Jan Mayen Microcontinent
The Jan Mayen Microcontinent is a
Extent
The microcontinent extends about 500 km southwards from the Jan Mayen fracture zone. It is up to 160 km wide.[1] The Jan Mayen Ridge separates the Norwegian Sea (the Norway Basin) from the Greenland Sea.[2]
Identification
The microcontinent was identified originally on the basis of being a bathymetric high, a positive free-air gravity anomaly and due to the lack of magnetic anomalies, all indicating that it consisted of continental crust. This interpretation has been confirmed using wide-angle seismic reflection and refraction data,[3] coupled with standard normal incidence seismic reflection data.
Make-up
The microcontinent consists of the prominent bathymetric high, the Jan Mayen Ridge and several subsidiary ridges and intervening basins towards the south and west. Investigations using seismic reflection and refraction data have identified two passive margin sequences on the two sides of the microcontinent. Faults mapped on seismic reflection data are roughly N-S trending in the northern part becoming SW-NE trending to the south.[4] The crustal thickness reaches a maximum of 16 km on the eastern side of the main ridge.[5]
History
At the time of the initial break-up along the North Atlantic margin (Aegir Ridge in this area), the Jan Mayen Microcontinent formed part of the passive margin developed along the East Greenland margin.
Towards the end of the Eocene period, at about the time marked by
The Kolbeinsey Ridge reached the Jan Mayen Fracture Zone and therefore linked up to the
Economic resources
The area around the microcontinent has recently become open for licensing for
References
- Bibcode:2003AGUFM.T31D0872R.
- ^ C.Michael Hogan. 2011. Norwegian Sea. Eds. P.Saundry & C.J.Cleveland. Encyclopedia of Earth. National Council for Science and the Environment (U.S.) Washington DC
- .
- ^ ISBN 978-0-444-51849-1. Retrieved 2010-04-01.
- ^ Bibcode:2003AGUFM.T12D0492B.
- ^ .
- .
- Bibcode:2002AGUFM.T12D1344R.
- ^ The National Energy Authority (18 May 2009). "The First Licensing Round on the Icelandic continental shelf in the northern Dreki area is closed". Retrieved 2 July 2011.
- ^ Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (27 April 2011). "Seismic acquisition around Jan Mayen this summer". Retrieved 2 July 2011.