Thinks the eruption will not be a long one
Ármann Höskuldsson, professor of volcanology at the University of Iceland says that the decrease in the volcano is going slowing than he would have liked to see. Composite image/Kristinn Ingvarsson/Árni Sæber
“It’s been decrasing a bit slower than I would have liked,” Ármann Höskuldsson, professor of volcanology at the University of Iceland, replied when asked how he assesses the situation at the volcano at Grindavík last night.
He says that the fissure that opened up near the town is “quite powerful” but the Icelandic Met Office announced that it was about 100 meters long and about 200 meters from the neighborhood of Efrihópur.
The larger fissure, which is mostly north of the dikes that have been constructed recently, is about 900 meters long and flows mostly to the west. Höskuldsson mentions that it is all mostly active, especially the northern part of it. He says that the plume activity has fallen.
“I don’t believe that this eruption will last for a long time, but things can happen even if they don’t last.”
More difficult to get the magma to the surface
Höskuldsson says that the eruption that started yesterday is quite different from the one that started on December 18.
He says that the December eruption was fast to end, “but this one will be a little longer to end, I think.” He also says that this eruption is not as powerful as the last one.
“In this case, it’s more difficult to bring the magma up, which makes it take a little longer to beat the eruption.”
Four times less magma
Höskuldsson says he doesn’t think more eruption fissures are going to develop. The system needs time to recharge after releasing pressure.
“It’s only when we start to see some major input in the GPS data that we’ll see a big increase. If something like that starts to appear, then it can be a little while longer.”
Is the amount of magma less?
“Yes, it’s almost four times less than it was when the volcanic eruption started on December 18th. But it may be active longer so it may end up with a similar amount of magma or even a little more,” he says, adding that the magma level has yet to be revealed.
The defense walls worked
He says it’s a good feeling to see that the northern part of the defense wall of Grindavík has played its part.
“All this lava flowing along the defense walls and towards Mt Þorbjörn would have gone into a village if the wall wasn’t there. So there’s something positive about this,” he says, adding that the location of the volcanic eruption this close to town was the worst scenario.
