On the Move: 2023 Observations on Real Time Graben Formation, Grindavík, Iceland

Gregory P. De Pascale; Tomáš J. Fischer; William Michael Moreland; Halldór Geirsson; Pavla Hrubcová; Vincent Drouin; Danielle Forester; Méline Payet--Clerc; Diana Brum da Silveira; Josef Vlček; Benedikt G. Ófeigsson; Ármann Höskuldsson; Helga Kristín Torfadóttir; Iðunn Kara Valdimarsdóttir; Birta Dís Jónsdóttir Blöndal; Ingibjörg Jónsdóttir; Sigurjón Jónsson; Thor Thordarson

doi:10.1029/2024GL110150

On the Move: 2023 Observations on Real Time Graben Formation, Grindavík, Iceland

Gregory P. De Pascale^*, Tomáš J. Fischer, William Michael Moreland, Halldór Geirsson, Pavla Hrubcová, Vincent Drouin, Danielle Forester, Méline Payet--Clerc, Diana Brum da Silveira, Josef Vlček, Benedikt G. Ófeigsson, Ármann Höskuldsson, Helga Kristín Torfadóttir, Iðunn Kara Valdimarsdóttir, Birta Dís Jónsdóttir Blöndal, Ingibjörg Jónsdóttir, Sigurjón Jónsson, Thor Thordarson

^*Corresponding author for this work

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

Abstract

Grabens, or valleys formed during extensional tectonic events, are common but rarely observed during formation. In November 2023, inelastic surface deformation formed abruptly along Iceland's plate boundary in Grindavík. We documented graben formation in real-time through satellite mapping (InSAR), seismicity, GNSS data, repeated lidar surveys, and field mapping. Five normal faults and ∼12 fissures ruptured the surface delineating two grabens separated by a horst, a context not present in other contemporary case studies. The graben normal faults slipped rapidly (over hours) and maximum surface motions coincided with the occurrence of turbulent seismic swarms in both space and time. Although 3 eruptions took place ∼15 km northeast of Grindavík from 2021 to 2023, attributed to magma intrusions (i.e., dikes), none of these also formed grabens. Thus, the Grindavík grabens shows evidence for tectonic origins. Real-time monitoring of these phenomena provide insight into graben formation on Earth and potentially on other planets.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	e2024GL110150
Journal	Geophysical Research Letters
Volume	51
Issue number	14
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL110150
State	Published - Jul 28 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024. The Author(s).

Keywords

earthquakes
graben formation
Iceland
plate boundary
reykjanes peninsula
tectonics

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Geophysics
General Earth and Planetary Sciences

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10.1029/2024GL110150

Cite this

De Pascale, G. P., Fischer, T. J., Moreland, W. M., Geirsson, H., Hrubcová, P., Drouin, V., Forester, D., Payet--Clerc, M., da Silveira, D. B., Vlček, J., Ófeigsson, B. G., Höskuldsson, Á., Torfadóttir, H. K., Valdimarsdóttir, I. K., Blöndal, B. D. J., Jónsdóttir, I., Jónsson, S., & Thordarson, T. (2024). On the Move: 2023 Observations on Real Time Graben Formation, Grindavík, Iceland. Geophysical Research Letters, 51(14), Article e2024GL110150. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL110150

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title = "On the Move: 2023 Observations on Real Time Graben Formation, Grindav{\'i}k, Iceland",

abstract = "Grabens, or valleys formed during extensional tectonic events, are common but rarely observed during formation. In November 2023, inelastic surface deformation formed abruptly along Iceland's plate boundary in Grindav{\'i}k. We documented graben formation in real-time through satellite mapping (InSAR), seismicity, GNSS data, repeated lidar surveys, and field mapping. Five normal faults and ∼12 fissures ruptured the surface delineating two grabens separated by a horst, a context not present in other contemporary case studies. The graben normal faults slipped rapidly (over hours) and maximum surface motions coincided with the occurrence of turbulent seismic swarms in both space and time. Although 3 eruptions took place ∼15 km northeast of Grindav{\'i}k from 2021 to 2023, attributed to magma intrusions (i.e., dikes), none of these also formed grabens. Thus, the Grindav{\'i}k grabens shows evidence for tectonic origins. Real-time monitoring of these phenomena provide insight into graben formation on Earth and potentially on other planets.",

keywords = "earthquakes, graben formation, Iceland, plate boundary, reykjanes peninsula, tectonics",

author = "{De Pascale}, {Gregory P.} and Fischer, {Tom{\'a}{\v s} J.} and Moreland, {William Michael} and Halld{\'o}r Geirsson and Pavla Hrubcov{\'a} and Vincent Drouin and Danielle Forester and M{\'e}line Payet--Clerc and {da Silveira}, {Diana Brum} and Josef Vl{\v c}ek and {\'O}feigsson, {Benedikt G.} and {\'A}rmann H{\"o}skuldsson and Torfad{\'o}ttir, {Helga Krist{\'i}n} and Valdimarsd{\'o}ttir, {I{\dh}unn Kara} and Bl{\"o}ndal, {Birta D{\'i}s J{\'o}nsd{\'o}ttir} and Ingibj{\"o}rg J{\'o}nsd{\'o}ttir and Sigurj{\'o}n J{\'o}nsson and Thor Thordarson",

