It exploded through an Ice Sheet which pulverised the ash into an even finer material, disrupting Air Travel across europe. Its unlikely the same thing will happen now. Theres no glacier here. Instead, the lava is erupting through fissures, cracks in the ground. The 2010 eruption was over in a matter of months, but scientists think this could see lots of smaller eruptions, but over a much longer period. The probability is once its begun its going to keep going for some time, and so that isnt great news for the people who are living in the peninsula, where this is occurring, because the most likely scenario is that there will be continued volcanism for the next multiple years. The current activity seems to be slowing, but theres likely to be more to come. Icelands president has said the country is battling tremendous forces of nature. Rebecca morelle, bbc news. The former 0ne direction star