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Iceland
Bárðarbunga/Holuhraun,
Fissure eruption, Aurora
Borealis incl.
 
9th to 14th
of September 2014
M.Rietze, R.Roscoe, Th.
Boeckel
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Movies
Just in another world
Since 18th of August 2014 a series of earthquakes up to
intensity of 5.4 in the interval of about 2 days in the
active area of the volcano Bardabunga let
scientists and volcano photographers listen up. Although
a greater volcanic activity was predictable, what and
where it would happen could not be initially assigned.
Most earthquakes in the 5th to almost 6th strength were
among the caldera of the volcano Bardabunga. With 5,7 on
the Richter scale at the 26. of August the highest
value was
measured since 2008. However, most of
earthquakes of magnitude 3-5.3 moved suspectly on a line
toward north of the glacier
Vatnajökull,
which is now eruptive fissure in Holuhraun which
probably belongs to Bárðarbunga system.
(Source RUV , Verdur.is )
Pre eruption
Link to the report by M.Szeglat
Although the Holuhraun plain was
observed from Marc and Martin in a time of
one week till the
first eruption occured on August the 23rd, the first
try to catch the eruptive fissure
still active
failed
due to the bad weather conditions. The action was almost not feasible,
because already mentioned on Saturday August
the 23rd,
four km north of the glacier Vatnajökull the
fissure opened
in the early morning
hours with
a strong lava discharge. This
eruption lasted only about 3-4 hours. (to
perform magic does not work at all). Marc ventured on Sunday
a flyover, while only observing the cooled
down and steaming fissure ( images / report above).
Already at that time the roads were closed
due to flooding risk of the marsh area due
to subglacial warming. Why ? Also the main
volcano Bardabunga was heated. The ice cap
subsidenced noticeable in the crater area of
Bardarbunga, where the melt water has gone
is thitherto completely unknown. May a huge
water reservoir below the 400m mighty ice
layer has originated, and if the locks get
opened
under the glacier
a colossal ice flood
would be
the episode. Thus, there
would be no chance
on the ground to escape only four
kilometers from the edge of the glacier.
On August the 29th a new step of
escalation followed. Many earthquakes in this area had
already announced this advance of the activity.
1rst helicopter
flight 11th of September 8:00h
Approaching to the fissure. Die
sulfuric-dioxid cloud which is expanding now
nearly over the whole island can be seen
very brownish against the sun light
Looks like a big steel coocker, the right cauldron
The southern lain big cauldron was on the
11th still activ. On the 13th of
September this pot was not active any more.
2nd helicopter flight 13th of September
17:00h
The second helicopter flight to
Holuhraun plain to the eruption site. Right:
A sand storm irritated or shocked us well. A
number of previous flights had to be
canceled to the fissure because of
poor visibility. Coming closer, it seemed to
be a clear view at all because the border
area doesn't annexed the eruption area. Why
just this small area was a sand storm focus
could no one tell us. Perhaps it was due to
local soil deposits which have been sighted
in this area often.
The last sun
beams in the late afternoon gave the couldrons a fine
shape
At the beginning a
spilling gap like an open wound in the
island of Iceland was prevailing the
lanscape,
but from the first day ca.
50-100m high lava fountains originated within
10 days an imposing crater populated
volcanic landscape. The classic shape, a
lava blooding fissure seemed to be gone
actually,
and this was initially the reason not
to fly. But as you can see on the
photographs we got
surprised by high fountains up to
100m -130m
(estimation
very difficult)
while the smaller
active cauldrons
found itselves
on a string of pearls. Here it was
again, this fissure similar sight and
impression.
 
The
formally bubbling
main crater. Nice to see in the
middle photo how the mountain horizon
in the background
is deconstructed by the heat
The lava flow reaches
20 Kilometer in easter direction
Lava flow about 6 kilometers from the fissure.The
fresh subterrain lava runs by so-called tubes of several
hundred meters in length to the next way into open
terrain.
The Dyngjujokull
glacier, a northeast lain part of the mighty
Vatnajökull glacier
The lava field beginning from the Holuhraun
eruption is now
advanced
ca. 20 Km in northern direction. Here the lava approaches
the western lain branch of the Jokulsa a
Fjollum glacial river which has its source
from the
outlet of the
Dyngjujökull glacier.
Side flows get in touch with white water
Mirroring of the morning sun
at Jokulsa a
Fjollum glacial river
at the backflight on 11.09th
Martin, Matthias (pilot) and Richard in
front of the helicopter
The
red shine of the fissure eruption in Holuhraun
together
with the green aurora was a phantastic view
Strongest solar storm of the year (KP7)
Movies
 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
Photographies
Aurora light games over the volcanic lake
Mývatn
on 13 September
..and here over a little pool in the plains
Strong polar light sparkling verticaly down
to us, wow!
Polar lights like in 'Lord of the Rings' fascinated the
whole nights. Did
this auroral action
occurred in
the night of 10-11. September
surprisingly, the polar lights during
the 13-14th
were an announced
sky spectacle.
The entire landscape from north to east is alternately
or simultaneously decorated with this light event
However, strong but bizarre forms of polar
lights on September the 13th at apprx.
21:00h over the crater lake
Mývatn.
The twilight gave these auroras the subtle
nuance.
I maintain, more is not able in five days
... ;-)
Mehr unter
ALPE
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