Ragnarök [the End of the World]

The sun turns dark

Earth sinks in the sea, the fair, bright stars disappear from the heavens

Ragnarök
The sun turns dark,
earth sinks in the sea,
the fair, bright stars
disappear from the heavens.
Sizzling blaze
around the tree of life
colossal heat plays with
the heavens. —Völuspá

The above stanzas were quoted from the famous Nordic poem Völuspá in the Iceland Review. Völuspá, Prophecy of the Völva, tells the story of creation of the world and how it comes to its end, and is arguably the most important source for understanding the Norse mythology.

Yggdrasil, a modern representation of the world tree which is central to Norse mythology.  The world tree is a motif that appears in some Indo-European religions and mythologies. It is represented as a giant tree that supports the heavens, connects it to the earth, and the underground through its roots.

“It was like the sun had gone out in the middle of the day.”

Iceland Review editor Bjarni Brynjólfsson and photographer Páll Stefánsson wondered how it was to drive through the area affected by the eruption: “We tried driving into the darkness and it was like we had stepped into another dimension. We felt it was the end of the world as described in Völuspá, the old Icelandic Poem the tells the story of the end of the world called Ragnarök or Götterdämmerung in the famous opera by Wagner.” More …

What Happened to Disaster Tourism?

The rascals coiled their tails and ran for the coast. Nearby roads covered in a thick blanket of volcanic ash. Credit: Ómar Óskarsson via MBL-Is. Image may be subject to copyright.

For all previous entries and and related links click

• Eyjafjallajökull – UPDATE Apr 17

See also

• Eyjafjallajökull Eruption Intensifies
• Eruption Video April 17, 2010
• 2010 Year of Super Volcanoes?

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Serial No 1,587. Starting April 2010, each entry on this blog has a unique serial number. If any of the numbers are missing, it may mean that the corresponding entry has been blocked by Google/the authorities in your country. Please drop us a line if you detect any anomaly/missing number(s).

Eyjafjallajökull Eruption Intensifies

Webcams Show Heightened Activity

Eruption at Eyjafjallajökull has steadily Intensified in the past 3 hours

Eyjafjallajökull has resumed explosive activity in the past 3 hours, having earlier slowed down to sporadically ejecting single plumes of ash once every 2 to 3 minutes.

The following are latest images obtained from two webcams that are trained on Eyjafjallajökull at Valahnúk and Hvolsvelli stations. The images show a constant stream of ash, steam and fumes spewed from the Icelandic volcano.The images are provided by Míla ehf and may be subject to copyright.

Valahnúk Webcam freeze frame of Eyjafjallajökull at 08:55UTC .

Hvolsvelli Webcam Image of Eyjafjallajokull also recorded at 08:55UTC.

The following irregular sequence of images were recorded from Hvolsvelli Webcam.

[L-R and T-B] Freeze frames shows a large plume of ash, steam and gasses ejected from the volcano just after sunrise at 5;16UTC on April 17, 2010. The ash plume seen in the first frame above dispersed (second frame) within minutes of being ejected from Eyjafjallajokull; however, after a series of explosions that occurred about 30 seconds later, another plume was ejected out of the volcano’s crater. The new plume seemed to be slightly larger than the previous one. Click image to enlarge.

Another sequence of images recorded simultaneously from Hvolsvelli and Valahnúk Webcams.

[T – B] The above freeze frames were recorded at about 5:31UTC, showing single plumes of ash and gasses ejected from Eyjafjallajokul. Click image to enlarge.

[T – B] The above freeze frames were recorded at about 5:35UTC. Most of the frames show two plumes, indicating a gradual increase in the frequency of eruptions at Eyjafjallajokul. Click image to enlarge.

This frame was recorded at 5:40UTC showing 3 plumes which meant the eruptions at Eyjafjallajokul had further intensified. Click image to enlarge.

