Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Article
  • Published:

Evolution of the Iceland hotspot

Nature volume 296, pages 313–320 (1982)Cite this article

Abstract

Mantle geochemical enrichment beneath the Iceland–Faeroes hotspot has been episodic, suggesting that blobs rather than a continuous plume may be rising in the region. Recurring rift propagation southward from central Iceland causing progressive melting of the lower crust followed by the upper mantle, best explains the geochemical variations found along the south-west and south-east neovolcanic zones and their degree of thermal maturity.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Palmason, G. & Saemundsson, K. A. Rev. Earth planet. Sci. 2, 25 (1974).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Schilling, J-G. Nature 242, 565 (1973).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Hart, S. R., Schilling, J-G., & Powell, J. L . Nature phys. Sci. 246, 104 (1973).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Sun, S-S., Tatsumoto, M. & Schilling, J-G. Science 190, 143 (1975).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Moore, J. G. & Schilling J-G. Contr. Miner. Petrol. 41, 105 (1973).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Unni, C. K. & Schilling J-G. Nature 272, 19 (1978).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Rowe, E. C. & Schilling J-G. Nature 279, 33 (1979).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Schilling, J-G. et al. Am. J. Sci. (submitted).

  9. McDougall, T., Watkins, N. D. & Kristjansson, L. Am. J. Sci. 276, 1078 (1976).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. McDougall L., Saemundsson, K., Johannesson, H., Watkins, N. D. & Kristjansson, L. Bull. geol. Soc. 88, 1 (1977).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Watkins, N. D. & Walker, G. P. L. Am. J. Sci. 277, 513 (1977).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Saemundsson, K. Bull. geol. Soc. Am. 85, 495 (1974).

    Google Scholar 

  13. Saemundsson, K. Geol. J. spec. Iss. 10, 415 (1978).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Saemundsson, K. Jokull 29, 7 (1980).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Aronson, J. R. & Saemundsson, K. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 28, 83 (1975).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Ward, P. L. Bull. geol. Soc. Am. 82, 2991 (1971).

    Google Scholar 

  17. O'Nions, R. K. & Pankhurst, R. J. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 21, 13 (1973).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Sigurdsson, H., Schilling J-G. & Meyer, P. S. J. geophys. Res. 83, 3971 (1978).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Schilling J-G., Sigurdsson, H. & Kingsley, R. H. J. geophys. Res. 83, 3983 (1978).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. O'Nions, R. K. & Gronvold, K. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 19, 397 (1973).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. O'Nions, R. K., Pankhurst, R. J., Fridleifsson, I. B. & Jakobsson, S. P. Nature 243, 213 (1973).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Sun S-S. & Jahn, B. J. Nature 255, 527 (1975).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. O'Nions, R. K., Pankhurst, R. J. & Gronvold, K. J. Petrol. 17, 315 (1976).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. O'Nions, R. K., Hamilton, P. J. & Evensen, N. M. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 34, 13 (1977).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Zindler, A., Hart, S. R. & Jakobsson, S. P. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 45, 249 (1979).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Gariepy, C., Ludden, J. N., Brooks, C. & Machado, N. EOS, 62 (1981).

  27. Wood, D. A., Joran, J. L., Treuil, M., Norry, N. & Tarney, J. Contr. Miner. Petrol. 70, 319 (1979).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Dagley, P. et al. Nature 216, 25 (1967).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  29. Wilson, R. L. et al. Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc. 29, 459 (1972).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  30. Ross, T. G. & Mussett, A. E. Nature 259, 36 (1976).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Meyer, P. S. thesis, Univ. Rhode Island (1981).

