Publications
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Telmon, Maria; Grundvåg, Sten-Andreas; Senger, Kim; Planke, Sverre; Horota, Rafael Kenji & Betlem, Peter
[Show all 12 contributors for this article]
(2026).
Miocene flood basalts in NW Spitsbergen: Emplacement environment and Arctic paleoclimate context.
Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research.
ISSN 0377-0273.
479.
doi:
10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2026.108724.
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Large parts of the Arctic, including Svalbard, have experienced recurrent episodes of uplift and erosion over the last 15–20 million years, coinciding with localized magmatism and seafloor spreading. This has left sparse onshore stratigraphic records of the Miocene period, limiting our understanding of the tectono-sedimentary and paleo-landscape evolution across this vast region. The volcanic Seidfjellet Formation in northwestern Spitsbergen thus provides a rare e onshore Miocene record. To determine emplacement mechanisms, volcanic architecture, and the pre-volcanic paleoenvironment, we combined detailed field-based facies analysis with digital outcrop models, thin-section petrography, and palynology. We document 10–20 basaltic lava flows, totaling ~400 m in cumulative thickness, now exposed at 600–1350 m elevation. The lava sequence rests on a gently undulating Devonian peneplane that locally is incised by several-hundred-meters-wide, up to 150-m-deep depressions interpreted as paleo-valleys. These valleys likely formed by stream rejuvenation associated with Miocene peneplane uplift. At valley bases we report previously unrecognized pockets of unconsolidated sediment, evidence of pre-volcanic sedimentation. Valley margins are locally draped by volcaniclastic deposits that contain in-situ charcoal-lined tree molds, indicating forested margins before eruption. The main valley fills are hyaloclastite deposits up to 150 m thick, arranged in steeply dipping forests that record southward progradation of a lava-fed delta after base-level rise and drowning of the valleys. Palynological data indicate a conifer-dominated wetland prior to lava emplacement, while the dinocyst assemblages appear partly reworked and are consistent with a Late Oligocene–Early Miocene signal but more likely reflect a Late Miocene age. This study provides the first systematic description of the Seidfjellet Formation volcanic facies and architecture, constrains its spatial extent, and, through its pre-volcanic sedimentary records, offers new paleoenvironmental reconstructions. Finally, our findings highlight the interplay between magmatism and uplift during Svalbard’s Miocene evolution
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Zastrozhnov, Andrey; Danukalova, Guzel; Osipova, Eugenija; Kurmanov, Ravil; Golovachev, Mikhail & Titov, Vadim
[Show all 10 contributors for this article]
(2026).
From lapping waters to marshy lands and back: Quaternary environmental dynamics of the North Caspian inferred from the Raigorod site and contemporary regional correlations.
Quaternary International.
ISSN 1040-6182.
753,
p. 110058–110058.
doi:
10.1016/j.quaint.2025.110058.
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The Caspian Sea underwent a complex series of transgressive and regressive episodes during the Quaternary, with the North Caspian region particularly sensitive to even minor sea-level fluctuations. Outcrops along the Volga River preserve a valuable depositional record of these changes. The Raigorod site, one of the northernmost sections, provides a key stratigraphic archive for reconstructing regional Quaternary environmental changes, but aspects of its stratigraphy, sedimentary architecture, and geochronology have remained uncertain. In this study, using a multi-proxy approach, combining companion borehole data, biolithostratigraphy, geological mapping, and OSL dating, we refined the regional Quaternary framework and clarified several debated regional stratigraphic boundaries. This multidisciplinary approach permitted us to stratify the entire Quaternary interval of the Raigorod site into a series of regional horizons and subhorizons including the Akchagylian, Apsheronian, Tyurkyanian, Bakunian, Khazarian and Khvalynian. Our results show that the Raigorod site evolved from a nearshore setting during the Akchagylian–Apsheronian transgressive phases in the Early Pleistocene to a fluvial regime during the Tyurkyanian regression at the beginning of the Middle Pleistocene. A subsequent Bakunian transgression re-established marine conditions in the study area. The early Khazarian phase is characterized by alternating transgressive and regressive events. Borehole data confirm that Singilian deposits are embedded within the Khazarian sequence, supporting our earlier regional interpretations. The Singilian phase reflects widespread regression and marshland development at the end of the Middle Pleistocene, around MIS 7–6, although OSL dates suggest a younger MIS 5 age. Upper Khazarian deposits reflect stable floodplain conditions driven by local hydrology rather than global climatic forcing. Finally, the overlying Atelian unit, traditionally used as a regional marker, is reinterpreted as periglacial alluvium rather than subaerial loess deposits formed during a major regression, likely associated with MIS 4-3. Our results highlight the value of integrated stratigraphic approaches for regional correlations, while emphasizing limitations in OSL dating in sedimentary settings with complex hydrological and hydrogeological dynamics.
