Tjörnes fracture zone: New and old seismic evidences for the link between the North Iceland rift zone and the Mid-Atlantic ridge

Ragnar K Stefánsson; Gunnar B. Gudmundsson; Pall Halldorsson

doi:10.1016/j.tecto.2006.09.019

Tjörnes fracture zone: New and old seismic evidences for the link between the North Iceland rift zone and the Mid-Atlantic ridge

Ragnar K Stefánsson, Gunnar B. Gudmundsson, Pall Halldorsson

Háskólinn á Akureyri - University of Akureyri

University of Akureyri

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The Tjörnes facture zone (TFZ) connects the EW extension of the Mid-Atlantic ridge north of Iceland to the extension of the North volcanic zone (NVZ) of Iceland. Earthquakes up to magnitude 7 (Ms) can occur in TFZ, volcanic eruptions have been observed and large crustal deformations are expected in similar way as have been observed in the NVZ. Most of the zone is below ocean, which limits the historical information and geological observations. For studying the dynamics of the zone we must rely on interpretation and modelling based on seismic observations, especially on microearthquake observations for the last 10 years. In this paper we demonstrate how microearthquakes can be applied to map the details of the plate boundary, and how this information can be applied to find epicenters and fault planes of large historical earthquakes, also how seismic information can be applied in dynamic modelling and to infer spatial and temporal interplay in activity, and to enhance hazard assessment.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	117-126
Number of pages	10
Journal	Tectonophysics
Volume	447
Issue number	1-4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2006.09.019
Publication status	Published - 1 Feb 2008

Bibliographical note

Funding Information: Thanks to the physics staff of the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) for compiling seismic data used in this article. Additionally, we acknowledge the designers of the SIL microearthquake system at IMO and the University of Uppsala, Sweden. Bardi Thorkelsson and Matthew Roberts at IMO are thanked for comments on an earlier version of this article. We are also grateful for review comments from Martin Hensch and Ingi Th. Bjarnason whose input improved the clarity of this article. Our research was supported partly by the European Commission project FORESIGHT (GOCE-CT-2003-511139).

Other keywords

Fluid triggered seismic activity
Historical earthquakes
Iceland
Microearthquake mapping
Tectonic/magmatic interplay
Time-dependent hazard assessment
Tjörnes fracture zone

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.tecto.2006.09.019

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title = "Tj{\"o}rnes fracture zone: New and old seismic evidences for the link between the North Iceland rift zone and the Mid-Atlantic ridge",

abstract = "The Tj{\"o}rnes facture zone (TFZ) connects the EW extension of the Mid-Atlantic ridge north of Iceland to the extension of the North volcanic zone (NVZ) of Iceland. Earthquakes up to magnitude 7 (Ms) can occur in TFZ, volcanic eruptions have been observed and large crustal deformations are expected in similar way as have been observed in the NVZ. Most of the zone is below ocean, which limits the historical information and geological observations. For studying the dynamics of the zone we must rely on interpretation and modelling based on seismic observations, especially on microearthquake observations for the last 10 years. In this paper we demonstrate how microearthquakes can be applied to map the details of the plate boundary, and how this information can be applied to find epicenters and fault planes of large historical earthquakes, also how seismic information can be applied in dynamic modelling and to infer spatial and temporal interplay in activity, and to enhance hazard assessment.",

keywords = "Fluid triggered seismic activity, Historical earthquakes, Iceland, Microearthquake mapping, Tectonic/magmatic interplay, Time-dependent hazard assessment, Tj{\"o}rnes fracture zone",

author = "Stef{\'a}nsson, \{Ragnar K\} and Gudmundsson, \{Gunnar B.\} and Pall Halldorsson",

note = "Funding Information: Thanks to the physics staff of the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) for compiling seismic data used in this article. Additionally, we acknowledge the designers of the SIL microearthquake system at IMO and the University of Uppsala, Sweden. Bardi Thorkelsson and Matthew Roberts at IMO are thanked for comments on an earlier version of this article. We are also grateful for review comments from Martin Hensch and Ingi Th. Bjarnason whose input improved the clarity of this article. Our research was supported partly by the European Commission project FORESIGHT (GOCE-CT-2003-511139).",

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AU - Stefánsson, Ragnar K

AU - Gudmundsson, Gunnar B.

AU - Halldorsson, Pall

N1 - Funding Information: Thanks to the physics staff of the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) for compiling seismic data used in this article. Additionally, we acknowledge the designers of the SIL microearthquake system at IMO and the University of Uppsala, Sweden. Bardi Thorkelsson and Matthew Roberts at IMO are thanked for comments on an earlier version of this article. We are also grateful for review comments from Martin Hensch and Ingi Th. Bjarnason whose input improved the clarity of this article. Our research was supported partly by the European Commission project FORESIGHT (GOCE-CT-2003-511139).

PY - 2008/2/1

Y1 - 2008/2/1

N2 - The Tjörnes facture zone (TFZ) connects the EW extension of the Mid-Atlantic ridge north of Iceland to the extension of the North volcanic zone (NVZ) of Iceland. Earthquakes up to magnitude 7 (Ms) can occur in TFZ, volcanic eruptions have been observed and large crustal deformations are expected in similar way as have been observed in the NVZ. Most of the zone is below ocean, which limits the historical information and geological observations. For studying the dynamics of the zone we must rely on interpretation and modelling based on seismic observations, especially on microearthquake observations for the last 10 years. In this paper we demonstrate how microearthquakes can be applied to map the details of the plate boundary, and how this information can be applied to find epicenters and fault planes of large historical earthquakes, also how seismic information can be applied in dynamic modelling and to infer spatial and temporal interplay in activity, and to enhance hazard assessment.

AB - The Tjörnes facture zone (TFZ) connects the EW extension of the Mid-Atlantic ridge north of Iceland to the extension of the North volcanic zone (NVZ) of Iceland. Earthquakes up to magnitude 7 (Ms) can occur in TFZ, volcanic eruptions have been observed and large crustal deformations are expected in similar way as have been observed in the NVZ. Most of the zone is below ocean, which limits the historical information and geological observations. For studying the dynamics of the zone we must rely on interpretation and modelling based on seismic observations, especially on microearthquake observations for the last 10 years. In this paper we demonstrate how microearthquakes can be applied to map the details of the plate boundary, and how this information can be applied to find epicenters and fault planes of large historical earthquakes, also how seismic information can be applied in dynamic modelling and to infer spatial and temporal interplay in activity, and to enhance hazard assessment.

KW - Fluid triggered seismic activity

KW - Historical earthquakes

KW - Iceland

KW - Microearthquake mapping

KW - Tectonic/magmatic interplay

KW - Time-dependent hazard assessment

KW - Tjörnes fracture zone

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DO - 10.1016/j.tecto.2006.09.019

M3 - Article

SN - 0040-1951

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JO - Tectonophysics

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IS - 1-4

ER -

Tjörnes fracture zone: New and old seismic evidences for the link between the North Iceland rift zone and the Mid-Atlantic ridge

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Other keywords

UN SDGs

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