When do you consider a volcano to be “over” or when can you really be certain? The answer to this question has been in the Icelandic news for the last days.
“We can say that this phase is over in itself,” says Ármann Höskuldsson, volcanologist and professor at the University of Iceland, in a conversation with mbl.is about the end of the eruption in Geldingadalur, but the National Commissioner of Police in consultation with the Chief of Police in Suðurnes canceled the uncertainty level two daays ago on the 18th of December 2021.
Ármann points out that no activity is seen on webcams and that the temperature has dropped steadily. No lava flow has been seen from the crater in Geldingadalur since 18 September.
“What bothers us is that this is an eruption we have never seen before, called a dyngjugos. We do not know how they work, “he says.
Ármann also mentions that there was the last eruption of dungeons 2,500 years ago and that eruptions in dunes that have been examined have lasted for 50 to 150 years.
The Meteorological Office and the Civil Defense to declare eruption valves
Ármann says that it is up to the Meteorological Office and the Civil Defense to formally declare the end of the eruption. “In itself, if the level of uncertainty has been removed, the eruption is thus seen to be over for now.”
He says that the temperature in the lava remains and mentions that in the Westman Islands there has been heat in the lava after the Heimaey eruption for almost 20 years.
How do you look at the eruption in Geldingadalur?
“This is one of the most beautiful eruptions I have seen and especially because it was so calm at times and therefore so easy to get to,” says Ármann.
He says that a lot of data is being processed regarding the eruption and that work will last for some years.
“This data is in itself very remarkable and gives us ideas about how such lava eruptions work. We are trying to determine how different types of eruptions work. ”
Source:mbl.is