Influence of ice sheet and glacial erosion on passive margins of Greenland

Medvedev, Sergei; Souche, Alban; Hartz, Ebbe H.

doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2013.03.029

Cited by 45 publications

(50 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…The fact that many present-day bathymetrical features were modelled to have existed in the past might, however, be regarded as a caveat of the modelling process related to the uniform character of the erosion model (see Discussion-Input data). The modelled preglacial highs and depressions to some degree coincide with the Paleogene post-rift Medvedev et al (2013). ( western Norway and eastern Greenland could have led to uplifts of surrounding areas exceeding 1 km, and thus responsible for the development of large-scale positive topographic features (Medvedev et al, 2008;Steer et al, 2012).…”

Section: Driving Forces For the Bathymetric Changesmentioning

confidence: 84%

A flexural isostasy model for the Pleistocene evolution of the Barents Sea bathymetry

Zięba¹,

Omosanya²,

Knies³

2017

NJG

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The topographic relief of the Barents Sea was subjected to major changes during the past 1.5 million years mostly due to sediment redistribution driven by glacial activity. This paper addresses the problem of Pleistocene bathymetric evolution of the southern Barents Sea using a numerical modelling approach that considers the influence of regional isostasy on relief development. The model presented in this work shows that most of the bathymetric features were initiated prior to the first documented, shelf-edge glaciations at around 1.5 Ma. During the Early Pleistocene (Calabrian), the Barents Sea shelf was close to sea level with some areas elevated to about 300 m. Most of the shelf experienced up to 200 m topography reduction during the Early to Middle Pleistocene (1.5-0.7 Ma) facilitating bifurcation of the North Atlantic waters into the Barents Sea. Later during the Middle Pleistocene-Present (0.7-0.0 Ma) the relief deepened by 0 to 250 m. Our results demonstrate that the present-day topography of the southern Barents Sea is the consequence of glacial activity influenced by a regional isostatic component, which is the result of selective trough erosion and significant sediment deposition at the Barents Sea margins during the Pleistocene.

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Section: Driving Forces For the Bathymetric Changesmentioning

confidence: 84%

A flexural isostasy model for the Pleistocene evolution of the Barents Sea bathymetry

Zięba¹,

Omosanya²,

Knies³

2017

NJG

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“…This allows us to estimate the elastic response and potential vertical movements of surface topography backward in time . The numerical model utilizes Matlab-based numerical suite ProShell (Medvedev et al, 2008(Medvedev et al, , 2013. Two grids are utilized in the model, one for the surface loads integration and another for calculation of the elastic response.…”

Section: The Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The combined effect of localized erosion and the diffused action of flexural isostasy may have resulted in a nonuniform evolution of the topography. This is the focus of recently developed models of flexural isostasy, which study isostatic uplift resulting from surface denudation in different geological structures (Braun et al, 2013;Champagnac et al, 2007Champagnac et al, , 2009Medvedev et al, 2008Medvedev et al, , 2013Pelletier, 2004;Steer et al, 2012;Stern et al, 2005). Regional studies show that the development of the fjord system in Scandinavia strongly enhances the topography in the region (Gołędowski et al, 2013;Nielsen et al, 2009;Steer et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ice-related erosion partially explains the uplift of Mesozoic marine sediments along passive margins of eastern Greenland (Medvedev et al, 2008(Medvedev et al, , 2013 as well as the evolution of paleoplateaus in western Greenland (Bonow et al, 2006;Medvedev et al, 2013). An alternative test of models of pre-glacial topography looked at the mass balance between assumed connected onshore erosion and offshore sediments (Steer et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…An alternative test of models of pre-glacial topography looked at the mass balance between assumed connected onshore erosion and offshore sediments (Steer et al, 2012). However, even considering uncertainties, analysis showed that the Scoresbysund region in east-central Greenland lacks offshore sediments (Medvedev et al, 2008(Medvedev et al, , 2013, whereas a model of Scandinavian erosion below the paleosurface demonstrates an excess of offshore sediments (Dowdeswell et al, 2010;Steer et al, 2012). In the Scandinavian realm, the area of our study, stating that the cause of the sediment masses in the North Sea is entirely owing to the erosion of the Norwegian mountains is challenging, as other regions (notably, the Baltic and Central European river basins) are known to also have contributed significant masses into North Sea sediments (e.g., Anell et al, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Evolution of topography of post-Devonian Scandinavia: Effects and rates of erosion

Medvedev

Hartz

2015

Geomorphology

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Miocene uplift of the NE Greenland margin linked to plate tectonics: Seismic evidence from the Greenland Fracture Zone, NE Atlantic

et al. 2016

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Tectonic models predict that following breakup, rift margins undergo only decaying thermal subsidence during their postrift evolution. However, postbreakup stratigraphy beneath the NE Atlantic shelves shows evidence of regional-scale unconformities, commonly cited as outer margin responses to inner margin episodic uplift, including the formation of coastal mountains. The origin of these events remains enigmatic. We present a seismic reflection study from the Greenland Fracture Zone-East Greenland Ridge (GFZ-EGR) and the NE Greenland shelf. We document a regional intra-Miocene seismic unconformity (IMU), which marks the termination of synrift deposition in the deep-sea basins and onset of (i) thermomechanical coupling across the GFZ, (ii) basin compression, and (iii) contourite deposition, north of the EGR. The onset of coupling across the GFZ is constrained by results of 2-D flexural backstripping. We explain the thermomechanical coupling and the deposition of contourites by the formation of a continuous plate boundary along the Mohns and Knipovich ridges, leading to an accelerated widening of the Fram Strait. We demonstrate that the IMU event is linked to onset of uplift and massive shelf progradation on the NE Greenland margin. Given an estimated middle to late Miocene (~15-10 Ma) age of the IMU, we speculate that the event is synchronous with uplift of the east and west Greenland margins. The correlation between margin uplift and plate motion changes further indicates that the uplift was triggered by plate tectonic forces, induced perhaps by a change in the Iceland plume (a hot pulse) and/or by changes in intraplate stresses related to global tectonics.

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Influence of ice sheet and glacial erosion on passive margins of Greenland

Cited by 45 publications

References 32 publications

A flexural isostasy model for the Pleistocene evolution of the Barents Sea bathymetry

A flexural isostasy model for the Pleistocene evolution of the Barents Sea bathymetry

Evolution of topography of post-Devonian Scandinavia: Effects and rates of erosion

Miocene uplift of the NE Greenland margin linked to plate tectonics: Seismic evidence from the Greenland Fracture Zone, NE Atlantic

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