Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Tectonic Setting and Cenozoic Sedimentary History of the Bering Sea

  • Conference paper
Marine Geology and Oceanography of the Arctic Seas

Abstract

The Bering Sea consists of (a) an abyssal basin that apparently was isolated from the Pacific Ocean by the development of the Aleutian Ridge near the end of Cretaceous Period and (b) a large epicontinental shelf area that first became submerged near the middle of the Tertiary Period. We postulate that the sediment eroded from Alaska and Siberia during Cenozoic time. It (1) was trapped in subsiding basins on the Bering shelf and in abyssal basins during the Tertiary, (2) collected mostly in continental rise and abyssal plain deposits of the Bering Sea during periods of low sea level of the Pleistocene, and (3) has been transported generally northward from the Bering shelf through the Bering Strait into the Arctic Ocean during periods of high sea level in Pleistocene and Holocene time.

Filling of subsiding basins on the shelf apparently was dominated by continental sedimentation in the early Tertiary and by marine deposition in the later Tertiary. River diversions caused by Miocene uplift of the Alaskan Range appear to have more than doubled the drainage area of the Yukon River. This change established the Yukon as the dominant source of river sediments (~90%) reaching the Bering Sea and must have greatly accelerated sedimentation in the basins.

The Quaternary Period presumably has been a time of alternation between two modes of sedimentation. When sea level was glacio-eustatically lowered, the Yukon and other rivers extended their courses across the continental shelf and delivered most of their sediment to the abyssal basin; an incidental result was the cutting of some of the world’s largest submarine canyons. Occurrence of the thin Holocene marine deposits near the present Yukon delta, of mainly relict sediments in the northern Bering Sea north of St. Lawrence Island and of several meters of Holocene sediment in the Chukchi Sea, suggests that when sea level was high, currents evidently swept much of the sediment from the Yukon River northward through the Bering Strait to be deposited on the continental shelf of the Chukchi Sea.

Publication authorized by the director, U.S. Geological Survey

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Baranova, Yu. P., S. F. Biske, V. F. Goncharov, I. A. Kul’kova, and A. S. Titkov. 1968. Cenozoic of the northeast of the U.S.S.R. Akad Sci., U.S.S.R., Siberian Division, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Trudy. [In Russian. English translation U.S. National Translation Center, Chicago.] 125 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barth, T. F. W. 1956. Geology and petrology of the Pribilof Islands, Alaska. U.S. Geol. Surv. Bull. 1028-F: 101–160.

    Google Scholar 

  • Biske, S. F. 1970. Correlation of Tertiary nonmarine sediments in Alaska and northeastern Siberia (abstract). Am. Assoc. Petroleum Geol. 54:2469.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buffington, E. C., A. J. Carsola, and R. S. Dietz. 1950. Oceanographic cruise to the Bering and Chukchi seas, summer, 1949. Part 1, sea floor studies. U.S. Navy Electron. Lab. Rep. 204 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burns, J. J. 1970. Remarks on the distribution and natural history of pagophilic pinnipeds in the Bering and Chukchi seas. J. Mammalogy 28: 445–454.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Churkin, M. 1972. Western boundary of the North American continental plate in Asia. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 83: 1027–1036.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coulter, H. W., et al. 1965. Map showing extent of glaciation in Alaska. U.S. Geol. Surv. Misc. Geol. Invest. Map 1–415.

