Early Cainozoic evolution of the Norwegian volcanic passive margin and the formation of marginal highs

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Abstract
Summary: The final continental break-up between Greenland and Norway which took place during the late Palaeocene/early Eocene was accompanied by extensive subaerial volcanism along parts of the plate boundary lasting for about 3 My. Subsequent subsidence and change to normal seafloor spreading have left behind marginal highs partly underlain by seaward-dipping reflector sequences composed of basaltic extrusives. We propose a model in which the formation of the marginal highs and the emplacement of the dipping series are related to the crustal configuration prior to the early Cainozoic plate break-up, causing an initial uplift if the rifting occurs within much thinned continental crust. This forms a ‘volcanic’ type rifted margin characterized by a small amount of crustal extension compared with a ‘normal’ margin segment that has experienced a large amount of extension and rapid initial subsidence. Recent drilling of the Vøring marginal high suggests that the plate boundary volcanism and the N Atlantic Volcanic Province may be manifestations of the same regional volcanic surge.

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