• For previous updates and various related links click Eyjafjallajökull – UPDATE Apr 17
• Eruption Video April 17, 2010

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Serial No 1,586. Starting April 2010, each entry on this blog has a unique serial number. If any of the numbers are missing, it may mean that the corresponding entry has been blocked by Google/the authorities in your country. Please drop us a line if you detect any anomaly/missing number(s).

Eyjafjallajökull – UPDATE Apr 17

Eyjafjallajökull Still Erupting

40,000 flights grounded since Thursday to avoid engine failure from Eyjafjallajökull ash

A new round of flooding has affected the areas around Eyjafjallajokull, as hot gases from the volcano continue to break up and melt the glacier that covers it.

Huge volumes of floodwater and massive chunks of ice, some reportedly as large as 3-story apartment blocks, have forced about 1,000 locals to evacuate their homes, most of them for a second time in 3 days. The floodwaters have almost completely washed off a causeway along the flooded Markarfljot river, which was severely damaged in the first round of flooding.

According to a local report,  the eruption is somewhat weakening, and Eyjafjallajökull is producing less ash, for now.

Sunrise at Eyjafjallajokull

Valahnúk Webcam freeze frame of Eyjafjallajökull shortly after sunrise.

Hvolsvelli Webcam Image of Eyjafjallajokull. Freeze frame shows a large plume of ash, steam and gasses ejected from the volcano just after sunrise at 5;16UTC on April 17, 2010. The ash plume seen above dispersed within minutes of appearing, but about 30 seconds and a series of explosions later, a larger plume was spewed out of the volcano’s crater. See the dramatic sequences in the next update.

Click image to enlarge.

Staff from the Icelandic Meteorological Office flew with the Icelandic Coast Guard to the Eyjafjallajökull eruption site on the afternoon of April 16th 2010. At 4 pm the volcanic ash cloud was clearly visible above the cloud deck, rising at times to at least 30,000 feet. Steady winds from the east-north-east moved the cloud away from the volcano. The cloud height was variable from 25 to 30,000 feet and its colour varied from dark to white, depending on how much ash was in the cloud. Credit: Icelandic Met Office. Image may be subject to copyright.

The Surreality Test. Credit: Jónas Erlendsson via MBL-Is. Image may be subject to copyright.

The above photo shows the outlet glacier, which is dark at the top due to mud from the flash floods. At the base the glacier flows to the right of a large cracked rock.Credit: Icelandic Met Office. Image may be subject to copyright.  More Photos…

A diagrammatic  illustration of volcanic ash dispersion up to 20,000 ft, issued at 7 pm on 16 April. Advisory charts are issued every six hours, for up to 18 hours ahead, by the Volcanic Ash Advisory Center. Source: UK Met Office.

According to the UK Met Office the cloud were moving over northern France and Austria, as well as  eastern and central Russia. © Copyright EUMETSAT/Met Office.

• Initial Ash Drift Satellite Animation

The ash particles range in size from 15 × 20 µm to 70 × 85 µm. (1 µm is a millionth of a meter, or a thousands of a millimeter).

Ash dust particles (at ×400) collected from Aberdeen on the morning of 16 April. These particles are approximately 60 × 70 µm.

Ash dust particles at ×100. Source and Copyright Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Geoengineer This!

Credit: Golli / Kjartan Þorbjörnsson via MBL-Is. Image may be subject to copyright.

What Happend to Disaster Tourism?

The rascals coiled their tails and ran for the coast. Nearby roads covered in a thick blanket of volcanic ash. Credit: Ómar Óskarsson via MBL-Is. Image may be subject to copyright.

