Eurasian Arctic Rifted Margin Composite Tectono-Sedimentary Element

Abstract

Abstract The Eurasian Arctic Rifted Margin (EARM) spans a poorly studied transition region between the Eurasian continental shelf and deep-water Nansen Basin. It is a conjugate margin to the Lomonosov Ridge as both domains were united before opening of the oceanic Eurasian Basin. The EARM is considered as a Composite Tectono-Sedimentary Element (CTSE) consisting of two individual tectono-sedimentary elements (TSEs): (1) an undefined group of poorly known pre-rift Mesozoic and Paleozoic sedimentary successions, and (2) the Late Cretaceous-Paleocene syn-rift strata. The latter are bounded by ∼56 Ma breakup unconformity and overlain by the Eurasia Basin prograded margin TSE, which is not included in EARM. In the absence of drilled wells, we utilize multichannel seismic reflection (MCS) data for seismic stratigraphic correlations with nearby, better-explored areas. The EARM is subdivided into three along-strike segments (from west to east): Svalbard-Barents Sea, the North Kara Sea, and the Taimyr-Laptev Sea. Across-strike, the EARM is composed of a proximal zone of stretched crust characterized by normal faulting, and a relatively narrow distal transition zone that may contain unroofed serpentinised mantle. The lack of drilled wells makes it challenging to evaluate petroleum potential of the CTSE, although some indications of a working petroleum system presence exist.