What kind of volcano is Katla?

Katla is classified as a Fissure vent in Iceland. Its tectonic setting is Rift zone / Oceanic crust (< 15 km).

How is seismicity near Katla monitored here?

Earthquakes within 50 km of the crater are aggregated from 18 seismic networks and checked against a swarm rule that compares the current rate with this volcano's own 30-day background. Ash advisories come from the VAAC centres that are connected.

Volcano Dossier•GVP #372030

63.63°N, 19.08°W

Erupted in the 20th century

Iceland→

Volcano Katla

Q: When did Katla last erupt?

The most recent eruption of Katla recorded by the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program was in 1918.

Q: How is seismicity near Katla monitored here?

Earthquakes within 50 km of the crater are aggregated from 18 seismic networks and checked against a swarm rule that compares the current rate with this volcano's own 30-day background. Ash advisories come from the VAAC centres that are connected.

Buried under the Myrdalsjokull ice cap, Katla's danger is water as much as magma: an eruption melts ice into a jokulhlaup, a glacial outburst flood capable of carrying icebergs across the coastal plain within hours.

Last eruption

1918

Erupted in the 20th century

Summit

1.5 km

Fissure vent · Basalt / Picro-Basalt

Activity

Normal Baseline

0 events in 90 days

Interactive Volcano & Seismicity Map

Seismicity within 50 km radius, active VAAC ash plumes, and tectonic plate boundaries.

Recent seismicity within 50 km

No catalogued earthquakes within 50 km in the last 90 days.

Geological & Tectonic Profile

Fissure vent

Katla is an active Fissure vent formed in an active Rift zone / Oceanic crust (< 15 km). Dominant lithology: Basalt / Picro-Basalt.

Edifice TypeFissure vent

Major rockBasalt / Picro-Basalt

TectonicsRift zone

Volcanic ArcIceland Neovolcanic Rift Volcanic Province

Volcano Dossier

VN #372030

Official catalogue parameters, coordinates, elevation and geotectonic classification.

CountryIceland

Crater Coordinates63.633°, -19.083°

Summit1.5 km

SubregionIceland Neovolcanic Rift Volcanic Province

Catalog SourceSmithsonian GVP (#372030)

Authoritative Monitoring Infrastructure

All 18 Networks & VAAC →

Seismic ObservatoryIMO

Icelandic Meteorological Office (Veðurstofa Íslands)

Official Portal

ICAO Aviation Ash Center

London VAAC (UK Met Office)

Exeter, United Kingdom

VAAC Advisory Desk

Swarm telemetry correlated across 18 networks against a 30-day baseline.Read Science & Physics →

Regional Seismic Profile

Iceland Rift Zone & Reykjanes

Explore live seismic monitoring, historical danger benchmarks, fault slip models and recurrence intervals for Iceland Rift Zone & Reykjanes.

Open Regional Hub

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Verified scientific, operational, and emergency protocols

The most recent eruption of Katla recorded by the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program was in 1918.

Catalogue: Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program.Smithsonian GVP profile