A detailed map of the structure of the west Spitsbergen fold-and-thrust belt in the Isfjorden area, Spitsbergen, is presented. The map was constructed from a dense grid of two-dimensional multichannel reflection seismic and bathymetric data. Joint interpretation of two data sets allowed a comparison of tectonic structures detected along the uppermost parts of the seismic sections and those reflected in the morphology of the seafloor. Three major, predominantly north-west–south-east striking faults were identified. The westernmost fault (T1) is a hinterland-directed (most likely out of sequence) thrust, while the central and easternmost faults (T2 and T3) are foreland-directed (in-sequence thrusts). The thrusts divide Isfjorden into three subareas. Subarea 1 is bounded by thrust faults T1 and T2 and comprises Tertiary rocks surrounded by Jurassic–Cretaceous strata. The structural signature of Subarea 1 is that of a system of hinterland- and foreland-directed thrust faults, resulting in a seafloor relief characterized by parallel ridges and troughs. Subarea 2 is limited by thrust faults T2 and T3 and shows Jurassic–Cretaceous outcrops on the seafloor. Subarea 3 is situated east of the main thrust fault T3 and mainly involves outcrops of Triassic–Jurassic rocks. Together, Subareas 2 and 3 are dominated by foreland-directed, north-west–south-east and NNW–SSE-striking thrusts that are hardly detectable in bathymetric data

A dense grid of 2D multichannel seismic data was used for the interpretation of sub-sea-floor structures in the area of Isfjorden in western Spitsbergen. West Spitsbergen underwent Eocene transpressional deformation that resulted in formation of the West Spitsbergen Fold-and-Thrust Belt. Three horizons were defined for the seismic interpretation as well-expressed and continuous reflections: (1) the top of the metamorphic basement;(2) the base of the upper Carboniferous Nordenskiöldbreen Formation; (3) the base of the Lower Cretaceous Helvetiafjellet Formation. Time-structure maps and analysis of the sub-bottom structural trends were generated for each horizon. The top of the metamorphic basement displays north-south-trending graben structures, apparently representing continuation of the Devonian grabens from northern Spitsbergen. The tectonostratigraphic unit bounded by the base of the upper Carboniferous Nordenskiöldbreen Formation and base of the Helvetiafjellet Formation encloses the fold-and-thrust belt and is affiliated with WSW-ENE shortening involving three décol-lement levels. Within this unit the strata between the middle (Triassic shales) and upper (Upper Jurassic shales) décollements have undergone the most intense strain, whereas sediments situated between the basal (lower Permian evaporites) and middle décollements underwent a relatively mild deformation. The strata above the base of the Helvetiafjellet Formation are characterized by minor Tertiary deformation only. research-articleResearch ArticleXXX10.1144/jgs2012-109M. Blinova et al.

The northeastern high-latitude North Atlantic is characterised by the Bellsund and Isfjorden fans on the continental slope off west Svalbard, the asymmetrical ultraslow Knipovich spreading ridge and a 1,000 m deep rift valley. Recently collected multichannel seismic profiles and bathymetric records now provide a more complete picture of sedimentary processes and depositional environments within this region. Both downslope and alongslope sedimentary processes are identified in the study area. Turbidity currents and deposition of glacigenic debris flows are the dominating downslope processes, whereas mass failures, which are a common process on glaciated margins, appear to have been less significant. The slide debrite observed on the Bellsund Fan is most likely related to a 2.5-1.7 Ma old failure on the northwestern Barents Sea margin. The seismic records further reveal that alongslope current processes played a major role in shaping the sediment packages in the study area. Within the Knipovich rift valley and at the western rift flank accumulations as thick as 950-1,000 m are deposited. We note that oceanic basement is locally exposed within the rift valley, and that seismostratigraphic relationships indicate that fault activity along the eastern rift flank lasted until at least as recently as 1.5 Ma. A purely hemipelagic origin of the sediments in the rift valley and on the western rift flank is unlikely. We suggest that these sediments, partly, have been sourced from the western Svalbard-northwestern Barents Sea margin and into the Knipovich Ridge rift valley before continuous spreading and tectonic activity caused the sediments to be transported out of the valley and westward.