Iceland is situated on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and a geologic hotspot, and is home to over thirty volcanoes. Before 2021, the island nation experienced an eruption roughly every five years; however, volcanic activity has intensified since then. Since 2021, there have been three eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula, which is only 22 miles from Reykjavík, and some geologists consider them one long eruption.
These eruptions endanger people and property in Iceland's most populous area, but are also a draw for volcano-loving tourists. Now, scientists have developed an early warning system using unused underground fiber-optic cable. Researchers from Caltech sent laser light down the cables and monitored phase changes caused by vibrations.
Using this technique, the team successfully predicted an eruption of the Fagradalsfjall volcano almost 30 minutes in advance, enabling an evacuation notice to be sent out to the threatened town of Grindavik. According to Caltech, this new technique was accomplished using "a 100-kilometer cable [that was] equivalent to a line of thousands of conventional seismic sensors." The technology, called distributed acoustic sensing, has proven to be a powerful tool for research, in addition to the early warning system.
Previously:
• Iceland volcano spews 150 foot wall of fire
• Watch first-person video from a drone flying directly into the fiery cauldron of Iceland's erupting volcano
• Live webcams are tracking the Fagradalsfjall volcano in Iceland, which might erupt soon
