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Massive Iceland volcano (Katla) stirring

Posted: February 22nd, 2012, 2:48 pm
by Col. Flagg
http://www.clickgreen.org.uk/news/inter ... katla.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Iceland's huge volcano Katla is stirring into life after tell-tale signs of the potential for an eruption were monitored by observers.

A harmonic tremor has been recorded for two days and small earthquakes have been confirmed at the volcano by the Icelandic Met Office this morning.

It is highly unusual for an eruption in Iceland to occur in the middle of winter but the early indications show Katla is building up power.

Experts are unclear as to whether it is water or magma that is causing this week's sudden increase in activity and the seismic recordings are currently lower than when the volcano first showed signs of a minor eruption last July.

In September, Katla again stirred into life with a harmonic tremor and earthquakes in the volcano's caldera - its magma chamber.

Katla, which has not experienced a significant eruption for 93 years, is the second largest volcano on Iceland and the consequences of a major eruption will be felt across Europe.

In 2010, the country's president Ólafur Grímsson warned "the time for Katla to erupt is coming close, Iceland has prepared and it is high time for European governments and airline authorities all over Europe and the world to start planning for the eventual Katla eruption".

It is believed Katla, named after a vindictive troll of Viking folklore, has the potential to be much stronger and disruptive than the last two Icelandic volcanic eruptions that caused chaos across Europe's air space, grounding flights and closing airports.

Katla is much larger than its neighbouring Eyjafjallajokull – which erupted in 2010 - with a magma chamber about 10 times the size.

Volcanologists warn that if Katla does erupt, the combination of the magma and the large ice sheet covering the volcano could lead to explosive activity and an ash plume for weeks, if not months.
Man, what is going on with earth's volcanos right now? Seems like a good majority of them are active. :-o

Re: Massive Iceland volcano (Katla) stirring

Posted: February 22nd, 2012, 9:23 pm
by truckshmuck
If it blows or has a high magnitude quake Good bye east coast towns and cities.

Re: Massive Iceland volcano (Katla) stirring

Posted: February 22nd, 2012, 10:37 pm
by bobhenstra
Col. Flagg wrote: It is highly unusual for an eruption in Iceland to occur in the middle of winter but the early indications show Katla is building up power.
Strange! The volcano didn't get the word it was Winter, hmm---- X(

Bob

Re: Massive Iceland volcano (Katla) stirring

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 10:12 am
by Col. Flagg
truckshmuck wrote:If it blows or has a high magnitude quake Good bye east coast towns and cities.
I think you're thinking of the volcanic chain of islands in the eastern atlantic in the Canary Islands, specifically Cumbre Vieja. Katla is in Iceland - if it goes, Europe is going to have some very serious problems.

Re: Massive Iceland volcano (Katla) stirring

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 10:18 am
by Original_Intent
A year with no rainbow potential?

Re: Massive Iceland volcano (Katla) stirring

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 10:20 am
by Col. Flagg
bobhenstra wrote:
Col. Flagg wrote: It is highly unusual for an eruption in Iceland to occur in the middle of winter but the early indications show Katla is building up power.
Strange! The volcano didn't get the word it was Winter, hmm---- X(

Bob
This volcano, if it blows, is going to be like pulling the cork off a bottle of carbonated apple cider after shaking it for 2 minutes. :-o

Re: Massive Iceland volcano (Katla) stirring

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 10:21 am
by Col. Flagg
Original_Intent wrote:A year with no rainbow potential?
Not sure if it would do anything globally, but regionally, Europe would have some serious problems in terms of blocked sunlight, ashfall and no air travel.

Re: Massive Iceland volcano (Katla) stirring

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 10:22 am
by Original_Intent
Col. Flagg wrote:
bobhenstra wrote:
Col. Flagg wrote: It is highly unusual for an eruption in Iceland to occur in the middle of winter but the early indications show Katla is building up power.
Strange! The volcano didn't get the word it was Winter, hmm---- X(

Bob
This volcano, if it blows, is going to be like pulling the cork off a bottle of carbonated apple cider after shaking it for 2 minutes. :-o
Why would you want to ruin a perfectly good bottle of apple cider by carbonating it?

