Peculiarities of the Tectonomagmatic Processes in the Interaction Area between the Icelandic Plume and the Bight Transform Fault (North Atlantic)

Abstract: Geological and geophysical data collected during the 53rd cruise of the R/V Akademik Sergey Vavilov are presented. It is shown that the lateral distribution of the Icelandic plume material to the south is not bounded by the Bight transform fault and continues further to the south. The Bight FZ affects the processes of crustal accretion and the formation of tectonic structures only in a spreading segment directly adjoining the Bight FZ from the south, i.e., the most distant from the Icelandic plume. The anomalous magnetic field studied made it possible to determine the half-spreading rate (11.7 mm/yr) in the westerly direction for the area between the Bight transform fault and the Modred nontransform fault of up to 3.6 Ma in age. It is shown that the flanks of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge represented a shallow-water area with some areas of land in the recent past.