Magma Collecting Close to HS Orka and Blue Lagoon

About one and a half million cubic meters of magma have accumulated a few kilometers below the surface close to the Blue Lagoon. Land has risen by a few centimeters. Expert Kristín Jónsdóttir explains the matter in detail, RÚV reports.

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Kristín Jónsdóttir, group leader of nature monitoring at the Icelandic Meteorological Office, says that although this collection of magma is a necessary first step to an eruption, it is uncertain whether it will end that way.

The magma collection is in a similar place as it was two years ago, the difference being that it is now a little deeper than then.

When asked how far the magma is from HS Orka and the Blue Lagoon Kristín explained: “The source is actually in front of the southwestern Blue Lagoon, west of Mt. Þorbjörn. The middle is of course a bit unclear, but likely a few kilometers from there. Right now we are just continuing to monitor and of course we are processing this seismic data. We have measured about 400 earthquakes since midnight and activity only decreased after two earthquakes that were measured there at one o’clock last night, one measuring 3.1 and the other 3.2. in magnitude.”

Of course, the question on everyone’s minds is: What is the probability that it will start erupting there? To this Kristín responds:

“It is not possible to say for sure, but we can say that this collection of magma is a necessary precursor to an eruption, but perhaps not sufficient. It just depends on the amount that goes in there and conditions in the earth’s crust.”