Stratigraphy and paleomagnetism of the Esja, Eyrarfjall and Akrafjall Mountains, SW-Iceland
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Published:
Jan 24, 1980
Keywords:
Paleomagnetism,
Basalt lavas,
Stratigraphy,
Glaciations,
Geomagnetic time scale,
Iceland
Volumes
Vols. 1-18 (1924-1944), ISSN 0044-2801
Main Article Content
Abstract
Detailed geological and magnetic mapping in an area of Pliocene and Plio-Pleistocene volcanic rocks in Southwestern Iceland has enabled us to correlate a 2,100-m-thick lava succession with similar dated sequences in Iceland and with the ocean-floor geomagnetic polarity time scale. This correlation, supported by additional K-Ar dating, implies (1) that the succession is between 4.2 and 1.8 Ma in age, (2) that at least 13 glaciations occurred in Western and Southwestern Iceland between 3.1 and 1.8 Ma ago, and (3) that at least two geomagnetic events are present in the Lower Matuyama epoch. Paleomagnetic results from 353 igneous units, mostly basalt lavas, are tabulated. Analysis of directions from 258 of these shows them to possess some serial correlation; their mean is very close to a central axial dipole field value, but explanations are proposed for observed systematic departures from this field in other Icelandic paleomagnetic survey results.
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How to Cite
Kristjansson, L., Fridleifsson, I., & Watkins, N. (1980). Stratigraphy and paleomagnetism of the Esja, Eyrarfjall and Akrafjall Mountains, SW-Iceland. Journal of Geophysics, 47(1), 31-42. Retrieved from https://journal.geophysicsjournal.com/JofG/article/view/184
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References
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Cox, A. (1969) Geomagnetic reversals. Science 163:237-245
Einarsson, T. (1957) Magneto-geological mapping in Iceland with the use of a compass. Philos. Mag. [Suppl.] 6:232-239
Fisher, R.A. (1953) Dispersion on a sphere. Proc. R. Soc. London Ser. A:217:295-305
Franzson, H. (1978) The structure and petrochemistry of the HafnarfjallSkardsheidi central volcano and the surrounding basalt succession, W-lceland, 264 pp. University of Edinburgh Ph.D. Thesis
Fridleifsson, I.B. (1973) Petrology and structure of the Esja Quaternary volcanic region, southwest Iceland, 208 pp. Oxford University, D.Phil. Thesis
Fridleifsson, I.B., Kristjansson, L. (1972) The Stardalur magnetic anomaly, SW-Iceland, JOkull (J. Glaciol. Soc. Icel.) 22:69-78
Gurariy, G.Z. (1977) Some geomagnetic field inversions in the late Cenozoic from investigations in Western Turkmenia (in Russian). lzv. Earth Phys. 13:581-586
Haines, G.V., Hannaford, W., Serson, P.H. (1970) Magnetic anomaly maps of the Nordic countries and the Greenland and Norwegian Seas. Publ. Dom. Obs. Ottawa 39:123-149
Johannesson, H. (1975) Structure and petrochemistry of the Reykjadalur central volcano and the surrounding areas, midwest Iceland, 273 pp. Durham University: Ph.D. Thesis
Jonasson, B., Hallsdottir, M., Fridriksdottir, S., Zophoniasson, S., Skaftadottir, T. (1973) The geology of Eyrarfjall (unpublished report in Icelandic), 45 pp., University of Iceland
Kristjansson, L. (1968) The paleomagnetism and geology of northwestern Iceland. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 4:448-450
Kristjansson, L. (1978) Magnetic trends around the Reykjanes peninsula, SW-Iceland. Report, Science Institute, University of Iceland, 11 pp.