Click link for Eyjafjallajökull Eruption – Satellite Images

The All Important Pronunciation: ‘Aye-ya fyah-tla jow-kutl

Related Links:

Videos

• Video of causeway destroyed by floodwater from melting glacier

• Video footage of the new volcanic eruption on Eyjafjallajökull glacier in south Iceland and flooding in Markarfljót river is posted here.
• Eruption Footage
• Video by MBL
• Horfa á kvikmyndir frá Hvannárgili [26 march 2010]
• Horfa á kvikmyndir frá Hrunagili [26 march 2010]
• Eruption Caught on Video by Iceland Coast Guard (WMV) – 20 March 2010
• Hrunagil (video)
• Iceland TV RUC

More Photos:

• National Geographic
• Reuters Iceland images
• Iceland’s disruptive volcano

Technical information:

• New map of the lava flow from 21 – 24 March 2010
• Latest Map of volcanic emissions 25 March 2010 (Icelandic)
  

Webcams – Volcanoes in Iceland

• Eyjafjallajökull
  • http://mila.is/um-milu/vefmyndavelar/eyjafjallajokull-fra-hvolsvelli/
  • http://mila.is/um-milu/vefmyndavelar/eyjafjallajokull-fra-thorolfsfelli/
• Hekla: http://www.ruv.is/hekla/
• Katla: http://www.ruv.is/katla/

Latest Images (RUV): http://www.ruv.is/flokkar/hamfarir

Related Headline News

• Photo Shows Eerie Closeness to Volcano, Says Farmer Hit by Flood [April 15, 2010]

• Iceland Eruption Affects Air Traffic in Norway
• Last Eyjafjallajökull Eruption Lasted Two Years [April 14, 2010]
• Awesome Pictures of Flood in South Iceland
  
• Iceland’s PM: Important to Remain Calm
  
• Flood in South Iceland Might Be Subsiding
• Video of New Iceland Eruption and Flood
• Drinking Water Monitored in Iceland’s Westman Islands [April 14, 2010]

• Iceland: New Craters open up. “We saw the Earth open up” [April 3, 2010]
• Icelandic Volcanic Outburst goes 100 Meters into the Air [April 1, 2010]
• Toxic Fumes at Source of Iceland Eruption
• Lava Flow Heads for Idyllic Iceland Valley
• Iceland Lava Flow Changes Channels

Related Sites in Iceland (English)

• Institute of Earth Sciences, Iceland
• Geophysical research at the Icelandic Meteorological Office
• Continuous tremor plots at the Icelandic Meteorological Office
• Earthquake location maps at the Icelandic Meteorological Office

Fire-Earth Links:

• Eyjafjallajökull Eruption – Satellite Images
• Eyjafjallajökull Eruption – UPDATE Apr 16
• Eyjafjallajökull Eruption – 2nd Update Apr 15

• Eyjafjallajökull eruption melts glacier [April 15]
• Eyjafjöll Eruption Update – April 3
• Eyjafjöll Still Erupting
• Eyjafjöll Eruption – Images of the Day

• Eyjafjöll Eruption – LATEST
• Icelandic Volcano Erupts – UPDATE
• Volcano erupts near Eyjafjallajoekull, Iceland
• Icelandic Volcano Erupts – VIDEO UPDATE

• Volcanoes
• FEWW Volcano Links
• FEWW Earthquake Links

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Serial No 1,585. Starting April 2010, each entry on this blog has a unique serial number. If any of the numbers are missing, it may mean that the corresponding entry has been blocked by Google/the authorities in your country. Please drop us a line if you detect any anomaly/missing number(s).

Eyjafjallajökull Eruption – Satellite Images

Ash cloud from Eyjafjallajökull eruption has grounded about 30,000 flights, so far!

Ash from Iceland’s erupting Eyjafjallajökull Volcano had drifted over northern Europe by April 16, 2010. The brown ash is mixed with clouds in this photo-like image taken by MODIS on NASA’s Terra satellite at 12:45 p.m. local time (GMT/UTC+2) on April 16,2010. The visible ash sweeps in an arc across the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, and Russia. Additional ash is most probably masked by clouds. Source: NASA. Click image to enlarge.

