איסלנד- הר חדש נולד מהתפרצות געשית Iceland-New born mountain

כותב מאמר זה הוא שהמציא את מטבע הלשון "איסלנד- אי של תופעות טבע" והוא עשה זאת עקב כך שאין כמעט תופעת טבע שלא ניתן למצוא אותה האי זה. לכותב יש זכויות יוצרים על מבטע לשון זה.

במאמרים הקודמים שלי באתר זה ובאתר למטייל ציינתי כי איסלנד הינה ארץ געשית שיש בה מדי יום פעילות געשית ברמה זו או אחרת. אך לאחרונה אנו עדים, אולי כתוצאה מההתחממות הגלובאלית, לפעילות געשית גוברת והולכת בכל העולם בכלל ואולי באיסלנד בפרט.

במאמר זה ברצוני להביא לידיעתכם את התמונות והמאמרים שנכתבו עקב ההתפרצות הגעשית שהחלה ביום 20/3/2010 לקראת חצות ונמשכת גם בימים אלו, במקביל להתפרצות החדשה שהחלה באפריל 2010 ואשר גרמה לפגיעה חמורה בתעופה האזרחית והצבאית בכל אירופה.

הכתבות מובאות בשפה האנגלית, כפי שפורסמו באתר http://www.icelandreview.com/ והתמונות כוללות את שם הצלם כפי שפורסם במסגרת הכתבות, ללא התערבות שלי. אולם בסיום כל כתבה אנסח במספר מילים את עיקרי הדברים בעברית.

21/03/2010 | 08:49

Breaking News: An eruption Started by Eyjafjallajökull Glacier at Midnight

At about 11.30 on Saturday night some residents in Fljótshlíd noticed that an orange colored stroke appeared behind the glacier Eyjafjallajökull. The area has been under constant surveilance in recent days because of earthquake activiety and it was clear that as feared. An eruption had started. Immediately an evacuation plan was put into effect for the 400 people in the area who were thought to be in danger.

The operation was successful and at five o'clock all had been regisered at Hvolsvöllur, where a rescue center was set up.

The ereption is located in Fimmvörduhals, a passager between two glacers, Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull. A popular walking path goes through the area, from Skógafoss in the south to Thórsmörk. Everty summer hvdereds, and perhaps thousands, walk through the area.

Scientists say the eruption seems to be small. It consists of a row of ten paralell strokes. Because the eruption in not under a glacier, the danger is much smaller than it would otherwise have beeen.

ב- 21/3/10 דווח על התפרצות געשית במעבר בין הקרחונים Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull ובסמיכות לטרק המוביל ליעד מאוד תיירותי הנקרא Thórsmörk שהחלה ביום שבת 20/3/10 לקראת חצות.

21/03/2010 | 09:09

All Flights to and from Iceland Delayed because of Eruption

All flight traffic to and from Iceland has been stopped because of the volcanic eruption. About a thousand Icelandair passengers which were going to Europe this morning are now stranded in Iceland, according to mbl.is. These are flights to London, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Oslo and Stockholm.

Three planes from destinations in the US are still in America. These include Orlando, Boston and Seattle. About 500 passengers are on these planes. All flight within a 120 mile radius of the eruption has been stopped.

Gudjón Arngrímsson, media representative of Icelandair said that the company sent out messages to all Reykjavík hotels as soon as news about the eruption were heard and asked them to stay at their hotels. Now we are awaiting information from the authorities and will check again on the flight conditions at nine. If we are given permission the planes could be airborne at 11 a.m.

Iceland Express says it will fly to London at 10.30. “I understand that we can start on the eleventh hour”, CEO Matthías Imsland says. He urged people to follow notices on www.airport.is and other information sources.

There are no domestic flights. About 34 flights had been planned for 1.200 passengers, many coming beck from weekend vacations.

עקב ההתפרצות הגעשית עוכבו כל הטיסות לאיסלנד וממנה.

21/03/2010 | 09:15
Iceland Eruption. Quick Evacuation Completed in Five Hours

The following announcement was sent out this morning by the rescue authorities: 

Evacuation in response to the volcanic eruption in Eyjafjallajökull glacier has concluded after an extremely rapid response, according to officials. Everyone known to have been in the area has been brought to safety and is now accounted for.

Currently the eruption appears to be limited to an area where there is little ice - meaning there is no longer believed to be an imminent threat of a flood unless the eruption spreads along the fissure.

The eruption is however close enough to the glacier to warrant concern and a state of local emergency has been declared and emergency response plans initiated. The National Emergency coordination centre in Skógarhlið, Reykjavik, has been activated and is operational. Response teams have been dispatched to the area and the situation is being closely monitored. The Local Emergency operations centre has been established in Hella.

Three Red Cross mass care centres have been opened in the villages of Hella, Hvolsvöllur and Vík. Red Cross volunteers are ready to receive people. The Red Cross helpline, 1717, is open and able to provide information about the eruption to members of the public.