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month = jul,

day = "28",

doi = "10.1029/2024GL110150",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "51",

journal = "Geophysical Research Letters",

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De Pascale, GP, Fischer, TJ, Moreland, WM, Geirsson, H, Hrubcová, P, Drouin, V, Forester, D, Payet--Clerc, M, da Silveira, DB, Vlček, J, Ófeigsson, BG, Höskuldsson, Á, Torfadóttir, HK, Valdimarsdóttir, IK, Blöndal, BDJ, Jónsdóttir, I, Jónsson, S & Thordarson, T 2024, 'On the Move: 2023 Observations on Real Time Graben Formation, Grindavík, Iceland', Geophysical Research Letters, vol. 51, no. 14, e2024GL110150. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL110150

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T1 - On the Move

T2 - 2023 Observations on Real Time Graben Formation, Grindavík, Iceland

AU - De Pascale, Gregory P.

AU - Fischer, Tomáš J.

AU - Moreland, William Michael

AU - Geirsson, Halldór

AU - Hrubcová, Pavla

AU - Drouin, Vincent

AU - Forester, Danielle

AU - Payet--Clerc, Méline

AU - da Silveira, Diana Brum

AU - Vlček, Josef

AU - Ófeigsson, Benedikt G.

AU - Höskuldsson, Ármann

AU - Torfadóttir, Helga Kristín

AU - Valdimarsdóttir, Iðunn Kara

AU - Blöndal, Birta Dís Jónsdóttir

AU - Jónsdóttir, Ingibjörg

AU - Jónsson, Sigurjón

AU - Thordarson, Thor

PY - 2024/7/28

Y1 - 2024/7/28

N2 - Grabens, or valleys formed during extensional tectonic events, are common but rarely observed during formation. In November 2023, inelastic surface deformation formed abruptly along Iceland's plate boundary in Grindavík. We documented graben formation in real-time through satellite mapping (InSAR), seismicity, GNSS data, repeated lidar surveys, and field mapping. Five normal faults and ∼12 fissures ruptured the surface delineating two grabens separated by a horst, a context not present in other contemporary case studies. The graben normal faults slipped rapidly (over hours) and maximum surface motions coincided with the occurrence of turbulent seismic swarms in both space and time. Although 3 eruptions took place ∼15 km northeast of Grindavík from 2021 to 2023, attributed to magma intrusions (i.e., dikes), none of these also formed grabens. Thus, the Grindavík grabens shows evidence for tectonic origins. Real-time monitoring of these phenomena provide insight into graben formation on Earth and potentially on other planets.

AB - Grabens, or valleys formed during extensional tectonic events, are common but rarely observed during formation. In November 2023, inelastic surface deformation formed abruptly along Iceland's plate boundary in Grindavík. We documented graben formation in real-time through satellite mapping (InSAR), seismicity, GNSS data, repeated lidar surveys, and field mapping. Five normal faults and ∼12 fissures ruptured the surface delineating two grabens separated by a horst, a context not present in other contemporary case studies. The graben normal faults slipped rapidly (over hours) and maximum surface motions coincided with the occurrence of turbulent seismic swarms in both space and time. Although 3 eruptions took place ∼15 km northeast of Grindavík from 2021 to 2023, attributed to magma intrusions (i.e., dikes), none of these also formed grabens. Thus, the Grindavík grabens shows evidence for tectonic origins. Real-time monitoring of these phenomena provide insight into graben formation on Earth and potentially on other planets.

KW - earthquakes

KW - graben formation

KW - Iceland

KW - plate boundary

KW - reykjanes peninsula

KW - tectonics

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U2 - 10.1029/2024GL110150

DO - 10.1029/2024GL110150

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85198554514

SN - 0094-8276

VL - 51

JO - Geophysical Research Letters

JF - Geophysical Research Letters

IS - 14

M1 - e2024GL110150

ER -

On the Move: 2023 Observations on Real Time Graben Formation, Grindavík, Iceland

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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