Isostatic and dynamic support of high topography on a North Atlantic passive margin

TY - JOUR

T1 - Isostatic and dynamic support of high topography on a North Atlantic passive margin

AU - Pedersen, Vivi K.

AU - Huismans, Ritske S.

AU - Moucha, Robert

PY - 2016/7/15

Y1 - 2016/7/15

N2 - Substantial controversy surrounds the origin of high topography along passive continental margins. Here we focus on the well-documented elevated passive margin in southwestern Scandinavia, and quantify the relative contributions of crustal isostasy and dynamic topography in controlling the present topography. We find that majority of the topography is compensated by the crustal structure, suggesting a topographic age that is in accord with the 400 Myr old Caledonian orogenesis. In addition, we propose that dynamic uplift of ~300 m has rejuvenated existing topography locally in the coastal region over the last 10 Myr. Such uplift, combined with a general sea level fall, can help explain a variety of observations that have traditionally been interpreted in favor of a peneplain uplift model. We conclude that high topography along the Scandinavian margin cannot represent remnants of a peneplain uplifted within the last 20 Myr. The topography must have been high since the Caledonian orogeny.

AB - Substantial controversy surrounds the origin of high topography along passive continental margins. Here we focus on the well-documented elevated passive margin in southwestern Scandinavia, and quantify the relative contributions of crustal isostasy and dynamic topography in controlling the present topography. We find that majority of the topography is compensated by the crustal structure, suggesting a topographic age that is in accord with the 400 Myr old Caledonian orogenesis. In addition, we propose that dynamic uplift of ~300 m has rejuvenated existing topography locally in the coastal region over the last 10 Myr. Such uplift, combined with a general sea level fall, can help explain a variety of observations that have traditionally been interpreted in favor of a peneplain uplift model. We conclude that high topography along the Scandinavian margin cannot represent remnants of a peneplain uplifted within the last 20 Myr. The topography must have been high since the Caledonian orogeny.

KW - Dynamic topography

KW - Isostasy

KW - Passive margin topography

KW - Scandinavia

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84964523385

U2 - 10.1016/j.epsl.2016.04.019

DO - 10.1016/j.epsl.2016.04.019

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:84964523385

SN - 0012-821X

VL - 446

SP - 1

EP - 9

JO - Earth and Planetary Science Letters

JF - Earth and Planetary Science Letters

ER -