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Cenozoic Plants and Climates of the Arctic pp 35–55Cite as

Cenozoic Tectono-Magmatic Events in the North Atlantic: Potential Paleoenvironmental Implications

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Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((ASII,volume 27))

Abstract

The crustal break-up between Eurasia and Greenland during chron 24r, the subsequent growth of deep ocean basins, and regional continental uplift provide a geometric framework that have influenced circulation patterns and sedimentation/erosion on local and regional scales. Cenozoic tectono-magmatic events may also have affected the chemical and physical properties of the oceans and atmosphere, yielding a potential global impact. The events include: 1) Syn-rift uplift, followed by a massive, transient magmatic pulse during break-up and initial sea floor spreading. The magmatism resulted in emplacement of onshore and offshore flood basalts accompanied by regional ashfalls. There is a temporal correspondence with the terminal Paleocene deep-sea extinction event and the earliest Eocene greenhouse. Enhanced atmospheric CO2 levels, leading to polar warming and changing patterns of deep water formation, may have affected the global environment. 2) Emplacement of extrusive complexes during break-up, which combined with a segmented plate boundary, controlled circulation of Paleogene waters in the Norwegian-Greenland Sea. This led to late Paleocene-early Eocene shallow basins with poor regional water mass exchange. Deep basins formed in the middle Eocene, creating regional surface water interaction, but deep water was isolated throughout the Paleogene. The present deep water exchange through the Norwegian-Greenland Sea is a Neogene and Quaternary phenomenon, related to Fram Strait opening and subsidence of the Greenland - Scotland Ridge. 3) Neogene epeirogenic uplift of the Fennoscandian landmass and inner shelf region. This tectonic uplift was probably initiated in Late Oligocene and continued through the Pliocene. Deep erosion of the landmass generated huge late Neogene sedimentary wedges along the eastern Norwegian-Greenland Sea margin. The uplift appears to be contemporaneous with Northern Hemisphere climatic deterioration.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1047, Blindern, N-0316, Oslo, Norway

    O. Eldholm & A. M. Myhre

  2. GEOMAR, Wischofstrasse 1-3, D-24148, Kiel 14, Germany

    J. Thiede

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  1. O. Eldholm
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Palaeobiology Research Unit, University of East London, Romford Road, London, E15 4LZ, UK

    Michael C. Boulter  & Helen C. Fisher  & 

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Eldholm, O., Myhre, A.M., Thiede, J. (1994). Cenozoic Tectono-Magmatic Events in the North Atlantic: Potential Paleoenvironmental Implications. In: Boulter, M.C., Fisher, H.C. (eds) Cenozoic Plants and Climates of the Arctic. NATO ASI Series, vol 27. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-79378-3_4

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