Crustal Drift in Iceland

Abstract

There are indications that Tertiary and post‐Tertiary volcanism in Iceland has been confined to the present main belt of active volcanism. The geological structure of the Tertiary lava piles in the east and west of Iceland, and results of geophysical studies, may be explained by invoking an appreciable amount of crustal drift since the beginning of the Tertiary. The rocks in the extreme east and west of the island may have been carried apart by 400 km or more. The crustal drift is believed to result mainly from crustal extension through the injection of dykes. The structure of Iceland, and possibly that of other flood basalt areas, is believed to be closely related to the world‐wide rift system. Copyright © 1964, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved