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The crustal structure of the NE Flemish Cap margin was determined along a 460-km-long refraction/wide-angle reflection seismic transect (FLAME Line) to define the thickness, structure and composition of the crust and uppermost mantle along the line. A P-wave velocity model was developed from forward and inverse modelling of dense airgun shots recorded by 19 ocean bottom seismometers. A coincident multichannel seismic profile was used to guide the modelling as reflections could be identified down to Moho. The model displays a sediment cover of up to 3.6-km-thick, subdivided into three layers with velocities of 1.8-1.9 km s, 2.8-3.1 km s and 4.7-4.8 km s. For the western part of the FLAME Line over Flemish Cap, the P-wave velocity model displays an up to 32-km-thick, three-layer continental crust. The continental crust has velocities of 5.8-6.1 km s, 6.3-6.45 km s and 6.65-6.85 km s and thicknesses of about 5 km, 7 km and 20 km in the upper, middle and lower layers, respectively. The thick continental crust thins to a two-layer, 6-km-thick crust (upper layer is 5.55-6.0 km s and the layer below is 6.65-6.8 km s) over a distance of 45 km. S-wave velocities are determined in the upper layer of the thick continental crust over Flemish Cap and the transition zone by assigning Poisson's ratios in the P-wave velocity model. Comparison of calculated to observed arrival times gives a Poisson's ratio of 0.27 in the upper layer and 0.28 in the layer below, which suggests that the composition of the crust is primarily continental in both the thick crust and the thin crust of the transition zone. The thin continental crust is stretched over a width of 80 km and is underlain by a layer with velocities of 7.5-7.9 km s. We interpret this layer as partially serpentinized mantle, which is consistent with observations from the Newfoundland margin to the south. The serpentinized mantle terminates 30 km seaward of the thick continental crust. At the seaward-most end of the thin continental crust, a prominent ridge feature is observed. The seismic refraction and multichannel seismic data results indicate a mixed character between serpentinized mantle with volcanic extrusions or continental crust. The reflection seismic data show a high relief basement from the ridge feature and seaward. The FLAME Line crosses magnetic anomaly 34 and extends another ∼50 km seaward well into oceanic crust. The ridge is flanked seaward by a two-layer oceanic crust. The upper layer (Layer 2) has velocities of 4.8-5.0 km s for the landward-most 35 km of oceanic crust and 4.8-6.2 km s for the seaward 60 km. The average thickness of Layer 2 is ∼2 km. The lower layer (Layer 3) has velocities of 6.7-7.2 km s and a thickness of ∼3.5 km. The velocity model is consistent with a sharp onset of seafloor spreading seaward of the ridge feature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The crustal structure in the southern Davis Strait and the adjacent ocean–continent transition zone in NE Labrador Sea was determined along a 185-km-long refraction/wide-angle reflection seismic transect to study the impact of the Iceland mantle plume to this region. A P-wave velocity model was developed from forward and inverse modelling of dense airgun shots recorded by ocean bottom seismographs. A coincident industry multichannel reflection seismic profile was used to guide the modelling as reflectivity could be identified down to Moho. The model displays a marked lateral change of velocity structure. The sedimentary cover (velocities 1.8–3.9 km s−1) is up to 4 km thick in the north and thins to 1 km in the south. The segment of the line within southern Davis Strait is interpreted to be of continental character with a two-layered 13-km-thick crust with P-wave velocities of 5.6–5.8 and 6.4–6.7 km s−1 in the upper and lower crust, respectively. The crust is underlain by a 2- to 4-km-thick high-velocity layer (7.5 km s−1). This layer we interpret as underplated material related to the Iceland plume. The southern segment of the line in Labrador Sea displays a 2-km-thick layer with a velocity of 4.5 km s−1. This layer can be correlated to a well about 100 km to the west of the line, where Palaeocene basalts and interbedded sediments were drilled. Underneath is a 12-km-thick crust with a 2-km-thick upper layer (5.8–6.6 km s−1) and a 10-km-thick lower layer (6.8–7.2 km s−1). This crust is interpreted to be of oceanic character. S-wave modelling yields a Poisson's ratio of 0.28 for the lower crust, compatible with a gabbroic composition. The igneous crust is 5 km thicker than normal oceanic crust. We suggest that the increased magma production was created by buoyancy-driving flow. We propose a model in which initial seafloor spreading occurred between Labrador and West Greenland, when the Iceland plume arrived in the area at ∼62 Ma and caused enhanced magma production. Shortly afterwards (chron 27–26), plume material was channelled southward underplating part of Davis Strait and forming basaltic flows interbedded with sediment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A P-wave velocity model along a 565-km-long profile across the Grand Banks–Newfoundland Basin rifted margin is presented. Continental crust ∼36 km thick beneath the Grand Banks is divided into upper (5.8–6.25 km s−1), middle (6.3–6.53 km s−1) and lower crust (6.77–6.9 km s−1), consistent with velocity structure of Avalon zone Appalachian crust. Syn-rift sediment sequences 6–7 km thick occur in two primary layers within the Jeanne d'Arc and the Carson basins (∼3 km s−1 in upper layer; ∼5 km s−1 in lower layer). Abrupt crustal thinning (Moho dip ∼35°) beneath the Carson basin and more gradual thinning seaward forms a 170-km-wide zone of rifted continental crust. Within this zone, lower and middle continental crust thin preferentially seawards until they are completely removed, while very thin (<3 km) upper crust continues ∼60 km farther seawards. Adjacent to the continental crust, high-velocity gradients (0.5–1.5 s−1) define an 80-km-wide zone of transitional basement that can be interpreted as exhumed, serpentinized mantle or anomalously thin oceanic crust, based on its velocity model alone. We prefer the exhumed-mantle interpretation after considering the non-reflective character of the basement and the low amplitude of associated magnetic anomalies, which are atypical of oceanic crust. Beneath both the transitional basement and thin (<6 km) continental crust, a 200-km-wide zone with reduced mantle velocities (7.6–7.9 km s−1) is observed, which is interpreted as partially (<10 per cent) serpentinized mantle. Seawards of the transitional basement, 2- to 6-km-thick crust with layer 2 (4.5–6.3 km s−1) and layer 3 (6.3–7.2 km s−1) velocities is interpreted as oceanic crust. Comparison of our crustal model with profile IAM-9 across the Iberia Abyssal Plain on the conjugate Iberia margin suggests asymmetrical continental breakup in which a wider zone of extended continental crust has been left on the Newfoundland side. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The central Nova Scotia margin off Eastern Canada is located at a transition from a volcanic margin in the south to a non-volcanic margin in the north. In order to study this transition, a wide-angle refraction seismic line with dense airgun shots was acquired across the central Nova Scotia margin. The 500-km-long transect is coincident with previous deep reflection profiles across the Lahave Platform and extending into the Sohm Abyssal Plain. A P-wave velocity model was developed from forward and inverse modelling of the wide-angle data from 21 ocean bottom seismometers and coincident normal-incidence reflection profiles. The velocity model shows that the continental crust is divided into three layers with velocities of 5.5–6.9 km s−1. The maximum thickness is 36 km. A minor amount (∼5 km) of thinning occurs beneath the outer shelf, while the major thinning to a thickness of 8 km occurs over the slope region. The seaward limit of the continental crust consists of 5-km-thick highly faulted basement. There is no evidence for magmatic underplating beneath the continental crust. On the contrary, a 4-km-thick layer of partially serpentinized mantle (7.6–7.95 km s−1) begins beneath the highly faulted continental crust, and extends ∼200 km seawards, forming the lower part of the ocean-continent transition zone. The upper part of the transition zone consists of the highly faulted continental crust and 4- to 5-km-thick initial oceanic crust. The continent–ocean boundary is moved ∼50 km farther seawards compared to an earlier interpretation based only on reflection seismic data. The oceanic crust in the transition zone consists of layer 2 and a high-velocity lower crustal layer. Layer 2 is 1–3 km thick with velocities of 5.6–6.0 km s−1. The high-velocity lower crustal layer is 1–2 km thick with velocities of 7.25–7.4 km s−1, suggesting a composite layer of serpentinized peridotite and gabbroic layer 3. Oceanic crust with normal thickness of 5–7 km and more typical layer 3 with velocities of 6.95–7.3 km s−1 is observed at the seaward end of the profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seismic reflection and refraction data were acquired along the southeast margin of Flemish Cap at a position conjugate to drilling and geophysical surveys across the Galicia Bank margin. The data document first-order asymmetry during final break-up between Newfoundland and Iberia. An abrupt necking profile of continental crust observed off Flemish Cap contrasts strongly with gradual tapering on the conjugate margin. There is no evidence beneath Flemish Cap for a final phase of continental extension that resulted in thin continental crust underlain by a strong ‘S’-like reflection, which indicates that this mode of extension occurred only on the Galicia Bank margin. Compelling evidence for a broad zone of exhumed mantle or for peridotite ridges is also lacking along the Flemish Cap margin. Instead, anomalously thin, 3–4-km-thick oceanic crust is observed. This crust is highly tectonized and broken up by high-angle normal faulting. The thin crust and rift structures that resemble the abandoned spreading centre in the Labrador sea suggest that initial seafloor spreading was affected by processes observed in present-day ultra-slow spreading environments. Landwards, Flemish Cap is underlain by a highly reflective lower crust. The reflectivity most likely originates from older Palaeozoic orogenic structures that are unrelated to extension and break-up tectonics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]