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Zastrozhnov, Dmitrii; Zastrozhnov, Dmitry; Millett, John; Millett, John M.; Planke, Sverre & Polteau, Stéphane
[Show all 18 contributors for this article]
(2026).
Polymetallic nodules offshore NE Greenland: links to Fram Strait opening and local hydrothermal activity.
Sedimentary Geology.
ISSN 0037-0738.
495,
p. 107033–107033.
doi:
10.1016/j.sedgeo.2026.107033.
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This study presents the first documentation and analysis of polymetallic Fe–Mn seafloor nodules from offshore Northeast Greenland. Samples were collected from three sites by dredging and gravity coring along the slopes of both the outer and transform margin highs. The morphology, petrography, and whole-rock geochemistry of twenty-four nodules were determined. 10Be/9Be and (U–Th)/He dating were undertaken for representative samples to constrain the time of formation. Two nodule groups were identified in all studied sampling sites. Group 1 (n = 19) are light banded, primarily hydrogenetic nodules with notable enrichments in Mn and Fe, as well as several trace elements including rare earth elements (REE), V, Co, and Y. They have geochemical and textural similarities to Fe–Mn deposits from the Arctic Basin. 10Be/9Be age estimates suggest that growth initiated around 13,5 Ma, shortly after the opening of the Fram Strait, which influence deep-water circulation and inflow of nutrient-rich Arctic waters onto the NE Greenland shelf. Group 2 nodules (n = 5) are dense with high Fe (up to 64 wt% Fe2O3), low Mn content and little to no enrichment in trace elements and REEs. They are interpreted as hydrothermal in origin, with preliminary (U–Th)/He ages suggesting Quaternary formation under weak, diffuse fluid circulation in near-bottom environments of uncertain source. This study expands our understanding of seafloor mineralization in the Arctic–North Atlantic gateway, revealing that on the NE Greenland shelf this process reflects a long-term interplay between tectonic evolution, ocean circulation, and fluid-driven alteration.
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Faleide, Jan Inge; Zastrozhnov, Dmitrii; Abdelmalak, Mohamed Mansour; Manton, Ben M.; Planke, Sverre & Gernigon, Laurent
[Show all 8 contributors for this article]
(2025).
Møre–Vøring Composite Tectono-Sedimentary Element, Norwegian Rifted Margin, Norwegian Sea.
Geological Society of London Memoirs.
ISSN 0435-4052.
57,
p. 174–196.
doi:
10.1144/M57-2023-14.
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The Møre and Vøring basins at the mid-Norwegian margin were affected by a series of rift phases separated by periods of tectonic quiescence from Caledonian collapse in the Devonian to final continental break-up in the earliest Eocene. The tectonic phases were mostly extensional in nature, and the pre-drift extension across the Møre and Vøring basins since mid-Permian time has been estimated to be of the order of 200–250 km. The pre-Cretaceous basin configuration is poorly constrained due to limited seismic resolution at great depths and a lack of borehole control. A fundamental change occurred in the crustal deformation regime: from Late Jurassic distributed stretching of the upper crust to Early Cretaceous thinning at lower-crustal levels located along the axis of the Møre and Vøring basins. A westward migration of Late Cretaceous–Paleocene depocentres in the Vøring Basin reflects the focus of deformation towards the time and line of break-up. The basin architecture and evolution are summarized in relation to tectono-sedimentary elements corresponding to the main tectonic and depositional phases, and represent characteristic megasequences in the seismic data. Finally, the exploration history and main petroleum systems of the Møre and Vøring basins are presented.
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Faleide, Jan Inge; Abdelmalak, Mohamed Mansour; Zastrozhnov, Dmitrii; Lasabuda, Amando P. E.; Hjelstuen, Berit Oline Blihovde & Laberg, Jan Sverre
[Show all 7 contributors for this article]
(2024).
