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Earthquakes are rocking Iceland’s Bardarbunga volcano, adding to concerns that magma movements may trigger an eruption that could hinder air traffic.
The eruption took place the Holuhraun lava field, north of Dyngjujoekull glacier, Iceland’s Meteorological Office said. The event was described as being not highly explosive – and thus not producing much of the fine ash that can affect aircraft engines.
“If this eruption persists it could become a tourist attraction, as it will be relatively safe to approach, although the area is remote,” said David Rothery, a professor of Planetary Geosciences at The Open University in Britain. “This event should not be seen as `relieving the pressure’ on Bardarbunga itself, nor is it a clear precursor sign of an impending Bardarbunga eruption.”
Icelandic Air Traffic Control has closed the airspace over the volcano from the ground up to 18,000 feet. All of the country’s airports remain open.
In 2010, Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokul volcano erupted and sparked a week of international aviation chaos, with thousands of flights canceled. Aviation officials closed Europe’s air space for five days, fearing that volcanic ash could harm jet engines.
Agencies/Canadajournal
