Digitized fault map

A digitized fault map of the South Iceland seismic zone is a prerequisite for a meaningful interpretation of deformations measured by SAR and GPS technology. Surface expressions of seismogenic faults of the area have been mapped in varying detail during the last two decades, most extensively by students in the Department of Geology and Geography of the University of Iceland. It was decided to gather this information and assemble a homogeneous map of the faults in digital form. This task was approached in two steps:

• Field work to fill in the largest gap in the area, the Holt district. This part of the seismic zone is covered with loose material such as glacial moraines and moors as opposed to postglacial lavas in most other parts. Surface faults and fractures are therefore poorly preserved. The structures found were mapped with differential GPS instruments at a scale of 1:1000.
• Systematic mapping of faults of the whole zone from aerial photographs at a scale of 1:50000 and digitizing of the maps.