Bárðarbunga
Seismicity by period · derived statistics from Skjálftalísa (Icelandic Met Office)
Status (automatic)
No particular signs of unrest in the last 24 hours — 7 earthquakes recorded, within the system's normal range. Volcano is in normal, non-eruptive state.
VONA = Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation; the official Met Office colour code for aviation. Independent of Skjálfti's automatic analysis.
Depth — 3D and cross-section Bárðarbunga + Holuhraun dyke · last 90 days
Each dot is an earthquake, depth as the third dimension — Bárðarbunga + Holuhraun dyke, last 90 days. Drag the 3D view to rotate; point at a dot for details.
3D (rotatable) · depth ×2.5
Cross-section — distance along profile (km) vs depth (km)
Map (top view)
<24 klst2–7 dolderunconstrained depthsize ∝ magnitude (M)
⚠ Preliminary depths, unreliable (automatic Met Office solutions; depth often poorly constrained). events with unconstrained (default) depth shown as open rings — not real structure. For illustration, not analysis.
🕰️ Last eruption / event — 12 years ago
Holuhraun eruption ended (2015-02-27). Iceland's largest lava eruption since Skaftáreldar in 1783 (1.4 km³ in 6 months). Caldera subsided 65 m. Reloading only reaches 0.001% of Holuhraun moment.
Central volcano with a large fissure swarm beneath Vatnajökull — one of Iceland's most active systems. The 2014–2015 Holuhraun eruption was the largest lava eruption in Iceland since the Laki fires of 1783. (overview — more at vedur.is) · circle on the map = rough outline of the system (radius).
Subglacial system: a subglacial eruption can cause a jökulhlaup (sudden glacial meltwater flood) with little warning, and volcanic gases (incl. SO₂, CO₂) can be dangerous near vents and may pool in hollows. These are standing features of the system, not a sign of an imminent eruption.
📜 Did you know?
Vatnaöldur ~877 AD from the Bárðarbunga system produced the Landnám tephra layer — the marker layer archaeologists use to date all Settlement-era sites in Iceland (Grönvold et al. 1995, GRIP ice core). Holuhraun (2014-15) was then Iceland's largest lava eruption since Skaftáreldar in 1783 — 1.4 km³ in 6 months, caldera subsided 65 m.
Historical eruptions in the system — points colored by size, blue circle shows where we are now in time.
❓ What if Bárðarbunga erupts again?
Two likely scenarios:
1. Holuhraun-style fissure (like 2014-15): magma extends NE from caldera and erupts at the Vatnajökull margin. Lava onto the highlands, no settlements at risk. SO₂ can reach all populated areas — health warnings needed. 2. Subglacial eruption: jökulhlaup down Jökulsá á Fjöllum to the north, or Köldukvísl/Skjálfandafljót. Peak flow 10,000-50,000 m³/s for modern eruptions (prehistoric catastrophic floods were much larger). No direct settlement risk but highways close. Current reloading: 0.001% of Holuhraun moment — not close to next eruption. Sources: Holuhraun 2014-15 (Gudmundsson et al. 2016), GVP.
1. Holuhraun-style fissure (like 2014-15): magma extends NE from caldera and erupts at the Vatnajökull margin. Lava onto the highlands, no settlements at risk. SO₂ can reach all populated areas — health warnings needed. 2. Subglacial eruption: jökulhlaup down Jökulsá á Fjöllum to the north, or Köldukvísl/Skjálfandafljót. Peak flow 10,000-50,000 m³/s for modern eruptions (prehistoric catastrophic floods were much larger). No direct settlement risk but highways close. Current reloading: 0.001% of Holuhraun moment — not close to next eruption. Sources: Holuhraun 2014-15 (Gudmundsson et al. 2016), GVP.
This is not a forecast. Based on historical experience and official hazard assessments from the Met Office / Civil Protection.
Jökulhlaup history (historical renewal model + Bayesian update)
Last known flood (Eystri ketill): 2024-08-01, 771 d ago. Median interval between floods: ~1.0 yr (375 d, n=12) · 396 d over median interval · historically ~1 in 50 within 6 mo from a state like this (n=12).