    Google Scholar 

  • Creager, J. S., and D. A. McManus. 1967. Geology of the floor of Bering and Chukchi seas—American studies. In: D. M. Hopkins, ed. The Bering Land Bridge. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. pp. 32–46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Creager, J. S., R. J. Echols, M. L. Holmes and D. A. McManus, 1970. Chukchi Sea continental shelf sedimentation (abstract). Am. Assoc. Petroleum Geol. Bull 54(12): 2475.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dietz, R. A., A. J. Carsola, E. C. Buffington, and C. J. Shipek. 1964. Sediments and topography of the Alaska shelves. In: R. L. Miller, ed. Papers in Marine Geology. New York: Macmillan. pp. 241–256.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ewing, M., W. J. Ludwig, and J. Ewing. 1965. Oceanic structural history of the Bering Sea. J. Geophys. Res. 70: 4593–4600.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fleming, R. H., and D. Heggarty. 1966. Oceanography of the southeastern Chukchi Sea. In: N. J. Willimovsky and J. N. Wolfe, eds. Environment of the Cape Thompson region, Alaska. U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. pp. 687–754.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gershanovich, D. E. 1967. Late Quaternary sediments of the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska. In: D. M. Hopkins, ed. The Bering Land Bridge. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. pp. 32–46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gershanovich, D. E. 1968. New data on geomorphology and recent sediments in the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska. Marine Geol. 6: 281–296.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grantz, A., W. F. Hanna, and S. C. Wolfe. 1970a. Chukchi Sea seismic reflection and magnetic profiles, 1969, between northern Alaska and International Date Line. U.S. Geol. Surv. Open-File Rep. 26 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grantz, A., S. C. Wolf, L. Breslau, T. C. Johnson, and W. F. Hanna. 1970b. Reconnaissance geology of the Chukchi Sea as determined by acoustic and magnetic profiling. In: W. L. Adkinson and W. W. Brosge, eds. Proceedings of the Geology Seminar on the North Slope of Alaska. American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Pacific Section, Los Angeles, F1–F28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greene, H. G. 1970. A portable refraction seismograph survey of gold placer areas near Nome, Alaska. U.S. Geol. Surv. Bull. 1312-B. 29 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grim, M. S., and D. A. McManus. 1970. A shallow-water seismic-profiling survey of the northern Bering Sea. Marine Geol. 8: 293–320.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grow, J. A., and T. Atwater. 1970. Mid-Tertiary tectonic transition in the Aleutian Arc. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 81: 3715–3722.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holmes, M. L., R. von Huene, and D. A. McManus. 1972. Seismic reflection evidence supporting under-thrusting beneath the Aleutian Arc near Amchitka Island. J. Geophys. Res. 77: 959–964.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hopkins, D. M. 1959. Cenozoic history of the Bering land bridge. Science 129: 1519–1528.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hopkins, D. M. 1963. Geology of the Imuruk Lake area, Seward Peninsula, Alaska. U.S. Geol. Surv. Bull. 1141-C. 101 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hopkins, D. M. 1967a. The Cenozoic history of Beringia—a synthesis. In: D. M. Hopkins, ed. The Bering Land Bridge. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. 495 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hopkins, D. M. 1967b. The Bering Land Bridge. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. 495 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hopkins, D. M. 1972. The paleogeography and climatic history of Beringia during late Cenozoic time. Internord 12: 121–150.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hopkins, D. M., D. W. Scholl, W. O. Addicott, R. L. Pierce, J. A. Wolfe, D. Gershanovich, B. Kotenev, K. E. Lohman, J. E. Lipps, and J. Obradovich. 1969. Cretaceous, Tertiary, and early Pleistocene rocks from the continental margin in the Bering Sea. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 80: 1471–1480.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hopkins, D. M., and D. W. Scholl. 1970. Tectonic deveolopment of Beringia, late Mesozoic to Holocene (abstract). Am. Assoc. Petroleum Geol. Bull. 54: 2486.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hopkins, D. M., R. W. Rowland, and W. W. Patton. 1972. Middle Pleistocene mollusks from St. Lawrence Island and their significance for the paleo-oceanography of the Bering Sea. Quat. Res. 2: 119–134.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Husby, D. M. 1969. Report ocĂ©anographic cruise U.S.C.G. Northwind, northern Bering Sea—Bering Strait—Chukchi Sea, 1967. U.S.C.G. Oceanographie Rep., 24. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Coast Guard Oceanographie Unit. 75 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Husby, D. M. 1971. Oceanographie investigations in the northern Bering Sea and Bering Strait, June-July, 1968. U.S.C.G. Oceanographie Rep., 40. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Coast Guard Oceanographie Unit. 50 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kienle, J. 1970. Gravity and magnetic measurements over Bowers Ridge and Shirshov Ridge, Bering Sea. J. Geophys. Res. 76: 7138–7153.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • King, P. B., Jr. 1969. Tectonic map of North America. U.S. Geol. Surv. Map.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirschner, C. E., and C. A. Lyon. 1970. Stratigraphic and tectonic development of Cook Inlet petroleum province (abstract). Am. Assoc. Petroleum Geol. Bull. 54: 2490.

    Google Scholar 

  • Knebel, H. J., and J. S. Creager. 1970. Holocene sedimentary framework of east-central Bering Shelf: preliminary results (abstract). Am. Assoc. Petroleum Geol. Bull., 54: 2491.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kummer, J. T., and J. S. Creager. 1971. Marine geology and Cenozoic history of Gulf of Anadyr. Marine Geol. 10: 257–280.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lamb, H. H. 1971. Climate-engineering schemes to meet a climatic emergency. Earth Sci. Rev. 7: 87–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lisitsyn, A. P. 1966. Recent sedimentation in the Bering Sea. Akademiya Nauk SSSR, Institut Oceanologii (translated) [Israel Program for Scientific Translations, publ., 1969]. 614 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ludwig, W. J., R. E. Houtz, and M. Ewing. 1971a. Sediment distribution in the Bering Sea: Bowers Ridge, Shirshov Ridge, and enclosed basins. J. Geophys. Res. 76: 6367–6375.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ludwig, W. J., S. Murauchi, N. Den, M. Ewing, H. Hotta, R. E. Houtz, T. Yoshii, T. Asanuma, K. Hagiwara, T. Saito, and S. Ando. 1971b. Structure of Bowers Ridge, Bering Sea. J. Geophys. Res. 76: 6350–6366.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marlow, M. S., D. W. Scholl, E. C. Buffington, R. E. Boyce, T. R. Alpha, P. J. Smith, and C. J. Shipek. 1970. Buldir depression—A late Tertiary graben on the Aleutian Ridge, Alaska. Marine Geol. 8: 85–108.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McManus, D. A., J. C. Kelly, and J. S. Creager. 1969. Continental shelf sedimentation in an arctic environment. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 80: 1961–1984.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McManus, D. A., and C. S. Smyth. 1970. Turbid bottom water on the continental shelf of northern Bering Sea. J. Sedimentary Petrology 40: 869–877.

