Authors / CoAuthors
Stagg, H.M.J. | Colwell, J.B. | Carson, L. | Close, D.
Abstract
New deep-seismic data acquired from offshore East Antarctica by Australia provide more than 40 crossings of the continent-ocean transition (COT) along the 5500 km length of the continental margin that was formerly adjacent to the east coast of India and the southern margin of Australia prior to East Gondwana breakup. As volcanic activity is relatively subdued on this margin, except in the vicinity of the southern Kerguelen Plateau, the data provide a window into the late-rift and post-rift stages of formation of a non-volcanic rifted margin. Three characteristic margin segments are interpreted in the data. From west to east, these are: Offshore Enderby Land to Prydz Bay (38-80oE): The COT is not clearly defined in this zone, probably due in part to the effect of the Kerguelen hot spot in the Late Cretaceous. Delineation of the COT here will rely heavily on potential field modelling. Queen Mary Land 90-105oE): southeast of the Kerguelen Plateau, the margin is dominated by Bruce Rise, a continental marginal plateau that was formerly conjugate to the Naturaliste Plateau off southwest Australia. The transition from continental to oceanic crust is sharp, in apparent contrast to the conjugate margin off southwest Australia. Wilkes Land (105-140oE): in the area formerly conjugate to southern Australia, the margin is characterised by a broad zone of deeply-subsided continental and transitional crust beneath the inner edge of the deep ocean basin in an area previously considered to have been oceanic crust formed by seafloor spreading.
Product Type
nonGeographicDataset
eCat Id
41499
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Cnr Jerrabomberra Ave and Hindmarsh Dr GPO Box 378
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Keywords
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- GA PublicationAbstract
- ( Theme )
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- continental margins
- ( Theme )
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- seismics
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- AQ
- Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)
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- Earth Sciences
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- Published_Internal
Publication Date
2003-01-01T00:00:00
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