Norwegian Sea Oceanic Basin and Prograded Margins Composite Tectono-Sedimentary Element.
Geological Society of London Memoirs.
ISSN 0435-4052.
57(1).
doi:
10.1144/M57-2023-26.
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The Norwegian Sea oceanic basins and prograded margins have developed since NE Atlantic break-up in the earliest Eocene. Significant amounts of sediments were fed to the regionally subsiding and widening Norwegian Sea during the Cenozoic as a result of several phases of uplift and erosion of the bounding shelves and their hinterland. Despite an overall passive-margin evolution, the area experienced tectonic events and associated processes that interrupted the regional subsidence, causing contraction/inversion and tilting. The post-break-up depositional history of the mid-Norwegian margin comprises two main stages: (1) middle Eocene–Pliocene margin subsidence and relatively modest sedimentation during a period of climatic decline; and (2) latest Pliocene–Pleistocene full-scale northern hemisphere glaciations that resulted in deep erosion of shelves and hinterlands, and very high sedimentation rates and large-scale continental margin progradation. Slope failures within rapidly deposited glacial sediments affect
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Senger, Kim; Betlem, Peter; Helland-Hansen, Annikken; Horota, Rafael Kenji; Kämpf, Horst & Kontny, Agnes M.
[Show all 11 contributors for this article]
(2024).
Multi-disciplinary geoscientific expedition to Woodfjorden, NW Svalbard: Field sites, methods, and preliminary results.
Czech Polar Reports.
ISSN 1805-0689.
13(2),
p. 142–161.
doi:
10.5817/CPR2023-2-12.
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The Woodfjorden area of northern Spitsbergen (NW Svalbard) offers access to the world’s northernmost onshore thermal springs, extinct Pleistocene alkali basaltic volcanoes and Miocene flood basalts including extensive hyaloclastites. In July 2023, we undertook a 14-day international multi-disciplinary geoscientific expedition to Woodfjorden-Bockfjorden to investigate the Cenozoic geological evolution of the area. The expedition objectives spanned a wide range of scientific topics from sampling of fluids and gas in the thermal springs to constraining the lithosphere by acquiring magnetotelluric data and sampling volcanic rocks. More specifically, we have 1) conducted gas, fluid and travertine sampling at the thermal springs of Gygrekjelda, Jotunkjeldene and Trollkjeldene, 2) mapped and sampled the Quaternary volcanic centers at Sverrefjellet and Halvdanpiggen, 3) sampled the Miocene basalts of the Seidfjellet Formation along seven profiles plus the underlying Devonian sedimentary rocks, 4) acquired magnetotell
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Gernigon, Laurent; Zastrozhnov, Dmitrii; Planke, Sverre; Manton, Ben; Abdelmalak, Mohamed Mansour & Olesen, Odleiv
[Show all 9 contributors for this article]
(2021).
A digital compilation of structural and magmatic elements of the mid-Norwegian continental margin (Version 1.0).
Norwegian Journal of Geology.
ISSN 2387-5844.
101.
doi:
10.17850/njg101-3-2.
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A new generation of long-offset 2D seismic reflection lines, 2D-cubed seismic volumes, extensive 3D seismic surveys, high-resolution potential field data, and exploration wells has resulted in improved geological mapping of the Mid–Norwegian continental margin. Over the past decade, we have conducted an integrated seismic-gravity-magnetic interpretation of the entire volcanic rifted margin. This work has resulted in the reassessment and identification of several structural and magmatic elements. The elements have been classified and assembled in a regional and digital geological map compilation that documents both 1) the pre-breakup and 2) the syn-to post-breakup outlines of the volcanic rifted margin. The 1:1,000,000 digital compilation includes layers with structural elements defined at the Base Cretaceous, Base Paleogene and Mid–Miocene levels, as well as major detachment faults. The main sets of faults identified in the sedimentary basins were active during the Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous and Late Cretaceous–Paleocene rifting episodes before 2 2 the earliest Eocene continental breakup. In the oceanic province, magnetic anomaly chrons and oceanic fracture zones have been revised based on up-to-date aeromagnetic data. The syn-to post-breakup elements feature late Paleocene–early Eocene volcanic facies units, which were mapped using seismic volcanostratigraphy and igneous seismic geomorphology. We have further mapped the distribution of igneous sills and associated hydrothermal vent complexes, compressional domes, arches, slides and glacial depocentres. The project datasets include layers in standard GIS formats (e.g., shapefiles) as well as a ready-to-use QGIS project that includes embedded files, dedicated colour codes and standards. This open-source compilation is intended for exploration and academic purposes. The 1.0 version of this compilation will be periodically updated and revised depending on the availability of new data and scientific results.
