Work

Signatures of widespread Surtseyan volcanism at the northern Reykjanes ridge

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Submarine explosive volcanism presents significant hazards to coastal communities and infrastructure, yet its formation mechanisms and occurrences remain poorly understood. We document widespread explosive volcanism on the Northern Reykjanes Ridge using high-resolution seismic, bathymetric, and seafloor imagery. The data reveal low width-height ratio volcanoes with stratified, outward-dipping reflections and extensive volcaniclastic aprons overlying a glacial erosion unconformity, indicating Holocene formation ages. Post-eruption, storm-wave base erosion submerged these volcanoes below present-day sea level. By comparing these features to submarine volcanoes from the Azores and Aegean, we establish seismic and morphological recognition features for three formation modes: (i) deep-water explosive eruptions, (ii) shallow-water explosive eruptions, and (iii) Surtseyan eruptions. Our study suggests that future eruptions along the Reykjanes Ridge could pose greater hazards than anticipated. We show that high-resolution seismic imaging is a versatile tool for submarine volcanology that can be used to overcome the blind spot of global eruption records towards submarine explosive volcanism.

Source: Communications Earth & Environment

DOI: 10.1038/s43247-025-03128-w