Re: Massive Iceland volcano (Katla) stirring

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 11:10 am
by LateOutOfBed
This volcano has been "stirring" for the last year or more. It just happens to be another active cycle, doesn't appear to show any more activity than over the last year. However, I don't think that's indicative of it NOT erupting. I think it's more of a when than an if for many of these volcanoes.

-- Geoff

Re: Massive Iceland volcano (Katla) stirring

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 11:21 am
by Original_Intent
LateOutOfBed wrote:This volcano has been "stirring" for the last year or more. It just happens to be another active cycle, doesn't appear to show any more activity than over the last year. However, I don't think that's indicative of it NOT erupting. I think it's more of a when than an if for many of these volcanoes.

-- Geoff
I am pretty sure that I read last year when the other Iceland volcano was active that Katia is a few years overdue for a major eruption. And I think I also remember reading that it was more likely to erupt around times when the other volcano (Eyjafjallajökull) was active.

Re: Massive Iceland volcano (Katla) stirring

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 11:24 am
by LateOutOfBed
Original_Intent wrote:I am pretty sure that I read last year when the other Iceland volcano was active that Katia is a few years overdue for a major eruption. And I think I also remember reading that it was more likely to erupt around times when the other volcano (Eyjafjallajökull) was active.
I recall reading something very similar if not the exact same. So I guess we'll just see how it all plays out. We may see some fireworks soon!

-- Geoff

Re: Massive Iceland volcano (Katla) stirring

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 11:25 am
by Col. Flagg
Original_Intent wrote:Why would you want to ruin a perfectly good bottle of apple cider by carbonating it?
My thoughts exactly!!! I can't stand the stuff (you know, the bottles you can buy for new year's) :p - nasty. But man, shake that thing up and uncork it... :-o

Re: Massive Iceland volcano (Katla) stirring

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 11:28 am
by Col. Flagg
LateOutOfBed wrote:
Original_Intent wrote:I am pretty sure that I read last year when the other Iceland volcano was active that Katia is a few years overdue for a major eruption. And I think I also remember reading that it was more likely to erupt around times when the other volcano (Eyjafjallajökull) was active.
I recall reading something very similar if not the exact same. So I guess we'll just see how it all plays out. We may see some fireworks soon!

-- Geoff
You are both correct - in the past, whenever the smaller one (Eyjafjallajökull) has erupted, Katla has gone off within two years.

Re: Massive Iceland volcano (Katla) stirring

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 12:35 pm
by bobhenstra
Col. Flagg wrote:
bobhenstra wrote:
Col. Flagg wrote: It is highly unusual for an eruption in Iceland to occur in the middle of winter but the early indications show Katla is building up power.
Strange! The volcano didn't get the word it was Winter, hmm---- X(

Bob
This volcano, if it blows, is going to be like pulling the cork off a bottle of carbonated apple cider after shaking it for 2 minutes. :-o
You shake my cider it'll blow up before you take the lid off----

Bob

Re: Massive Iceland volcano (Katla) stirring

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 5:00 pm
by Col. Flagg
bobhenstra wrote:You shake my cider it'll blow up before you take the lid off----

Bob
You mean like this...

Image

Bob, how much alcohol you got in that thing? ;)

Re: Massive Iceland volcano (Katla) stirring

Posted: February 24th, 2012, 6:01 am
by mingano
truckshmuck wrote:If it blows or has a high magnitude quake Good bye east coast towns and cities.
No. Not even close. If Katla blows there may be local damage - and most of that from jökulhlaup events - but the biggest threat by far is ash.

Katla poses ZERO non-economic (travel) or climate danger to East coast towns or cities.