עקב ההתפרצות בוצע פינוי של תושבים מאזור הרעש, שהושלם בתוך 5 שעות.  

21/03/2010 | 09:30

Iceland Eruption Video. Amazing Pictures

The airplane of the Coast Guard flew over the eruption early this morning according to ruv.is. Scientists and journalists were onboard to watch the eruption and the lava flow up close. For three hours the plane circled the area and Karl Sigurbjörnsson of RÚV filmed the accompanying video. 

The craters seem to be on a rift which is between 0.5 to 1.0 kilometers in length, from southwest to north east. Lave is flowing from the crack towards east, but the main flow is to the west. Smoke is visible and goes about one kilometer up into the air. At the moment the effects of the eruption are most local at the pace of origin, which is not below glacier, which reduces the danger greatly. The area is closed for traffic until further notice.

בלינק שבכתבה למעלה תוכלו לראות וידאו בצולם בזמן אמת של ההתפרצות הגעשית, שככל הנראה רוחב הבקע הוא בין 0.5 ל- 1 ק"מ. לצערי הלינק לא פעיל יותר.

21/03/2010 | 11:00
Iceland Eruption Stable

Geophysicist Freymódur Sigmundsson says that the volcanic activity seemed stable the three hours he watched the eruption from a circling airplane this morning. He says it is possible that the rift will grow longer as time passes by. According to mbl.is Sigmundsson said the eruption activity was impressive.

Lava is flowing in two directions, to the east and the main stream to the west. Because of heat turbulence it was impossible to fly over the western stream. “The direction of the row of craters is a bit unusual, going from north to south. Most of the rifts go from east to west.”

Sigmundsson said that the rift is very close to the edge of both Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull. “The eruption now reduces the pressure of an eruption in Eyjafjallajökull. We think this eruption is connected to the earthquake activity that we have seen in recent weeks. It is possible that the eruption moves south or north. If it goes south it could go under the glacier, but we have no indication of that.”

At the moment it seems unlikely that the eruption will lead to a major flood as would happen when an eruption starts under a glacier.

The weather in the area is not the most favorable to tourists who might want to see the eruption. Because of rain visibility is limited. The forecast is not good until Wednesday.

דווח על פעילות געשית יציבה וכי הלבה זורמת בשני כיוונים שונים, האחד למזרח והשני והעיקרי למערב. עקב החום הרב לא היה ניתן לטוס מעל למקום ההתפרצות.

21/03/2010 | 12:54
Eruption Close to Popular Walking Path Fimmvörduháls

For the many tourists who know Iceland it is interesting that the eruption is close to many popular sights in Iceland.

The map shows the location of the eruption on the right between the two glaciers. Reykjavík on the left.

Many tourists to Iceland come to Skógar with its beautiful folk museum and the spectacular Skógafoss. Both are a must when you take the southern path on Highway 1 in Iceland.

the mountains and glaciers. Not so many, but still quite a few take the walk over Fimmvörduháls. Icelanders have flocked from Skógar to Thórsmörk on midsummer night in June. It is a marvelous path. When you walk up from Skógar you see a unique row of waterfalls in Skógaá, the river with the magical Skógafoss.

Close to the top there are two huts, one rather Spartan owned by Ferdafélag Íslands, the other and more luxurious is own by Útivist, both travelling clubs in Iceland. Usually you would be in snow at this level. In this place you can see the glaciers on each side, Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull.

Both are active volcanoes. Mýrdalsjökull last erupted in 1918, causing gigantic floods and damage in Vík, a south shore village. Eyjafjallajökull has not erupted since 1821. Previous eruptions in Eyjafjallajökull were in 920 and 1612.

The trip down to Thórsmörk would take you past the current eruption. First you walk the bare mountain for an hour or longer, but then you would see the magic of Thórsmörk with its unusual formations and amazing vegetation. This secluded part of Iceland has always been a thrill for young and old and many tourists, Icelandic and foreign, try to go there as often as they can, some many times each year.

Útivist travel club has a big hut in Thórsmörk at the end of the Fimmvörduháls path and the wardens said that for some strange reasons they were the only ones who were at the hut this weekend. “But we are witnessing a world sensation,” warden Brynjólfur Sigurbjörnsson said to mbl.is. 

ההתפרצות מתרחשת בסמוך למספר אתרים תיירות מוכרים והטרק כאמור בהתחלה.

21/03/2010 | 13:59

Another South Iceland Volcano Might Start to Erupt

Geophysicist Páll Einarsson said all known eruptions in Eyjafjallajökull have been in connection with eruptions in the neighboring volcano Katla underneath the Mýrdalsjökull icecap. Now that Eyjafjallajökull has started to erupt, Katla might follow.

Eyjafjallajökull has erupted three times since the settlement of Iceland in the 9th century AD, in 920, 1612 and 1821. All three eruptions were rather small but caused flooding. However, there is a short distance to Katla, Einarsson said, which is a powerful and vicious volcano, ruv.is reports. 

