On August 3rd of 2022 after more than 10,000 earthquakes struck the Reykjanes peninsula
in Iceland, the Krysuvik volcano finally produced a new eruption.
This eruption began at approximately 1:16 pm local time, when a 100 meter long fissure
trending to the northeast opened, sending fountains of lava several dozen meters into
the air.
Over the next several minutes, a high rate of lava erupted as what was presumably a'a'
material.
As of 3.5 hours later, fresh lava has seemingly covered about 0.1 square kilometers or 25
acres of land in molten rock.
While a new spectacular volcanic eruption is ongoing, I would not recommend traveling
too close to this site for the time being.
As shown by an event yesterday when rising magma triggered a rapid steam degassing event,
magma and lava are interacting with the area's water table, and this has the potential to
carry with it explosive results.
When magma interacts with groundwater or ice, it causes it to flash to steam.
Since the same mass of steam takes up more volume than the water it once was and the
gas is unable to quickly escape to the surface, it can cause an immense amount of pressure
to build.
Eventually, this pressure may become so great than it explodes upwards in what is known
as a phreatic eruption, sending boulders of rock and pyroclastic flows over a wide area.
While the previous eruption at Geldingadalir in 2021 did not create any large phreatic
eruptions, the possibility of one occurring still remains.
Additionally, it is quite likely that the initial fissure will continue to expand over
time to the southwest and northeast, potentially suddenly forming a new vent where people might
be standing.
Thus, if you are to approach this new eruption, it is safest although not completely safe
to view it from the northwest on a high ridge, where fissure propagation is least likely
and volcanic gas exposure is put to a minimum.
Of course, be mindful what the wind direction is, as you want to be upwind not downwind
from the erupting vents.
While the eruption in 2021 at Geldingadalir 1,550 meters to the southwest lasted for 184
days, it is unknown how long the ongoing eruption will last for.
However, it is quite likely that it will last for several weeks to months at a minimum,
as a significant volume of mantle derived basalt is being supplied to the surface.
Fissure propagation may continue throughout the full length of the expected eruption,
although what initially are dozens of vents may likely soon decrease in number as individual
vents solidify and molten material is diverted into larger vents known as spatter cones.
These cones could eventually grow to a height of more than 100 meters, although it depends
how long the eruption lasts, and the rate lava is being emitted at.
For those of you living in relatively close proximity to this volcano, you might be worrying
about the long term implications of this lava flow and where it might travel.
After all, the area outlined on screen comprises a massive lava flow or series of lava flows
which inundated large parts of the northern Reykjanes peninsula between 7,000 and 12,500
years ago from the same volcanic system.
Luckily, due to where the latest eruption began, those areas are unlikely to be placed
at risk, assuming of course that the main output of molten rock doesn't move to the
north or south.
While lava could travel more than one direction, it is most likely to flow to the south and
pool there for a significant period of time since the area represents a natural depression
in the ground.
However, if this area becomes blocked, the lava will build around its active vents, eventually
flowing to the north-northeast before turning west-northwest.
If this occurs, then several distant settlements might be placed at risk.
However, I would not worry too much.
The furthest away from its source lava travelled during the 6 month long eruption of Geldingadalir
was only 3.5 kilometers, and as you can see with the overlay I have on screen, no settlements
are remotely close to the edge of this radius.
Thanks for watching!
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