• Additional resolutions
• Daily Images
  

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite captured this natural-color image on April 15, 2010. A volcanic plume blows from Eyjafjallajökull Volcano in southern Iceland toward the east-southeast. The plume’s tan hue indicates a high ash content. Volcanic ash consists of tiny jagged particles of rock which can cause engine failure, if sucked into an airplane’s turbines. Source: NASA. Click image to enlarge.

DLR, TerraSAR-X, via Associated Press

A computer enhanced image of  Eyjafjallajokull glacier in Iceland acquired by the TerraSAR-X satellite on April 16, 2010 (late PM). Image may be subject to copyright. Click image to enlarge.

For the latest Eyjafjallajökull update and links see

• Eyjafjallajökull – UPDATE Apr 17
• Eyjafjallajökull Eruption – UPDATE Apr 16

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Serial No 1,582. Starting April 2010, each entry on this blog has a unique serial number. If any of the numbers are missing, it may mean that the corresponding entry has been blocked by Google/the authorities in your country. Please drop us a line if you detect any anomaly/missing number(s).

Eyjafjallajökull Eruption – UPDATE Apr 16

A Time to Reflect!

Much volcanic activity may occur in Iceland during the coming months: Eyjafjallajökull, perhaps Katla, Laki and others … even Jan Mayen their northerly neighbor could kick in keeping more flights grounded

Eyjafjallajökull Eruption Has Grounded Flights Across Much of Europe for a Second Day

As the eruption at Eyjafjallajökull volcano continues unabated, more smoke and ash from the glacier-filled volcano in Iceland drifts into Europe’s airspace, affecting up to a million air passengers. The disruption could continue into the weekend and beyond.

A radar image of the three craters emerging from under the Eyjafjallajokull glacier April 16, 2010. Credit: Icelandic Coast Guard

As of posting, up to 8,000 flights have been canceled since a no-fly zone was declared in northern Europe on Thursday.  The airspace from as far west as the Republic of Ireland to Finland and was Western Russia are now closed. The countries that are directly affected and whose airspace have been shut down are: Republic of Ireland, Norway, UK, Netherlands,  Belgium, Denmark, Sweden and Finland.

Additionally there is a partial or planned no-fly zones currently operating in the northern airspace of three  other countries: France, Germany and Poland.

Volcanic Ash and fumes (dark yellow, mustard and various shades of brown) from Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull eruption drift toward NW Europe. Copyright EUMETSAT 2010. Click image to enlarge.

How long Will the Eruption Last?

“It is likely that the production of ash will continue at a comparable level for some days or weeks. But where it disrupts travel, that depends on the weather,” Einar Kjartansson, a geophysicist at the Icelandic Meteorological Office, told the reporters.

The last time the subglacial volcano erupted, it went on ejecting ash for a period of two years, from 1821 to 1823.

Ash Drifting Very Slowly

In the absence of wind the ash cloud is “progressing very slowly eastwards” and has remained “very dense,” the European air traffic control, Eurocontrol, has said.

“In general, the situation cannot be said to be improving with any certainty,”  the National Air Traffic Service in the UK was quoted as saying.

The European air traffic control organisation, Eurocontrol, said a lack of wind meant the ash cloud created by the volcano underneath Iceland’s Eyjafjallajoekull glacier was “progressing very slowly eastwards” and remained “very dense”.

In addition to the European airlines, at least 5 other long-haul airlines have canceled flights to Europe.

Related Links:

Videos

• Video footage of the new volcanic eruption on Eyjafjallajökull glacier in south Iceland and flooding in Markarfljót river is posted here.
• Eruption Footage
• Video by MBL
• Horfa á kvikmyndir frá Hvannárgili [26 march 2010]
• Horfa á kvikmyndir frá Hrunagili [26 march 2010]
• Eruption Caught on Video by Iceland Coast Guard (WMV) – 20 March 2010
• Hrunagil (video)
• Iceland TV RUC

More Photos:

• National Geographic
• Reuters Iceland images

Technical information:

