A new tectonic map of the Arctic is presented, in which the age and basic structural features of the littoral and oceanic sedimentary basins are shown. A description of the structure of the foundation of the littoral and oceanic sedimentary basins and islands of the Arctic is given. On the basis of a synthesis of all available data and the analysis of new Russian seismic studies, a description of the main sedimentary basins of the Barents, Kara, Laptev, East Siberian, and Chukchi seas is given. It shows that the majority of these sedimentary basins are rift and post-rift basins. For the first time, seismic studies of the oceanic zone are presented, created in the course of the Russian Arctic-2011 and Arctic-2012 projects. Based on the interpretation of these studies, characteristics are presented for the Lomonosov Ridge, the Alpha-Mendeleev Ridge, the Chukchi Cap, the Podvodnikov Basin, the Nautilus Basin, the Eurasian Basin, and other structural regions. Data are presented on the structure of the sedimentary basins of the continental slope. A model of the stratigraphy and geological structure of the entire Arctic region is introduced. The timeline of the geological history of the Arctic in the Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras is discussed.
Table of contents
Introduction 5
Basement Provinces of the Arctic 7
Sedimentary Basins of the Arctic Shelves 13
Sedimentary Basins of the Arctic Shelf 13
The Norwegian Basins of the Atlantic Continental Margin 13
West Barents System of Basins 13 East Barents Megabasin 15
Pechora Sea Basin 19 South Kara Basin 22 North Kara Basin 22
Laptev Sea Rift System 27
East Siberian Sea Rift System 30
North Chukchi Basin Region 36
Laptev Sea-East Siberian Sea System of Mesozoic Synorogenic Basins 40
South Chukchi Basin 41 The Deep-Water Part of the Arctic Ocean 43
Canada Basin 43
Eurasian Basin 45
Lomonosov-Podvodnikov-Alpha-Mendeleev-Nautilus-Chukchi 53
plateau (LPAMNCP) Area Lomonosov Ridge 53
Podvodnikov Basin 54
Makarov Basin 54
Alpha Ridge and Mendeleev Ridge 55
Chukchi Plateau 59
Nautilus and Toll Basins 61
Singling out of the Amerasian Transform Fault 65
Possible geological models of geological structure and formation of the area of the 65
Alpha-Mendeleev Ridge Sedimentary Basins of Continental Slopes 71
Geological History of the Arctic Ocean 73
References 79
