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Major tectonic elements of the Scotia Plate

  • Marine Geology
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Abstract

The opening of the Drake Passage and formation of the Scotia Plate started in the Early Oligocene (∼30 Ma). In spite of the intense studies of the last decades, the tectonic structure of the plate and its evolution remain a matter of debate. This work presents the ideas on the tectonic zoning of the Scotia Plate based on the complex analysis of the morphological peculiarities of the bottom relief, the anomalous gravity field in various reductions, and the anomalous magnetic field. The western, central, and eastern blocks of the plate distinct in the relief structure and geophysical fields are distinguished, and the possible evolution scenario of the plate is suggested.

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Teterin, D.E., Dubinin, E.P., Udintsev, G.B. et al. Major tectonic elements of the Scotia Plate. Oceanology 55, 236–244 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0001437015020174

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