“Katla is of a completely different kind […] but they seem to be connected, because all known eruptions in Eyjafjallajökull were related to Katla eruptions and therefore it seems that they might a prelude to eruptions in Katla,” Einarsson said.

“Eyjafjallajökull might to a certain extent work as a detonator for a dynamite explosion,” the geophysicist added. “If it goes off it is like Katla can’t resist it and also wants to join in. Those eruptions can be big and cause extensive damage.”

גיאולוגים אומרים כי פעילות געשית בהר הקרחון eyjafjallajokull קשורה בדרך כלל להר הגעש katla הנמצא מתחת לקרחון myrdalsjokull, ולכן מאמינים כי גם הוא יחל להתפרץ בקרוב. 

21/03/2010 | 15:43Hard to Predict How Long Iceland Eruption Will Last

Geophysicist Magnús Tumi Gudmundsson said at a press conference in Hvolsvöllur earlier today that it is difficult to predict how long the volcanic eruption in Eyjafjallajökull will last. It could end tomorrow but it could also last for as long as two years.

Gudmundsson said the eruption had started in the best possible location. He described it as small; smaller than the eruptions in Hekla and smaller than the last eruption in Krafla, mbl.is reports.

However, the fissure, which is currently one kilometer in length, could extend to the west and move underneath the glacier, which could cause flooding.

The Civil Protection Department explained that a decision had been made to close roads and evacuate houses because their response plan is based on the worst case scenario.

The eruption had started during the night and because it had proven difficult to get a clear picture the situation right away, it was deemed best not to take any risks.

Farmers who live in the area have now been allowed to return to their farms to feed their animals and the road has been reopened.

However, only people who have a sound reason for traveling in the region are allowed to enter—police say they have already asked a number of tourists to go back.

Geophysicist Steinunn Jakobsdóttir said during the press conference that what is unusual about this eruption is that considerably little activity had been measured on earthquake sensors—much less than in earlier volcanic eruptions. In fact, people didn’t realize that an eruption had started until they saw the flames flare across the sky.

Although the last eruption in Eyjafjallajökull occurred in 1821, it hasn’t erupted in this exact location, Fimmvörduháls, in thousands of years, Gudmundsson said. It is very windy in the area and difficult to predict how the eruption will develop.

Geophysicists are now monitoring Katla, the neighboring volcano, closely, as the Eyjafjallajökull eruption might set it off.

נאמר שקשה לחזות את משך התפרצות, אך במקביל חוואי המקום הורשו לחזות לחוות שלהם, ולאחרים רק במקרים מיוחדים לנסוע לאזור ההתפרצות, וההתפרצות האחרונה במקום התרחשה ב- 1821. 

21/03/2010 | 17:25
Update on Iceland Volcanic Eruption

A meeting between geophysicists and members of the Icelandic Civil Protection Department at Hvolsvöllur ended about an hour ago.

They concluded that the situation in the area around Eyjafjallajökull glacier is still risky because of the ongoing volcanic eruption, yet most roads have been opened and people were allowed to return to their homes.

However, inhabitants at 14 farms in the immediate eruption area must spend the night elsewhere and roads near the eruption zone remain closed, district commissioner at Hvolsvöllur Kjartan Thorkelsson told ruv.is.

Thorkelsson said people have been very understanding and followed the police’s requests. They will keep following the situation and evacuate the area again if deemed necessary. People are asked to be on the alert.

The next meeting between geophysicists and members of the Icelandic Civil Protection Department will take place at 9 am tomorrow morning.

המצב סביב מקום ההתפרצות עדיין מסוכן ולכן חוואי המקום אינם ישנים בחוות בלילות והמקום סגור למבקרים.

21/03/2010 | 23:50 

South Iceland Farmers Urged to Watch Out for Ash 

Halldór Runólfsson, senior veterinarian at the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority, urges farmers near the eruption zone in south Iceland to be mindful of ash fall, which could poison their livestock.

They should place white plates on their pastures to see whether they get tinted by ash from the eruption in Eyjafjallajökull, he advised.

“What I have asked farmers to do today is to make their own observations,” Runólfsson told visir.is.

When the eruption began last night, farmers were concerned that it might impact animals close to the eruption zone. However, Runólfsson said farmers were relieved after it turned out that this was a small eruption and that it has neither produced much ash nor flooding.

Yet, the veterinarian encourages farmers to keep their animals inside if possible. “The drinking water must be monitored closely in the cases of horses that are in pasture,” Runólfsson recommended. Horses that are kept outside should also be given hay so they won’t have to feed from the grass in the pasture.

Otherwise, Runólfsson is not concerned about the situation, considering that not much ash has fallen. Also, this is a good time for an eruption, he reasoned, as livestock is usually kept inside at this time of year.