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Polteau, Stephane; Planke, Sverre; Zastrozhnov, Dmitrii; Abdelmalak, Mohamed Mansour; Lebedeva-Ivanova, Nina & Planke, Ellen Eckhoff
[Show all 14 contributors for this article]
(2020).
Upper cretaceous-paleogene stratigraphy and development of the Mímir High, Vøring transform margin, Norwegian Sea.
Marine and Petroleum Geology.
ISSN 0264-8172.
122.
doi:
10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2020.104717.
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Transform margins represent strike-slip type of plate boundaries that form during continental breakup and initial ocean opening. They are often characterized by margin-parallel highs with exposed pre- and syn-rift sequences. The Vøring Transform Margin, offshore mid-Norway, initiated in the earliest Eocene during the opening of the NE Atlantic. Here, 2D seismic reflection data reveal a transform margin high, the Mímir High. The western flank of this undrilled structure is a kilometer-high escarpment where seismic reflections of pre-breakup age are truncated at the seafloor. The aim of this study was to recover seabed rock samples from the outcropping or shallowly buried sedimentary sequences to provide a geological tie to the regional seismic framework, thereby constraining the basin history and tectono-stratigraphic development. Seabed samples were successfully collected from 14 gravity core and Selcore stations and 10 ROV (remotely operated vehicle) sites along a 750 m high sampling profile, recovering clay, shales, sandstones and glacial dropstones. Biostratigraphy results revealed that the ages of the sedimentary rocks follow the stratigraphic order predicted by the initial seismic interpretation, with Upper Cretaceous sediments at the base and lower Eocene sediments at the top. The integrated interpretation shows that the Mímir High area, including parts of the outer Vøring and Møre basins and the proto-Jan Mayen Microplate Complex, were characterized by the deposition of late Campanian to early Maastrichtian, near coastal and shale-dominated sequences with poor source rock qualities. The early Paleocene samples indicate deep marine conditions that abruptly ended by rapid uplift of the Mímir High in the earliest Eocene. Finally, a reworked Pliensbachian palynomorph assemblage in potential early Eocene strata indicate the presence of exposed Mesozoic sequences in the vicinity of the Mímir High. We argue that some of the lower Eocene sediments where deposited within a hypothetical drainage system sourced from Greenland (Traill Ø or Jameson Land) and/or from the Jan Mayen Ridge prior to continental separation, and not the result of recent ice-rafting.
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Lebedeva-Ivanova, Nina; Polteau, Stephane; Zastrozhnov, Dmitrii; Planke, Sverre; Waage, Malin & Bünz, Stefan
[Show all 10 contributors for this article]
(2019).
Meter-Scale 3D Seismic Data for High-Resolution Site Characterization,
81st EAGE Conference and Exhibition 2019.
European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers (EAGE).
ISSN 9781510892811.
p. 1–2.
doi:
10.3997/2214-4609.201901933.
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High-resolution 3D site characterization can deliver reliable quantitative property volumes of the subsurface when based on seismic data able to image meter-sized objects. Following the theoretical analysis of seismic wave propagation in the shallow sub-surface, we present case studies based on re-processing of 3D P-Cable seismic data. The case study of data re-processing from the Vestnesa Ridge west of Svalbard and the outer Vøring Basin show that P-Cable 2.5D and 3D data can provide decimeter- to meter-scale vertical resolution of the shallow subsurface. Collection of new 3D P-Cable data with optimized acquisition parameters will provide meter-scale horizontal and vertical resolution. Therefore, 3D seismic volumes will represent the framework for data interpretation, integration and inversion where in situ measurements can be propagated with minimal data interpolation.
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Theissen-Krah, Sonja; Zastrozhnov, Dmitrii; Abdelmalak, Mohamed Mansour; Schmid, Daniel Walter; Faleide, Jan Inge & Gernigon, Laurent
(2017).
Tectonic evolution and extension at the Møre Margin – Offshore mid-Norway.
Tectonophysics.
ISSN 0040-1951.
721,
p. 227–238.
doi:
10.1016/j.tecto.2017.09.009.
