Image: University of Iceland/Ármann Höskuldsson  The Bardarbunga volcano in Iceland continues to put on quite a show, with lava pouring out of a gash, or fissure, in the ground.  The latest fissure eruption, which began on Sunday, could go on for weeks, if not longer. It may also lead to a greater hazard — an explosive eruption that sends large clouds of ash into the air and melts glacial ice, causing flooding.  Such ash clouds are hazardous to modern jet aircraft, and an explosive eruption in Iceland could snarl trans-Atlantic air traffic again — as when the Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted in 2010.  While ash is not billowing skyward, lots of potentially deadly sulfur dioxide gas is. Scientists working in the vicinity of the volcano are being told to wear masks and minimize their exposure.  Map of the new lava field in #Holuhraun. Abt 20-30 million m^3 of lava this afternoon. Avrg effusion rate ~100 m3/s pic.twitter.com/QHcEVaOgIZ  — Univ. of Iceland (@uni_iceland) September 1, 2014  Very impressive shot from photographer Ragnar Th Sigurðsson #Bardarbunga #Holuhraun pic.twitter.com/iPaTKWUvvD  — Univ. of Iceland (@uni_iceland) September 1, 2014  According to scientists who have been closely monitoring the Bardarbunga volcano, and now its close neighbor known as the Askja volcano, it is not yet clear how the eruption, which so far has resembled the relatively benign events regularly seen on the volcanic slopes of Hawaii, is going to evolve.  According to volcano blogger Erik Klimetti of Wired.com, the flow rate of lava from the ground is about half that of Niagara Falls.  The Scientific Advisory Board, which is staffed by officials of various agencies, including the Icelandic Meteorological Office, said on Monday morning that the lava eruption on the Holuhraun lava field continues. Scientists are conducting a reconnaissance flight on Monday to gather more data.  Gases rise from the lava eruption in the Holuhraun lava field in Iceland on September 1, 2014.  Image: Screencapture from Mila livecam  Sunset and lava fountains in #Holuhraun #Bardarbunga Credit: University of Iceland/Ármann Höskuldsson pic.twitter.com/PNUTBNTtud  — Univ. of Iceland (@uni_iceland) September 1, 2014  The scientists reported that pressure built up continues from molten rock, or magma, that has been moving from underneath Bardarbunga, northward via a dike underneath the Dyngjujokull glacier, and toward the Askja volcano.  The plume of sulphurous steam that we drive beneath #Bardarbunga #askja #Holuhraun @Cambridge_Uni pic.twitter.com/6T6ifBQPhr  — Simon Redfern (@Sim0nRedfern) September 1, 2014  So beautiful in the night! Live: http://t.co/auOgR3cuLX #Bardabunga #icelandicvolcano #ashtag pic.twitter.com/Ioec51mnF9  — Áslaug Jónsdóttir (@AslaugJons) August 31, 2014  More than 500 Icelandic earthquakes have been registered on Monday, including a 5.2 magnitude quake.  With no precise prediction possible, scientists have laid out four different scenarios that could take place in the coming days and weeks — including everything from no further eruptions to "explosive, ash-producing activity."
Lava continues to pour from a fissure in the ground near the Bardarbunga volcano in Iceland, as scientists study the volcano to help predict its next moves.