3-D seismic images of an extensive igneous sill in the lower crust
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Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
When continents rift, magmatism can produce large volumes of melt that migrate upwards from deep below the Earths surface. To understand how magmatism impacts rifting, it is critical to understand how much melt is generated and how it transits the crust. Estimating melt volumes and pathways is difficult, however, particularly in the lower crust where the resolution of geophysical techniques is limited. New broadband seismic reflection data allow us to image the three-dimensional (3-D) geometry of magma crystallized in the lower crust (17.5-22 km depth) of the northern North Sea, in an area previously considered a magma-poor rift. The sub-horizontal igneous sill is 97 km long (N-S), 62 km wide (E-W), and 180 40 m thick. We estimate that 472 161 km3of magma was emplaced within this intrusion, suggesting that the northern North Sea contains more igneous intrusions than previously thought. The signi cant areal extent of the intrusion ( 2700 km2), as well as presence of intrusive steps, indicate sills can facilitate widespread lateral magma transport in the lower crust.
Date Issued
2019-05-31
Date Acceptance
2019-05-14
Citation
Geology, 2019, 47 (8), pp.729-733
ISSN
0091-7613
Publisher
Geological Society of America
Start Page
729
End Page
733
Journal / Book Title
Geology
Volume
47
Issue
8
Copyright Statement
© 2019 The Authors. Gold Open Access: This paper is published under the terms of the CC-BY license.
License URL
Identifier
https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geology/article/47/8/729/571441/3D-seismic-images-of-an-extensive-igneous-sill-in
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Geology
NORTHERN NORTH-SEA
EMPLACEMENT
INTRUSIONS
MORPHOLOGY
TECTONICS
SKAGERRAK
FAILURE
BRITTLE
BODIES
MODEL
04 Earth Sciences
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2019-05-31