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Abdelmalak, Mohamed Mansour; Planke, Sverre; Faleide, Jan Inge; Jerram, Dougal Alexander; Zastrozhnov, Dmitrii & Eide, Sigurd
[Show all 7 contributors for this article]
(2016).
The development of volcanic sequences at rifted margins: New insights from the structure and morphology of the Vøring Escarpment, mid-Norwegian Margin.
Journal of Geophysical Research (JGR): Solid Earth.
ISSN 2169-9313.
121(7),
p. 5212–5236.
doi:
10.1002/2015JB012788.
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View all works in NVA
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Tugend, Julie; Mohn, Geoffroy; Kusznir, Nick; Planke, Sverre; Berndt, Christian & Manton, Ben
[Show all 8 contributors for this article]
(2025).
Palaeobathymetry of the Mid-Norwegian volcanic margin during continental breakup and paleoclimate implications.
doi:
10.5194/egusphere-egu24-11873.
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The Mid-Norwegian volcanic rifted margin and its NE-Greenland conjugate formed in relation to continental breakup in the latest Palaeocene to earliest Eocene during the emplacement of the North Atlantic Igneous Province (NAIP). The development of the NAIP and opening of the North Atlantic occurred contemporaneous to the Paleocene Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) which corresponded to a rapid 5-6 °C global warming episode.The cause of this rapid global warming, explored as part of IODP Expedition 396, is thought to relate to the thermogenic gases released to the atmosphere via thousands of hydrothermal vents. The thermogenic gases were produced by contact metamorphism of carbon-rich sediments during widespread sill emplacement from the NAIP. The potential of hydrothermally-released greenhouse gases to influence climate depends strongly on the water depth at which they get released. Unless it is released in a shallow marine environment most methane will be oxidized before it reaches the atmosphere.Early results from IODP Expedition 396 have documented that at least one of the Mid-Norwegian hydrothermal vents was emplaced in shallow marine to potentially sub-aerial conditions. The aim of this contribution is to constrain further the paleo-water depth at which hydrothermal vents formed along the other parts of the mid-Norwegian volcanic rifted margin. This study focuses on an integrated workflow of quantitative geophysical and geodynamic analyses calibrated by new IODP drilling results and structural and stratigraphic observations. We use a 3D flexural-backstripping, decompaction and reverse thermal subsidence modelling to predict the palaeobathymetry and palaeostructure at keys stages of the syn- to post-breakup evolution that can be compared with palaeo-water depths estimated from biostratigraphic data. Results provide new constraints on the paleobathymetry of hydrothermal vent complexes required to confirm whether the global warming recorded by the PETM was triggered by the magma-rich continental breakup leading to the opening of the northeast Atlantic Ocean. 
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Millett, John; Planke, Sverre; Jolley, David; Berndt, Christian; Betlem, Peter & Rosenqvist, Marija Plahter
[Show all 9 contributors for this article]
(2025).
Characterizing lava flows in offshore North Atlantic boreholes: a review with implications for basalt carbon storage.
doi:
10.5194/egusphere-egu24-12383.
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Widespread and large-scale volcanism associated with the North Atlantic Igneous Province (NAIP) erupted during the Paleocene and Early Eocene and covers vast regions of the conjugate North Atlantic rifted margins. The majority of the preserved volume occurs in the offshore sequences of the continental shelves of Greenland, the Faroe Islands, UK, and Norway. These vast mafic igneous rock volumes in the offshore NAIP have been proposed as a potential area for permanent CO2 storage. However, a wide range of factors influence the suitability of mafic rock masses to act as fluid reservoirs including perhaps most importantly the volcanic facies (and associated pore structure, permeability, and distribution), along with alteration state, fracturing, and reactivity. In this contribution we focus on assessing the nature, distribution, and reservoir potential of sub-aerial lava flows from available borehole data across the NAIP. Lava flows are chosen for focus as they represent the most favorable reservoir target identified to date whilst also often constituting the dominant facies within much of the accessible NAIP offshore sequences.Over 50 offshore boreholes have penetrated the lava sequences of the NAIP including both industry and scientific boreholes drilled from the 1970’s onwards. Boreholes have encountered anything from a single lava flow through to several 10’s of lava flows in volcanic sequences reaching over 2 km in cumulative thickness in the deepest industry wells such as Brugdan (6104/21-1) and Lagavulin (217/15-1z) in the Faroese and UK sectors respectively.A summary of the lava flow nature (simple, compound, thickness, core-crust ratios) and physical property ranges (P-wave velocity, density, resistivity) of the penetrated lava flow sequences is presented utilizing available core, sidewall core, wireline and drill cuttings data to support the facies appraisal.Borehole data and the level of possible interpretation vary significantly depending on the age, purpose, and importantly the drilling operations of the individual boreholes. Some of the most robust and complete datasets are represented by modern hydrocarbon industry boreholes, for example those from the Rosebank Field in the UK sector, and cored boreholes from recent IODP Expedition 396 drilling Mid-Norway. Results from Expedition 396 are presented to highlight formation evaluation approaches for NAIP lava flow sequences including assessing the effects of different lava flow facies on Net to Gross calculations and the impact of alteration and secondary alteration on wireline log responses.This study presents important new constraints on the nature, variability, and distribution of NAIP lava flows from extensive available borehole ground truth data forming a foundational study for the development of reservoir appraisal techniques in the province going forward.
