Morphology of Mount Thorbjorn, Iceland, Studied with UAS Photogrammetry

Volcanoes often display pronounced faults and structural anisotropies. To better understand the structural evolution of volcano morphologies, we performed an unoccupied aircraft systems (UAS) survey of Mount Thorbjorn, an accessible volcanic edifice located on Reykjanes Peninsula, SW Iceland. The photogrammetric analysis yielded a 20 cm resolution DEM that we use to analyze the morphology of the volcano in detail. We found that the edifice consists of two parts: the lower “pedestal” and the upper cone, and is broken by three main fault sets and multiple fractures striking NE-SW. Morphological features and fault architecture allow us to speculate about a sector collapse on the WNW flank. The detailed analysis provides more understanding of the Mount Thorbjorn formation and reveals the presence of its complex structural architecture.