• New map of the lava flow from 21 – 24 March 2010
• Latest Map of volcanic emissions 25 March 2010 (Icelandic)
  

Webcams – Volcanoes in Iceland

• Eyjafjallajökull
  • http://mila.is/um-milu/vefmyndavelar/eyjafjallajokull-fra-hvolsvelli/
  • http://mila.is/um-milu/vefmyndavelar/eyjafjallajokull-fra-thorolfsfelli/
• Hekla: http://www.ruv.is/hekla/
• Katla: http://www.ruv.is/katla/

Latest Images (RUV): http://www.ruv.is/flokkar/hamfarir

Related Headline News

• Photo Shows Eerie Closeness to Volcano, Says Farmer Hit by Flood [April 15, 2010]

• Iceland Eruption Affects Air Traffic in Norway
• Last Eyjafjallajökull Eruption Lasted Two Years [April 14, 2010]
• Awesome Pictures of Flood in South Iceland
  
• Iceland’s PM: Important to Remain Calm
  
• Flood in South Iceland Might Be Subsiding
• Video of New Iceland Eruption and Flood
• Drinking Water Monitored in Iceland’s Westman Islands [April 14, 2010]

• Iceland: New Craters open up. “We saw the Earth open up” [April 3, 2010]
• Icelandic Volcanic Outburst goes 100 Meters into the Air [April 1, 2010]
• Toxic Fumes at Source of Iceland Eruption
• Lava Flow Heads for Idyllic Iceland Valley
• Iceland Lava Flow Changes Channels

Related Sites in Iceland (English)

• Institute of Earth Sciences, Iceland
• Geophysical research at the Icelandic Meteorological Office
• Continuous tremor plots at the Icelandic Meteorological Office
• Earthquake location maps at the Icelandic Meteorological Office

Fire-Earth Links:

• Eyjafjallajökull Eruption – 2nd Update Apr 15

• Eyjafjallajökull eruption melts glacier [April 15]
• Eyjafjöll Eruption Update – April 3
• Eyjafjöll Still Erupting
• Eyjafjöll Eruption – Images of the Day

• Eyjafjöll Eruption – LATEST
• Icelandic Volcano Erupts – UPDATE
• Volcano erupts near Eyjafjallajoekull, Iceland
• Icelandic Volcano Erupts – VIDEO UPDATE

• Volcanoes
• FEWW Volcano Links
• FEWW Earthquake Links

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Serial No 1,581. Starting April 2010, each entry on this blog has a unique serial number. If any of the numbers are missing, it may mean that the corresponding entry has been blocked by Google/the authorities in your country. Please drop us a line if you detect any anomaly/missing number(s).

Eyjafjallajökull eruption melts glacier

Katla volcano may be next in line to erupt: Fire-Earth

New volcanic eruption at Eyjafjallajökull melts Gígjökull  glacial tongue, causing extensive flooding in Markarfljót river, south of Iceland

Eruption at Eyjafjöll is consistent with recent global patterns of volcanism and tectonism. Wild eruptions may occur in Iceland and elsewhere—Fire-Earth [March 22]

Eyjafjallajökull erupts, causing extensive flooding. Photo credit: MBL-IS. Image may be subject to copyright. Click image to enlarge.

Geologists who flew over Eyjafjallajökull glacier said a deep fault trough has occurred  around the crater below the summit of the glacier.

The gap measures about 500 meters, a report said. However, the geologists were unable to detect any vents or signs of eruption due to the cloud cover.

The eruption which occurred in the top crater, buried about 200m beneath the ice, ejected a large plume of volcanic ash that reached a height of about 6,700m (22,000 feet) and there was ash fall to the east of Fimmvörduháls.

The glacial river has flooded at a rate of about 1,000 cubic meters per second, a report said.

Air Traffic Suspended North of Norway

Norway has suspended air traffic in its northern airspace due to the threat of engine damage from the impact of volcanic ash that has traveled far covering a vast area after the eruption at Eyjafjallajökull glacier. The ash and smoke particles in the air have also reduced visibility considerably, a report said.