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Tugend, Julie; Mohn, Geoffroy; Kusznir, Nick, J.; Planke, Sverre; Berndt, Christian & Zastrozhnov, Dmitrii
[Show all 7 contributors for this article]
(2025).
Paleo-depth of hydrothermal venting along the Mid-Norwegian volcanic margin during Paleogene continental breakup.
doi:
10.5194/egusphere-egu25-10746.
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Volcanic rifted margins commonly form in association with the emplacement of Large Igneous Provinces. The intense associated volcanic activity coincides with shifts in the global carbon cycle and rapid climate change during several key geological periods and crises. The Mid-Norwegian and NE-Greenland conjugate rifted margins formed after late Paleocene to early Eocene continental breakup in association with the emplacement of the North Atlantic Igneous Province (NAIP). The NAIP and early opening of the North Atlantic occurred contemporaneous to a rapid 5-6 °C global warming episode known as the Paleocene Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM). The rapid global warming documented during the PETM is hypothesized to result from the release of thermogenic gases into the atmosphere through thousands of hydrothermal vents. The gases were generated by contact metamorphism of carbon-rich sediments during the extensive sill emplacement from the NAIP. The potential climatic impact of these hydrothermally released greenhouse gases is dependent on the water depth at which they were released. Unless it is released in a shallow marine environment most methane, known for its significantly greater global warming potential compared to carbon dioxide, will be oxidized and dissolved in the ocean before it reaches the atmosphere.First results of IODP Expedition 396 conducted on the Mid-Norwegian volcanic margin have documented the shallow marine to potentially sub-aerial setting of at least one of the hydrothermal vents (i.e. Modgunn vent). However, a comprehensive regional assessment of the water depth at which hydrothermal venting occurred remains necessary to validate the overall impact on paleoclimate and the PETM. To do so, we apply 3D flexural-backstripping and decompaction to remove the loading effects of sedimentary sequences and determine the sediment-corrected bathymetry down to the top Palaeocene surface at which most of the vents are mapped. Reverse subsidence cannot be directly modelled without knowing the detailed distribution of syn- and post-rift thermal subsidence from Cretaceous and Paleocene rifting as well as any mantle plume dynamic uplift during NAIP emplacement. Because these tectonic and geodynamic components of subsidence cannot be deterministically predicted at the required accuracy, we use local palaeobathymetric constraints from seismic observations and drilled biostratigraphic data, combined with our flexural backstripping and decompaction results to calibrate palaeobathymetric variations of the Paleocene venting surface at the time of the PETM.Our results predict that hydrothermal venting occurred within a range of palaeo-water depths showing the complex palaeo-structure of the top Paleocene surface. Key post-Paleocene tectonic influences such as a well-documented Miocene doming episode influence the margin history, and hence, at this location, our palaeobathymetric results represent shallowest estimates and must be interpreted with caution. However, most of the vents (>80%) restore to bathymetries shallower than 500 meters, i.e., in sub-aerial to shallow marine conditions. Our work aims to confirm and extend initial results of IODP Expedition 396 from the Modgunn vent. Shallow water-depth hydrothermal venting most likely occurred during magma-rich continental breakup and NAIP emplacement; a large part of the released hydrogenic gas could have directly contributed to the global warming recorded by the PETM. 
