New aero-gravity results from the Arctic: Linking the latest Cretaceous-early Cenozoic plate kinematics of the North Atlantic and Arctic Ocean

A. Døssing, J.R. Hopper, A.V. Olesen, T.M. Rasmussen, J. Halpenny

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

42 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The tectonic history of the Arctic Ocean remains poorly resolved and highly controversial. Details regarding break up of the Lomonosov Ridge from the Barents-Kara shelf margins and the establishment of seafloor spreading in the Cenozoic Eurasia Basin are unresolved. Significantly, the plate tectonic evolution of the Mesozoic Amerasia Basin is essentially unknown. The Arctic Ocean north of Greenland is at a critical juncture that formed at the locus of a Mesozoic three-plate setting between the Lomonosov Ridge, Greenland, and North America. In addition, the area is close to the European plate, resulting in complicated interactions between all these areas that are difficult to resolve. In 2009, the 550,000 km 2 LOMGRAV aero-geophysical survey produced the first collocated gravity and magnetic measurements over the area, significantly increasing the data coverage. We present an interpretation of a new free-air gravity compilation, which reveals a regionally consistent structural grain across the Lomonosov Ridge, the Ellesmere and Lincoln Sea shelves, and the Alpha Ridge. We interpret the grain as evidence of latest Cretaceous (∼80 Ma) regional extension in response to the northward propagation of Atlantic and Labrador Sea opening into the Arctic, west of Greenland. This interpretation is consistent with coincident alkaline volcanic activity evident in the borderlands of the Lincoln Sea. We further suggest that Eurekan crustal shortening contributed to the formation of the distinct Lomonosov Ridge plateau against an important fault zone north of Greenland. Our results provide new constraints for Cretaceous-Cenozoic plate reconstructions of the Arctic. Key Points Presentation of the largest aero-gravity survey acquired over the Arctic Ocean Plate tectonic link between Atlantic and Arctic spreading west of Greenland New plate reconstruction models are presented for the area north of Greenland

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)4044-4065
Number of pages22
JournalGeochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems
Volume14
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2013

Keywords

  • Arctic
  • Cretaceou
  • Eurekan orogeny
  • lomonosov ridge
  • North Atlantic
  • plate reconstructions

Programme Area

  • Programme Area 3: Energy Resources

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