חוואי הסביבה הסכימו לנטר אחר העפר הוולקני, היות והוא יכול לגרום להרעלת המזון והמים של המקנה, ע"י הנחת צלחות לבנות בסמוך למקומות המזון והמים.

22/03/2010 | 08:26
Changed Activity in South Iceland Volcano

The volcanic eruption on Fimmvörduháls, which comes from the volcano underneath the Eyjafjallajökull icecap in south Iceland, is changing in character. A cumulus rose up from the fissure around 7:15 am, reaching a height of four kilometers.

An eyewitness described the scene to ruv.is as if a black tinge is hanging over Fimmvörduháls and Eyjafjallajökull.

Geologist Hjörleifur Sveinbjörnsson at the Icelandic Meteorological Office is following the development of the eruption.

He said the activity which increased about an hour ago is decreasing again. Instead of a large cumulus there are now small puffs, yet they release a large amount of volcanic debris into the atmosphere.

The jet from the eruption zone reaches a height of approximately eight kilometers and is light in color. It is likely that it is mixed with water, which indicates that a steam explosion with an increased volume of water has entered the system.

Seismic activity hasn’t increased at all, Sveinbjörnsson said.

Thorgils Torfi Jónsson, chairman of the rural council of Rangárthing ytra, is located at Hella and has a good view of Fimmvörduháls. He said it is evident that the fissure has extended to the northeast.

Jónsson described the scene as if there were two volcanic eruptions at both ends of the fissure, which is now around two kilometers.

ההתפרצות קיבלה תפנית ויצרה בהתחלה ענן קומולוס בגובה 4 ק"מ ואחר כך היא נרגעה, אך למרות כל אלו פוזר אבק רב לאטמוספירה.

22/03/2010 | 13:58

Volcanic Fissure in Iceland Might Be Growing

Geophysicist Steinunn Jakobsdóttir at the Icelandic Meteorological Office said the activity in the Fimmvörduháls volcanic eruption in south Iceland is slowly increasing and it is likely that the fissure is growing towards the northeast.

The flow of Krossá river increased suddenly this morning and the water temperature rose be a few degrees, ruv.is reports.

Jakobsdóttir said a longer fissure doesn’t necessarily produce more ash and it should not be assumed that the neighboring volcano Katla will erupt in direct continuation of the current eruption, although there is a certain connection between eruptions in the two volcanoes.

Björn Gunnarsson of the Air Ground Rescue Team of Reykjavík (FBSR) told mbl.is that lava is now flowing down the Hvannárgil canyon. He and his team flew around the eruption zone at noon.

The FBSR team was the first observe the eruption from air today. They were taking pictures and estimating the situation for the coordination center of the Civil Protection Department in Skógarhlíd in Reykjavík.

Gunnarsson warned others against flying around the eruption zone—conditions are stormy.

ישנם סימנים להתגברות הפעילות הגעשית, בלינק שמתחת תוכלו לראות סרטון שצולם ממקום ההתפרצות.

Click here to watch a slideshow taken east of Hella this morning.

22/03/2010 | 17:59

Volcanic Activity in Iceland Increases Gradually

The volcanic activity in the Fimmvörduháls eruption in south Iceland is increasing slowly but surely, according to an estimate of scientists who flew over the eruption zone today in the afternoon. The lava flow from the crater is spreading out over a larger area and the eruption is becoming more forceful.

The Icelandic Coast Guard flew with the team of scientists over Eyjafjallajökull and the Fimmvörduháls mountain pass, ruv.is reports.

Visibility was limited to begin with but then the weather cleared up and the scientists could see the eruption clearly; the lava is flowing down a canyon south of the craters on the pass and clouds of steam rise up from where the lava melts ice and snow.

Seismologist Kristín Waagfjörd, who was onboard the plane, said that while the eruption is still small, disturbances are growing and there is nothing to indicate that the volcanic activity is declining.

Waagfjörd said the flight had confirmed what their sensors indicate. “The eruption appears to have been increasing since 9 am this morning. We are probably looking at signs of increased lava flow.”

A group of scientists, along with the Hella Air Rescue Team, had to turn around on their way to the source of the eruption earlier today due to stormy weather conditions and poor visibility. They were hoping to collect samples, mbl.is reports.

“When there are snowdrifts on the firn it is pointless to keep going; we couldn’t see anything anymore,” said volcanologist Ármann Höskuldsson. The weather forecast is not promising for the remainder of the day but the team will consider another trip tomorrow.

Today’s trip wasn’t completely fruitless, though, Höskuldsson said they were able to collect some samples where ash had fallen east of Fimmvörduháls.

It was decided during a meeting between the Civil Protection Department and the National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police earlier today to increase the number of police officers near the eruption zone because of increased traffic in the region and to secure public safety.

ההתפרצות מגברת לאט אך בטוח, ובלינק התחתון תוכלו לראות סרט נוסף של ההתפרצות.

