Framework of the Weddell Basin inferred from the new geophysical and geological data

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Results of geological and geophysical survey in the Weddell Sea suggest that the sea has two sedimentary basins. The eastern one may extend to the Queen Maud Basin off the Queen Maud Land of East Antarctica, and the western one is developed at the back of the Antarctic Peninsula. The age of the basements of the basins is tentatively assigned to Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous. The "Weddell Sea Unconformity" by HINZ is recognized on the continental slope off the Princess Martha Coast. The unconformity is well developed on the outer margin of the basement of the basin on the continental shelf. From these geological and geophysical data, the authors discuss two hypotheses about generation of the Weddell Sea floor in this paper. One is that the Weddell Sea seems to have been a marginal sea at the back of the island arcs during Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous, judging from paleontological and seismic reflection data. The other is that the sea floor may have spread during Late Jurassic to Early Tertiary, judging from weak magnetic lineations in the ENE-WSW trend.
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