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Subsidence and eustasy at the continental margin of eastern North AmericaBiostratigraphic data from the COST B-2 well off New York and four deep commercial wells off Nova Scotia have been used to remove the effect of sediment loading at the Atlantic-type continental margin off the East Coast of North America. The resulting subsidence contains terms due to both 'tectonic' and 'eustatic' effects. By assuming the tectonic subsidence is thermal in origin these effects can be separated. The 'eustatic' effects have been isolated by least squares fitting an exponential curve to the subsidence data. The resulting sea-level curve shows a maximum rise in sea level during the Late Cretaceous era which probably does not exceed 150 m. The tectonic subsidence has been interpreted in terms of a simple thermal model for the cooling lithosphere. Based on this model the thermal thickness of the lithosphere and the total amount of crustal thinning are estimated. These estimates which are consistent with surface ship gravity and GEOS-3 altimeter measurements are used to define the structural elements which control the tectonic evolution of the margin.
Document ID
19800068929
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Other - Collected Works
Authors
Watts, A. B.
(Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory Palisades, N.Y., United States)
Steckler, M. S.
(Columbia University Palisades, N.Y., United States)
Date Acquired
August 10, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1979
Subject Category
Oceanography
Accession Number
80A53099
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF OCE-77-10647
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS6-2519
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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