23/03/2010 | 09:14

Iceland Eruption Remains Stable

The volcanic eruption on Fimmvörduháls between the glaciers Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull in south Iceland remained even and stable last night, according to geophysicist Gunnar B. Gudmundsson at the Icelandic Meteorological Office.

The force has not increased gradually as it did yesterday but continued evenly throughout the night, although there have been some fluctuations, Gudmundsson described to ruv.is.

Around 8:30 pm last night there was a steam explosion at the eruption zone when magma touched ice. A column of steam rose seven kilometers into the air. Last night ten smaller earthquakes were measured underneath the Eyjafjallajökull volcano.

“It was spectacular and magnificent as is usually the case with volcanic eruptions, especially in this environment. The interplay of nature doesn’t become more magnificent than this—eruption between two glaciers above Thórsmörk [a green highland valley surrounded by glaciers],” Thór Kjartansson, a member of the Air Ground Rescue Team of Reykjavík (FBSR), told Morgunbladid.

Kjartansson and three of his team members managed to drive very close to the eruption site on ski-doos yesterday before the road was closed due to stormy weather. They took samples of the ash for scientists who were close by in a snowmobile with the Hella Air Rescue Team but had to move back because of the storm.

“Lava spurted from the fissure and there is now a large lava field extending towards Thórsmörk. The volcanic jets seemed mighty powerful and a beautiful volcanic rim was starting to form,” Kjartansson described.

He said the eruption is located directly on the popular hiking path which leads across the Fimmvörduháls pass—the sticks marking the path go straight into the crater. So the path must be marked again next summer, provided the eruption will have stopped by then.

There are no signs indicating that eruption is calming down. Yesterday it seemed as if the fissure had extended to the northeast, but that turned out not to be the case.

Ágúst Gunnar Gylfason of the Civil Protection Department was on shift in the coordination center in Skógarhlíd in Reykjavík last night. He told ruv.is that the night had been quiet near the eruption.

Yesterday, evacuation was not deemed necessary anymore and the residents of the 14 farms who had not been allowed to return home on Sunday could sleep in their own beds last night.

Police officers were on shift during most of the night in Fljótsdalur valley by the old bridge over Markarfljót to ensure that the road to Thórsmörk remained closed.

Due to stormy weather it was not safe to drive below the Eyjafjöll mountain range last nights. Truckers sought shelter at Heimaland and Skógar where they waited for the storm to calm.

Roofing slates blew off houses in south Iceland and the wind speed reached 50 meters per second in some areas. There is still stormy weather in south Iceland and the forecast for the region remains poor.

נראה כי ההתפרצות מתייצבת, אך במהלך היום בבוקר הייתה התפרצות שהגיעו לגובה של 7 ק"מ אך בהמשך היום הייתה רגיעה. בלינק שמתחת תוכלו לראות סרטון שצולם מהאי הסמוך לחוף הדרומי.

24/03/2010 | 06:00

Iceland Eruption Open for Tourists

Vídir Reynisson, divisional manager of the Civil Protection Department, said their goal is to allow tourists to travel to the area near the volcanic eruption zone on Fimmvörduháls in south Iceland so they can view the spectacle up close.

“We are looking at accessibility for tourists to the area and how it can be improved,” Reynisson told visir.is. If their safety can be guaranteed, the area can be opened up for tourists, he said.

The weather in south Iceland was stormy yesterday and the visibility poor so the eruption could not be seen. However, its development is still under constant observation and Reynisson said the eruption is not losing force.

The Civil Protection Department released a statement for the attention of travelers keen on observing the eruption yesterday morning, which reads as follows:

“Volcanic eruptions are dangerous by definition and must be treated with respect. People who enter areas that have been declared danger zones are there at their own risk.

They cannot expect immediate rescue because rescue services have a predefined responsibility towards the region’s inhabitants and must help out with evacuation if the situation changes.

Thórsmörk, Fimmvörduháls and Eyjafjallajökull are defined as closed areas.

A special danger zone has also been defined—a 15 kilometer radius from the crater.

The visibility of the eruption depends on the weather. The weather forecast for the next 24 hours remains poor.

The crater can be seen in many locations in south Iceland, for example in Hvolsvöllur and Hella. There is a good view from the innermost part of Fljótshlíd but the area cannot handle much traffic.

The condition of roads must be taken into consideration. The environment is particularly sensitive at this time of year, when the ground is beginning to thaw, and therefore there is reason to emphasize that off-road driving is prohibited.

All trails are sensitive towards traffic at this time of year.

Drivers are encouraged to drive in accordance with road conditions and make sure their vehicles are well-equipped.

There will be continued policing in the area and tourists are asked to follow the police’s requests as well as the requests of rescue team members who assist with traffic control.

On behalf of the coordination center (SST), Rögnvaldur Ólafsson.”

ביום זה 24/3/10, אחרי 4 ימי התפרצות געשית נפתח האזור לתיירים.

