RAPID Investigation of Active Fissure Eruptions, Holuhraun, Iceland

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The Bárðarbunga volcanic system is typical of the fundamental spreading units in the active rift zones of Iceland. These consist of central volcanoes and fissure swarms that are typically 10-25 km wide and tens of kilometers in length. The fissure swarms are the surface expression of dike intrusions fed by the central volcanoes. On September 3, 2014 an eruptive fissure formed as seismic activity and geodetic data showed dramatic subsidence of the Bárðarbunga caldera. More fissure eruptions developed and produced fire fountains up to 50 meters in height and lava flows covering nearly 20 square kilometers. Much of the central and north- central interior highlands of Iceland were evacuated and closed to the public, due to concerns that a subglacial eruption at the central volcano could generate a jökulhlaup, jeopardizing transportation both in and out of the area. In collaboration with the University of Iceland?s Earth Science Institute, the team plans to use a small drone equipped with GPS navigation and a Go-Pro (still+video) to produce digital image mosaics that cover many square kilometers in a single 15 minute survey of the active and recently active (days old) lava fields and fissure eruptions with images of fire fountaining, spatter deposits, a?a and pahoehoe flow units. Direct observations and video will document local flow rates, slopes, etc. Samples will be collected to assess the vesicularity and crystallinity of the samples. One goal will be to use these data to relate these parameters to the flow morphology, which would provide a logical ?scaling-up? of experiments they are doing at Syracuse University in the SU Lava Project.