Rapid shifting of a deep magmatic source at Fagradalsfjall volcano, Iceland

Sæmundur A. Halldórsson (), Edward W. Marshall, Alberto Caracciolo, Simon Matthews, Enikő Bali, Maja B. Rasmussen, Eemu Ranta, Jóhann Gunnarsson Robin, Guðmundur H. Guðfinnsson, Olgeir Sigmarsson, John Maclennan, Matthew G. Jackson, Martin J. Whitehouse, Heejin Jeon, Quinten H. A. Meer, Geoffrey K. Mibei, Maarit H. Kalliokoski, Maria M. Repczynska, Rebekka Hlín Rúnarsdóttir, Gylfi Sigurðsson, Melissa Anne Pfeffer, Samuel W. Scott, Ríkey Kjartansdóttir, Barbara I. Kleine, Clive Oppenheimer, Alessandro Aiuppa, Evgenia Ilyinskaya, Marcello Bitetto, Gaetano Giudice and Andri Stefánsson
Additional contact information
Sæmundur A. Halldórsson: Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
Edward W. Marshall: Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
Alberto Caracciolo: Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
Simon Matthews: Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
Enikő Bali: Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
Maja B. Rasmussen: Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
Eemu Ranta: Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
Jóhann Gunnarsson Robin: Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
Guðmundur H. Guðfinnsson: Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
Olgeir Sigmarsson: Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
John Maclennan: University of Cambridge
Matthew G. Jackson: University of California Santa Barbara
Martin J. Whitehouse: Swedish Museum of Natural History
Heejin Jeon: Swedish Museum of Natural History
Quinten H. A. Meer: Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
Geoffrey K. Mibei: Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
Maarit H. Kalliokoski: Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
Maria M. Repczynska: Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
Rebekka Hlín Rúnarsdóttir: Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
Gylfi Sigurðsson: Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
Melissa Anne Pfeffer: Icelandic Meteorological Office
Samuel W. Scott: Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
Ríkey Kjartansdóttir: Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
Barbara I. Kleine: Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
Clive Oppenheimer: University of Cambridge
Alessandro Aiuppa: Università di Palermo
Evgenia Ilyinskaya: University of Leeds
Marcello Bitetto: Università di Palermo
Gaetano Giudice: Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia
Andri Stefánsson: Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland

Nature, 2022, vol. 609, issue 7927, 529-534

Abstract: Abstract Recent Icelandic rifting events have illuminated the roles of centralized crustal magma reservoirs and lateral magma transport1–4, important characteristics of mid-ocean ridge magmatism1,5. A consequence of such shallow crustal processing of magmas4,5 is the overprinting of signatures that trace the origin, evolution and transport of melts in the uppermost mantle and lowermost crust6,7. Here we present unique insights into processes occurring in this zone from integrated petrologic and geochemical studies of the 2021 Fagradalsfjall eruption on the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland. Geochemical analyses of basalts erupted during the first 50 days of the eruption, combined with associated gas emissions, reveal direct sourcing from a near-Moho magma storage zone. Geochemical proxies, which signify different mantle compositions and melting conditions, changed at a rate unparalleled for individual basaltic eruptions globally. Initially, the erupted lava was dominated by melts sourced from the shallowest mantle but over the following three weeks became increasingly dominated by magmas generated at a greater depth. This exceptionally rapid trend in erupted compositions provides an unprecedented temporal record of magma mixing that filters the mantle signal, consistent with processing in near-Moho melt lenses containing 107–108 m3 of basaltic magma. Exposing previously inaccessible parts of this key magma processing zone to near-real-time investigations provides new insights into the timescales and operational mode of basaltic magma systems.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04981-x

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