Evolution of the Vøring Volcanic Margin

Abstract

ODP Sites 642 and 643 recovered a succession of rocks which have greatly improved the understanding of how the Cenozoic volcanic Wring Margin evolved, particularly by providing important constraints on the series of events that occurred during the initial opening of the Norwegian-Greenland Sea. The more than 900 m of igneous rocks and interbedded sediments drilled at Site 642 constitute two distinct, strikingly different volcanic series. The upper series, composed of transitional mid-oceanic tholeiitic lava flows and thin interbedded volcaniclastic sediments confirmed the seaward-dipping reflectors to be a terrestrially constructed extrusive complex. The lower series, probably extending for several hundred meters below the bottom of the hole, consists of another flow complex of dacitic composition, some dikes and thicker interbedded sediments, partially continentally derived. We suggest that the margin evolved by crustal extension in the Paleocene accompanied by uplift and a progressively more intense invasion of dikes and sills in the rift zone. Just prior to breakup, magma from shallow crustal melts produced the lower series. The upper series was constructed during an intense, rapidly waning, volcanic surge of subaerial accretion of oceanic magma following breakup in middle of Chron 24.2R. The surge is characterized by a much increased rate of magma production and high spreading rate. The upper series cover both newly formed oceanic crust and large areas of the adjacent thinned continental crust. The dipping wedge was formed by subsidence due to loading and thermal contraction, possibly amplified by a tectonic force. When the surge had abated, the injection center quickly subsided and normal oceanic crust was formed. Our interpretation is that the continent/ocean boundary occurs at the seaward termination of reflector K, which separates the two volcanic series. However, a region of strongly intruded transitional crust is inferred in 30-to 50-km wide zones on either side of the Vdring Plateau Escarpment.The Wring Margin experienced crustal uplift and extension prior to breakup, restricted to a Tertiary marginal basin west of the present shelf edge. The initial volcanic surge and shallow extrusion level are related to a higher than normal temperature at the base of the lithosphere, inducing partial melting combined with opening in previously thinned crust. The commonly described non-extensional nature of this margin is only an apparent phenomenon. Except for the outer basin, extension by dike injection coupled with high strength of the thin, pre-opening crust in the Vdring Basin precluded the formation of a faulted rift unconformity. We believe these observations have relevance for volcanic margins elsewhere, but infer that seaward-dipping reflectors can form in many environments.The Wring Plateau marginal high and other similar features in the North Atlantic are an integrated part of the North Atlantic Volcanic Province, which extends 2000 km longitudinally. Compared to the central, transverse, part of ...

Vp/Vs-ratios and anisotropy on the northern Jan Mayen Ridge, North Atlantic, determined from ocean bottom seismic data

“…Thick igneous layers were also intruded as sills into the continental crust or extruded sub-aerially as flood basalts. This magmatism decreased significantly after 5e10 myrs of oceanic spreading (Eldholm et al, 1989;White and McKenzie, 1989;Mjelde et al, 2008a).…”

Formation and evolution of Shatsky Rise oceanic plateau: Insights from IODP Expedition 324 and recent geophysical cruises

“…Here coring demonstrated that the shallower layers are lava flows and volcaniclastic layers (Planke et al, 2000). These margins have generally complex structures owing to changes in tectonic setting across the margin as well as the combination of subaerial, submarine, and shallow-water explosive volcanic products (Eldholm et al, 1989;Larsen et al, 1994). The closest analog to oceanic plateau volcanism occurs in the outer "seaward dipping reflector" (SDR) complexes, which are interpreted as stacks of submarine sheet flows erupted into deep water (Planke et al, 2000).…”

Geology of the Shelves surrounding the New Siberian Islands, Russian Arctic

“…Among these are: Initiation of seafloor spreading in the Eurasia Basin (Jackson and Gunnarson, 1990;Kristoffersen, 1990), separation of Greenland from Eurasia during chron 24R (e.g. Eldholm et al, 1989), and final separation of Greenland from North America in the Paleocene (Chalmers et al, 1993). Unconformity LS2 marks the top of a highly reflective sequence which is absent on the most elevated horsts.…”