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Readjustment of the Krafla Spreading Segment to crustal rifting measured by satellite radar interferometry
Author(s) -
Sigmundsson Freysteinn,
Vadon Hélène,
Massonnet Didier
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/97gl01934
Subject(s) - geology , subsidence , rift , seismology , deformation (meteorology) , ridge , interferometry , magma chamber , geodesy , magma , tectonics , geomorphology , volcano , optics , paleontology , physics , oceanography , structural basin
Readjustment of the Krafla spreading segment on the Mid‐Atlantic Ridge in Iceland, after a rifting episode from 1975 to 1984, is detected by radar interferometry. Crustal deformation from 1992 to 1995 is dominated by ∼24 mm/year subsidence above a shallow magma chamber at Krafla, superimposed on ∼7 mm/year along‐axis subsidence of the spreading segment relative to its flanks. The deformation is caused by cooling contraction at ∼3 km depth and ductile flow of material away from the spreading axis, at a rate decreasing with time.