Abstract
Local earthquake tomography has been carried out in the Tjornes Fracture
Zone. This transform region connects the Mid-Atlantic Ridge with the
Northern Volcanic Zone in Iceland in a mostly offshore area. The
challenge to record seismic information in this area was the motivation
for the North ICeland Experiment (NICE). Fourteen ocean-bottom
seismometers and eleven on-land stations were installed in the project
and operated simultaneously with the permanent Icelandic seismic network
(SIL) during summer 2004. Data from the experiment were used to estimate
P- and S-wave crustal velocities. Also, the Bouguer gravity anomaly was
derived for comparison with the tomographic results. Upper-crustal
velocities are found to be relatively low in the offshore region. In
particular, low velocities are mapped along the Husavik-Flatey Fault,
where a more confined negative gravity anomaly and a sedimentary basin
are found. Low velocities are also mapped along the Grimsey Oblique Rift
and in a zone connecting these two main lineaments north of Skjalfandi
Bay. The northern half of the aseismic Grimsey Shoal appears as a fast
anomaly. Furthermore, localized high-velocity anomalies are found
beneath northern Trolaskagi and Flateyjarskagi Peninsulas, where bedrock
dates from Upper and Middle Miocene (10-15 Ma). Regions of low Vp/Vs
ratio are mapped at depth along the main lineaments. Low velocities
along the lineaments are interpreted as due to fracturing extending into
the middle crust, while fast upper-crustal velocities beneath Tertiary
formations are associated with relic volcanoes. Low Vp/Vs ratios along
the lineaments are interpreted as due to the presence of supercritical
fluids.