    Google Scholar 

  • Menard, H. W. 1967. Transitional types of crust under small ocean basins. J. Geophys. Res. 72: 3061–3073.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moll, R. F. 1970. Clay mineralogy of the north Bering Sea shallows. Masters thesis, University of Southern California, Los Angeles. 101 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore, D. G. 1964. Acoustic reflection reconnaissance of continental shelves: eastern Bering and Chukchi seas. In: R. L. Miller, ed. Pap. Marine Geol. New York: Macmillan Co. pp. 319–362.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, C. H. 1970a. Late Cenozoic history of deposition of northern Bering shelf (abstract). Am. Assoc. Petroleum Geol. Bull. 54: 2498.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, C. H. 1970b. Potential development of heavy metal resources in the northern Bering Sea—Science in Alaska. Proceedings 20th Alaska Scientific Conference Alaska Division. American Association for Advancement of Science, College, Alaska, 1969. pp. 366–376.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, C. H., and D. M. Hopkins. 1972. Sedimentary processes and distribution of particulate gold in northern Bering Sea. U.S. Geol. Surv. Prof. Pap. 689. 27 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, C. H., D. L. Pierce, K. Leong, and F. Wang. 1972. Mercury distribution in ancient and modern sediment of northeastern Bering Sea. U.S. Geol. Surv. Open-File Rep. 25 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Patton, W. W., Jr. 1970. Mesozoic tectonics and correlations in Yukon-Koyukuk Province, west-central Alaska (abstract). Am. Assoc. Petroleum Geol. Bull. 54: 2500.

