Search

Our 2‐D‐layered velocity model along strike northeastern Nova Scotian margin, constrained by wide‐angle seismic Profile OCTOPUS and coincident 9‐km streamer Profile GXT‐5100, displays highly variable basement structures interpreted to define four distinct zones within the continent‐ocean transition: Zone I, with thin (1–2 km) and laterally uniform upper crust (5.2–5.5 km/s) and high‐velocity lower crust (6.5–7.7 km/s); Zone II, with velocities of 5.5–7.5 km/s and a high vertical velocity gradient (∼1.1/s) characteristic of exhumed serpentinized (up to 90%) mantle (ESM) above ∼3.5‐km‐thick slightly (<30%) serpentinized mantle layer of reduced mantle velocities (7.5–8.0 km/s); Zone III, with 1‐ to 2‐km‐thick upper crust and velocity of ∼5.2 km/s above a ∼6‐km‐thick, moderately (<60%) serpentinized mantle layer (velocity ∼6.4–7.9 km/s); and Zone IV, with lower crust (∼0.7–3.0 km thick and with velocity of 6.1–6.6 km/s) between upper crust (velocity ∼5.0–5.4 km/s) and a slightly serpentinized mantle layer (<40%; velocity ∼7.3–8.0 km/s). These continent‐ocean transition structures represent embryonic oceanic or rifted continental crust, and ESM. By combining our results with those from two dip‐oriented crossing profiles, we map a regional track of non‐ESM landward of Profile OCTOPUS with mostly uniform along‐dip width, but a limited extent and variable width section of ESM seaward. Our results indicate that there can be a remarkable amount of short‐wavelength (e.g., 50 km) lateral structural variability within individual rifted margin segments but that mapping it requires a grid of modern wide‐angle profiles. Key Points: Continent‐ocean transition at the northeastern Nova Scotia Margin displays highly variable short‐wavelength tectonic structures along strikeWidespread serpentinized mantle is found beneath the transitional crust with exhumed serpentinized mantle present only locallyCapturing structural changes relevant to detailed rift tectonic studies requires a dense grid of high‐resolution wide‐angle seismic profiles [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the combined results of deep multichannel reflection and refraction seismic surveys across the Flemish Cap--Goban Spur conjugate margin pair (North Atlantic), which we use to infer rifting style and breakup. Profiles on both margins cross magnetic anomaly 34 and extend into oceanic crust, making it possible to observe the complete history from continental rifting through to the formation of initial oceanic crust. The deep multichannel seismic (MCS) reflection data have previously been used to support a model of symmetric pure shear extension followed by asymmetric breakup and a sharp continent-ocean boundary. Using both types of seismic data, our results indicate instead that asymmetric structures are formed during all stages of rifting, breakup, and complex transition to oceanic spreading. The differing nature of the two ocean-continent transition zones is particularly striking. For Flemish Cap, our reprocessed image of the MCS profile clearly shows tilted fault blocks beneath back-tilted sediment packages, consistent with a wide region of highly thinned continental crust inferred from wide-angle seismic data. In contrast, normal incidence and wide-angle seismic data for the Goban Spur transition zone indicate the presence of exhumed serpentinized mantle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

Upwelling or downwelling flow in Earth's mantle is thought to elevate or depress Earth's surface on a continental scale. Direct observation of this "dynamic topography" on the seafloor, however, has remained elusive because it is obscured by isostatically supported topography caused by near-surface density variations. We calculate the nonisostatic topography of the North Atlantic by correcting seafloor depths for lithospheric cooling and sediment loading, and find that seafloor west of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is an average of 0.5 km deeper than it is to the east. We are able to reproduce this basic observation in a model of mantle flow driven by tomographically inferred mantle densities. This model shows that the Farallon slab, currently in the lower mantle beneath the east coast of North America, induces downwelling flow that deepens the western North Atlantic relative to the east. Our model also predicts dynamic support of observed topographic highs near Iceland and the Azores, but suggests that the Icelandic high is due to local upper-mantle upwelling, while the Azores high is part of a plate-scale lower-mantle upwelling to the south. An anomalously deep area off the coast of Nova Scotia may be associated with the downwelling component of edge-driven convection at the continental boundary. Thus, several of the seafloor's topographic features can only be understood in terms of dynamic support from flow in Earth's mantle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]