Kristjansson, L., Watkins, N., McDougall, L, Saemundsson, K. (1975) A detailed study of the polarity transition marking the upper boundary of the Kaena event (abstract), IAGA Bull. No. 36:172
Labrecque, J.L., Kent, D.V., Cande, S.C. (1977) Revised magnetic polarity time scale for Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic time. Geology 5:330-335
McDougall, I., Watkins, N.D., Kristjansson, L. (1976) Geochronology and paleomagnetism of a Miocene-Pliocene lava sequence at Bessastadaa, Eastern Iceland. Am. J. Sci. 276:1078-1095
McDougall, L, Saemundsson, K., Johannesson, H., Watkins, N.D., Kristjansson, L. (1977) Extension of the geomagnetic polarity time scale to 6.5 m.y. K-Ar dating, geological and paleomagnetic study of a 3,500-m lava succession in western Iceland. Bull. Geol. Soc. Am. 88:1-15
McDougall, I., Wensink, H. (1966) Palaeomagnetism and geochronology of the Plio-Pleistocene lavas in Iceland. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 1:232-236
Palmason, G., Saemundsson, K. (1974) Iceland in relation to the MidAtlantic ridge. Annu. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci. 2:25-50
Piper, J. (1971) Ground magnetic studies of crustal growth in Iceland. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 12:199-207
Piper, J. (1973) Interpretation of some magnetic anomalies over Iceland. Tectonophysics 16:163-187
Pjeturss, H. (1910) Island (Iceland). Handbuch der regionalen Geologie, 22 pp. Heidelberg
Rutten, M.G. (1958) Geological reconnaissance of the Esja-HvalfjordurArmannsfell area, SW-Iceland. Verh. Ned. Geol.-Mijnb. Genootsch. 221-298
Saemundsson, K., Kristjansson, L., McDougall, I., Watkins, N.D. (1980) K-Ar dating, geological and paleomagnetic study of a 5 km-lava succession in northern Iceland. J. Geophys. Res. 85 (In press)
Saemundsson, K., Noll, H. (1974) K/Ar ages of rocks from Husafell, Western Iceland, and the development of the Husafell central volcano. JOkull (J. Glaciol. Soc. Icel.) 24:40-59
Shaw, J. (1975) Strong geomagnetic fields during a single Icelandic polarity transition. Geo phys. J. R. Astron. Soc. 40:345-350
Sigurgeirsson, T. (1957) Direction of magnetisation in Icelandic basalts. Philos. Mag. [Suppl.] 6:240-247
Sigurgeirsson, T. (1970) Aeromagnetic survey of SW-Iceland. Sci. Icel. 2:13-20
Steiger, R.H., Jager, E. (1977) Subcommission on geochronology· convention on the use of decay constants in geo- and cosmochronology. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 36:359-362
Vincenz, S., Bruckshaw, J.M. (1960) Note on the probability distribution of a small number of vectors. Proc. Cambridge Philos. Soc. 56:21-26
Walker, G.P.L. (1960) Zeolite zones and dike distribution in relation to the structure of the basalts of eastern Iceland. J. Geol. 68:515-528
Watkins, N.D., McDougall, I., Kristjansson, L. (1977) Upper Miocene and Pliocene geomagnetic secular variation in the Borgarfjordur area of Western Iceland. Geophys. J. R. Astron. Soc. 49:609-632
Watson, G.S., Beran, R.J. (1967) Testing a sequence of unit vectors for serial correlation. J. Geophys. Res. 72:5655-5659
Wilson, R.L., Watkins, N.D., Einarsson, T., Sigurgeirsson, T., Haggerty, S.E., Smith, P.J., Dagley, P., McCormack, A. (1972) Paleomagnetism of ten lava sequences from southwestern Iceland. Geophys. J. R. Astron. Soc. 29:459-471
Cox, A. (1969) Geomagnetic reversals. Science 163:237-245
Einarsson, T. (1957) Magneto-geological mapping in Iceland with the use of a compass. Philos. Mag. [Suppl.] 6:232-239
Fisher, R.A. (1953) Dispersion on a sphere. Proc. R. Soc. London Ser. A:217:295-305
Franzson, H. (1978) The structure and petrochemistry of the HafnarfjallSkardsheidi central volcano and the surrounding basalt succession, W-lceland, 264 pp. University of Edinburgh Ph.D. Thesis
Fridleifsson, I.B. (1973) Petrology and structure of the Esja Quaternary volcanic region, southwest Iceland, 208 pp. Oxford University, D.Phil. Thesis
Fridleifsson, I.B., Kristjansson, L. (1972) The Stardalur magnetic anomaly, SW-Iceland, JOkull (J. Glaciol. Soc. Icel.) 22:69-78
Gurariy, G.Z. (1977) Some geomagnetic field inversions in the late Cenozoic from investigations in Western Turkmenia (in Russian). lzv. Earth Phys. 13:581-586
Haines, G.V., Hannaford, W., Serson, P.H. (1970) Magnetic anomaly maps of the Nordic countries and the Greenland and Norwegian Seas. Publ. Dom. Obs. Ottawa 39:123-149
Johannesson, H. (1975) Structure and petrochemistry of the Reykjadalur central volcano and the surrounding areas, midwest Iceland, 273 pp. Durham University: Ph.D. Thesis
Jonasson, B., Hallsdottir, M., Fridriksdottir, S., Zophoniasson, S., Skaftadottir, T. (1973) The geology of Eyrarfjall (unpublished report in Icelandic), 45 pp., University of Iceland
Kristjansson, L. (1968) The paleomagnetism and geology of northwestern Iceland. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 4:448-450
Kristjansson, L. (1978) Magnetic trends around the Reykjanes peninsula, SW-Iceland. Report, Science Institute, University of Iceland, 11 pp.
