Structural evolution and basin architecture of the Traill Ø region, NE Greenland: A record of polyphase rifting of the East Greenland continental margin

Parsons, Andrew J.; Whitham, Andrew G.; Kelly, Simon R. A.; Vautravers, B. P. H.; Dalton, Tobias James Scott; Andrews, Steven D.; Pickles, C.S.; Strogen, Dominic P.; Braham, William; Jolley, David W.; Gregory, F. John

doi:10.1130/ges01382.1

Cited by 25 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 123 publications

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“…The upper Cenomanian – lower Turonian interval is poorly represented in north‐east Greenland; excepting the succession described here, the interval is known only from scattered outcrops on Traill Ø. The exposed deposits provide a record characterized by deep sea mudstone‐dominated sedimentation, an absence of large‐scale turbidite systems, and increasing stratigraphic condensation (Parsons et al ., 2017; Bjerager et al ., 2020). Whitham et al .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Upper Cretaceous bottom current deposits, north‐east Greenland

et al. 2020

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Reported ancient bottom current deposits in deep marine settings are scarce and most of them remain contentious. This study describes sedimentological, ichnological and petrographical characteristics of a drill core that covers ca 10 Myr of Upper Cretaceous stratigraphy at Hold with Hope, northeast Greenland. The core is divided into four facies associations, which are interpreted to reflect deposition from bottom currents, turbidity flows and hemipelagic settling in slope and/or near slope environments. The evidence for bottom current influence is threefold. Firstly, pervasive indications of winnowing such as marine bioclast-rich lags and outsized clasts on 'mud on mud' contacts are suggestive of low-sediment concentration flows capable of transporting up to pebble-sized clasts. Common Mn-Fe-Mg rich carbonate matrix cements and various types of hiatal chemogenic lag deposits showing glauconite, apatite and carbonate clasts also point to condensation, prolonged exposure at the sediment-water interface and recurrent phases of seafloor erosion. Secondly, such deposits can show indicators for tidal processes such as double mud-drapes, tangential bottom sets in dune-scale cross-bedding and cyclic rhythmites. Thirdly, inverse to normal grading at various scales is common in fully marine, commonly seafloor-derived sediments. Ichnological data indicate considerable taxonomic variability in the bottom current deposits, but recurrent fabrics are characteristically dominated by morphologically simple burrows such as Thalassinoides and Planolites, with secondary Phycosiphon, Nereites, Zoophycos and/or Chondrites. In general, opportunistic taxa are common whereas mature composite ichnofabrics are rare. The omission surfaces are locally burrowed with stiffground to firmground trace fossil suites. The results contribute to establishing sedimentological, ichnological and mineralogical criteria for recognition of bottom current deposits as well as to the understanding of the Late Cretaceous palaeoenvironmental evolution of the Arctic region.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1; Bjerager et al ., 2020). The mid‐Albian rift event has been interpreted to have been followed by thermal subsidence that allowed the accumulation of a deep sea mudstone‐dominated succession in the area during the Late Cretaceous (Parsons et al ., 2017).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Upper Cretaceous bottom current deposits, north‐east Greenland

et al. 2020

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“…In contrast to the Norwegian margin, onshore northern East Greenland was affected by a subsequent alkaline magmatic episode from 37 to 35 Ma, possibly in association with the northward propagating rift that finally separated the Jan Mayen microcontinent from East Greenland (Price et al, 1997;Schiffer et al, 2018;Tegner et al, 2008). Parsons et al (2017) confirm the observation of Price et al (1997) that faulting affected the Traill Ø region (Figure 1) after the emplacement of tholeiitic magmatic intrusions at circa 54 Ma and before and after the emplacement of alkaline magmatic intrusions at circa 37-35 Ma. Several planar normal faults displace Cenozoic basaltic intrusions over an along-strike length of >350 km and over an across-strike width of >100 km (Price et al, 1997).…”

