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Location of a magma reservoir beneath Hekla Volcano, Iceland

Abstract

Hekla, situated on the western boundary of the eastern volcanic zone in South Iceland, is one of the most active volcanoes in Iceland having erupted 16 times since 1104. Repeated electronic distance measurements since its eruption in 1980–81 show significant changes in crustal movement in the aftermath of the eruption. Such movement on and around volcanoes can be used to monitor movement of magma within and below volcanoes1,3. We show here that these measurements can be interpreted in terms of inflating magma reservoirs with a centre at 8 km depth below the volcano. Over a period of 10 months, the volume of the inflation amounted to 55 × 106 m3.

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Kjartansson, E., Gronvold, K. Location of a magma reservoir beneath Hekla Volcano, Iceland. Nature 301, 139–141 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1038/301139a0

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