Shortly after midnight a fissure eruption started between Dyngjujokull glacier and the Askja caldera in the Northern region of lava field Holuhraun. It is a fissure eruption on what appears to be a 300 metres long rift with a NA-SE direction. No volcanic ash has been detected with the radar system at the moment. The wind field conditions in the area are wind blowing toward NW at 12 m/s at 5 km altitude. Seismic eruption tremor is low indicating effusive eruption without significant explosive activity.
Scientists who have been at work close to the eruption monitor the event at a safe distance. The Coast Guard aircraft, TF-SIF is scheduled to take off at 9:30 this morning. The Icelandic Met Office has raised the aviation colorcode over the eruption site to red and the Icelandic Air Traffic Contol has closed down the airspace from the earth up to 18000 feet (see picture below).
The National Crisis Coordination Center is active and working on Emergency Phase.
National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police
Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management
National Crisis Coordination Centre
Iceland airspace closure due to eruption