- 1Institute of Geophysics, University of Hamburg, Bundesstrasse 55, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
- 2Department of Geology and Geophysics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole MA 02543, USA
- 3Department of Geophysics, University of Gdansk, al. Marszałka Piłsudskiego 46, 81-378 Gdynia, Poland
- 4Department of Physical Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University for Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- 5College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis OR 97333, USA
- 6National Institute for Oceanography and Applied Geophysics – OGS, Borgo Grotta Gigante 42/C, 34010, Sgonico (TS), Italy
- 7Institute of Geosciences, Marine Geophysics and Hydroacoustics, Kiel University, Otto-Hahn-Platz 1, 24118 Kiel, Germany
- 8Center for Ocean and Society, Kiel University, Fraunhofer Str. 16, 24118 Kiel, Germany
- 9Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- 10Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, Hafnarfjörður, Iceland
- 11GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Wischofstraße 1-3, 24148 Kiel, Germany
Submarine explosive volcanism poses significant hazards to coastal communities, infrastructures, and marine and air traffic. However, our understanding of the mechanisms, frequencies, and distributions of submarine explosive eruptions is limited due to their inaccessibility. This observational gap is particularly critical for shallow submarine environments, where the interplay between magma and seawater can lead to violent explosive eruptions that may trigger destructive tsunamis, pyroclastic surges, extensive pumice rafts, and large airborne ash plumes. In this study, we use high-resolution seismic, bathymetric, and seafloor imagery to investigate the formation mechanism of submarine volcanoes at the Northern Reykjanes Ridge. Our seismic images reveal distinctive volcanic edifices characterized by low width-height ratios, stratified outward-dipping reflections, and extensive volcanoclastic aprons. These overly a glacial erosion unconformity, indicating Holocene formation. We show that the volcanoes of the northern Reykjanes Ridge formed predominantly by shallow submarine eruptions, some of which breached the sea-surface forming short-lived islands that were historically observed.
By comparing the seismic reflection patterns from these volcanoes with submarine volcanoes from the Azores and Aegean, we establish key characteristic to distinguish three distinct submarine volcanic formation modes: (1) deep-water explosive eruptions, (2) shallow-water explosive eruptions, and (3) Surtseyan eruptions. Our study highlights the potential hazards of future eruptions along the Reykjanes Ridge, which may include tsunamis, ash plumes, or extensive pumice rafts. By establishing seismic signatures of submarine explosive eruptions, our study highlights the potential of seismic imaging as a powerful tool for understanding submarine volcanic processes, providing key insights into the formation and evolution of submarine volcanoes in marine environments.
How to cite: Preine, J., Hübscher, C., Pałgan, D., van der Zwan, F. M., Dittmers, C., Friedrich, A., Beethe, S., Ehlies, V., Ford, J., Haimerl, B., Ischebeck, L., Lackner, M., Schmidt, M., Eisermann, J. O., Budke, L., Óðinsson, D. Þ., and Augustin, N.: Seismic Imaging of Submarine Volcanoes at the Northern Reykjanes Ridge, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-1433, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-1433, 2025.
