Novyye dannyye o teplovom potoke Severnoy Atlantiki (New heat flow data of the North Altlantic) #

Abstract #

This dataset comprises 41 new heat flow measurements collected during two marine expeditions in 2008 and 2010 in the Arctic region west of the Svalbard Archipelago, including the Knipovich Ridge area in the North Atlantic. These measurements provide evidence for elevated geothermal activity consistent with recent geodynamic processes. Numerical modeling using these data reveals deep lithospheric temperatures exceeding 1200°C at depths of approximately 15 km, supporting the interpretation of Knipovich Ridge as a young oceanic rift formed since the Miocene. These data offer valuable constraints for thermal modeling of the North Atlantic lithosphere and contribute to the understanding of Arctic tectonothermal evolution.

Methods #

Geothermal measurements were conducted as part of the Russian Academy of Sciences program “Geological History and Lithosphere of the Polar Regions.” Field data were collected aboard the R/V Akademik Nikolai Strakhov during cruises 26 (2008) and 27 (2010). Heat flow was measured along profile lines extending from the Svalbard Archipelago toward the Knipovich and Mohns Ridges.

Measurements were acquired using a GEOS-M telemetric multichannel heat flow probe. This instrument records vertical temperature gradients within the upper sedimentary layers and uses thermal conductivity to estimate conductive heat flow. The resulting dataset includes raw and processed heat flow values, with quality control applied to exclude outliers significantly influenced by exogenous factors, such as recent sedimentation, hydrothermal vents, or topographic anomalies.

In addition to heat flow, multibeam echo-sounding and seismic profiling were performed to characterize seafloor morphology and the structure of the upper sedimentary cover. These geophysical data supported the development of geothermal models and were used to validate the spatial consistency of the thermal measurements.

Other #

The Knipovich Ridge and surrounding regions are of significant tectonic interest due to their role in linking the Arctic Ocean with the North Atlantic during the Cenozoic. The study area exhibits signs of recent geodynamic activity, including anomalously high heat flow in the Orel Trough and elevated values in the Franz–Victoria Trough. Supporting evidence includes frequent shallow seismicity and recent hydrothermal phenomena observed within the Svalbard Archipelago.

Numerical modeling of deep temperature distributions, based on the newly collected data, indicates that the lithospheric geotherm intersects the mantle solidus (~1200°C) at around 15 km depth. This thermal structure is consistent with active spreading and supports the hypothesis that Knipovich Ridge functions as a segment of the global mid-ocean ridge system, albeit with atypical morphotectonic characteristics.

These data provide new constraints on the thermal regime and recent tectonic evolution of the western Arctic-North Atlantic boundary zone. They will be of value to researchers studying plate boundary processes, mid-ocean ridge dynamics, and Arctic geothermal structure.