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Bünz, Stefan; Planke, Sverre; Berndt, Christian; Lebedeva-Ivanova, Nina N.; Stokke, Henrik Henriksen & Binde, Cornelia Mentzoni
[Show all 14 contributors for this article]
(2025).
High-resolution 3D seismic imaging of Northeast Atlantic volcanic break‐up processes.
doi:
https:/www.geologi.no/konferanser/vinterkonferanser/abstracts/file/298-abst-vk25.
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During the NE Atlantic breakup in the Paleogene, extensive magmatic activity resulted in the formation of approximately 6–10 Mkm3 of extrusive basaltic deposits and intrusion of magma into sedimentary basins. This magmatism, along with the degassing and explosive release of thermo‐ genic gases due to contact metamorphism, has been linked to the onset of the Paleocene‐Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM; 56 Ma). During IODP Expedition 396, 21 boreholes were drilled at 10 sites across five geological settings on the mid‐ Norwegian Margin. These sites sampled diverse igneous and sedimentary environments, including lava flow fields, hydrothermal vent complexes (HTVCs), and thick Paleogene strata. In addition, UiT The Arctic University of Norway conducted three research expeditions in 2020, 2022 and 2024 to acquire high‐resolution 2D/3D seismic and multibeam data in order to tie IODP borehole sites together and to regional geology. This presentation focusses on the two high‐resolution 3D seismic surveys, one of which that was repeated during the 2024 expedition to study repeatability effects in basalts.
A high‐resolution P‐Cable 3D seismic cube (10 by 2.4 km, 6.25x6.25 m bin size) was collected over the Modgunn Arch (Sites U1567 and U1568), where we have identified a shallowly buried HTVC, known as the Modgunn Vent, and associated sill intrusions. Contact metamorphism of sedimentary rocks generates volatile compounds, generating an overpressure that leads to fracturing of the overlying sediments. As the hot fluids and gases escape through the fractures, they reach the sea‐ floor and create HTVCs. These complexes consist of a large crater structure that is subsequently filled in by sediments some of which may result from erupted material. The vent fill may be alter‐ ed by fluid migration and/or tectonic stress leading to folding and doming.
Another high‐resolution 3D seismic survey (10.3 x 1.8 km, 6.25x6.25 m bin size) was conducted on the Skoll High at the northern Vøring margin (Sites U1571 and U1572). The 3D seismic data images the top basalt showing the volcanic paleo‐land‐ scape in unprecedented details. A faulted and eroded lava horizon is observed in the southeast‐ ern cube at 150–250 m depth. In contrast, the northwestern cube shows a pitted surface with lobate structures and linear ridges. These features are interpreted as rootless cones, volcanic craters formed by explosive interactions between lava flows and water‐saturated sediments.
This study showcases the exceptional level of detail achievable through high‐resolution 3D seis‐ mic data acquisition of hydrothermal vent complexes and buried volcanic landscapes, offering new opportunities for unique insights in the Northeast Atlantic break‐up processes and beyond
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Zastrozhnov, Dmitrii; Planke, Sverre; Lebedeva-Ivanova, Nina N.; Millett, John M.; Bünz, Stefan & Binde, Cornelia Mentzoni
[Show all 12 contributors for this article]
(2024).
The Tectonomagmatic Development of the Vøring Marginal High, Norwegian Sea: Core-log-seismic Integration of the IODP Expedition 396 Boreholes U1571 and 1572.
Full text in Research Archive
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Lebedeva-Ivanova, Nina N.; Planke, Sverre; Millett, John; Bünz, Stefan; Binde, Cornelia Mentzoni & Manton, Ben M.
[Show all 10 contributors for this article]
(2023).
Terrestrial Early Eocene Volcanic Paleoenvironment of the Skoll High, Mid-Norwegian Margin, Based on New High-Resolution 3D Seismic Geomorphology.
EGU General Assembly.
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Planke, Sverre; Polozov, Alexander; Millett, John M; Jerram, Dougal Alexander; Zastrozhnov, Dmitrii & Svensen, Henrik
(2020).
Emergent and invasive magmatism of the Siberian Traps in a wet forest environment.
NGF abstracts and proceedings.
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Bellwald, Benjamin; Planke, Sverre; Vadakkepuliyambatta, Sunil; Bünz, Stefan; Batchelor, Christine & Manton, Ben
[Show all 9 contributors for this article]
(2020).
