The Iceland Plate Boundary Zone: Propagating Rifts, Migrating Transforms, and Rift‐Parallel Strike‐Slip Faults. (17th November 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Karson, J. A.
• Is Part Of: Geochemistry, geophysics, geosystems. Volume 18:Number 11(2017)
• Page Start: 4043
• Page End: 4054
• Publication Date: 2017-11-17
• Subjects: Iceland -- rift propagation -- transform fault migration -- strike‐slip faults -- plate boundary zone; Geochemistry -- Periodicals; Geophysics -- Periodicals; Earth sciences -- Periodicals; 550.5
• DOI: 10.1002/2017GC007045
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1525-2027

Abstract

Abstract: Unlike most of the Mid‐Atlantic Ridge, the North America/Eurasia plate boundary in Iceland lies above sea level where magmatic and tectonic processes can be directly investigated in subaerial exposures. Accordingly, geologic processes in Iceland have long been recognized as possible analogs for seafloor spreading in the submerged parts of the mid‐ocean ridge system. Combining existing and new data from across Iceland provides an integrated view of this active, mostly subaerial plate boundary. The broad Iceland plate boundary zone includes segmented rift zones linked by transform fault zones. Rift propagation and transform fault migration away from the Iceland hotspot rearrange the plate boundary configuration resulting in widespread deformation of older crust and reactivation of spreading‐related structures. Rift propagation results in block rotations that are accommodated by widespread, rift‐parallel, strike‐slip faulting. The geometry and kinematics of faulting in Iceland may have implications for spreading processes elsewhere on the mid‐ocean ridge system where rift propagation and transform migration occur. Key Points: The North America/Eurasia plate boundary zone in Iceland includes rift zones and transform faults analogous to those of the mid‐ocean ridge system on the deep seafloor Rift propagation and migration of transform faults result in widespread deformation of the upper basaltic crust (∼10 km thick) of Iceland Rift propagation away from the Iceland hotspot results in large‐scale block rotations that are accommodated by widespread, rift‐parallel, strike‐slip faulting