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Volcanic Margin Concepts

  • Chapter
Rifted Ocean-Continent Boundaries

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((ASIC,volume 463))

Abstract

Volcanic margins are part of a tectono-magmatic system in which the margin fonnation depends on lithospheric and asthenospheric properties before, during and after continental breakup. Whether a volcanic margin develops or not, i.e. the relative magnitude of magmatism during breakup, depends on the temperature and fluid content of the asthenosphere along the incipient plate boundary and the dynamic history of the lithosphere during the syn-rift phase. An adequate description of the system requires analysis of the entire rift. However, the literature commonly shows an emphasis on selected features rather than on a system approach which may introduce bias during interpretation and modeling. For example: I) seaward dipping reflectors, commonly considered indicative of volcanic margins, are only one element in an igneous succession emplaced during rifting and early sea floor spreading. 2) Excessive melt volumes may be generated by relatively small asthenospheric temperature anomalies (50-100°C). 3) The entire lower crustal high-velocity bodies are not “underplated”. 4) Wide-angle seismic experiments appear to overestimate the volumes of the extrusive complexes. 5) The tectono-magmatic dimensions of the NE North Atlantic Late Cretaceous-Paleocene rift challenge the concept of a “non-extensional” rifted margin. Furthermore, asymmetric tectono-magmatic settings need to be considered. 6) Up- or down-scaled “normal” continental and oceanic crustal velocity functions do not apply to the continent-ocean transition. 7) Although a hotspot may result in volcanic margin fonnation, it is not a necessary condition.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, University of Oslo, Pb. 1047 Blindern, Oslo, N-0316, Norway

    Olav Eldholm, Jakob Skogseid, Sverre Planke & Tadeusz P. Gladczenko

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  1. Olav Eldholm
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  2. Jakob Skogseid
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  3. Sverre Planke
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  4. Tadeusz P. Gladczenko
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Earth Sciences (J. Almera), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain

    E. Banda  & M. Torné  & 

  2. Department of Geology and Geophysics, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA

    M. Talwani

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Eldholm, O., Skogseid, J., Planke, S., Gladczenko, T.P. (1995). Volcanic Margin Concepts. In: Banda, E., Torné, M., Talwani, M. (eds) Rifted Ocean-Continent Boundaries. NATO ASI Series, vol 463. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0043-4_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0043-4_1

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