Geologic Evolution of Atlantic Continental Rises, 1992

Although continental rises account for approximately ten percent of the earth's surface, they have been relatively insulated from geological explorations. This up-to-date volume chronicles the geological development of continental rises at several different locations along the margins of the Atlantic Ocean. The authors, internationally distinguished experts from both research and industry backgrounds, present regional syntheses and interpretations of both the surface and subsurface stratigraphic and depositional histories of Atlantic continental rises. Geologic Evolution of Atlantic Continental Rises emphasizes and examplifies features and processes characteristic to modern continental rises by offering data obtained from sea-floor imaging, high-resolution seismic profiling and shallow coring. After reviewing established models of Atlantic rise evolution, this book compares them with the latest documented and undocumented observations and interpretations, including new perspectives which challenge accepted models. Featuring foldout sedimentary isochron maps that show sequential evolution of the sediment-rich Atlantic margin, this volume also includes new techniques for detecting and dating tectonic episodes that affect continental rise deposition. Direct applications to global oceans appeal to an international audience.

Part I: Prerift and synrift evolution: Galicia continential margin: Constraints on formation of non-volcanic passive margins; Southwest Africa plate margin: Thermal history and geodynamical implications; Part II: Early postrift evolution: Antarctic continental margin: Geologic image of the Bransfield Trough, an incipient oceanic basin; Southwestern Africa continental rise: Structural and sedimentary evolution; Angola basin: Geohistory and construction of the continental rise; U.S. Middle Atlantic continental rise: Provenance, dispersal, and deposition of Jurassic to Quaternary sediments; Norweigan Continental margin: Structural and stratigraphical styles; Part III: Late postrift evolution: Southern Brazil basin: Sedimentary processses and features and implications for continental rise evolution; Southeastern New England continental rise: origin and history of slide complexes; Western Nova Scotia continental rise: Relative importance of mass wasting and deep boundary-current activity; Guinea and Ivory Coast-Ghana transform margins: Combined effects of synrift structure and postrift bottom currents on evolution and morphology; Northwest African continental rise: Effects of near-bottom processes inferred from high-resolution seismic data; Saharan continental rise: Facies distribution and sediment slides; Part IV: Synthesis; Index.