Scientists remain divided over whether volcanic unrest at the Svartsengi system in southwest Iceland has come to an end, a disagreement that matters because ground uplift continues and could affect nearby towns such as Grindavík and Vogar and operations at Keflavík International Airport. According to a report from Icelandic news site mbl.is, there are conflicting assessments by leading geologists as ground uplift continues to be observed in the area.
Svartsengi is a volcanic system on the Southern Peninsula of Iceland, close to the towns of Grindavík and Vogar, and near Keflavík International Airport. It encompasses fissures, cones, and craters, and is also home to the well-known Svartsengi Power Station and the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa.
Volcanologist Þorvaldur Þórðarson told mbl.is that the volcanic activity at Sundhnúkar, a part of the Svartsengi system, is coming to an end or may have already ended. However, geophysicist Páll Einarsson offered a contrasting view, saying that the unrest is still in full progress. The differences highlight uncertainty among scientists monitoring the evolution of seismic and ground deformation episodes in the region.
It is not yet clear whether the uplift and associated unrest at Svartsengi will continue or has finished. The specific data or observations behind the differing scientific assessments were not detailed.
Sources
- mbl.is (first reported) in Icelandic
Image: Jakub Hałun / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · licence, original (resized) Illustrative image.
