Sedimentary basins in Ross Sea, Antarctica
The Ross Sea lies in the Pacific sector of the Antarctic continental margin. Three major sedimentary basins (from east to west, the Eastern, Central, and Victoria Land basins) lie beneath the broad, deep continental shelf of the Ross Sea. These north-south-trending basins occur in the extensionally deformed region between East and West Antarctica. Multichannel seismic reflection (MCS) surveys have been conducted over these basins since 1980 by West German, French, Japanese, and US expeditions. The MCS and previous geophysical surveys have shown that the three basins contain 5-6 km of sedimentary rock, possibly Late Cretaceous and younger. An additional 6-8 km of sedimentary and volcanic rock lies within the deeper parts of the Victoria Land basin. The basins are separated by uplifted and eroded basement ridges covered by thin sedimentary sections. Each basin has distinct characteristics, commonly related to its extensional origin. Petroleum hydrocarbons are unknown from the Ross Sea region, with the possible exception of ethane gas recovered by the Deep Sea Drilling Project. Previous model studies, based on estimated sediment thickness, assumed temperature gradients, and postulated seismostratigraphy, indicate that hydrocarbons could be generated at depths of 3.5-6km within the sedimentary section. However, this hypothesis cannot be verified without further geologic and geophysical data from the Ross Sea region.
- Research Organization:
- Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA
- OSTI ID:
- 7005348
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8608105-
- Journal Information:
- Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States) Vol. 70:7; ISSN AAPGB
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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