    Google Scholar 

  • Patton, W. W., and B. Csejtey, Jr. 1970. Preliminary geologic investigations of western St. Lawrence Island, Alaska. U.S. Geol. Surv. Prof. Pap. 684. 15 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Petrov, O. M. 1966. Stratigrafiya i fauna morskikh mollyuskov Chetvertichnikh otlozhenii Chukot-skogo Poluostrova (stratigraphy and fauna of marine mollusks of Quaternary deposits of the Chu-kotka Peninsula). Akademiya Nauk SSSR Institut Geologicheskogo Trudy, 155. 257 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Petrov, O. M. 1967. Paleogeography of Chukotka during late Neogene and Quaternary time. In: D. M. Hopkins, ed. The Bering Land Bridge. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. pp. 144–171.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rowland, R. W., and D. M. Hopkins. 1971. Comments on the use of Hiatella arctica for determining Cenozoic sea temperatures. Paleogeography, Paleo-climatology, Paleoecology 9: 59–64.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sainsbury, C. L. 1967. Quaternary geology of western Seward Peninsula, Alaska. In: D. M. Hopkins, ed. The Bering Land Bridge. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. pp. 121–143.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scholl, D. W., E. C. Buffington, and D. M. Hopkins. 1966. Exposure of basement rock on the continental slope of Bering Sea. Science 153: 992–994.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scholl, D. W., E. C. Buffington, and D. M. Hopkins. 1968. Geologic history of the continental margin of North America in Bering Sea. Marine Geol. 6: 297–330.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scholl, D. W., and D. M. Hopkins. 1969. Newly discovered Cenozoic basins, Bering shelf, Alaska. Am. Assoc. Petroleum Geol. 53: 2067–2078.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scholl, D. W., and M. S. Marlow. 1970. Bering Sea seismic profiles, 1969. U.S. Geol. Surv. Open-File Rep.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scholl, D. W., E. C. Buffington, D. M. Hopkins, and T. R. Alpha. 1970a. The structure and origin of the large submarine canyons of the Bering Sea. Marine Geol. 8: 187–210.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scholl, D. W., H. G. Greene, and M. S. Marlow. 1970b. The Eocene age of the Adak “Paleozoic?” locality, Aleutian Islands, Alaska. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 81: 3583–3592.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scholl, D. W., and E. C. Buffington. 1970. Structural evolution of Bering continental margin: Cretaceous to Holocene (abstract). Am. Assoc. Petroleum Geol. Bull. 54: 2503.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scholl, D. W., J. S. Creager, R. E. Boyce, R. J. Echols, T. J. Fullam, J. A. Grow, I. Koizumi, J. Homa Lee, H. Y. Ling, P. R. Supko, R. J. Stewart, T. R. Worsley, A. Ericson, J. Hess, G. Bryan, and R. Stoll. 1971. Deep-sea drilling project leg 19. Geotimes 16(11): 12–15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fullam, J. A., E. C. Buffington, and M. S. Marlow. in press. Plate tectonics and the structural evolution of the Aleutian-Bering Sea region: Solutions and complications. In: R. B. Forbes, ed. The Geophysics and Geology of the Bering Sea Region. Geological Society of America Special Paper.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharma, G. D. 1970. Recent sedimentation on southern Bering shelf (abstract). Am. Assoc. Petroleum Geol. Bull. 54:2503.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sheth, M. 1971. A heavy mineral study of Pleistocene and Holocene sediments near Nome, Alaska. Masters thesis, San Jose State College, San Jose, California. 83 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shor, G. G., Jr. 1964. Structure of the Bering Sea and the Aleutian Ridge. Marine Geol. 11: 213–219.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silberman, M. L. 1969. Preliminary report on electron microscopic examination of surface texture of quartz sand grains from the Bering shelf. U.S. Geol. Surv. Prof. Pap. 650-C. pp. C33–C37.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tagg, A. R., and H. G. Greene. 1971. High-resolution seismic survey of a nearshore area, Nome, Alaska. U.S. Geol. Surv. Prof. Pap. 759: A1–A23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tilman, S. M., V. F. Belyi, A. A. Nikolaevskii, and N. A. Shilo. 1969. Tektonika Severo-vostoka SSSR (Tectonics of northeastern USSR). Akademiya Nauk SSSR, Sibirsk Otdeleniye, Severo-Vostoch-nogo Nauchno-IssledovateVskiy Institut Trudy, 33. 78 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Udintsev, G. B., I. G. Biochenko, and V. F. Kanaev. 1959. Bottom relief of the Bering. In: P. L. Bezrukov, ed. Geographical Description of the Bering Sea. Akademiya Nauk SSSR, Institut Oceanologii Trudy, 29. [Israel Program for Sci. Translations, 1964]. pp. 14–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. 1969. St. Lawrence Island to Port Clarence, 1:250,000. Environmental Science Services Administration Bathymetric Map (Preliminary), C&GS PBM-1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Venkatarathnam, K. 1971. Heavy minerals on the continental shelf of the northern Bering Sea. U.S. Geol. Surv. Open-File Rep. 93 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Verba, M. L., G. I. Gaponenko, S. S. Ivanov, A. N. Orlov, V. I. Timofeev and Yu. F. Chernenkov. 1971. Glubinnoe stroenie i perspectivy neftegazo-nosnosti severo-zapadnoi chasti Beringia Morya (Deep structure and oil and gas prospects of the northwestern part of Bering Sea). [In Russian. English translation available from U.S. National Translation Center, Chicago.] Nachno-Issled. Inst. Geologii Arktiki (NIIG A), Geofiz. Metody Razvedki v Arktike 6: 70–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • Von Huene, R., and G. G. Shor. 1969. The structure and tectonic history of the eastern Aleutian Trench. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 80: 1889–1902.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wahrhaftig, C., J. A. Wolfe, E. B. Leopold, and M. A. Lanphere. 1969. The coal-bearing group in the Nenana coal field Alaska. U.S. Geol. Surv. Bull. 1274-D. 30 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walton, F. W., R. B. Perry, and H. G. Greene. 1969. Seismic reflection profiles, northern Bering Sea. U.S. Dept. Commerce, ESSA, Operational Data Rep., C&GS DR-8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolfe, J. A., and C. Wahrhaftig, 1966. Tertiary stratigraphy and paleobotany of the Cook Inlet region, Alaska, U.S. Geol. Surv. Prof. Pap. 398-A. 29 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolfe, J. A., and C. Wahrhaftig. 1970. The Cantwell Formation of the central Alaska Range. U.S. Geol. Surv. Bull. 1294-A. pp. 41–46.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park, California, 94025, USA

    C. Hans Nelson, David M. Hopkins & David W. Scholl

Authors
  1. C. Hans Nelson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. David M. Hopkins
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. David W. Scholl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, 99163, USA

    Yvonne Herman

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1974 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.

About this paper

Cite this paper

Nelson, C.H., Hopkins, D.M., Scholl, D.W. (1974). Tectonic Setting and Cenozoic Sedimentary History of the Bering Sea. In: Herman, Y. (eds) Marine Geology and Oceanography of the Arctic Seas. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-87411-6_4

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-87411-6_4

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-87413-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-87411-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation