Seismic Activity In Snæfellsjökull

Both Snæfellsjökull and Lóujökull are active volcanoes according to a new study by German scientists, Vísir reports. Volcanologist Haraldur Sigurðsson wants improved monitoring of Snæfellsnes, for public disaster protection and science.

The youngest lava from Snæfellsjökull is 1700 year old Háahraun, according to Haraldur. He says that we have to treat the volcanoes on Snæfellsnes as active and that this is an important confirmation. “There is seismicity under the glacier and that’s new info” Haraldur explains.

Up until now the Icelandic Met Office has only caught the largest earthquakes on Snæfellsnes, due to a lack of detailed tracking. “German scientists placed seismographs on Snæfellsjökull and Ljósufjöll two years ago. And wouldn’t you know it: Turns out that there are small tremors in both of these volcanoes. So they are both active.” said Haraldur.