[1] New field observations, age constraints, and extensive chemical analyses define the complete postglacial eruptive history of the 170-km-long Western Volcanic Zone (WVZ) of Iceland, the ultraslowspreading western boundary of the south Iceland microplate. We have identified 44 separate eruptive units, 10 of which are small-volume eruptions associated with the flanking Grímsnes system. Overall chemical variations are consistent with very simplified models of melting of a source approximating primitive mantle composition. The 17 eruptions in the first 3000 years of postglacial time account for about 64% of the total postglacial production and are incompatible-element depleted compared to younger units, consistent with enhanced melting as a consequence of rebound immediately following deglaciation. Steadily declining eruption rates for the last 9000 years also correlate with changes in average incompatible element ratios that appear to reflect continued decline in melting extents to the present day. This result is not restricted to the WVZ, however, and may herald a decline in melting throughout all of western Iceland during later postglacial time. Lavas from the northern part of the WVZ are depleted in incompatible elements relative to those farther south at all times, indicating either a long-wavelength gradient in mantle source composition or variations in the melting process along axis. We find no evidence in the postglacial volcanic record for current failure of the WVZ, despite evidence for continued propagation of the eastern margin of the microplate. The dominance of lava shields in the eruptive history of the WVZ contrasts with the higher number of fissure eruptions in other Icelandic volcanic zones. WVZ shields represent longduration, low-effusion rate eruptions fed by recharge magma arising out of the mantle. Average effusion rate is the key variable distinguishing shield and fissure eruptions, both within the WVZ and between different volcanic zones. High effusion rate, large-volume eruptions require the presence of large crustal magma reservoirs, which have been rare or absent in the WVZ throughout postglacial time.
The NW peninsula of Iceland is built mainly by tholeiitic, low K flood basalts that show a regional southeasterly dip, generally of less than 10°. From the lavas mapped and drilled for paleomagnetic measurements (a total of 1261 flows), two continuous composite sections were constructed, one on the western side of the peninsula 4055 m thick comprising 456 lavas and the other adjacent to the east coast, 3165 m thick comprising 396 lavas. K‐Ar age measurements were made on more than 70 lavas distributed throughout the two sections. These two lava sequences are about 90 km apart along strike, and although direct stratigraphic correlation is not possible between them, the evidence indicates that the eastern section is stratigraphically younger than that in the west, with some overlap. The results show that the lava sequences were erupted over an interval extending from about 14 to 8 Ma ago in the middle to late Miocene. Remarkably linear relations are found between the measured age and cumulative stratigraphic thickness for both sections, indicating rather uniform local rates of growth of the lava piles. For the western composite section a growth rate of 1820 m/Ma is found, contrasting with a much lower growth rate of 670 m/Ma for the eastern sequence. The average thickness of individual lavas in both sections is close to 8 m. The average time between eruptions of lavas in the western section is 5000 years, compared with a value of 12,000 years for the eastern section. The regional geology together with our measurements are interpreted in terms of crustal accretion processes by which the NW peninsula of Iceland was constructed by eruption of lavas from a spreading center of northeasterly strike. It is not clear whether the differences in rates of growth of the lava pile in the western and eastern sections are because of variation in eruptive activity with time or because eruptive activity has varied along the strike of the spreading center. Paleomagnetic measurements on the lavas provide a detailed history of polarity of the geomagnetic field during the interval 14–8 Ma ago. For the eastern composite section there is excellent and unambiguous correlation of the observed polarity pattern with the marine magnetic anomaly record. From these data we obtain an age of 9.6 Ma for the younger boundary of marine magnetic anomaly 5 Table 1 is available with, entire article on microfiche. Order from American Geophysical Union, 2000 Florida Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20009.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.