The fourth crater erupting, Iceland
Four craters, being in one straight line, are erupting now at the same time. This one is number three in the fissure row, but it is the last one that started to erupt. It is somewhat comical to see that it appears that the lava flow seems to move upwards. However, there is a crater on a higher level that directs the lava to a lower level, nearby the one that you can see on the picture.
Fissures have opened one after another on a south west - north east line on the Reykjanes peninsula where movements of the tectonic plates cause the plates to drift apart.
Normally volcanic activities decrease and get gradually weaker after some time, but after more than three weeks of spitting lava, since March 19, the activities in the area get even more intense.
After around 50.000 earthquakes from very small up to 5,6 had been measured since February 24th, a volcanic eruption in the Geldingadal valley started in the late evening of march 19. The lava comes up from an exceptional depth of 15-20 kilometres. Earthquakes still continue but are rather small.
The blue haze and smoke is formed by sulphur dioxide that was hanging on the hot lava field due to little wind. Other emerging gases as fluor and not at least carbon monoxide can be very dangerous in valleys especially when there is little wind.
The fourth crater erupting, Iceland
Four craters, being in one straight line, are erupting now at the same time. This one is number three in the fissure row, but it is the last one that started to erupt. It is somewhat comical to see that it appears that the lava flow seems to move upwards. However, there is a crater on a higher level that directs the lava to a lower level, nearby the one that you can see on the picture.
Fissures have opened one after another on a south west - north east line on the Reykjanes peninsula where movements of the tectonic plates cause the plates to drift apart.
Normally volcanic activities decrease and get gradually weaker after some time, but after more than three weeks of spitting lava, since March 19, the activities in the area get even more intense.
After around 50.000 earthquakes from very small up to 5,6 had been measured since February 24th, a volcanic eruption in the Geldingadal valley started in the late evening of march 19. The lava comes up from an exceptional depth of 15-20 kilometres. Earthquakes still continue but are rather small.
The blue haze and smoke is formed by sulphur dioxide that was hanging on the hot lava field due to little wind. Other emerging gases as fluor and not at least carbon monoxide can be very dangerous in valleys especially when there is little wind.