Note: The Met Office does not publish open realtime water-level/conductivity data. Realtime flood monitoring requires VPN/agreement with Veðurstofa (vmkerfi.vedur.is).
KISA step detection — 5 drops ≥ 15 mm in past 2 yr (May-Oct; winter snow filtered). Each drop = ice-shell subsidence, possible jökulhlaup signal. Latest: 2025-10-31 (-35 mm).
Bárðarbunga reloading since Holuhraun (2015-03). Cumulative seismic moment (M₀ = 101.5M+9.1 N·m) = 107.6×10¹⁵ N·m (0.0538% of Holuhraun ~2×10²⁰). Deep (≥15 km) earthquakes: 3.3×10¹² N·m (0.000%) — possible mantle-magma replenishment. Seismic reloading never approaches eruption moment; small percentages are normal — next eruption requires fresh magma loading, not just seismic accumulation. This 0.001% is like adding a teaspoon back into an empty bucket — recharge is just beginning.
Points = earthquake locations in the selected window, coloured by magnitude: M3+ · M2+ · smaller (a sample if more than 800).
Earthquakes
7
Largest
M2.3
M3,0+
0
Depth range
0–32 km
Earthquakes over time
Cumulative count · 7 earthquakes · total moment ≈ M2.3 · count moment
Depth (0 km at top). Grey: fixed depth.
Magnitude distribution
Depth cross-sections — color by age (orange=newest, grey=older), point size by M. Rising cluster = possible magma intrusion.
Earthquakes
8
Largest
M2.3
M3,0+
0
Depth range
0–32 km
Earthquakes over time
Cumulative count · 8 earthquakes · total moment ≈ M2.4 · count moment
Depth (0 km at top). Grey: fixed depth.
Magnitude distribution
Depth cross-sections — color by age (orange=newest, grey=older), point size by M. Rising cluster = possible magma intrusion.
Earthquakes
21
Largest
M2.3
M3,0+
0
Depth range
0–32 km
Earthquakes over time
Cumulative count · 21 earthquakes · total moment ≈ M2.6 · count moment
Depth (0 km at top). Grey: fixed depth.
Magnitude distribution
Depth cross-sections — color by age (orange=newest, grey=older), point size by M. Rising cluster = possible magma intrusion.
Earthquakes
89
Largest
M3.0
M3,0+
0
Depth range
0–32 km
Earthquakes over time
Cumulative count · 89 earthquakes · total moment ≈ M3.2 · count moment
Depth (0 km at top). Grey: fixed depth.
Magnitude distribution
Depth cross-sections — color by age (orange=newest, grey=older), point size by M. Rising cluster = possible magma intrusion.
Earthquakes
744
Largest
M5.2
M3,0+
3
Depth range
0–32 km
Earthquakes over time
Cumulative count · 744 earthquakes · total moment ≈ M5.3 · count moment
Depth (0 km at top). Grey: fixed depth.
Magnitude distribution
Depth cross-sections — color by age (orange=newest, grey=older), point size by M. Rising cluster = possible magma intrusion.
Gutenberg-Richter b ≈ 0.75 ± 0.08 (i.e. likely 0.67–0.83, M≥1.7, n=95) · low b can accompany magma activity (small sample, interpret with caution)
Earthquakes
2095
Largest
M5.2
M3,0+
9
Depth range
0–32 km
Earthquakes over time
Cumulative count · 2095 earthquakes · total moment ≈ M5.3 · count moment
Depth (0 km at top). Grey: fixed depth.
Magnitude distribution
Depth cross-sections — color by age (orange=newest, grey=older), point size by M. Rising cluster = possible magma intrusion.
Gutenberg-Richter b ≈ 0.72 ± 0.06 (i.e. likely 0.66–0.78, M≥1.7, n=131) · low b can accompany magma activity (small sample, interpret with caution)
Earthquakes
2937
Largest
M5.2
M3,0+
10
Depth range
0–32 km
Earthquakes over time
Cumulative count · 2937 earthquakes · total moment ≈ M5.3 · count moment
Depth (0 km at top) — shallowing in the data (3.6→2.5 km). Grey: fixed depth.
