Vis sammendrag
The strata of Sylfjellet, a mountain located on the northern side of Isfjorden, central Spitsbergen, have so far been solely assigned to the Lower Cretaceous (Harland et al., 1997; Braathen et al., 1999; Bergh et al., 2003,). The strata are incorporated in the Eurekan West Spitsbergen Fold and Thrust Belt (WSFTB) (Braathen et al., 1999; Dallmann, 2015, Piepjohn et al., 2016). Recent stratigraphic studies of the succession of presumable Early Cretaceous age suggested the presence of Paleogene strata. Thus, we revisited the site in order to find evidence for a Paleogene age of the strata. The outcomes of this study are presented here.
The area was mapped and the c. 250 m thick succession was logged. Samples were collected for both absolute (U/PB) and relative (palynological) dating methods. In addition, coal seams were analysed for vitrinite reflectance, allowing us to analyse the strata in a broader geological context.
Our findings show that parts of the investigated strata at Sylfjellet are of Paleogene age. The mapped succession was assigned to the Van Mijenfjorden Group and comprises the Firkanten, Basilika and Grumantbyen formations. They directly overlie Lower Cretaceous strata with a sedimentary contact. Since the strata are situated within the WSFTB, they represent a third tectonic outlier of the Van Mijenfjorden Group in Svalbard, in addition to the previously described Ny-Ålesund Subgroup and the Øyrlandet Graben deposits in southern Spitsbergen (Harland et al., 1997; Dallmann et al., 1999;).
Our stratigraphic revision of the Sylfjellet succession has several implications for the interpretation of the Paleogene depositional history and the interplay between Eocene sedimentation and tectonics. Vitrinite reflection data indicates that an Upper Eocene or Oligocene age for the Aspelintoppen Formation is precluded, or that alternatively an Upper Eocene/Oligocene folding and thrusting event must have taken place in this area.
Bergh, S., Ohta, Y., Andresen, A., Maher, H., Braathen, A. & Dallmann, W. (2003). Geological Map of Svalbard, 1: 100 000 Sheet B8G St. Jonsfjorden. Norsk Polarinstitutt Temakart (34).
Braathen, A., Bergh, S., Karlsen, F., Maher, H., Andresen, A., Hansen, A.-I. & Bergvik, A. (1999). Kinematics of the Isfjorden-Ymerbukta Fault Zone: a dextral oblique-thrust ramp in the Tertiary fold-thrust belt of Spitsbergen. Norsk Geologisk Tidsskrift 79, 227–240.
Dallmann, W. K. (editor), International Stratigraphic Committee for Svalbard (1999). Lithostratigraphic lexicon of Svalbard. Review and recommendations for nomenclature use. Upper Palaeozoic to Quaternary bedrock. Norwegian Polar Institute, Norway, 318 pages.
Dallmann, W. K. (editor) (2015). Geoscience Atlas of Svalbad. Norwegian Polar Institute Report Series No 148, Norwegian Polar Institute, Norway, 292 pages.
Harland, W. B., Anderson, L. M., Manasrah, D. & Butterfield, N. J. (1997). The Geology of Svalbard. Geological Society, London, Memoir No. 17, 521 pages.
Piepjohn, K., von Gosen, W. & Tessensohn, F. (2016). The Eurekan deformation in the Arctic: an outline. Journal of the Geological Society, 173, 1007–1024.