Kristjansson, L., Watkins, N., McDougall, L, Saemundsson, K. (1975) A detailed study of the polarity transition marking the upper boundary of the Kaena event (abstract), IAGA Bull. No. 36:172
Labrecque, J.L., Kent, D.V., Cande, S.C. (1977) Revised magnetic polarity time scale for Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic time. Geology 5:330-335
McDougall, I., Watkins, N.D., Kristjansson, L. (1976) Geochronology and paleomagnetism of a Miocene-Pliocene lava sequence at Bessastadaa, Eastern Iceland. Am. J. Sci. 276:1078-1095
McDougall, L, Saemundsson, K., Johannesson, H., Watkins, N.D., Kristjansson, L. (1977) Extension of the geomagnetic polarity time scale to 6.5 m.y. K-Ar dating, geological and paleomagnetic study of a 3,500-m lava succession in western Iceland. Bull. Geol. Soc. Am. 88:1-15
McDougall, I., Wensink, H. (1966) Palaeomagnetism and geochronology of the Plio-Pleistocene lavas in Iceland. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 1:232-236
Palmason, G., Saemundsson, K. (1974) Iceland in relation to the MidAtlantic ridge. Annu. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci. 2:25-50
Piper, J. (1971) Ground magnetic studies of crustal growth in Iceland. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 12:199-207
Piper, J. (1973) Interpretation of some magnetic anomalies over Iceland. Tectonophysics 16:163-187
Pjeturss, H. (1910) Island (Iceland). Handbuch der regionalen Geologie, 22 pp. Heidelberg
Rutten, M.G. (1958) Geological reconnaissance of the Esja-HvalfjordurArmannsfell area, SW-Iceland. Verh. Ned. Geol.-Mijnb. Genootsch. 221-298
Saemundsson, K., Kristjansson, L., McDougall, I., Watkins, N.D. (1980) K-Ar dating, geological and paleomagnetic study of a 5 km-lava succession in northern Iceland. J. Geophys. Res. 85 (In press)
Saemundsson, K., Noll, H. (1974) K/Ar ages of rocks from Husafell, Western Iceland, and the development of the Husafell central volcano. JOkull (J. Glaciol. Soc. Icel.) 24:40-59
Shaw, J. (1975) Strong geomagnetic fields during a single Icelandic polarity transition. Geo phys. J. R. Astron. Soc. 40:345-350
Sigurgeirsson, T. (1957) Direction of magnetisation in Icelandic basalts. Philos. Mag. [Suppl.] 6:240-247
Sigurgeirsson, T. (1970) Aeromagnetic survey of SW-Iceland. Sci. Icel. 2:13-20
Steiger, R.H., Jager, E. (1977) Subcommission on geochronology· convention on the use of decay constants in geo- and cosmochronology. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 36:359-362
Vincenz, S., Bruckshaw, J.M. (1960) Note on the probability distribution of a small number of vectors. Proc. Cambridge Philos. Soc. 56:21-26
Walker, G.P.L. (1960) Zeolite zones and dike distribution in relation to the structure of the basalts of eastern Iceland. J. Geol. 68:515-528
Watkins, N.D., McDougall, I., Kristjansson, L. (1977) Upper Miocene and Pliocene geomagnetic secular variation in the Borgarfjordur area of Western Iceland. Geophys. J. R. Astron. Soc. 49:609-632
Watson, G.S., Beran, R.J. (1967) Testing a sequence of unit vectors for serial correlation. J. Geophys. Res. 72:5655-5659
Wilson, R.L., Watkins, N.D., Einarsson, T., Sigurgeirsson, T., Haggerty, S.E., Smith, P.J., Dagley, P., McCormack, A. (1972) Paleomagnetism of ten lava sequences from southwestern Iceland. Geophys. J. R. Astron. Soc. 29:459-471