24/03/2010 | 11:35

Iceland Eruption Might Last for Weeks, Months

Geophysicists expect that the volcanic eruption on Fimmvörduháls in south Iceland might last for weeks, even months. A meeting will be held today with inhabitants of the region to review the situation and safety measures.

Scientists managed to get close to the eruption this morning to take samples. There was more force in the eruption last night than yesterday. There were three high points last night when steam explosions occurred, visir.is reports.

Research indicates that magma is still flowing into the volcano in Eyjafjallajökull glacier, which is causing the current eruption. This means that the eruption will probably not be over any time soon, Stöd 2 reports.

Haraldur Sigurdsson, one of Iceland’s most acclaimed volcanologists, visited the scene yesterday. He believes that the lava currently spurting from the crater on Fimmvörduháls is related to the lava flow of the 1973 volcanic eruption in the Westman Islands.

“The source of the magma underneath this area is similar. It is located at a significant depth and is then carried up to the crust,” Sigurdsson said. “This magma has risen to a depth of ten kilometers in the past weeks and remained there and then a small leak has spurted to the surface.”

Sigurdsson does not believe that the eruption will grow in volume or that other fissures will open up. “I believe what we see now is the way it’s going to be, little lava, which will flow for a few weeks, maybe months, and then it will be over. But, who knows? We just have to keep following it.”

“It is fortunate that it is in an area where there is little danger so it will probably just be a tourist eruption,” Sigurdsson added.

The weather conditions in south Iceland have now improved considerably, the storm has calmed and visibility increased so the eruption can be seen from many locations again. The area has been opened for tourists who can view the spectacle from a safe distance.

However, people are warned against going too close to the eruption. Not only is a volcanic eruption dangerous by definition, but the surrounding area is known for unpredictable weather—people have died of exposure on Fimmvörduháls.

Telecom Míla has established two webcams in the vicinity of the eruption zone on Fimmvörduháls and is offering live broadcasts through its website, mila.is/eldgos.

One of the cameras is on Míla’s mast in Hvolsvöllur and the other on top of the mountain Thórólfsfell, north of Eyjafjallajökull glacier, which is closer to the eruption.

 

המומחים שבדקו את ההתפרצות טוענים כי המשך יציאת הלבה תימשך שבועות ואף חודשים. בלינק הבא תוכלו לראות תמונות מיוחדות שצולמו במקום ההתפרצות.

Click here to watch unique pictures taken close to the eruption zone from Mýrdalsjökull glacier yesterday.

24/03/2010 | 20:30

Two-Hundred Meter High Lava Fall in South Iceland

Volcanologist Haraldur Sigurdsson witnessed the creation of a 200-meter-high lava fall at the scene of the Fimmvörduháls volcanic eruption today, when lava flowed down the Hrunagil canyon. There were massive steam explosions when the lava hit the snow.

“There haven’t been many changes to the eruption except the number of craters is decreasing. The crater rim has sort of become a solid mountain or a hill, brand new. There are four or five active craters,” Sigurdsson described to mbl.is.

Sigurdsson explained that when the crater rim rises, there is less space for the craters and their number drops, but the craters that remain grow more powerful.

Sigurdsson said lava will continue to flow down Hrunagil and probably all the way down to the valley of Thórsmörk. In a few days the lava flow might reach the sandbanks below the canyon and subsequently have an impact on the Krossá river channel.

The volcanologist described the eruption as a lava eruption, where slag and lava spurts out of the crater and a large slag crater mounts up, similar to the eruption in the Askja volcano in 1961 and the eruption in the Westman Islands in 1973.

“We known that the magma is 1,150-1,200°C (2,102-2,192°F) hot—extremely hot. A chemical analysis has been made. It is basalt magma,” Sigurdsson said.

ההתפרצות הגעשית יוצרת מפלי לבה בגובה 200 מטר, והלבה יוצאת בטמפרטורה של 1150-1200 מעלות צלציוס.

25/03/2010 | 15:00

South Iceland Inhabitants Prepare for Second Eruption

Pupils and staff of the Mýrdalshreppur municipality elementary school practiced evacuation on Wednesday in case of an eruption in the volcano Katla, which is located underneath the Mýrdalsjökull icecap.

Scientists have pointed out a connection between the volcanoes in Eyjafjallajökull, which is causing the current eruption, and Katla. The volcano erupts every 40 to 80 years. The last major eruption was in 1918, which caused extensive flooding. The village of Vík might be in danger if Katla were to erupt.

Almost 400 people attended a public meeting in Hvolsvöllur yesterday where the situation of the volcanic eruption on Fimmvörduháls was discussed, Morgunbladid reports.

Representatives of the Civil Protection Department, the local municipality, the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority and the Public Health Authority informed attendees of possible consequences of the current eruption and discussed the evacuation on Saturday night.

Inhabitants had many questions.

Among the topics discussed was a possible eruption in the summit crater of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano—the current eruption on Fimmvörduháls is not underneath the icecap. Scientists said a relocation of the eruption is not impossible, but rather unlikely.

