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Nature of the Cuvier Abyssal Plain crust, offshore NW Australia

Reeve, Matthew T.; Magee, Craig; Bastow, Ian D.; McDermott, Carl; Jackson, Christopher A.-L.; Bell, Rebecca E.; Prytulak, Julie

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Authors

Matthew T. Reeve

Craig Magee

Ian D. Bastow

Carl McDermott

Christopher A.-L. Jackson

Rebecca E. Bell



Abstract

Magnetic stripes have long been assumed to be indicative of oceanic crust. However, continental crust heavily intruded by magma can also record magnetic stripes. We re-evaluate the nature of the Cuvier Abyssal Plain (CAP), offshore NW Australia, which hosts magnetic stripes and has previously been defined as oceanic crust. We show that chemical data from a basalt within the CAP, previously described as an enriched mid-ocean ridge basalt, could equally be interpreted to contain evidence of contamination by continental material. We also recognize seaward-dipping reflector sequences in seismic reflection data across the CAP. Borehole data from overlying sedimentary rocks suggests that these seaward-dipping reflectors were emplaced in a shallow water (<200 m depth) or subaerial environment. Our results indicate that the CAP may not be unambiguous oceanic crust, but may instead consist of a spectrum of heavily intruded continental crust through to fully oceanic crust. If the CAP represents such a continent–ocean transition zone, then the adjacent unambiguous oceanic crust would be located >500 km further offshore NW Australia than currently thought. This would impact plate tectonic reconstructions, as well as heat flow and basin modelling studies. Our work also supports the growing consensus that magnetic stripes cannot, by themselves, be used to determine crustal affinity.

Citation

Reeve, M. T., Magee, C., Bastow, I. D., McDermott, C., Jackson, C. A.-L., Bell, R. E., & Prytulak, J. (2021). Nature of the Cuvier Abyssal Plain crust, offshore NW Australia. Journal of the Geological Society, 178(5), Article 172. https://doi.org/10.1144/jgs2020-172

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Mar 8, 2021
Online Publication Date Apr 7, 2021
Publication Date 2021-09
Deposit Date Nov 8, 2021
Publicly Available Date Apr 7, 2022
Journal Journal of the Geological Society
Print ISSN 0016-7649
Electronic ISSN 2041-479X
Publisher The Geological Society
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 178
Issue 5
Article Number 172
DOI https://doi.org/10.1144/jgs2020-172
Public URL https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1224327

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