Extensive, Gas-charged Quaternary Sand Accumulations of the Northern North Sea and North Sea Fan .
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Sediments deposited by marine-based ice sheets are dominantly fine-grained glacial muds, which are commonly known for their sealing properties for migrating fluids. However, the Peon and Aviat hydrocarbon discoveries in the North Sea show that coarse-grained glacial sands can occur over large areas in formerly glaciated continental shelves. In this study, we use conventional and high-resolution 2D and 3D seismic data combined with well information to present new models for large-scale fluid accumulations within the shallow subsurface of the Norwegian Continental Shelf. The data include 48,000 km2 of high-quality 3D seismic data and 150 km2 of high-resolution P-Cable 3D seismic data, with a vertical resolution of 2 m and a horizontal resolution of 6 to 10 m in these data sets. We conducted horizon picking, gridding and attribute extractions as well as seismic geomorphological interpretation, and integrated the results obtained from the seismic interpretation with existing well data.
The thicknesses of the Quaternary deposits vary from hundreds of meters of subglacial till in the Northern North Sea to several kilometers of glacigenic sediments in the North Sea Fan. Gas-charged, sandy accumulations are characterized by phase-reserved reflections with anomalously high amplitudes in the seismic data as well as density and velocity decreases in the well data. Extensive (>10 km2) Quaternary sand accumulations within this package include (i) glacial sands in an ice-marginal outwash fan, sealed by stiff glacial tills deposited by repeated glaciations (the Peon discovery in the Northern North Sea), (ii) sandy channel-levee systems sealed by fine-grained mud within sequences of glacigenic debris flows, formed during shelf-edge glaciations, (iii) fine-grained glacimarine sands of contouritic origin sealed by gas hydrates, and (iv) remobilized oozes above large evacuation craters and sealed by megaslides and glacial muds. The development of the Fennoscandian Ice Sheet resulted in a rich variety of depositional environments with frequently changing types and patterns of glacial sedimentation. Extensive new 3D seismic data sets are crucial to correctly interpret glacial processes and to analyze the grain sizes of the related deposits. Furthermore, these data sets allow the identification of localized extensive fluid accumulations within the Quaternary succession and distinguish stratigraphic levels favorable for fluid accumulations from layers acting as fluid barriers.
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Manton, Ben; Planke, Sverre; Millett, John; Zastrozhnov, Dmitrii; Mazzini, Adriano & Muller, Philipp
[Show all 7 contributors for this article]
(2019).
Hydrothermal vent complexes acting as preferential fluid migration pathways in the Møre and Vøring basins.
NGF Abstracts and Proceedings of the Geological Society of Norway.
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Planke, Sverre; Millett, John; Jerram, Dougal Alexander; Zastrozhnov, Dmitrii; Maharjan, Dwarika & Manton, Ben
[Show all 9 contributors for this article]
(2019).
Igneous seismic geomorphology of Paleogene basalts in the West of Shetland, Møre, and Vøring basins.
NGF Abstracts and Proceedings of the Geological Society of Norway.
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Polteau, Stephane; Zastrozhnov, Dmitrii; Lebedeva-Ivanova, Nina; Planke, Sverre; Schmid, Daniel Walter & Iyer, Karthik Herman
[Show all 8 contributors for this article]
(2019).
An integrated conjugate margin approach for hydrocarbon exploration in the outer Vøring Basin.
NGF Abstracts and Proceedings of the Geological Society of Norway.
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Gernigon, Laurent; Zastrozhnov, Dmitrii; Abdelmalak, Mohamed Mansour; Planke, Sverre; Faleide, Jan Inge & Myklebust, Reidun
(2019).
A new structural and magmatic elements map of the mid-Norwegian margin.
NGF Abstracts and Proceedings of the Geological Society of Norway.
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Zastrozhnov, Dmitrii; Faleide, Jan Inge; Theissen-Krah, Sonja; Abdelmalak, Mohamed Mansour & Planke, Sverre
(2014).
Structure and tectonic evolution of the Vøring Margin.
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Zastrozhnov, Dmitrii; Faleide, Jan Inge; Abdelmalak, Mohamed Mansour; Theissen-Krah, Sonja & Planke, Sverre
(2014).
Structure and tectonic development of the Vøring Basin (off-Norway): regional overview and new data.
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Published
Sep. 26, 2023 4:02 PM
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Nov. 6, 2023 9:41 AM
