Iceland’s Bárðarbunga volcano erupts

Since August 31, Iceland’s Bárðarbunga volcanic system has been spitting lava out of a large fissure near the Holohraun lava fields in the middle of the country.

So far, the eruption hasn’t inflicted much damage on people — but it has led to some spectacular photos and images. Here’s a fantastic view from space, courtesy of NASA’s Earth Observatory:

Iceland’s Bárðarbunga volcano began erupting once again early Sunday morning — with lava flowing out of a mile-long fissure in the Holuhraun lava field.

The lava fountains themselves have been spectacular, reportedly reaching up to 200 feet in the air. Here are a few photos taken by Ármann Höskuldsson, a geologist with the University of Iceland who is on the scene:

It’s an exciting time for volcano-watchers — and an unnerving time for anyone who lives near a rumbling volcano.

Over the past day, two large volcanoes have erupted: Iceland’s Bárðarbunga and Papua New Guinea’s large Rabaul volcano.

For the past week, geologists have been watching Iceland’s massive Bárðarbunga volcano closely. There have been thousands of earthquakes in the surrounding area, a sign that magma is shifting around.

For now, we’re still waiting: The Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) recently downgraded Bárðarbunga from code “red” (which means an eruption is occurring or is imminent) back to code “orange” (which means the volcano is at increased risk of eruption).

Note: This post has been updated to reflect new developments and subsequent doubts about whether magma from the volcano actaully reached the surface.

A volcano on Iceland buried beneath a thick glacier may or may not be erupting — after a week of earthquakes in the region. But scientists now disagree on what, exactly, is happening.

A large volcano in Iceland named Bárðarbunga has been making ominous noises since Saturday, August 16 — scientists have detected thousands of earthquakes around the area, a sign that magma may be on the move.

True obsessives can also monitor the volcano via webcam here and here.

[Update: As of August 23, scientists are still waiting to see if an eruption will occur.]

And now there’s another big volcano in Iceland making ominous noises. Bárðarbunga is part of a volcano system underneath a massive glacier in the center of the country. And, since Saturday, seismologists have detected some 3,000 earthquakes in the region — a sign that magma may be on the move.