New Findings from University of Iceland in the Area of Volcanology Reported (Seismic Activity Associated With the 1963-1967 Surtsey Eruption Off the Coast of South Iceland)

2021 AUG 31 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at NewsRx Science Daily -- Data detailed on Volcanology have been presented. According to news reporting originating from Reykjavik, Iceland, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “The emergence and growth of Surtsey during volcanic activity in 1963-1967, from an oceanic depth of 130 m off the south coast of Iceland, remains one of the best-documented island-forming eruptions to date. By extracting information from seismic bulletins and analyzing archived analog seismic data, principally from SID, the most sensitive station in the seismic network existing at the time (131 km from Surtsey), we address key questions on precursors, timing of eruption onset, and duration of the submarine phase.”

Funders for this research include Icelandic Research Fund, ICF-RANNIS, University of Iceland, Icelandic Meteorological Office, Natural Catastrophe Insurance of Iceland, National Archives of Iceland, European Commission, National Power Company of Iceland, RANNIS, the Icelandic Centre for Research.

Our news editors obtained a quote from the research from the University of Iceland, “We estimate the magnitude of completeness for earthquakes at Surtsey to have been M-L = 2.5. Several seismic events of magnitude M-L < 3 in November 3-10, 1963, with epicentral distance fitting with Surtsey are considered to be precursory earthquakes. Continuous tremor of dominant frequency 1-2 Hz, starting in the early afternoon of November 12, is considered to mark the onset of the submarine eruption, about 40 h before the start of subaerial eruption at 06:30 on November 14. The number of earthquakes larger than the threshold magnitude of 2.5 detected in 1963-1966 was 123, with the largest being of magnitude 4.5. Six earthquakes ranging in magnitude between 3.7 and 4.5 were felt in Heimaey, 22 km to the NE of Surtsey. Changes in vent location occurred five times in 1964-1966. Significant earthquake activity after the eruption start occurred in swarms considerably stronger than observed at the start.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “These swarms preceded vent migration and lasted days to weeks, apparently caused by intrusive activity prior to eruption at the new vents.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: Seismic Activity Associated With the 1963-1967 Surtsey Eruption Off the Coast of South Iceland. Bulletin of Volcanology, 2021;83(8). Bulletin of Volcanology can be contacted at: Springer, One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, Ny, United States. (Springer - www.springer.com; Bulletin of Volcanology - http://www.springerlink.com/content/0258-8900/)

The news editors report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Sara Sayyadi, University of Iceland, Nordvulk, Institute of Earth Sciences, Reykjavik, Iceland. Additional authors for this research include Pall Einarsson and Magnus T. Gudmundsson.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00445-021-01481-0. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

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