New data and interpretations on geological relationships of igneous rocks at Mokka Fiord, Axel Heiberg Island, Nunavut, provide insight into the timing and nature of magmatism associated with the Sverdrup Basin and High Arctic Large Igneous Province (HALIP). Field relationships indicate that the igneous rocks, previously interpreted to be volcanic flows, are most likely an intrusive unit discordant to regional bedding. An intrusive origin helps resolve chronostratigraphic inconsistencies in previous work. The host rocks are palynologically constrained to be late Barremian to late Aptian in age and are interpreted to be Paterson Island or Walker Island member of the Isachsen Formation. If the igneous body is intrusive, it’s previously reported Ar–Ar age (102.5 ± 2.6 Ma) is no longer in conflict with accepted stratigraphic interpretations and probably reflects the emplacement age of the intrusion. Lingering uncertainties in interpreting the normal and reverse magnetic polarities determined in the previous work remain, and both are considered viable. Although this uncertainty precludes definitive conclusions on the significance of paleomagnetic data at Mokka Fiord, examination of the stratigraphic, paleomagnetic, and geochronologic relationships there highlight potential for the study of excursions, or reversed magnetic polarity subchrons, in the Cretaceous Normal Superchron elsewhere in the HALIP.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
Research Article|
November 07, 2018
A revised stratigraphic framework for Cretaceous sedimentary and igneous rocks at Mokka Fiord, Axel Heiberg Island, Nunavut, with implications for the Cretaceous Normal Superchron
Carol A. Evenchick;
a
Geological Survey of Canada/Commission géologique du Canada, 1500–605 Robson Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 5J3, Canada.Corresponding author: Carol Evenchick (email: carol.evenchick@canada.ca).
Search for other works by this author on:
Jennifer M. Galloway;
Jennifer M. Galloway
b
Geological Survey of Canada/Commission géologique du Canada, 3303–33 Street N.W. Calgary, AB T2L 2A7, Canada.
Search for other works by this author on:
Benoit M. Saumur;
Benoit M. Saumur
c
Département des Sciences de la Terre et de l’atmosphère, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succursale Centre-Ville Montréal (Québec) H3C 3P8, Canada.
Search for other works by this author on:
William J. Davis
William J. Davis
d
Geological Survey of Canada/Commission géologique du Canada, 601 Booth Street, Ottawa, ON K1A 0E8, Canada.
Search for other works by this author on:
Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences (2019) 56 (2): 158–174.
Article history
received:
22 May 2018
accepted:
04 Oct 2018
first online:
19 Feb 2019
Citation
Carol A. Evenchick, Jennifer M. Galloway, Benoit M. Saumur, William J. Davis; A revised stratigraphic framework for Cretaceous sedimentary and igneous rocks at Mokka Fiord, Axel Heiberg Island, Nunavut, with implications for the Cretaceous Normal Superchron. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 2018;; 56 (2): 158–174. doi: https://doi.org/10.1139/cjes-2018-0129
Download citation file:
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.
Email alerts
Index Terms/Descriptors
- assemblages
- Axel Heiberg Island
- biostratigraphy
- Canada
- Cretaceous
- igneous rocks
- intrusions
- Isachsen Formation
- lithostratigraphy
- Lower Cretaceous
- magnetostratigraphy
- Mesozoic
- miospores
- Nunavut
- paleomagnetism
- palynomorphs
- pollen
- Queen Elizabeth Islands
- sedimentary rocks
- Sverdrup Basin
- Sverdrup Islands
- Cretaceous Normal Superchron
- High Arctic large igneous province
- Mokka Fjord
Latitude & Longitude