Surface heat flow measurements from the East Siberian continental slope and southern Lomonosov Ridge, Arctic Ocean. (6th May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: O'Regan, Matt; Preto, Pedro; Stranne, Christian; Jakobsson, Martin; Koshurnikov, Andrey
• Is Part Of: Geochemistry, geophysics, geosystems. Volume 17:Number 5(2016:May)
• Page Start: 1608
• Page End: 1622
• Publication Date: 2016-05-06
• Subjects: heat flow -- Arctic Ocean -- East Siberian Sea -- Lomonosov Ridge -- Herald Canyon; Geochemistry -- Periodicals; Geophysics -- Periodicals; Earth sciences -- Periodicals; 550.5
• DOI: 10.1002/2016GC006284
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1525-2027

Abstract

Abstract: Surface heat flow data in the Arctic Ocean are needed to assess hydrocarbon and methane hydrate distributions, and provide constraints into the tectonic origins and nature of underlying crust. However, across broad areas of the Arctic, few published measurements exist. This is true for the outer continental shelf and slope of the East Siberian Sea, and the adjoining deep water ridges and basins. Here we present 21 new surface heat flow measurements from this region of the Arctic Ocean. On the Southern Lomonosov Ridge, the average measured heat flow, uncorrected for effects of sedimentation and topography, is 57 ± 4 mW/m 2 (n = 4). On the outer continental shelf and slope of the East Siberian Sea (ESS), the average is 57 ± 10 mW/m 2 (n = 16). An anomalously high heat flow of 203 ± 28 mW/m 2 was measured at a single station in the Herald Canyon. With the exception of this high heat flow, the new data from the ESS are consistent with predictions for thermally equilibrated lithosphere of continental origin that was last affected by thermotectonic processes in the Cretaceous to early Cenozoic. Variability within the data likely arises from differences in radiogenic heat production within the continental crust and overlying sediments. This can be further explored by comparing the data with geophysical constraints on sediment and crustal thicknesses. Key Points: Seventeen new heat flow measurements from the continental slope of the East Siberian Sea and four measurements form the southern Lomonosov Ridge The data define a lower and less scattered estimate for the heat flow of the ESS slope than obtained from previously existing data Anomalously high heat flow (203 ± 28 mW/m 2 ) was found from the one station in Herald Canyon, proximal to the North Chukchi Basin