The Cenozoic evolution and sedimentary successions of the southwestern Eurasia Basin and the northern Svalbard/Barents Sea continental margin

Abstract

<p>The geologic history of the SW Eurasian Basin and the northern Svalbard/Barents Sea continental margin started in Late Cretaceous / early Tertiary. Since about 50 Ma seafloor spreading has been active in the Eurasian Basin splitting off the Lomonosov Ridge from the northern Eurasian Shelf. Since Miocene, rifting and seafloor spreading have been also established in between NE Greenland and Svalbard, separating the Moris Jesup Rise and Yermak submarine plateaus and opening the Fram Strait deep-water gateway between the Arctic and North Atlantic oceans. <p>The subsequent opening of the Eurasia Basin and the Fram Strait associated with the subsidence of the Yermak Plateau led to the formation of accumulation space along the northern Svalbard / Barents Sea continental margin. The Cenozoic sedimentary successions document the early passive margin formation within an enclosed Arctic Ocean Basin, the increasing influence of current-related deposition following the opening of the Fram Strait, and finally the strong imprint of the Quaternary glaciations of the Barents Sea. Beside ocean current activity also mass wasting plays a major role in shaping the continental margin. <p>During the last decades, several seismic campaigns were carried out along the northern Svalbard / Barents Sea continental margin. Unfortunately, lithological and age information from deep drilling is still very sparse in the study area. In this contribution we will review existing data and discuss implications for the evolution of the northern Barents Sea continental margin.