A Mechanism of the Formation of Deep Sedimentary Basins on Continents: The Barents Basin

摘要

Deep basins (the Peri-Caspian, South Caspian, Barents, Black Sea, and others) exist within continents and on their margins. The thickness of their sediments attains 15-20 km or more. The P-wave velocity in the thinned crystalline crust in their deepest sectors is markedly increased. The formation mechanism of such structures is important for understanding the major processes that create the Earth's crust and for petroleum exploration. Nevertheless, this issue remains a matter of debate. The lithospheric extension is often considered responsible for subsidence. According to, the basins mainly formed as a result of phase transitions and the consequent contraction of mafic rocks within the lower crust. The nature of the substantially thinned continental crust beneath the basins is also disputable: it is unknown whether the crust pertains to the continental type or represents the oceanic crust related to spreading.