As scientists continue to pour over the data, it now appears that a volcanic eruption in Reykjanes is less likely than it was previously reported to be.
A new announcement from the Icelandic Met Office states that the magma chamber under Fagradalsfjall appears to be solidifying. Combined with this, the longer time passes without significant seismic activity, the less likely an eruption becomes.
As reported, attention was drawn to the area again on December 21st, when an earthquake swarm began anew. This was attributed to the lateral movement of magma under Geldingadalir, and was combined with measurable land surface deformation. However, the quakes have since died out, and there has not been an earthquake of a magnitude greater than 3.0 recorded in the area for over a week now.
While the magma chamber appears to have risen closer to the surface, it is significantly smaller than the chamber under Fagradalsfjall last March. The current magma chamber is estimated to be 18 million cubic metres, while the one that led to last March’s eruption was about 35 million cubic metres.
All this being the case, there is now a decreasing chance that an eruption will happen. That said, scientists are still monitoring the situation, and we will, as always, keep you updated on any new events as they arise.
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