Magnitude distribution
Depth cross-sections — color by age (orange=newest, grey=older), point size by M. Rising cluster = possible magma intrusion.
Gutenberg-Richter b ≈ 0.74 ± 0.06 (i.e. likely 0.68–0.80, M≥1.7, n=152) · low b can accompany magma activity (small sample, interpret with caution)
Note: before February 2026 about half of events lacked an automatic magnitude, so magnitude-dependent figures (b-value, count of M≥X) under-count earlier periods — the catalogue is not homogeneous across this window. Cumulative moment is barely affected.
Earthquakes
4878
Largest
M5.2
M3,0+
20
Depth range
0–32 km
Earthquakes over time
Cumulative count · 4878 earthquakes · total moment ≈ M5.3 · count moment
Depth (0 km at top). Grey: fixed depth.
Magnitude distribution
Depth cross-sections — color by age (orange=newest, grey=older), point size by M. Rising cluster = possible magma intrusion.
Gutenberg-Richter b ≈ 0.74 ± 0.05 (i.e. likely 0.70–0.79, M≥1.7, n=232) · low b can accompany magma activity (small sample, interpret with caution)
Note: before February 2026 about half of events lacked an automatic magnitude, so magnitude-dependent figures (b-value, count of M≥X) under-count earlier periods — the catalogue is not homogeneous across this window. Cumulative moment is barely affected.
Earthquakes
7.707
Largest
M5.3
M3.0+
77
Days with data
1.494
This is a reduced view: it is built from the daily aggregate (counts, moment, magnitude bands, depth histogram) rather than individual events. Map points, the depth scatter, cross-sections and the migration fit are therefore missing — they need each event's location and depth. Counts, total moment and the b-value are exact, not approximated.
Earthquakes over time
Cumulative count and moment
Total moment of all events in the window equals a single Mw 5.7
Magnitude distribution
<14657
1–21356
2–3334
3–462
≥415
Gutenberg-Richter b ≈ 0.67 ± 0.02 (i.e. likely 0.65–0.69, M≥1.7, n=654)
Note: before February 2026 about half of events lacked an automatic magnitude, so magnitude-dependent figures (b-value, count of M≥X) under-count earlier periods — the catalogue is not homogeneous across this window. Cumulative moment is barely affected.
Earthquakes
17.408
Largest
M5.3
M3.0+
251
Days with data
3.135
This is a reduced view: it is built from the daily aggregate (counts, moment, magnitude bands, depth histogram) rather than individual events. Map points, the depth scatter, cross-sections and the migration fit are therefore missing — they need each event's location and depth. Counts, total moment and the b-value are exact, not approximated.
Earthquakes over time
Cumulative count and moment
Total moment of all events in the window equals a single Mw 5.8
Magnitude distribution
<111823
1–23307
2–3743
3–4227
≥424
Gutenberg-Richter b ≈ 0.63 ± 0.01 (i.e. likely 0.61–0.64, M≥1.7, n=1540)
Note: before February 2026 about half of events lacked an automatic magnitude, so magnitude-dependent figures (b-value, count of M≥X) under-count earlier periods — the catalogue is not homogeneous across this window. Cumulative moment is barely affected.
Earthquakes
60.690
Largest
M5.9
M3.0+
2569
Days with data
5.983
This is a reduced view: it is built from the daily aggregate (counts, moment, magnitude bands, depth histogram) rather than individual events. Map points, the depth scatter, cross-sections and the migration fit are therefore missing — they need each event's location and depth. Counts, total moment and the b-value are exact, not approximated.
