Thermal history of the Norwegian-Greenland Sea and its rifted continental margin

Based on heat flow alone it is difficult to say whether or not a regional thermal anomaly exists beneath the entire Norwegian-Greenland Sea. To pursue this question, a new computer model of seafloor spreading has been developed. This time-dependent thermal model simulates not only the evolution of the oceanic region, but also the thermal evolution of an Atlantic-type continental margin. Incorporation of the adjacent continent into a seafloor spreading model allows one to utilize geological and geophysical data from the continent and continental margin as additional constraints. A more complete picture of the early spreading history and its relation to the initial rifting of the continent is provided. While vertical heat flow dominates in both the ocean and continent proper, several effects of lateral heat flow across the ocean continent boundary are seen.