| Title | Distribution of crustal types in Canada Basin, Arctic Ocean |
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| Author | Chian, D; Jackson, H R; Hutchinson, D R; Shimeld, J W; Oakey, G N; Lebedeva-Ivanova, N; Li, Q; Saltus, R W; Mosher, D C |
| Source | Tectonophysics vol. 691, pt. A, 2016 p. 8-30, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2016.01.038  Open Access |
| Image |  |
| Year | 2016 |
| Alt Series | Earth Sciences Sector, Contribution Series 20150409 |
| Publisher | Elsevier BV |
| Document | serial |
| Lang. | English |
| Media | paper; on-line; digital |
| File format | pdf |
| Province | Northern offshore region |
| Area | Canada Basin |
| Lat/Long WENS | -180.0000 -130.0000 80.0000 70.0000 |
| Subjects | geophysics; general geology; marine geology; oceanographic surveys; seismic surveys, marine; seismic velocities; crustal studies; continental crust; oceanic crust; magnetic anomalies; seismic reflection
surveys; crustal models; ocean - continent boundary (OCB); Alpha Ridge; Northwind Ridge; High Arctic Large Igneous Province (HALIP) |
| Illustrations | location maps; schematic cross-sections; tables; graphs; seismic reflection profiles |
| Program | Delineating Canada's Continental Shelf Under UNCLOS |
| Released | 2016 11 01 |
| Abstract | Seismic velocities determined from 70 sonobuoys widely distributed in Canada Basin were used to discriminate crustal types. Velocities of oceanic layer 3 (6.7 - 7.1 km/s), transitional (7.2 - 7.6 km/s)
and continental crust (5.5 - 6.6 km/s) were used to distinguish crustal types. Potential field data supports the distribution of oceanic crust as a polygon with maximum dimensions of ~ 340 km (east - west) by ~ 590 km (north - south) and
identification of the ocean - continent boundary (OCB). Paired magnetic anomalies are associated only with crust that has oceanic velocities. Furthermore, the interpreted top of oceanic crust on seismic reflection profiles is more irregular and
sometimes shallower than adjacent transitional crust. The northern segment of the narrow Canada Basin Gravity Low (CBGL), often interpreted as a spreading center, bisects this zone of oceanic crust and coincides with the location of a prominent
valley in seismic reflection profiles. Data coverage near the southern segment of CBGL is sparse. Velocities typical of transitional crust are determined east of it. Extension in this region, close to the inferred pole of rotation, may have been
amagmatic. Offshore Alaska is a wide zone of thinned continental crust up to 300 km across. Published longer offset refraction experiments in the Basin confirm the depth to Moho and the lack of oceanic layer 3 velocities. Further north, toward Alpha
Ridge and along Northwind Ridge, transitional crust is interpreted to be underplated or intruded by magmatism related to the emplacement of the High Arctic Large Igneous Province (HALIP). Although a rotational plate tectonic model is consistent with
the extent of the conjugate magnetic anomalies that occupy only a portion of Canada Basin, it does not explain the asymmetrical configuration of the oceanic crust in the deep water portion of Canada Basin, and the unequal distribution of transitional
and continental crust around the basin. |
| Summary | (Plain Language Summary, not published)
An interpretation based on velocity analysis of 70 sonobuoy instruments deployed in Canada Basin has been developed to discriminate between continental,
oceanic and transitional crust. The most significant result is that only the central part of the Canada Basin is likely underlain by oceanic crust, and this region is flanked by either transitional crust (magma-rich or poor depending on location) or
thinned continental crust. These results support a hypothesis for the opening of the Canada Basin by counterclockwise rotation of Alaska away from the Canadian Polar margin, but also underline the complexity of the region's tectonic
history. |
| GEOSCAN ID | 297531 |
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