Earthquakes over time
Cumulative count and moment
Total moment of all events in the window equals a single Mw 6.7
Magnitude distribution
<123594
1–225057
2–37831
3–41730
≥4839
Gutenberg-Richter b ≈ 0.64 ± 0.01 (i.e. likely 0.64–0.65, M≥1.7, n=16672)
Note: before February 2026 about half of events lacked an automatic magnitude, so magnitude-dependent figures (b-value, count of M≥X) under-count earlier periods — the catalogue is not homogeneous across this window. Cumulative moment is barely affected.
Earthquakes
62.656
Largest
M5.9
M3.0+
2692
Days with data
6.978
This is a reduced view: it is built from the daily aggregate (counts, moment, magnitude bands, depth histogram) rather than individual events. Map points, the depth scatter, cross-sections and the migration fit are therefore missing — they need each event's location and depth. Counts, total moment and the b-value are exact, not approximated.
Earthquakes over time
Cumulative count and moment
Total moment of all events in the window equals a single Mw 6.7
Magnitude distribution
<123621
1–225847
2–38855
3–41846
≥4846
Gutenberg-Richter b ≈ 0.65 ± 0.00 (i.e. likely 0.64–0.65, M≥1.7, n=18296)
Note: before February 2026 about half of events lacked an automatic magnitude, so magnitude-dependent figures (b-value, count of M≥X) under-count earlier periods — the catalogue is not homogeneous across this window. Cumulative moment is barely affected.
Depth is automatic and uncertain; earthquakes alone do not show magma movement — deformation (GPS) and gas are needed. Grey points: automatic fixed-depth values. b-value computed for M≥1.5 (automatic magnitudes make lower completeness unreliable). Preliminary data.
Uplift — GNSS deformation
KISA — land rising ~22 mm/yr (seasonally adjusted) · long-term +38 mm/yr (MIDAS)
REYK (Reykjavík) — reference ~+0 mm/yr
Up = land rising (possible magma accumulation), down = subsidence. From Nevada Geodetic Lab (third-party processing, ~3-week lag, latest 2026-05-02). Interpreted deformation: Icelandic Met Office.
🌊 Volcanic tremor — The baseline tremor is currently elevated but must be assessed solely against recent days…
IMO tremor plot (station skr). Most of the signal is weather and surf — not eruption confirmation. All stations: vedur.is ↗.
Weather now: wind 9 m/s (Hágöngum) — moderate.
The baseline tremor is currently elevated but must be assessed solely against recent days due to unreliable weather models at this inland station. (AI)
Band analysis past 9 days (from digitized RSAM values). High 2-4 Hz + low 0.5-1 Hz = possible magma-movement signal; high 0.5-1 Hz without 2-4 Hz = weather/surf.
Earthquakes in the system
| Time (UTC) | Mag | Depth (km) | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-11 17:53 | M0.3 | 4.5 | Other areas |
| 2026-09-11 14:58 | M1.5 | 32.3 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-09-11 14:58 | M2.3 | 0.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-09-11 09:39 | M1.1 | 0.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-09-11 08:24 | M0.7 | 0.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-09-11 05:53 | M1.6 | 0.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-09-11 01:04 | M0.6 | 0.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-09-10 19:13 | M1.5 | 0.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-09-09 13:44 | M2.3 | 1.9 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-09-09 07:42 | M0.7 | 0.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-09-09 05:30 | M0.4 | 18.4 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-09-08 17:38 | M1.4 | 0.8 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-09-08 10:35 | M0.1 | 6.5 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-09-08 07:38 | M0.4 | 5.9 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-09-08 07:31 | M1.3 | 0.5 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-09-08 04:20 | M0.8 | 1.2 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-09-06 09:40 | M-0.2 | 6.7 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-09-06 02:57 | M0.2 | 0.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-09-05 23:25 | M0.3 | 22.4 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-09-05 17:49 | M0.6 | 0.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-09-05 14:06 | M0.4 | 5.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-09-04 15:07 | M0.8 | 6.2 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-09-04 09:42 | M0.8 | 0.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-09-04 08:46 | M0.5 | 1.2 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-09-04 08:32 | M0.4 | 11.9 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-09-03 10:23 | M0.6 | 3.9 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-09-03 01:01 | M-0.0 | 4.1 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-09-01 21:22 | M1.0 | 1.1 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-09-01 10:22 | M0.7 | 0.6 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-08-31 23:55 | M0.5 | 24.