Cenozoic continental separation between Europe and Greenland

Abstract

Prior to the Cenozoic a shallow sea extending into the North Sea and the Barents Sea existed between Greenland and Europe. Sea-floor spreading along an axis within this epicontinental basin commenced in the Late Paleocene. However, the geologic development of the region is characterized by two major plate tectonic phases. During the first phase oceanic crust was created by sea-floor spreading south of the Greenland—Senja Fracture Zone, whereas the relative motion between northeast Greenland and Svalbard took place along a regional transform fault zone without formation of a deep basin. The second phase started in the Middle Oligocene when the relative plate motion became west-northwest with subsequent formation of the Greenland Sea by sea-floor spreading. Plate tectonic analysis also shows that generation of the Icelandic type ocean crust has been maintained throughout the entire Cenozoic as reflected by the shallow Faeroe—Iceland Ridge. The plate tectonic evolution has caused important constraints on the paleo-oceanography of the Norwegian—Greenland Sea and adjacent areas. In particular, two land bridges may at times have allowed migration of continental faunas and floras, thus by passing the growing North Atlantic Ocean. The land bridges have also acted as important barriers to the surface and deep water exchange between the Norwegian—Greenland Sea, the Arctic Ocean and the main basins of the North Atlantic Ocean. In the south, the main platform of the aseismic Faeroe—Iceland Ridge subsided below sea level in the Miocene. In the north, deep water did not flow between the margins off northeast Greenland and Svalbard before the Middle Oligocene.