Report on Fagradalsfjall (Iceland) — 17 August-23 August 2022
Smithsonian Institution / US Geological Survey
Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 17 August-23 August 2022
Managing Editor: Sally Sennert.
Please cite this report as:
Global Volcanism Program, 2022. Report on Fagradalsfjall (Iceland) (Sennert, S, ed.). Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 17 August-23 August 2022. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.
63.895°N, 22.258°W; summit elev. 250 m
All times are local (unless otherwise noted)
The Institute of Earth Sciences reported that lava effusion at the fissure eruption in the Krýsuvík-Trölladyngja volcanic system continued during 16-19 August. Lava erupted mainly from a central cone, containing a lava pond, and flowed SE. Measurements taken during an overflight on 16 August indicated that the flow rate had decreased to 2 cubic meters per second. An estimated 12 million cubic meters of lava had erupted. The lava near the vent was 20-40 m thick, but flows were 5-15 m thick in the Meradalir valley, outside the crater area. Seismic tremor began to decrease on 19 August. Incandescence from the northern vent and from the lava flows was reflected by the gas plume that rose from the crater, but through the night of 20-21 August incandescence from the flow diminished. Incandescence from the vent was visible until about 0400 on 21 August. Beginning at around 0500 several explosions ejected spatter from the vent over a period of about 15 minutes. Just before 0600 a dense, bluish-gray plume rose from the crater, and simultaneously seismic tremor signals stopped. On 22 August IMO lowered the Aviation Color Code to Yellow.
Geological Summary. Although the Fagradalsfjall fissure swarm has previously been considered a split or secondary swarm of the Krýsuvík–Trölladyngja volcanic system, as of September 2022 Icelandic volcanologists managing the Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes made the decision to identify it as a distinct separate system. The recent eruptions and related reports have been reassigned here, and other content will be prepared and adjusted as appropriate.