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-08-31 20:55 | M0.1 | 1.5 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-08-31 18:34 | M0.1 | 0.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-08-31 10:57 | M0.4 | 1.8 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-08-31 08:57 | M-0.1 | 5.9 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-08-31 07:03 | M0.6 | 0.1 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-08-30 22:51 | M-0.0 | 0.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-08-30 22:26 | M-0.0 | 0.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-08-30 21:43 | M0.6 | 7.7 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-08-30 21:14 | M0.1 | 0.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-08-30 20:35 | M0.6 | 7.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-08-30 16:55 | M1.6 | 0.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-08-30 16:18 | M0.5 | 0.9 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-08-30 16:16 | M1.7 | 1.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-08-30 16:08 | M0.5 | 7.9 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-08-30 16:07 | M1.0 | 7.3 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-08-30 15:54 | M1.5 | 0.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-08-30 15:34 | M3.0 | 0.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-08-30 15:16 | M0.9 | 0.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-08-30 13:18 | M0.2 | 8.6 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-08-30 12:42 | M0.9 | 0.4 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-08-30 12:20 | M0.0 | 2.1 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-08-30 09:24 | M0.8 | 4.2 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-08-29 22:30 | M-0.0 | 3.4 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-08-29 17:39 | M0.3 | 6.8 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-08-29 07:51 | M0.4 | 0.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-08-28 21:47 | M0.6 | 0.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-08-28 21:22 | M0.2 | 6.3 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-08-28 03:33 | M1.7 | 2.1 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-08-27 21:46 | M0.6 | 0.0 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
| 2026-08-27 14:43 | M0.3 | 7.9 | Vatnajökull (Bárðarbunga/Grímsvötn) |
For the advanced — expert charts — Coulomb, migration, InSAR
🔬 Coulomb stress transfer — advanced analysis
20 earthquakes M≥3.0 in this window on this system. Such events transfer stress to neighbouring faults — some become more likely to slip, others less ("Coulomb stress transfer"). The Met Office does not publish focal mechanisms for automatically located events, so Skjálfti does not compute this itself — it requires strike/dip/rake data which is only available for M≥4.5 events in the GCMT catalogue.
For Coulomb analysis, see: USGS Coulomb 3.4 (stand-alone software) and focal mechanisms for Iceland in Global CMT.
For Coulomb analysis, see: USGS Coulomb 3.4 (stand-alone software) and focal mechanisms for Iceland in Global CMT.
System journal
Automatic snapshots and media coverage, in chronological order. Subscribe: RSS · ntfy
skjalftar-bardarbunga2026-09-09 13:45:02 UTC
In the last 24 hours, 4 earthquakes were measured in Bárðarbunga, a central volcano with a large fissure system under Vatnajökull. Activity is similar to the past week but is within what is normal for this area, which is one of the most active systems in the country. The largest earthquake in the last 48 hours was M2.4 in magnitude, and the cumulative moment of earthquakes in the same period was Mw 2.4. Uplift is measured at approximately 25 mm/year, and the activity is mostly diffuse background activity rather than swarms. These results are automatic preliminary results.2026-09-09 09:40:03 UTC
In the last 24 hours, 3 earthquakes were measured in Bárðarbunga, a central volcano with a large fissure system under Vatnajökull. Activity is similar to the past week and is within what is normal for this area. The largest earthquake in the last 48 hours was M1.4, and the cumulative moment magnitude was Mw 1.6. The land is rising by approximately 25 mm/year according to GNSS measurements. The activity is most similar to the period around October 25, 2022. Results are automatic preliminary results.2026-09-09 07:40:03 UTC
In the last 24 hours, 2 earthquakes were measured in Bárðarbunga, and 5 earthquakes in the last 48 hours. The activity is similar to the past week and is within what is normal for this most active volcanic system in the country. The largest earthquake in the last 48 hours was M1.4, and the cumulative moment magnitude was Mw 1.6. Ground uplift is measured at approximately 25 mm/year, and the activity is diffuse background activity rather than swarms. These results are automatic preliminary results.2026-09-08 17:40:02 UTC