Maps of Ash Drift from Eyjafjallajökull Eruption. Source: RUV Island. Image may be subject to copyright. Click image to enlarge.

“We have closed the aviation area between Bodoe and Tromsoe and are considering closing the aviation area all the way south to Trondheim,” Sindre Aanonsen, spokesperson for the Norwegian air traffic control center said to reporters.

Fimmvörduháls Eruption

The eruption at Fimmvörduháls, which began on March 20,  has extended the height of the mountain by about 82 meters, geologists were reported as saying.

Eyjafjallajökull volcano’s lava fountains (April 13, 2010). Photo: Patrick Koster, Barcroft/Fame Pictures/ via National Geographic. Image may be subject to copyright. Click image to enlarge.

Earlier Videos

• Video footage of the new volcanic eruption on Eyjafjallajökull glacier in south Iceland and flooding in Markarfljót river is posted here.
• Eruption Footage
• Video by MBL
• Horfa á kvikmyndir frá Hvannárgili [26 march 2010]
• Horfa á kvikmyndir frá Hrunagili [26 march 2010]
• Eruption Caught on Video by Iceland Coast Guard (WMV) – 20 March 2010
• Hrunagil (video)
• Iceland TV RUC

More Photos:

• National Geographic

Technical information:

• New map of the lava flow from 21 – 24 March 2010
• Latest Map of volcanic emissions 25 March 2010 (Icelandic)
  

Webcams – Volcanoes in Iceland

• Eyjafjallajökull
  • http://mila.is/um-milu/vefmyndavelar/eyjafjallajokull-fra-hvolsvelli/
  • http://mila.is/um-milu/vefmyndavelar/eyjafjallajokull-fra-thorolfsfelli/
• Hekla: http://www.ruv.is/hekla/
• Katla: http://www.ruv.is/katla/

Latest Images (RUV): http://www.ruv.is/flokkar/hamfarir

Related Headline News

• Photo Shows Eerie Closeness to Volcano, Says Farmer Hit by Flood [April 15, 2010]

• Iceland Eruption Affects Air Traffic in Norway
• Last Eyjafjallajökull Eruption Lasted Two Years [April 14, 2010]
• Awesome Pictures of Flood in South Iceland
  
• Iceland’s PM: Important to Remain Calm
  
• Flood in South Iceland Might Be Subsiding
• Video of New Iceland Eruption and Flood
• Drinking Water Monitored in Iceland’s Westman Islands [April 14, 2010]

• Iceland: New Craters open up. “We saw the Earth open up” [April 3, 2010]
• Icelandic Volcanic Outburst goes 100 Meters into the Air [April 1, 2010]
• Toxic Fumes at Source of Iceland Eruption
• Lava Flow Heads for Idyllic Iceland Valley
• Iceland Lava Flow Changes Channels

Related Sites in Iceland (English)

• Institute of Earth Sciences, Iceland
• Geophysical research at the Icelandic Meteorological Office
• Continuous tremor plots at the Icelandic Meteorological Office
• Earthquake location maps at the Icelandic Meteorological Office

Fire-Earth Links:

• Eyjafjöll Eruption Update – April 3
• Eyjafjöll Still Erupting
• Eyjafjöll Eruption – Images of the Day

• Eyjafjöll Eruption – LATEST
• Icelandic Volcano Erupts – UPDATE
• Volcano erupts near Eyjafjallajoekull, Iceland
• Icelandic Volcano Erupts – VIDEO UPDATE

• Volcanoes
• FEWW Volcano Links
• FEWW Earthquake Links

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Serial No 1,574. Starting April 2010, each entry on this blog has a unique serial number. If any of the numbers are missing, it may mean that the corresponding entry has been blocked by the authorities/Google in your country. Please drop us a line if you detect any anomaly/missing number(s).