After several earthquake researchers have registered a small eruption of the Icelandic volcano Bardarbunga in the early hours of Friday. The airspace over the largest volcano in the country was closed.

The performance by the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud from a Bardarbunga soon? For two weeks there are in the region repeatedly earthquake. Now geoscientists Report an eruption, probably already the second. The eruption was Negative 0.00 clock GMT, ie 2.00 German clock time. However, initially no volcanic ash was thrown into the air, it was said by the authorities.

The according to the researchers, “small eruption” had taken place in the northern part of the volcano. At this point the lava field was not covered with ice. The risk of ash cloud is greatest when the outbreak takes place in an area covered by glacier point, it said.

The Weather Authority Icelandic Met Office put the warning level for the aviation red – the highest possible level. In addition, the air space was above the glacier area to a height of 18,000 feet, just under 7000 meters, closed. “The radars have been no volcanic ash detected”, informed Islands National Crisis Centre. The seismic activity was low, which suggest the existence of an eruption with small explosive activities.

Researchers had discovered in the past few days a 40 km long magma that rises rapidly under the Icelandic volcano. An outbreak seemed imminent.

The impending outbreak has triggered concerns about the spread of volcanic ash in German airspace. The Federal Ministry of Transport already made ​​preparations for this event, as Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) announced in Berlin on Thursday. The event brings back memories of the eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull in April 2010, which paralyzed air traffic in Europe partially.

“Germany is preparing for a possible volcanic ash contamination of air space,” said Dobrindt. All necessary preparations in the event of a volcanic eruption are met. It was drawn up an action plan, “with which we can react to current situations,” assured the minister.

A special plane that measures volcanic ash in the airspace is available, according to the Ministry of Transport. In addition, therefore an infrared laser monitoring network has been established, with the concentration of volcanic ash can be detected up to a height of twelve kilometers.

The Bardarbunga is the largest volcano in Iceland and is located under the Vatnajökull glacier in the southeast of the island. On Thursday, he was hit by an earthquake of magnitude 5.0. On Tuesday experts had registered a tremor of 5.7 intensity. This was the strongest tremor since the beginning of the volcanic activity two weeks, and the most violent earthquakes in the area since 1996 before.

Scientists fear that a major eruption of the volcano cause considerable damage and could hinder air traffic in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic by ash clouds. However, it is still unclear whether the activity of the Bardarbunga continue for several weeks, completely stop or will result in a small or large eruption.

After the eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull in April 2010, more than 100,000 flights were canceled. Good eight million travelers were sometimes for days at airports.

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