In the last 24 hours, 5 earthquakes were measured in Bárðarbunga. This indicates an increase in activity, as the last 24-hour period is well above the weekly average of 2 earthquakes per day and the monthly average of 3 earthquakes per day. The largest earthquake in the last 48 hours was M1.4, and the cumulative magnitude of the earthquakes was Mw 1.6. Seismic activity is within what is normal for this active central volcano system beneath Vatnajökull, which is one of the country's most active systems. Ground uplift is measured at approximately 33 mm per year, which is in line with the decadal average. The earthquakes are mostly diffuse background activity rather than swarms. These results are automatic preliminary results. Further information can be found in maps and trend graphs lower on the page.2026-09-08 10:35:01 UTC
In the last 24 hours, 3 earthquakes were measured in Bárðarbunga, a central volcano with a large fissure system under Vatnajökull. Activity is similar to the past week and is within what is normal for this area, which is one of the most active systems in the country. The largest earthquake was M1.4 and the cumulative moment of earthquakes in the last 48 hours was Mw 1.4. Uplift is measured at approximately 33 mm/year, which is in line with the decadal average. The seismic activity is mostly diffuse background activity rather than swarms and most closely resembles the period around October 17, 2024. These are automatic preliminary results. Further information, maps, and trends can be found further down the page.2026-09-08 07:35:02 UTC
In the last 24 hours, one earthquake was measured in Bárðarbunga, a central volcano with a large fissure system under Vatnajökull. Activity is decreasing, but it is within what is normal for this area. Uplift is measured at approximately 33 mm/year, which is in line with the decadal average. Further information, maps, and trends can be found lower on the page.2026-09-07 23:30:02 UTC
In the last 24 hours, no earthquakes were measured in Bárðarbunga, but two earthquakes were measured in the last 48 hours. Activity is decreasing, with the last 24-hour period below the weekly average (2 earthquakes per day) and monthly average (3 earthquakes per day). The largest earthquake in the last 48 hours was M0.2, and the cumulative magnitude of the earthquakes was Mw 0.3. Earthquake activity is within what is normal for this area, which is one of the country's most active central volcanoes. The land is rising by 36 mm per year, which is in line with the decadal average. The earthquakes are mostly diffuse background activity rather than swarms. These results are automatic preliminary results. Further information, maps, and trends can be found further down the page.2026-09-07 17:50:02 UTC
Over the last 24 hours, no earthquakes have been detected in Bárðarbunga, a central volcano with a large fissure swarm under Vatnajökull — one of the country's most active systems. The seismic activity is decreasing and remains within what is normal for this area, with measurements indicating scattered background activity rather than swarms, where the largest earthquake in the last 48 hours was magnitude 0.3 (M0.3) and the cumulative moment magnitude was 0.5 (Mw). Land uplift is currently measured at approximately 36 mm per year according to GNSS data from a few weeks ago, which is in line with the decadal average of 38 mm per year for the area. The activity most closely resembles the period around November 30, 2023 as a historical analogue, though it must be noted that these are automatic preliminary results where depth is unreliable. Maps and further details on the deformation trend can be viewed below.2026-09-07 09:45:02 UTC
Over the last 24 hours, no earthquakes have been detected in Bárðarbunga, a central volcano with a large fissure system under Vatnajökull — one of the country's most active volcanic systems. The seismic activity is decreasing and remains within what is normal for this area, with measurements from the last seven days showing scattered background activity rather than swarms, as 94% of the events were independent. Land uplift is currently measured at approximately 36 mm per year according to several-weeks-old GNSS data from the KISA station, which is in line with the decadal average of 38 mm per year. This activity most closely resembles the period around August 4, 2025, although it should be noted that these are automatic preliminary results where depth is unreliable. Maps and further details on the development can be found lower on the page.2026-09-07 03:00:03 UTC
Over the last 24 hours, seismic activity in Bárðarbunga, a central volcano with a large fissure system under Vatnajökull and one of the country's most active systems, has been decreasing and is below the weekly rate with only 1 recorded earthquake. This activity is considered normal for this area, with measurements from the last 7 days showing scattered background activity rather than swarms, as 94% of the events were independent. The largest earthquake in the last 48 hours was magnitude 0.6 and the cumulative magnitude for the period was 0.8, while land uplift is measured at approximately 36 mm per year, which is in line with the decadal average. The current activity most closely resembles the period around August 4, 2025, and it is noted that all results are automatic preliminary findings where depth is unreliable. Maps and further data on this development can be found below.2026-09-06 23:30:02 UTC
Over the last 24 hours, 2 earthquakes were detected in Bárðarbunga, a central volcano with a large fissure swarm under Vatnajökull — one of the country's most active systems. This seismic activity is within what is normal for this area and remains similar to the past week, with measurements showing scattered background activity rather than swarms, as 94% of events over the last 7 days were independent. The largest earthquake in the last 48 hours was magnitude 0.6 (M0.6) and the cumulative magnitude during the same period was 0.8 (Mw 0.8), while land uplift is measured at approximately 39 mm per year, which is in line with the decadal average. The current activity most closely resembles the period around February 23, 2026 as a historical analogue, though it should be noted that these are automatic preliminary results where depth is unreliable. Maps and further developmental data can be found lower on this page.2026-09-06 17:50:02 UTC
Over the last 24 hours, 3 earthquakes were detected in Bárðarbunga, a central volcano with a large fissure system under Vatnajökull — one of the country's most active systems. This seismic activity is within what is considered normal for this area and remains similar to the past week, with measurements showing scattered background activity rather than swarms, as 94% of events over the last seven days were independent. The largest earthquake in the last 48 hours was magnitude 0.6 (M0.6) and the cumulative magnitude during the period was 0.8 (Mw), while land uplift in the area is currently measured at approximately 39 mm per year, which is in line with the decadal average. The current activity most closely resembles the period around February 23, 2026 as a historical analogue, though it should be noted that these results are automatic preliminary findings with unreliable depth. Maps and further measurements can be found lower on this page.Repeated × 2 since 2026-09-06 09:45:02 — last 2026-09-06 15:10:03
Over the last 24 hours, 4 earthquakes were detected in Bárðarbunga, a central volcano with a large fissure system under Vatnajökull — one of the country's most active systems. This seismic activity is within what is considered normal for this area, consisting of scattered background activity rather than swarms, as 88% of events over the last seven days were independent. The activity is similar to the past week and most closely resembles the period around February 23, 2026, with the largest earthquake in the last 48 hours measuring magnitude 0.6 and the cumulative magnitude being 0.8. Land uplift is measured at approximately 39 mm per year, which is in line with the decadal average, though it should be noted that these are automatic preliminary results and depths are unreliable. Maps and further measurements can be found below on the page.2026-09-06 03:00:03 UTC
Over the last 24 hours, 3 earthquakes were detected in Bárðarbunga, a central volcano with a large fissure swarm under Vatnajökull — one of the country's most active systems. The seismic activity is within what is normal for this area and remains similar to the past week, characterized by scattered background activity rather than swarms, with 88% of events over the last 7 days being independent. The largest earthquake in the last 48 hours was magnitude 0.8 (M0.8) with a cumulative moment magnitude of 1.2 (Mw) during the period, while land uplift is measured at approximately 39 mm per year, which is in line with the decadal average. These automatic preliminary results, where depth is unreliable, show activity most similar to the period around May 9, 2020. Maps and further data on this development can be found below.2026-09-05 23:30:02 UTC
