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Eruption Of Iceland's Bardarbunga Raises Travel Alert to Red
The eruption of the Bardarbunga volcano in central Iceland, which appeared a strong possibility after a series of earthquakes, is currently underway, beneath the ice of the Dyngjujokull glacier. The BBC reports that Iceland has raised its air travel alert to red, its higest level, but that for now all of Iceland's airports remain open. CNN notes that "the underground activity did not immediately result in changes to volcanic activity on the surface ... Because of a pressure from the glacier cap it is uncertain whether the eruption will stay sub-glacial or not, Iceland 2 TV said."
At least this time we can pronounce the damn thing.
Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
Travel alert is only 'red'? Please! let me know when it's infrared, then I'll be concerned - and hot - and going out getting shit faced on beers.
skateboard slang....
Why is it that when a thing like this happens (supposedly), we're directed to the misguided BBC, and to cowardous CNN?
Doesn't Iceland have some kind of geologic society or meteorlogic society that issues reports based on adequate, current, hot-off-the-volcano scientific data?
I don't know if any of you are fans of the magnificent cartoon "Metalocalypse", but if you are, it occurs to me that an active volcano named, "Bardarbunga" on the Dyngjujokull glacier in Iceland is exactly the kind of place Dethklok would hold one of their massive concerts where everything goes wrong and there's a total catastrophe with thousands of casualities.
Seriously, the first thing I thought of when I read the summary was Dethklock being lowered onto the stage by four armor-laden quadracopters being flown by their henchment and one of William Murderface's bass notes triggering the volcano, causing lava to burst forth over the audience. That show is friggin' hilarious.
http://youtu.be/y9KsdNtj_58
You are welcome on my lawn.
Once again Iceland precipitates a Sci-Fi Channel Disaster Event!
Daniel Klugh
Why is it that when a thing like this happens (supposedly), we're directed to the misguided BBC, and to cowardous CNN? Doesn't Iceland have some kind of geologic society or meteorlogic society that issues reports based on adequate, current, hot-off-the-volcano scientific data?
The icelandic met office has a site that tracks seismic activity (read: earthquakes), they have an english website: http://en.vedur.is/#tab=skjalf... The University of Iceland's institute of earth sciences has a news page in english: http://earthice.hi.is/bardarbu... They have also set up a number of webcams: http://www.livefromiceland.is/... (Vaðalda, north of Vatnajökull, towards Bárðabunga) http://vedur2.mogt.is/grimsfja... (Grímsfjall) http://vedur2.mogt.is/kverkfjo... (Kverkfjöll) Not very spectacular sites but the content is a bit better than most of the bullshit you are likely to get from the corporate media.
There is now also a YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
Then there's this: http://baering.github.io/
...and this: http://grapevine.is/news/2014/08/23/scientists-disagree-with-met-office-say-no-eruption/
(local English newspaper)
I think mauve has the most RAM.
Icelandic volcanologists argues that no eruption took place today. The issue is that it all happens under half a kilometer of ice and nobody can see what goes on. A series of earthquakes were read as an eruption, but now the lack of melting water and no visible signs on the glacier makes some of them argue that the earthquakes were in fact just earthquakes, not an eruption.
http://icelandreview.com/news/2014/08/23/geophysicist-probably-no-eruption
Even if the volcano didn't erupt today, the huge amount of earthquakes as well as their magnitude (had a 4.5 one today) indicates that something is going on. The question isn't if the volcano is doing something, the question is if it ends up blowing ash into the air and/or melt tons of ice. The answer is: maybe because we don't know. We can't do anything but wait and see.
There are some claims that the ash is too heavy to affect air traffic because it will fall to the ground right away. Bárðarbunga is a stratovolcano and even worse, it's under an glacier. That makes it a worst case scenario for ash and ash from previous eruptions have been found in central Europe. Those statements are based on.... well let's just say that I have seen volcanologists stating they would never make claims like that.
If this is melting and heating the glacier, there is a great chance of a huge explosion once the steam pressure hits critical mass. Expect an explosion of Mount St. Helen's magnitude.
Any international flight that can be grounded will save that airline several millions of dollars that will go into the end-of-year bonus of the CEO without accurate report to alert the public.
Now that the flying public have been alerted, they can hold up in the face of flight staff their iPhones and Android Phones to show that flight disruptions are not happening.
Some years ago in OHare I held up my iPod touch to show that the weather at a certain airport was ... not so bad ... refuting the words of the "Flight Staff". A near riot ensued but was quelled by offers of discount lay-over hotel expenses and guaranteed re-booking on the next day's morning flight.
Airlines. You can not trust these birds.