  32. Walker, G. P. L. Nature 255, 468 (1975).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  33. Schilling J-G. & Noe-Nygaard, a. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 24, 1 (1974).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Vogt, P. R. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 13, 153 (1971).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  35. Jakobsson, S. P. Lithos 5, 365 (1972).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Jakobsson, S. P. Acta natur. island. 26, 1 (1979).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Jakobsson, S. P., Jonsson, J. & Shido, F. J. Petrol. 19, 669 (1978).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Bailey, J. C. & Noe-Nygaard, A. Lithos 9 185 (1976).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Langmuir, C. H., Vocke, R.D. & Hanson, G. N. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 37, 380 (1978).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Wood, D. A. J. Petrol. 19, 393 (1978).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Wood, D. A. J. geophys. Res. 81, 4353 (1976).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Wood, D. A., Gibson, I. L. & Thompson, R. N. Contr. Miner. Petrol. 55, 241 (1976).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Wood, D. A., Geochem. cosmochim. Acta 43, 1031 (1979).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Wood, D. A. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 52, 183–190 (1981).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Hofmann, A. W. & Hart, S. R. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 8, 44 (1978).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  46. DePaolo, D. J. EOS 72, 137 (1981).

    Google Scholar 

  47. Oskarsson, N., Sigvaldasson, G. & Steinthorsson, S. Nordic volcanol. Inst. 79, 05 (1979).

    Google Scholar 

  48. Palmason, G. Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc. 33, 451 (1973).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  49. Vogt, P. R. & Avery, O. E. J. geophys. Res. 79, 363 (1974).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  50. Herron, E. M. & Talwani, M. Nature 238, 390 (1972).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  51. Schilling J-G. in Init. Rep. DSDP Leg 38, 741 (1976).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Ramberg, H. J. geophys. Res. 77, 877 (1972).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  53. Condomines, M., Morand, P., Allegre, C. J. & Sigvaldason, G. Earth planet. Sci. Lett, (in the press).

  54. Courtillot, V., Tapponnier, P. & Varet, J. Tectonophysics 24, 317 (1974).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  55. McMaster, R. L., Schilling J-G. & Pinet, P. R. Nature 269, 663 (1977).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  56. Hey, R., Duennebier, F. K. & Morgan, W. J. J. geophys. Res. 85, 3647 (1980).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  57. Johannesson, H. Natturufraedingurinn 50, 13 (1980).

    Google Scholar 

  58. Sigurdsson, H. thesis, Univ. Durham (1970).

  59. Hofmann, A. W. & White, W. M. Yb Carnegie Instn Washington 79, 477 (1980).

    Google Scholar 

  60. Poreda, R., Craig, H. & Schilling J-G. EOS 61, 1158 (1980).

    Google Scholar 

  61. Kurz, M. D., Jenkins, W. J., Schilling J-G. & Hart, S. R. Earth planet. Sci. Lett., (in the press).

  62. Schilling J-G., Bergeron, M. B. & Evans, R. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A297, 147 (1980).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  63. Frey, F. A., Green, D. H. & Roy, S. D. J. Petrol. 19, 463 (1978).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  64. Wood, D. A., Tarney, J. & Weaver, B. L. Tectonophysics 75, 91–112 (1981).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  65. Fiske, R. S. & Jackson, E. D. Proc. R. Soc. A329, 299 (1972).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  66. Sigurdsson, H. & Sparks, S. R. J. Nature 274, 126 (1978).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  67. Allegre, C. J. & Bottinga, Y. Nature 252, 31 (1974).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  68. Tatsumoto, M. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 38, 63 (1978).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  69. Anderson, D. L. EOS 62, 418 (1981).

    Google Scholar 

  70. Schilling, J-G., Meyer, P. S. & Kingsley, R. H. in The Structure and Development of the Greenland–Scotland Ridge—New Methods and Concepts (eds Bott, M. H. P., Talwani, M., Thiede, J. & Saxov, S.) (NATO Advanced Research Institute Series, in the press).

  71. Schilling J-G., J. geophys. Res. 80, 1459 (1975).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  72. Sigvaldason, G. E. J. Petrol. 15, 497 (1974).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island Kingston, Rhode Island, 02881, USA

    J-G. Schilling, P. S. Meyer & R. H. Kingsley

Authors
  1. J-G. Schilling
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P. S. Meyer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. R. H. Kingsley
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Schilling, JG., Meyer, P. & Kingsley, R. Evolution of the Iceland hotspot. Nature 296, 313–320 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1038/296313a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/296313a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing