On the 19th March 2021
Fagradalsfjall Volcano erupted
for the first time in 6000 years.
Dr Gro B. M. Pederson is tracking the lava flow as it erupts.
So my name is Gro Birkefeldt Møller Pedersen and I'm a geologist
and I'm working on the eruption on Reykjanes Peninsula at Fagradalsfjall Volcano.
Fagradalsfjall Volcano basically means
'the beautiful valley mountain volcano'.
So Fagra means 'beautiful',
Dals means 'valley'
and Fjall means 'mountain'.
So Fragradalsfjall Volcano.
Reykjanes Peninsula is basically the south-west corner of Iceland
and we have five volcanic systems across the peninsula, one of which is
the Fagradalsfjall volcanic system.
There was this big earthquake on the 24th of February.
As the magma is trying to find its way up through the crust, the crust often breaks a little bit
in order to accommodate space for this magma, and that creates the earthquakes.
It was more than 50,000 earthquakes.
I've never felt so many earthquakes in my life.
They were very intense.
And on the 19th of March, we got the first eruptive fissure in Geldingadalir.
And that's the first time since 800 years that Reykjanes has had an eruption
and this specific volcanic system has not erupted for 6000 years.
When a volcano is erupting for the first time in modern times
it's really a unique window into understanding those volcanic systems.
Volcanoes are all different and they work differently.
You have actually been able to see new fissures open like that,
which is remarkable, really amazing.
I would say it's rather addicting.
I don't think you get like,
‘OK, seen that, done that.’
At least not if you have a geological background, then you're like,
'I want more!’
Some of the things we have been doing, and I have been doing specifically, are of course,
we are trying to figure out the volume of the eruption
and how much volume are being emitted per second.
That is done by surveys from air, either from satellite or from planes.
We take pictures and you construct topographic models.
What we are trying to do is partly understanding where the lava will go.
So right now it's ponding and it's moving a bit to the south but one of the other
options that the lava can do if it keeps on filling up the valley
is basically going out this valley here towards the east and flow into the other valleys.
It's a bit more complicated than, for instance, water.
As soon as some of the lava has cooled, it's basically creating a barrier or obstacle
for the lava that is being emitted afterwards.
So constantly the topography is changing when you have lava flows evolving.
I feel like every day I'm not going into the field, I’m a little bit sad
because I would like to follow it and see how it evolves.
So I think you are awestruck every time you come into the field
and you see how the landscape has been changing.
But of course, it can also be quite frustrating at times.
On Friday when we were in the field last, it was basically so much gas
and we now have multiple sources.
So each fissure segment is emitting gas.
So from the cones you can see there are gas plumes coming out
and this gas is something you have to be aware of when you’re walking around in the field
because it’s bad for you, it can be poisonous if it’s too high concentration.
So right now, after the two latest fissures have opened up, the situation's much more complicated
because you have three sources of gas moving around with the wind.
So it can also be quite frustrating, and of course Icelandic weather
is not always playing along either.
We have been promised clear skies.
So if you have things you really want to do and you cannot do them
because of the gas or because there's suddenly a snowstorm,
then of course there is some frustration.
But I would say overall it's amazing to go to the field.
You just want to go more.
I mean, it's a lot of work, so you have to like it.
You have to be a little bit dedicated.
Or crazy. I don't know.
So in Iceland, we have approximately 32 or 33 volcanic systems that have produced
many, many hundreds of eruptions over time,
and that is because Iceland is located
on the plate boundary between Eurasia and North American plate that is moving apart.
So along the plate boundary, you basically have the plates moving to each side.
And when that is happening, you're stretching the crust and new material is coming up
from below and is basically generating volcanic eruptions that are filling out this material.
So you don’t end up having two Icelands.
But on top of that, we also have a mantle plume,
and the mantle plume is basically an area deep down under the crust where you have hot rock.
And therefore we have these two special conditions of plate boundary and the mantle plume
that causes extra melt generation and causes all the volcanoes and the volcanic eruptions
to be placed here in Iceland.
And now multiple other fissures have opened up and that’s what you see in the back.
Some of these fissures have built up cones and are very active, producing a lot of lava.
So we don't know when the volcano will stop.
That’s the million dollar question and we really would like to predict that.
But we just know that right now it seems like the eruption is still unfolding.
It's still opening up new fissures.
So it doesn't seem to stop right now.
And there is geochemical evidence that suggests that it's similar to some of
the shield eruptions.
And if it's going to be an eruption that produces shield then we’re in for a long ride.
But really, the answer is we don't know.