Over the last 24 hours, 2 earthquakes were detected in Bárðarbunga, which is a central volcano with a large fissure swarm under Vatnajökull — one of the country's most active systems. This seismic activity is within what is considered normal for this area and the trend shows decreasing activity, characterized by scattered background activity rather than swarms as 87% of events over the last 7 days were independent. The largest earthquake in the last 48 hours was magnitude 0.8 (M0.8) and the cumulative magnitude in the area was Mw 1.2, while land uplift is measured at approximately 41 mm per year, which is in line with the decadal average. The current activity most closely resembles the period around April 2, 2010 as a historical analogue, but it should be noted that these are automatic preliminary results where depth is unreliable. Maps and further measurements of land uplift can be found lower on the page.2026-09-05 17:50:02 UTC
Over the last 24 hours, seismic activity has decreased in Bárðarbunga, a central volcano with a large fissure swarm under Vatnajökull and one of the country's most active volcanic systems. Only 1 earthquake was detected in the area during the last 24 hours, which is below the weekly average and represents normal background activity for this area, with measurements showing that the activity consists mostly of scattered and independent events rather than swarms. The largest earthquake in the last 48 hours was magnitude 0.8 and the cumulative seismic moment during that period was 1.1 Mw, while land uplift continues to be measured at approximately 41 mm per year, which is in line with the decadal average for the area. This activity most closely resembles the period around December 15, 2025, but it should be noted that these results are automatic preliminary findings where depth measurements are unreliable. Maps and further development data can be found lower on this page.2026-09-05 15:10:02 UTC
Over the last 24 hours, no earthquakes have been detected in Bárðarbunga, a central volcano with a large fissure system under Vatnajökull — one of the country's most active volcanic systems. This seismic activity is within what is normal for this area and indicates that activity is decreasing, as the last 24 hours are below the weekly average rate. The activity consists of scattered background activity rather than swarms, with 87% of events over the last seven days classified as independent background events, while ongoing land uplift of approximately 41 mm per year is measured on GNSS stations, which is in line with the decadal average. These results are automatic preliminary findings where depth is unreliable, and the current activity most closely resembles the period around December 15, 2025, as a historical analogy and not a prediction. Maps and further development data can be found lower on this page.2026-09-05 08:40:03 UTC
Over the last 24 hours, 3 earthquakes were detected in Bárðarbunga, a central volcano with a large fissure system under Vatnajökull — one of the country's most active systems. This seismic activity is within what is considered normal for this area and is similar to the past week, with measurements showing scattered background activity rather than swarms, as 87% of events over the last 7 days were independent. The largest earthquake in the last 48 hours was magnitude 0.8 and the cumulative magnitude for the period was 1.1, while land uplift is currently measured at approximately 41 mm per year, which is in line with the decadal average. The activity most closely resembles the period around December 15, 2025, and it is noted that these results are automatic preliminary findings where depth is unreliable.2026-09-04 15:10:04 UTC
Over the last 24 hours, 3 earthquakes were detected in Bárðarbunga, a central volcano with a large fissure system under Vatnajökull — one of the country's most active systems. This seismic activity is within what is normal for this area and measurements show that the activity is decreasing, consisting mostly of scattered background activity rather than swarms. The largest earthquake in the last 48 hours was magnitude M0.7 with a cumulative moment magnitude of Mw 1.0, while land uplift in the area is measured at approximately 40 mm per year, which is in line with the decadal average. These results are automatic preliminary findings with unreliable depth, and the current activity most closely resembles the period around November 30, 2024.What do the numbers mean — and what should I do?
β (swarm signal): how high activity is versus the area's 2-year average. β above 2 means an ongoing swarm. It measures activity, not a forecast of a large quake.
Cumulative moment (Mw): the combined energy of the quakes in the period. Uplift (GNSS): whether the ground is rising or sinking, mm per year — the data are a few weeks old. Some systems (e.g. Svartsengi) deform in steps during eruption cycles rather than at a steady annual rate.
Swarm character is computed for a whole volcanic belt, not a single system — it describes the belt, not necessarily this one system.
What should I do? This is automatic monitoring for information — not an official warning. Follow official information from the Icelandic Met Office and Civil Protection (112).