Iceland is bracing for a volcanic eruption, as 1000’s of small earthquakes have shaken the southern a part of the Reykjanes peninsula since October. The earthquakes have been led to via an enormous quantity of magma from deep inside of Earth transferring upwards and forming a 15-kilometre-long crack between 2 and 5 kilometres underground. As of 3pm GMT on 14 November, no volcanic eruption had begun.

When will the volcanic eruption happen?

No person is aware of. It’s idea most likely that an eruption will happen, nevertheless it isn’t sure. The mass of magma may just stay the place it’s and progressively cool somewhat than erupting.

However I noticed movies of an eruption on social media?

Those are movies of previous volcanic eruptions, corresponding to of the Fagradalsfjall volcano that erupted in 2021, 2022 and July 2023. The Fagradalsfjall volcano is close to the brand new magma intrusion however is break away it.

Why is the bottom cracking?

The magma intrusion has driven the land on all sides outwards and up, inflicting the bottom in an instant above the intrusion to sink as much as a metre in puts. This has ended in cracks within the flooring, inflicting numerous harm within the coastal the city of Grindavík, whose north-western edge is without delay above the magma tunnel.

What’s in danger within the area?

The magma intrusion runs from simply off the coast, passes beneath Grindavík and continues inland to inside of a few kilometres of a geothermal energy plant known as Svartsengi. The recent water from Svartsengi is the supply for the Blue Lagoon spa close by, one among Iceland’s greatest vacationer points of interest.

What’s going down there now?

The 3000 citizens of Grindavík had been evacuated, however they have been allowed again in short to assemble assets, pets and farm animals. The Blue Lagoon is closed.

What would occur if there may be an eruption?

No person can also be positive. It’s most likely that a fissure vent may just shape, with a fountain of lava producing a lava drift. How a lot destruction this reasons is dependent upon the place it occurs and what kind of lava comes out. If emerging lava meets massive quantities of groundwater, or the eruption happens beneath the ocean, there may well be an explosive eruption because of the formation of steam.

“If an eruption starts, it’s more likely to be reasonably mild explosions, with fireplace fountains feeding lava flows,” Margaret Hartley on the College of Manchester in the United Kingdom mentioned in a commentary launched via the Science Media Centre.

Can anything else be carried out to give protection to the city?

Prior to now, Iceland has occasionally constructed earthen “dams” to deflect lava flows and offer protection to key infrastructure, together with at the Reykjanes peninsula. On the other hand, the magma tunnel stretches for 15 kilometres on this case, and it isn’t transparent the place or if lava will begin to drift.

Will an eruption disrupt transatlantic flights?

The basalt eruptions that happen at the Reykjanes peninsula seldom produce a lot ash, so it’s not likely we will be able to see an affect like that of the Eyjafjallajökull eruption in 2010. “A submarine eruption may just generate ash clouds with the prospective to have an effect on air site visitors at Keflavík world airport, however we’re not likely to revel in aviation disruption at the scale of the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull ash cloud occasions,” mentioned Hartley.