Volcano May Blow in Iceland

Hekla volcano, possible one of Iceland's most active volcanoes, could be close to erupting, a University of Iceland geoscientist claims.

The most prominent sign of an impending eruption is bulging ground on the northern side of the volcano. This surface swelling indicates magma (molten rock) is rising under the volcano, pushing up the ground as it fills fractures and pipes beneath Hekla. According to GPS monitoring of the expanding surface, there is now more magma underneath Hekla than before the volcano's last eruption in 2000, University of Iceland geophysicist Páll Einarsson said in a report published in the Icelandic newspaper Morgunblaðið yesterday (March 17).

Iceland Closes Main Airport Following Eruption

Iceland closed its main international airport Sunday after the country's most active volcano, Grimsvotn, sent ash and smoke 20 kilometres into the air.

Ash was expected to spread over Iceland over several hours, shutting Keflavik and other airports on the island.

However, the plume was not heading toward Europe, Iceland's Meteorological Office said. The ash was instead blowing west toward Greenland.

The Grimsvotn volcano, which lies under the uninhabited Vatnajokull glacier, began erupting Saturday for the first time since 2004.

But officials say it is unlikey to have the same impact as last spring's eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, which forced the closure of a large section of European airspace.

Officials closed the continent's air space for five days in April 2010, fearing the ash could damage jet engines. Some 10 million travellers were stranded.