Possible flooding in Skógaá river was also mentioned. The river has not flooded before and such a scenario is considered unlikely, although it could happen if the eruption moves to a certain fissure.

Meanwhile, dv.is reports that Fox News seems determined to scare its viewers out of their wits with a highly dramatic story about a potential eruption in Katla.

“A situation is unfolding in Iceland—that is not a place we normally cover but there is a good reason for doing it today—that some scientists say could pose a danger to the entire planet. That’s all. Just the planet,” exclaimed news anchor Megyn Kelly.

“A volcano erupting near a glacier is spouting lava and ash high in the air. The big worry right now is that it could be a sign that an even bigger eruption at another volcano could be on the way. This happened more than three hundred years ago and when it did, researchers say it changed the weather pattern for the entire planet,” Kelly went on.

Kelly then interviewed seismologist John Rundle from Berkley University, who did little to console her.

מחשש להתפרצות של הר געש נוסף קטלה, בוצע תרגול פינוי בבתי הספר באזור. 

26/03/2010 | 00:00

New Iceland Mountain Needs a Name

A new mountain is rising on Fimmvörduháls where the current volcanic eruption is taking place and the mountain requires a name. Fimmvördufjall (“Five Cairn Mountain”) after the mountain pass is one suggestion.

The mountain could also be named after Hrunagil canyon, into which the lava from the crater flows (the literal translation of Hrunagil is something like “Collapsing Canyon”), as toponymist Svavar Sigmundsson told Morgunbladid.

It used to be the role of the Icelandic Toponymy Committee to find names for new natural phenomena, such as Surtsey island, which was created in an underwater eruption in 1963, and Eldfell, the mountain which rose from the ashes of the 1973 Westman Islands eruption.

Now members of the public are often allowed to make suggestions. Then the National Land Survey of Iceland and toponymists review the suggestions and make sure they hold up to demands on grammar and other linguistic conditions so that they can be registered and placed on maps.

That arrangement was used when a new mud-spurting hot spring that was created after the 2008 south Iceland earthquake had to be named.

במקום ההתפרצות מתרומם לו הר חדש, ונדרש לו שם, כפי שניתן לגייזר חדש שהתפרץ בתאריך 8/7/2008 ליד Hveragerdi המכונה גם עיר הפרחים בדרום מזרח איסלנד, והשם שניתן לו הוא Leirgerdur, שמשמעו גייזר הבוץ=leir.

26/03/2010 | 11:31

Lava Flow Heads for Idyllic Iceland Valley

canyon and heading straight for the green highland valley of Thórsmörk, which is surrounded by glaciers and is a popular outdoor recreational area.

“There is a continuous flow of lava,” geophysicist Magnús Tumi Gudmundsson told Morgunbladid. The lava has now flowed one kilometer.

Snow and ice in Hrunagil has melted away to a large extent so not as much steam is created as in the first days of the eruption; which means a clearer view.

A large number of native and foreign tourists is expected in the region today and in the coming weekend as the weather forecast is good.

Local police in Hvolsvöllur have therefore been given reinforcement from the National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police and the Selfoss police department—six police cars will be patrolling the area, guarding people’s safety.

Thurídur Aradóttir, marketing and promotion director of the Rangárthing ytra municipality said a base camp is being set up by the farm Fljótsdalur, the innermost farm in the Fljótshlíd countryside, in collaboration with the Icelandic Road Administration.

The camp will be completed before the weekend. “We are trying to ease the burden of the people who live on the farm so they won’t get the entire flow of tourists straight up their farmyard,” Aradóttir explained.

הלבה ממקום ההתפרצות זורמת לאורך קניון Hrunagil לכיוון אתר התיירות Thórsmörk והשובל הוא כרגע באורך של ק"מ.

27/03/2010 | 21:38

Thousands Flock to Eruption Site

On Saturday March 27 literally thousands of people walked the path from Skógar to the eruption site on Fimmvörduháls. Some were a part of organized groups, but most were on their own. The parking lots at Skógar were jammed. As early as five o’clock this morning people started the hike towards the eruption. For most people it took between five and six hours each way. Today it was particularly difficult since there was a strong, cold wind from the north and the temperature was at -18° Celsius with the wind-chill factor. This did not deter many people. It is estimated that between three and five thousand people have taken the stroll.

In spite of the strong wind and cold weather the conditions were generally very favorable for watching the eruption, now in its eighth day. The sky was clear and the eruption was rather peaceful during most of the day. Late in the day the wind started blowing ash and poisonous gases in the direction of people, but by then the number of onlookers had dwindled down.

One small airplane had to land on the glacier because of some mechanical problem, but nobody was hurt, according to authorities. Still, many people are said to be reckless, and some security officers say it is only a matter of time until somebody gets hurt because of that.

