Opening of Drake Passag: contourites development and paleoceanographic implications

• Andrés Maldonado ^[4] ; Fernando Bohoyo ^[1] ; Jesús Galindo-Zaldívar ^[4] ; Fº. Javier Hernández-Molina ^[2] ; Francisco J. Lobo ^[4] ; Yasmina Martos-Martin ^[4] ; Anatoly A. Schreider ^[3]
  1. [1] Instituto Geológico y Minero de España

     Instituto Geológico y Minero de España

     Madrid, España

     
  2. [2] Universidade de Vigo

     Universidade de Vigo

     Vigo, España

     
  3. [3] Russian Academy of Sciences

     Russian Academy of Sciences

     Rusia

     
  4. [4] Instituto Andaluz Ciencias de la Tierra (IACT). CSIC/Universidad Granada

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• Localización: Geotemas (Madrid), ISSN 1576-5172, Nº. 11, 2010 (Ejemplar dedicado a: Deep-Water Circulation: Processes & Products. International Congress. Baitona, Pontevedra, Spain. 16 & 17 June 2010), págs. 109-110
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • The tectonics and distribution of seismic units of the southwestern Scotia Sea are described based on multichannel seismic profiles and magnetic anomalies. Recently acquired profiles suggest that spreading of the Drake Passage was active prior to 31 Ma. Taking into consideration the timing for breakup and the tectonics of the area, a deep gateway may have developed in Drake Passage close to the Eocene-Oligocene boundary. After the initial breakup the Scotia Sea resulted from several spreading centers that developed deep oceanic basins. Seven seismic units are identified in the Cenozoic deposits. The three youngest units exhibit similar seismic facies and are correlated at regional scale. The deposits show a variety of contourite drifts that resulted from the interplay between the northeastward flows of Weddell Sea Deep Water (WSDW), the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) and thecomplex bathymetry.