Magma Intrusion and Induced Seismicity in the Northern Rift Zone of Iceland

Abstract

The original objectives of this loan of 10 6TD seismometers, which supplemented 21 of our own (Cambridge) seismometers were: 1. To map patches of deep crustal seismicity (at 12-25 km depth) caused by melt intrusion in the crust in order to constrain models of crustal accretion along volcanic rift zones; 2. To monitor the rate of change of induced seismicity around the 2014 Bárðarbunga-Holuhraun intrusion site to constrain rate-state models of earthquake failure following the intrusion; 3. To map the ongoing seismicity in the Bárðarbunga caldera and along the Holuhraun dyke path in order to constrain models of dyke cooling and caldera evolution (and possibly eruption). The deployments and data collection were all successful with a high rate of data return and we are using the data to actively address all three questions, as well as further opportunities that have arisen as a result of having a high-quality long-term dataset from this area of active rifting and volcanism in Iceland.