Towards a Nares Strait solution: Structural studies on southeastern Ellesmere Island and northwestern Greenland

Okulitch, A V; Dawes, P.R; Higgins, A.K; Soper, Nathaniel J.; Christie, R L

doi:10.1016/0025-3227(90)90093-y

Cited by 29 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Location of faults and uplifts modified and redrawn from Piepjohn et al [] and Okulitch []. Location of these faults was confirmed and altered by using interpretations of Dallmann et al [], De Paor et al [], Harrison [], Oakey and Stephenson [], Okulitch et al [], and Piepjohn et al []. LKFZ altered from Døssing et al [] and Døssing et al [].…”

Section: Regional Geologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Various models have been published offering constraints for strike‐slip motion, either supporting a large amount of motion [ Jackson , ; Johnson and Srivastava , ] or little to no motion [ Dawes and Kerr , ; Okulitch et al , ]. Studies that support small amounts of strike slip (<25 km) conclude that because geological markers on Ellesmere Island and Greenland are continuous and the Nares Strait is aseismic, that large strike‐slip motion is implausible [e.g., Dawes and Kerr , ; Okulitch et al , ] and intraplate convergence is more likely [ Okulitch et al , ]…”

Section: Previous Reconstruction Modelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A reconstruction of the Eurekan Orogeny incorporating deformation constraints

2017

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The Eurekan Orogeny records Paleogene convergence between Greenland and the Canadian Arctic. The complexity of the region, well represented by the disputed magnitude of Cenozoic sinistral displacement of Greenland relative to Ellesmere Island, stems from the simultaneous evolution of multiple tectonic regimes, as well as overprinting of later tectonic activity. Presented here is a plate model of regional crustal deformation constructed with the interactive GPlates software that enables an evaluation of previous reconstructions of the Eurekan Orogeny. This model is built upon a synthesis of published geological and geophysical data and their interpretations. It incorporates two phases of deformation from ~63 to 35 Ma. Phase 1, ~63 to ~55 Ma, involves ~85 km of Paleocene extension between Ellesmere and Devon Island, extension of ~20 km between Axel Heiberg and Ellesmere Island, and ~85 km of sinistral strike slip along the Nares Strait/Judge Daly Fault System, matching a range of 50–100 km indicated by the offset of marker beds, facies contacts, and platform margins between the conjugate Greenland and Ellesmere Island margins. Phase 2, ~55 to 35 Ma, results in total east‐west compression of ~30 km and ~200 km of north‐south compression across Ellesmere Island. This model confirms, for the first time, that key observations from subregions deformed by the Eurekan Orogeny are compatible on a broad scale. We have also identified potential problem areas in southwestern Ellesmere Island that are less compatible with a best fit model, given current constraints. This deforming plate model offers a platform and base model for future research.

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Section: Regional Geologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Previous Reconstruction Modelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A reconstruction of the Eurekan Orogeny incorporating deformation constraints

2017

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“…While the kinematic mode and amounts of displacements between Greenland and Ellesmere Island along the linear channel of the Nares Strait are still matters of debate [e.g., Dawes and Kerr, 1982;Johnson and Srivastava, 1982;Higgins and Soper, 1989;Okulitch et al, 1990], the present positions of Greenland and Barents Shelf are the result of seafloor spreading in the Arctic ocean (Eurasia Basin) and Norwegian-Greenland sea. Plate motions began at anomaly 24 time (Late PaleoceneEarly Eocene) and led to a dextral transcurrent transfer of Svalbard relative to north Greenland along the De Geer Fault [e.g., Harland, 1969;Kristoffersen and Talwani, 1977;Talwani and Eldholm, 1977;Vogt et al, 1982a;Srivastava, 1985;Srivastava and Tapscott, 1986;CASE Team, 2001].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Eurekan transpressive deformation in the Wandel Hav Mobile Belt (northeast Greenland)

