Processed seismic data of Cruise BGR89 MESOC 1989

In the time from 13th August to 13th September, 1989 a geophysical survey was carried out with S.V. PROSPEKTA in the Southeastern Newfoundland Basin and in the Sohm Abyssal Plain. Sixteen multichannel seismic lines with a total length of 3,568 km were surveyed. The general aim of the survey was to study the structure of the oceanic crust formed during the period from 150 to 80 m.y.B.P.. The results we found that the magmatic-volcanic activity at the Mesozoic Atlantic spreading center was episodic, and there was some form of magmatic-tectonic cycling in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge processes. Drastic changes of the oceanic crustal structure have been observed, and a volcanic basement unit characterized by an internally divergent pattern of reflection horizons having an eastward dip was found coinciding with magnetic anomalies M-4 to M-0. This body consists probably of basaltic flows and volcanic clastic rocks extruded near or above sea level, and it appears that this unit is continuous from the Eastern Newfoundland Basin to the New England Seamount Chain. A doubling of the oceanic crustal thickness occurs around M-10 and is present in the area of the young end of the series of magnetic M-anomalies. Doubling of the thickness of the oceanic crust is also present in the conjugate eastern central North Atlantic segment in the area of magnetic anomalies M-10 to about M-0.