Volcano Watch 2023: A Volcanologist’s Update on Safety, Grindavík, The Blue Lagoon & More

You had a lot of questions about what’s happening around the town of Grindavík and about Iceland’s volcanic systems in general, so the Grapevine turned to University of Iceland professor in volcanology and petrology Þorvaldur Þórðarson for answers. In this in-depth interview with the Grapevine’s Catharine Fulton, Þorvaldur addresses misinformation about Iceland as a safe travel destination, explains the status of efforts to protect the Svartsengi power plant, shares which of Iceland’s volcanoes makes him nervous, and a whole lot more. TABLE OF CONTENTS: 0:00 - Intro 0:58 - Update on the current situation around Grindavík 7:27 - Iceland is safe! Setting the record straight 10:30 - Why are all the volcanoes popping? 13:17 - Does climate change impact volcanoes? 14:47 - How much lava is under Iceland? 17:00 - How many volcanic systems are in Iceland? 20:25 - How big could a new eruption will be? 22:00 - A description of magma chambers 24:15 - Comparing the Reykjanes and Krafla volcanic systems 26:50 - Could an eruption drain the Blue Lagoon? 27:25 - What’s going on with the defence wall around the Svartsengi Power Plant? 33:40 - Are scientists consulted on investment and development? 35:40 - Could the next eruption be explosive? 41:30 - The science of predicting volcanoes 48:10 - Which volcano makes Þorvaldur nervous? 53:30 - Iceland IS volcanic — why is any of this news? 56:20 - The question nobody asks Þorvaldur 58:44 - Outro ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Follow The Reykjavík Grapevine for the latest updates on the situation: Read our July 2023 feature about the current volcanic cycle the Reykjanes peninsula is in: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ SHOW SUPPORT Iceland’s Search and Rescue teams are on the ground in Grindavík and operate solely on donations. You can support them here: Support the Icelandic Red Cross and their efforts to operate aid centres for Grindavík evacuees: Support the Grapevine’s reporting by becoming a member of our High Five Club: You can also support the Grapevine by shopping in our online store: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ WHO ARE WE? The Reykjavík Grapevine is an alternative monthly magazine, bringing you all the news and views on Icelandic society, music, travel, culture and more. #rvkgrapevine Join our YouTube channel for perks on perks: