Plate Boundaries Around the Chukchi Borderland; An Integrated Geophysics Cruise to Test Models for the Formation of the Canada Basin

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。Coakley 0909568阿拉斯加大学费尔班克斯楚科奇边疆区是一块延伸的大陆地壳嵌入在加拿大盆地的海洋地壳。作为一块不适合简单？挡风玻璃雨刷？作为该盆地中生代开启的模式，它在所有提出的美亚盆地开启的构造模式中占有突出地位。提供资金，使用多道地震（MCS）反射技术来测试这些假设。通过对沉积剖面进行成像，并追踪这一高海拔大陆块边缘的结构、地壳厚度和地层的连续性，应该可以区分走滑、伸展和挤压边界。通过将盆地地层学与楚科奇大陆架上的年代确定的沉积物联系起来，将有可能将地震地层年代控制传播到北冰洋盆地，以确定边界地区的伸展解剖的年代，并为科学钻探奠定基础。楚科奇边界地区的四个边缘提供了独特的科学机会，也有可能产生更广泛的影响。两个特定的边缘已被选为提供最佳回报，虽然只有一个可能会调查有限的船天可用于本项目：从楚科奇大陆架过渡到楚科奇边境？势场数据（如重力和磁力异常数据）表明，楚科奇大陆架的北美大陆地壳与邻近的楚科奇边界地壳之间存在不连续性，但不确定是否有密切关系。除了直接观察任何定义过渡的结构外，收集拟议的数据还可以将大陆架上大量历史二维MCS网格及其年龄控制与北冰洋地层联系起来。这是海冰最不具挑战性的区域。在八月至九月期间，这一地区应该是开放水域。楚科奇边界的北方边缘？水深测量数据似乎显示，伸展结构，从内部盆地内的边界暴跌以下的沉积物覆盖大陆高。这与某些模型相冲突，这些模型要求在水深高的北方界限存在转换断层。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).Coakley 0909568University of Alaska FairbanksThe Chukchi Borderland is a block of extended continental crust embedded in the oceanic crust of the Canada Basin. As the piece that does not fit the simple ?windshield wiper? model for the Mesozoic opening of this basin, it figures prominently in all tectonic models proposed for the opening of the Amerasian Basin. Funds are provided to use multi-channel seismic (MCS) reflection techniques to test these hypotheses. By imaging the sedimentary section and tracing the continuity of structure, crustal thickness and stratigraphy across the edges of this high-standing continental block, it should be possible to distinguish between strike-slip, extensional and compressional boundaries. By tying the basinal stratigraphy to well-dated sediments on the Chukchi Shelf, it will be possible to propagate seismic stratigraphic age control into the Arctic Ocean basin to date the extensional dissection of the Borderland and lay the groundwork for scientific drilling.The four edges of the Chukchi Borderland present distinct scientific opportunities as well as possibilities for broader impact. Two particular edges have been selected as offering the best pay-off, although only one may be surveyed given the limited ship days available to this project: The transition from the Chukchi Shelf to the Chukchi Borderland ? Potential fields data (eg. gravity and magnetic anomaly data) suggest a discontinuity between the North American continental crust of the Chukchi Shelf and the adjacent Chukchi Borderland crust of uncertain affinity. In addition to directly observing any structures that define the transition, collecting the proposed data would also make it possible to link the substantial historical 2-D MCS grid on the shelf and the age control there to the stratigraphy of the Arctic Ocean. This is the least challenging area for sea ice. This region should be open water during the August-September period.The northern edge of the Chukchi Borderland ? Bathymetry data appear to show extensional structures from the interior basins within the Borderland plunging below the sediment cover off the continental high. This is in conflict with some models, which require a transform fault at the northern limit of the bathymetric high.