The Bardarbunga volcano in Iceland experienced a small eruption deep under the surface of the massive volcano. Residents were cautioned the volcano may be ready to erupt, as the island nation put its coast guard on alert, waiting for a blast.
The Met Office in Reykjavik warned residents on 18 Aug. that the active volcano may be ready to erupt. This small eruption took place 1,640 feet under the surface of the glacier.
"The rate of earthquakes has increased such that they are happening so quickly that it is difficult for the seismologist to discern individual events. The activity continues and an eruption can therefore not be ruled out," the Iceland Met Office said. The minor subterranean quake was felt soon after the warning.
Bardarbunga climbs 6,234 feet above sea level, and spreads 15.5 miles across the landscape. The volcano is buried under the largest glacier in Europe, Vatnajokull. The volcano is capable of eruptions of either magma or ice, and last erupted in 1996.
The area surrounding Bardarbunga is sparsely populated, so a larger eruption would likely cause little damage to humans or settlements. The nearest town is Husavik, with just 2,200 residents.
Air travel could be severely impacted by an eruption of Bardarbunga, as airlines would likely delay or cancel flights to, or through, the island nation. Small glass-like particles in volcanic ash can damage jet engines, potentially making passenger flight hazardous.
The Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted in April 2010, causing airlines to cancel over 100,000 flights. The following year, the Grimsvotn volcano released a plume of ash that resulted in flight cancellations in Germany and England.
University of Iceland researchers, along with staff from the Civil Protection Agency and Iceland's Coast Guard, flew over the region, collecting data on seismic activity.
The Met Office in Iceland raised an eruption warning for the volcano to orange, signifying "heightened or escalating unrest with increased potential of eruption." That level was raised to a red alert on 23 Aug., after detection of the minor eruption.
Magma, melting ice above the volcano, opens a vent between the geological feature and the open air.
A magnitude 4.5 earthquake accompanied the eruption, the latest in a series of tremors that began on 16 Aug. A dike on the volcano - a sheet of rock that formed sandwiched between two adjoining plates - has moved 2.5 miles during the recent geological activity.
"At this stage measurements taken are based on a small event. The Jökulsárgljúfur canyon has been closed and evacuation of tourists in that area and around Dettifoss waterfall has started. The situation at this stage does not call for evacuation of habitants in Kelduhverfi, Öxarfjördur and Núpasveit," the Met Office reported.