Not all went on foot to the crater. Many bought seats on planes or helicopters to get a bird’s eye view of the phenomenon. This included a crew from Iceland Review. On this third trip to the eruption our journalists feel that the eruption was somewhat calmer than before. However, scientists say there is no way of telling whether the new volcano may be dying out.

בשבת זו אלפים פסעו בשביל המוליך להתפרצות הגעשית וחלקם הגיעו לשם במטוס או במסוק, כאשר הטמפרטורה על הקרחון הייתה 18- מעלות

30/03/2010 | 10:30

Increased Volcanic Activity in Iceland

Volcanic activity at the crater on Fimmvörduháls in south Iceland increased yesterday afternoon after having subsided the night before and yesterday morning.

Shortly after 6 pm last night a series of earthquakes measuring 2-2.5 on the Richter scale shook the region.

Geophysicist Gunnar B. Gudmundsson at the Icelandic Meteorological Office told Morgunbladid that the seismic activity is an indication of the force of the eruption, which is gradually decreasing.

He added that GPS monitors that measure tectonics show that the lithosphere has ceased expanding and even contracted a little. However, that is no certain indication that the eruption is about to finish.

Roughly estimated, 15-20 million cubic meters of solid volcanic debris might have spurted to the surface from inside the earth since the eruption began on March 21, said geophysicist Magnús Tumi Gudmundsson. The lava now covers approximately one square kilometer, he told Fréttabladid.

According to ruv.is, the road to the highland valley of Thórsmörk will be opened today in the afternoon. However, chief constable at Hvolsvöllur Sveinn K. Rúnarsson said there are certain conditions for admission.

Rúnarsson stressed that the road is not passable for ordinary cars and only experienced drivers should enter it. Guidelines (in Icelandic) for driving to Thórsmörk will be published on the website of the Civil Protection Department later in the day.

Police will keep watch in Thórsmörk as well as in Hvannárgil and Hrunagil, the two canyons where lava is flowing, until after Easter. A large number of travelers is anticipated.

עשרה ימים אחרי ההתפרצות ישנה שוב עלייה של הפעילות הגעשית וביום זה הורגשו מספר רעידות אדמה בדרגה 2-2.5 בסולם, ולפי הערכת המומחים הלבה כיסתה שטח של 1 קמ"ר.

31/03/2010 | 20:45

New Crater at Iceland Eruption Zone: Live Webcam

Areas around the eruption zone on Fimmvörduháls mountain pass in south Iceland have been evacuated because of a new volcanic rift which opened up this evening. Geologists say the rift lies to the northwest of the original crater.

Vídir Reynisson at the Icelandic Civil Protection Department told ruv.is that the situation is now under control.

According to geologist Ármann Höskuldsson, the new rift is located near the Hvannárgil canyon and might mean that the volcanic activity is moving down into the canyon.

אזורים מסביב למקום התפרצות פונו שוב עקב חשש להתפרצות חדשה וזאת עקב בקע חדש שנפתח באזור בלילה הקודם.

31/03/2010 | 22:20

Rescue Operation at Eruption. Helicopters Save 50 People

About 50 people were saved by three heilcopters, one from the Icelandic Coast Guard and two from Nordurflug, a private company. The people were moved the eruption site after a new rift opened at the site of the eruption. Helicopters are waiting at this moment at Hótel Rangá, a hotel between Hella and Hvolsvöllur, two southern villages.

According to mbl.the situation at the site of the eruption is now under control. Tourists have been turned back to Skógar and to Thórsmörk. Snowmobiles at Mýrdalsjökull glacier have been turned back as well.

At the moment the inhabitants near the Eyjafjallajökull area are not thought to be in danger because of the new rift that opened late this afternoon.

Journalists from Iceland Review are on their way towards the eruption and will try to get new pictures as soon as the authorities allow them to go to the area.

50 איש פונו מאזור ההתפרצות הגעשית עקב הבקע החדש שנוצר באמצעות מסוקים ומטיילים אחרים חזרו על עקבותיהם.

31/03/2010 | 23:11
From Delight to Danger. New Iceland Eruption Rift opens

The eruption site has been cleared after a new rift appeared verry suddenly late on Wednesday. According to ruv.is the rift is growing little by little. A reporter was at the eruption site at seven P.M. along with a group of geologists.

One geologist said that the formation of the new rift was similar to that at the beginning of the eruption. Scientists believe that this could lead to a stream of lava flowing towards Thórsmörk. The new rift literally opened before the eyes of scientists at the scene. According to onlookers the new rift seem to be going towards Hvannárgil.

.הבקע החדש מתרחב ולכן כל האזור פונה

את המשך ההתפתחויות הגעשיות באיסלנד בכתבה חדשה .

הכותב יוסי לוי joseph levy הינו מומחה לאיסלנד iceland, המלווה קבוצות בנהיגה עצמית בלבד, והמתכנן מסלולי טיול לפי מידת המטייל,והמשמש כמומחה באתר http://www.gotravel.co.il/.

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