Thermochronometry constraints on south West Greenland passive continental margin development
Abstract Passive continental margins (PCMs) represent the interface between the marine and terrestrial realms. However, topographic evolution of PCMs is often difficult to decipher due to paucity of the preserved geological record. Here, we report uranium-thorium-helium ((U-Th)/He) analysis of the P...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2023-04-01
|
| Series: | Communications Earth & Environment |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-023-00786-6 |
| _version_ | 1797840808072708096 |
|---|---|
| author | Martin Danišík Christopher L. Kirkland |
| author_facet | Martin Danišík Christopher L. Kirkland |
| author_sort | Martin Danišík |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Passive continental margins (PCMs) represent the interface between the marine and terrestrial realms. However, topographic evolution of PCMs is often difficult to decipher due to paucity of the preserved geological record. Here, we report uranium-thorium-helium ((U-Th)/He) analysis of the Precambrian crystalline basement from southern West Greenland that help constrain the process of rifting between Greenland and North America and contributes to the debate about the West Greenland PCM development. The majority of zircon (U-Th)/He dates (220-580 Ma) imply several kilometres of burial of the basement by Paleozoic (and potentially Mesozoic) sediments. Apatite (U-Th)/He dates (80-230 Ma) record thermal processes associated with extensional tectonism starting in the Late Triassic and passive margin formation in the Early Cretaceous. Our data provide no evidence of thermal activity during Cenozoic times, suggesting that the thermal effects of Paleogene rifting and break-up were negligible and the magnitude of Cenozoic erosion was <3.5 km in the study area. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T16:20:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ad327e8fcac54989aedda8560494161c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2662-4435 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T16:20:42Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Earth & Environment |
| spelling | doaj.art-ad327e8fcac54989aedda8560494161c2023-04-23T11:29:15ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Earth & Environment2662-44352023-04-01411910.1038/s43247-023-00786-6Thermochronometry constraints on south West Greenland passive continental margin developmentMartin Danišík0Christopher L. Kirkland1Western Australia ThermoChronology Hub (WATCH) Facility, John de Laeter Centre, Curtin UniversityTimescales of Mineral Systems Group, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin UniversityAbstract Passive continental margins (PCMs) represent the interface between the marine and terrestrial realms. However, topographic evolution of PCMs is often difficult to decipher due to paucity of the preserved geological record. Here, we report uranium-thorium-helium ((U-Th)/He) analysis of the Precambrian crystalline basement from southern West Greenland that help constrain the process of rifting between Greenland and North America and contributes to the debate about the West Greenland PCM development. The majority of zircon (U-Th)/He dates (220-580 Ma) imply several kilometres of burial of the basement by Paleozoic (and potentially Mesozoic) sediments. Apatite (U-Th)/He dates (80-230 Ma) record thermal processes associated with extensional tectonism starting in the Late Triassic and passive margin formation in the Early Cretaceous. Our data provide no evidence of thermal activity during Cenozoic times, suggesting that the thermal effects of Paleogene rifting and break-up were negligible and the magnitude of Cenozoic erosion was <3.5 km in the study area.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-023-00786-6 |
| spellingShingle | Martin Danišík Christopher L. Kirkland Thermochronometry constraints on south West Greenland passive continental margin development Communications Earth & Environment |
| title | Thermochronometry constraints on south West Greenland passive continental margin development |
| title_full | Thermochronometry constraints on south West Greenland passive continental margin development |
| title_fullStr | Thermochronometry constraints on south West Greenland passive continental margin development |
| title_full_unstemmed | Thermochronometry constraints on south West Greenland passive continental margin development |
| title_short | Thermochronometry constraints on south West Greenland passive continental margin development |
| title_sort | thermochronometry constraints on south west greenland passive continental margin development |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-023-00786-6 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT martindanisik thermochronometryconstraintsonsouthwestgreenlandpassivecontinentalmargindevelopment AT christopherlkirkland thermochronometryconstraintsonsouthwestgreenlandpassivecontinentalmargindevelopment |