Iceland scarcely lets a calendar month go by without reminding the world that it ’s a song of both ice and fervency . Plenty of its volcano are considered to berestlessto some point , but one particular hellish hill – Oraefajokull – is currently causing a little concern for volcanologists .
As reported by theAssociated Press , the volcano has seen a recent addition in seismic activity . The air smells of S , which is leak up to the airfoil along with heated up , murky groundwater . A caries in the C. P. Snow at the summit is getting deeper at a singular rate of 45 centimeters ( 18 in ) per Clarence Day .
All signs strongly imply that magma is act towards the Earth’s surface .
In the last week alone , Iceland ’s Meteorological Office has discover 160 seism in the area , which is a frequency greatly in excess of ground grade . As a result , volcanologists are monitoring it intensely , and the alert level has been raised toyellow , which indicate “ signs of elevated unrest ” .
Oraefajokull isconsideredto be one of Iceland ’s most dangerous volcanoes . It has n’t erupted since 1727 - 1728 , and a deficiency of historical data make it unclear how often it does blow its top . The Bob Hope is that it wo n’t repeat the result of 1362 , which were notably violent and which destroyed an entire county through volcanic debris and related to implosion therapy .
DrTobias Dürig , a volcanologist and postdoctoral researcher at the University of Otago , New Zealand , spent several eld researching Icelandic volcanoes on - land site . He recite IFLScience that , for now , the vent appear to have still down , if temporarily .
“ After a period of fermentation in September , the seismic natural action has minify , ” he explained , before sum up : “ It has n’t stop though . ”
“ This might suggest that something was on the way and has now reached a state of ‘ better ’ stability . ”
This is a uncouth lineament of peck of volcanoes . Magma often rushes up towards the surface , only to arrest just brusk of a conduit . alternatively of an clap , it enters a state of quiescence and pools in a shallower source .
“ We can not exclude the possibility that this state of matter can change , though , ” Dürig added .
“ There is a possibility that , after a certain accent doorstep is transcend , a batch of magma could be released , which in combination with the overlying glacier could be a risky scenario . ”
There are two possible action here , generally speak , should any erupting lava encounter the Vatnajokull glacier atop the fissure .
The most obvious is that it will produce asustained chromatography column of ash , one that ’s incessantly fuel by the continue depressurization of the underlie plumbing , along with the release of heat from the speedy extinguishing of the lava . It could be worse , or not quite as bad , as the scenario brought by Eyjafjallajökull in 2010 . Until it in reality happens , it ’s hard to tell .
Another possibility – one that ’s not mutually exclusive to the first – is something called ajokulhlaup . If the heat component of the eructation is gamey enough , it could cause a catastrophically quick melting of the glacier , which would generate flash floods .
Although it ’s somewhat unlike geologically speaking , the volcano Katla is overlay by the Myrdalsjokull . Its 2011 convulsion give out to break the glacier , but it did trigger a jokulhlaup , one which swept away a major nosepiece at Mulakvisl – fortunately , without any casualties .
The point is that the same could happen today at any volcano cover by a glacier , Oraefajokull include . At this stage , caution , but not hysteria , is the name of the secret plan .
No - one can say if it will erupt in the nigh future tense . “ That ’s why the experts are playing it safe , ” Dürig noted .
research worker are now go to continually valuate the ice for any airfoil changes using commonwealth - of - the - art Global Positioning System equipment and multiple flights gird with unbelievably accurate radar . Watch this outer space .
