Crustal structure of central and northern Iceland from analysis of teleseismic receiver functions

We present results from a teleseismic receiver function study of central an d northern Iceland, carried out during the period 1995-1998, Data from eigh t broad-band seismometers installed in the SIL network operated by the Icel andic Meteorological Office were used for analysis. Receiver functions for each station were generated from events for a wide range of backazimuths an d a combination of inversion and forward modelling was used to infer the cr ustal structure below each station. The models generated show a considerable variation in the nature and thickn ess of the crust across Iceland. The thinnest crust (20-21 km) is found in the northern half of the Northern Volcanic Zone approximately 120 km north of the centre of the Iceland mantle plume. Thicker crust (24-30 km) is foun d elsewhere in northern and central Iceland and the thickest crust (37 km) is found close to the plume centre. Velocity-depth profiles show a distinct division of the crust into two main sections, an upper high-velocity-gradi ent section of thickness 2-8 km and a lower crustal section with small or z ero overall velocity gradient. The thickness of the upper crust correlates with the tectonic structure of Iceland; the upper crust is thickest on the flanks of the northern and central volcanic rift zones and thinnest close t o active or extinct central volcanoes. Below the Krafla central volcano in northeastern Iceland the receiver funct ion models show a prominent low-velocity zone at 10-15 km depth with minimu m shear wave velocities of 2.0-2.5 km s(-1). We suggest that this feature r esults from the presence of partially molten sills in the lower crust. Less prominent low-velocity zones found in other regions of Iceland may arise f rom locally high temperatures in the crust or from acidic intrusive bodies at depth. A combination of the receiver function results and seismic refraction resul ts constrains the crustal thickness across a large part of Iceland. Melting by passive decompression of the hot mantle below the rift zone in northern Iceland forms a crust of thickness similar to 20 km. In contrast, the larg er crustal thickness below central Iceland probably arises from enhanced me lt production due to active upwelling in the plume core.