Deep seismic reflection data of EDGE U.S. mid-Atlantic continental-margin experiment: Implications for Appalachian sutures and Mesozoic rifting and magmatic underplating

Abstract

The EDGE seismic experiment across the Virginia continental margin delineated a Paleozoic suture, buried Appalachian terranes, and Mesozoic rifting and magmatic events. The seismic grid revealed that the Mesozoic Norfolk rift basin exists only in the northern one-third of the previously mapped area. The north-striking listric border fault of the Norfolk basin half-graben parallels seismic laminations in the basement. The Jurassic volcanic wedge pinches out just landward of the Baltimore Canyon trough hinge zone and downlaps on the hummocky oceanic basement under the continental rise. Under the continental slope, the volcanic wedgereaches depths >9 s (20 km). Two distinct intracrustal reflections at 4.0-5.0 s and at 7.0 s TWIT (two-way traveltime) dip southeastward at low angles (∼15°). The Moho reflection is disrupted where it is intersected by the 7.0 s reflection. Northwest of this point the Moho dips landward; seaward it is horizontal. Seaward of this point, the lower-crustal boundary laminations exist in a narrow interval (10.5-11.0 s) and are of strong amplitude. These changes in the Moho and lower crust represent the seaward edge of the Grenville-age North American crust and the landward edge of Jurassic magmatic underplating. A northwest-dipping reflection observed for the first time on the U.S. Atlantic margin may be the top of the Jurassic magmatic- underplating layer; the northwest-dipping reflection truncates the southeast- dipping 7.0 s TWTT reflection. Landward projection of the 7.0 s reflection yields a north-south trace on the postrift unconformity under the center of lower Chesapeake Bay. This trace is near a basement fault between low-grade metamorphic rocks (Carolina slate-Avalonia) on the east and high-grade rocks (Goochland terrane) on the west. This fault boundary and the southeastdipping 7.0 s reflection probably represent the Taconic suture.