Assessment - 17 May 2010 18:05
The height (a.s.l.) of the eruption plume is about 6-7 km according to
radar, occasionally pulsating to 9 km (27,000 ft). Winds around the
volcano are slightly increasing, resulting in lower plume height. The
plume is drifting east and is dark-gray.
Ash has fallen in the Gnúpverjahreppur area, on the road to Sultartangi
power station and in the Biskupstungur area (very fine particled and
gray). Constant lightning has been detected, up to 10 flashes per hour.
The ash plume rises straight up from the site.
The volcanic activity is explosive, but there are indications that it
has somewhat lessened since the maximum on 13 May. Considerable ashfall
is in the nighbouring communities and is expected to continue.
Fluctuations in the strength of the eruption and in ashfall can still
be expected. Details in
status report issued collectively by the Icelandic Meteorological Office and the Institute of Earth Sciences at
17:00.