Gosen

Piepjohn²

2003

Tectonics

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Besides the ∼W‐E trending Kap Cannon Thrust Zone and Harder Fjord Fault Zone, the 300 km long and NW‐SE striking Wandel Hav Mobile Belt represents the third major fault zone in north Greenland. Structural analyses in several areas of this belt suggest that compressive deformation is characterized by transpressive dextral strike‐slip kinematics. This is demonstrated by a combination of folding around ∼W‐E axes, approximately north and south directed reverse faulting, and dextral strike‐slip displacements along NW‐SE trending fault lines. The initial formation of the long, linear faults is interpreted to be related to deformational events in Late Paleozoic, Triassic‐Jurassic, and Late Cretaceous times. Due to the lack of structural evidence, we assume that deformations led to the generation of extension faults which probably were reactivated during dextral strike‐slip tectonism. It is suggested that dextral transpressive deformation was coeval with ∼N‐S compression at the Harder Fjord Fault Zone and Cap Cannon Thrust Zone and took place during Eocene (Eurekan) times. Dextral strike‐slip tectonism in the Wandel Hav Mobile Belt was the result of ∼N‐S compression due to a general northward movement of the Greenland plate. As a zone of crustal weakness, the belt can be interpreted as the onshore equivalent of the main transcurrent fault zone (De Geer Fault) which caused the intracontinental dextral slip of Svalbard (Barents Shelf) relative to north Greenland during Early Tertiary (Eurekan) times and prior to their separation. In this configuration, it represents one part of the belt of Eurekan deformation which extends from the Canadian Arctic islands over north Greenland to the Barents Shelf where compressive deformation is recorded in the West Spitsbergen Fold‐and‐Thrust Belt.

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“…1). This view is consistent with the apparent continuity of geologic features across Nares Strait (e.g., Dawes and Kerr, 1982;Okulitch et al, 1990). Recently, magnetic anomalies correlating to Chron 26n or Chron 25n (Middle Paleocene) have been suggested to exist in Baffin Bay (Oakey et al, 2003), but the nature of the anomalies, seafloor or otherwise, is uncertain.…”

Section: Opening Of the North Atlantic And Arctic-final Breakup Of Pamentioning

confidence: 66%

Fixity of the Iceland “hotspot” on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge: Observational evidence, mechanisms, and implications for Atlantic volcanic margins

Lundin¹,

Doré²

2005

Plates, Plumes and Paradigms

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The Iceland anomaly has been attributed to a deeply rooted and fixed mantle plume, and Early Tertiary magmatism in the North Atlantic Igneous Province (NAIP) has commonly been interpreted to relate to an ancient expression of the same plume. We challenge these concepts. A major problem with attributing the Iceland anomaly to a fixed plume is the lack of evidence for a hotspot track. Although the GreenlandFaeroe Ridge has been suggested to be the hotspot track, its symmetric and continuous construction instead suggests in situ development on the plate boundary. Magmatism in the NAIP occurred in two phases, distributed in approximately perpendicular belts. The first phase (ca. 62-58 Ma) occurred along a north-west belt through the British Volcanic Province to west Greenland. We relate this phase to a transient and failed rift, intermediate in time and space between seafloor spreading in the Labrador Sea and the northeast Atlantic. The second phase (ca. 56-53 Ma) followed the incipient northeast Atlantic plate boundary. Both magmatic phases can therefore be associated with plate tectonics. Likewise, the north Atlantic-Arctic breakup can be explained as a natural outcome of plate tectonics and lithospheric strength distribution. We follow other recent research in suggesting that the voluminous magmatism during NAIP phase 2 is related to reactivation and opening along the Caledonian orogen. Specifically, we point to a close correspondence between the reactivated orogen and the north Atlantic volcanic passive margins, and suggest that the extreme magmatism could stem from the melting of eclogitic material, either residing in remnants of the CaledonianAppalachian orogenic root or within a delaminated root. Extending this idea, we postulate as a testable hypothesis that volcanic margins are the natural products of the Wilson Cycle (i.e., opening of sutures). We have tested the hypothesis on the north, central, and south Atlantic Ocean and have found a broad correlation between volcanic margin segments and reopened Late Neoproterozoic-Phanerozoic fold belts.

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Towards a Nares Strait solution: Structural studies on southeastern Ellesmere Island and northwestern Greenland

Cited by 29 publications

References 21 publications

A reconstruction of the Eurekan Orogeny incorporating deformation constraints

A reconstruction of the Eurekan Orogeny incorporating deformation constraints

Eurekan transpressive deformation in the Wandel Hav Mobile Belt (northeast Greenland)

Fixity of the Iceland “hotspot” on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge: Observational evidence, mechanisms, and implications for Atlantic volcanic margins

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