Section: Later Cenozoic Rifting and Magmatism In Ne Greenlandmentioning

confidence: 99%

Polyphase Magmatism During the Formation of the Northern East Greenland Continental Margin

et al. 2019

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New marine geophysical data acquired across the partly ice‐covered northern East Greenland continental margin highlight a complex interaction between tectonic and magmatic events. Breakup‐related lava flows are imaged in reflection seismic data as seaward dipping reflectors, which are found to decrease in size both northward and southward from a central point at 75°N. We provide evidence that the magnetic anomaly pattern in the shelf area is related to volcanic phases and not to the presence of oceanic crust. The remnant magnetization of the individual lava flows is used to deduce a relative timing of the emplacement of the volcanic wedges. We find that the seaward dipping reflectors have been emplaced over a period of 2–4 Ma progressively from north to south and from landward to seaward. The new data indicate a major post‐middle Eocene magmatic phase around the landward termination of the West Jan Mayen Fracture Zone. This post‐40‐Ma volcanism likely was associated with the progressive separation of the Jan Mayen microcontinent from East Greenland. The breakup of the Greenland Sea started at several isolated seafloor spreading cells whose location was controlled by rift structures and led to the present‐day segmentation of the margin. The original rift basins were subsequently connected by steady‐state seafloor spreading that propagated southward, from the Greenland Fracture Zone to the Jan Mayen Fracture Zone.

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“…In contrast, the lateral continuity and tabular nature of the Late Triassic Gipsdalen and Fleming Fjord formations is consistent with an interpretation as a post-rift succession. Further pulses of tectonic activity, spectacularly developed on Traill Ø (Parsons et al, 2017), occurred during the Jurassic, Cretaceous, and Palaeogene eventually leading to the opening of the North Atlantic. Clemmensen (1980b) interpreted the Vega Sund Member as aeolian in origin with the Gråklint Beds, which form its uppermost portion, recording a marine transgression.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Triassic of Traill Ø and Geographical Society Ø, East Greenland: Implications for North Atlantic palaeogeography

Andrews

Decou

2018

Geological Journal

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The continental Triassic succession north of 72° in East Greenland has seen little investigation but is key in understanding how facies belts vary towards the East Greenland Shelf, and more widely in the North Atlantic region, through this period. This study presents sedimentological analysis of exposures in northern Traill Ø (the Mols Bjerge) and further north in northern Geographical Society Ø (Laplace Bjerg). These sections are correlated with the more widely studied succession which lies to the south, in Jameson Land and broad scale palaeogeographical reconstructions of the North Atlantic are presented. A largely continental Triassic succession of 1445 m was recorded from the Mols Bjerge. However, a 125 m thick clean sand unit (the Vega Sund Member), which includes in its upper part the Gråklint Beds, is re‐interpreted as of shallow marine origin. Over 1200 m of Triassic strata were recognized on Laplace Bjerg. Within this succession 300 m of clean, cross‐bedded sandstones are recorded and are correlated with the Vega Sund Member recorded in the Mols Bjerge. The northward increase in thickness of marine strata developed at this time provides evidence for a more extensive marine influence in the north. This work has important implications for regional palaeogeographies and the character of the Triassic succession in adjacent basins, in particular, constraining the southern extent of the Boreal Ocean during the Mid to Late Triassic. Furthermore, the correlations made places bitumen staining, reported from Laplace Bjerg, within Triassic strata, suggesting the viability of a Triassic play at depth in adjacent offshore basins.

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Structural evolution and basin architecture of the Traill Ø region, NE Greenland: A record of polyphase rifting of the East Greenland continental margin

Cited by 25 publications

References 123 publications

Upper Cretaceous bottom current deposits, north‐east Greenland

Upper Cretaceous bottom current deposits, north‐east Greenland

Polyphase Magmatism During the Formation of the Northern East Greenland Continental Margin

The Triassic of Traill Ø and Geographical Society Ø, East Greenland: Implications for North Atlantic palaeogeography

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