years they scrubbed the reference to earthquakes.


Meanwhile, "the melting of the glaciers also dilutes the salt content of the North Atlantic.

That change in salinity in turn could slow or stop the movement of a major Atlantic Ocean

current whose warmth has kept the climate of northern NA and northern Europe hospitable to

civiilization. If it failed -- results would e raid deep freez tht would basically make

much of the Northern Hemisphere incpable of supporting societies."

See my Journal for other info --


Another reality of Global Warming that most don't understand is that there was a 50 year gap

in our actually feeling the effects of Global Warming. Currently, we are only beginning to

feel he effects of our human activity on the environment up to 1960!!


Scientists have long understood the negative impact of our "bus-i-ness" on the nature/planet.

By the 1880's they recognized the damage being done from the Industrial Revolution.

By the 1940's the glaciers were beginning to melt some think connected to build up for WWII --

and then there were those nuclear weapons!


At any rate, we need to get our own nuclear reactors shut down -- may make the difference

between "a whimper or a bang" -- !!

[AndyTiedye]

7. It's the Banksters' Fault

They called up Iceland to demand cash. It was a bad connection. They're sending ash.

[AverageJoe90]

8. LMAO, good one. nt