On the heat flux related to stretching in the NW-Mediterranean continental margins

Summary The surface thermal flux of the continental margins of the northwestern Mediterranean Sea is interpreted on the basis of a 1-D instantaneous pure shear stretching model of the lithosphere in terms of three components: the background heat flowing out from the asthenosphere (38 mW m^–2), the transient contribution depending on the rift age and extension amount (35 mW m^–2 at the most), and the contribution due to the radiogenic elements of the lithosphere. The radiogenic component is estimated at the continental margins of the Ligurian-Provençal basin and Valencia trough, and in the surrounding mainland areas by means of available data of surface heat generation from Variscan Corsica, Maures-Estérel and the Central Massif along with a geophysical-petrological relationship between heat production and seismic velocity. The lithosphere radiogenic heat contribution q_l decreases with the thinning factor according to the exponential law: q_l() = a exp(-b), in which factor b is greater for that part of the lithosphere below the uppermost 10 km. Considering also the heat generated by radioactive isotopes in sediments, the stable Variscan lithosphere produces an average thermal flux of 30 mW m^–2 which decreases by about one half where the lithosphere is thinned by one third. Although the surface heat generation is 2·1 – 3·3 µW m^–3 in the Maures-Estérel massif — excepting small outcrops of dioritic rocks with lower heat production — and 1·8 µW m^–3 for most of Corsica, the radiogenic heating within the lithosphere for such areas is nearly the same and does not explain the higher heat flux of the Corsica margin. This asymmetric thermal pattern with surface heat flux which is 10 – 15 mW m^–2 higher than predictions is probably of upper mantle origin, or can be ascribed to penetrative magmatism.     

论青藏高原及邻区板片构造的一个新模式

本文首先论述了板块学说提出的过程和存在的一些不足与疑问,特别是该学说将Holmes（1948）的地幔热对流说作为驱使岩石圈板块运动的动力机制.而后又以青藏高原及邻区为例,根据区域地质、蛇绿岩和地质构造研究的成果,特别是地震测深研究的成果,详细地论证了本区不存在有大洋中脊扩张成为大洋盆地的新大洋和大洋板块简单的B型俯冲模式,但存在有海底扩张的陆间海和海洋地壳板片（蛇绿岩构造岩片）的仰冲以及大陆岩石圈板片复杂的A型俯冲新模式.新模式不是以地幔对流运动,而是以扩张分离A型俯冲的大陆岩石圈板片与软流圈之间的水平剪切相对运动机制作为它的躯动力.     

Heat flow in Eastern Egypt: The thermal signature of a continental breakup

The Red Sea is a modern example of continental fragmentation and incipient ocean formation. Heat flow data have been collected from eastern Egypt to provide information relating to the mode and mechanism of Red Sea opening. Preliminary heat flow data, including new data reported here, are now available from twenty-five sites in eastern Egypt and one site in western Sinai. A pattern of low to normal heat flow (35–55 mW m⁻²) inland with high heat flow (75–100 mW m⁻²) in a zone within 30 to 40 km of the coast is indicated.Moderately high heat flow (around 70 mW m⁻²) is indicated for the Gulf of Suez. The coastal zone thermal anomaly appears continuous with high heat flow previously reported for the Red Sea shelf. Heat production data indicate that the coastal thermal anomaly is not primarily related to crustal radiogenic heat production. The effects of rapid erosion may contribute to the anomaly, but are not thought to be the primary cause of the anomaly. If the anomaly is caused by lateral conduction from hot, extended, offshore lithosphere, the extension must have been active for the last 30 Ma or so, and a minimum of 100% extension is indicated. Alternatively, the anomaly is primarily caused by high mantle heat flow causing lithospheric thinning, centred beneath the Red Sea. The Red Sea is probably underlain by dominantly basic crust, formed either by intrusion into attenuated continental crust or sea-floor spreading, and for most purposes the crust formed in these two modes of extension may be essentially indistinguishable. Fission-track ages from eastern Egypt indicate that uplift started prior to, or at latest at the time of initial Red Sea opening, and this result, together with thermo-mechanical considerations, suggests an active asthenospheric upwelling beneath the Red Sea and high temperature in the lithosphere prior to extension.     

Age dependence of continental heat flow—fantasy and facts

Extensive use of empirical heat flow/age relations in the field of thermal studies indicates that the basic concept of a relation between heat flow and age is deeply entrenched. The idea of a thermal time constant and thermal thickness for the lithosphere depends on the validity of a heat flow/age relation. Several thermal and thermo-mechanical lithospheric models are constrained by a heat flow/age relation, a corrected heat flow/age relation, or a reduced heat flow/age relation. The theory of plate tectonics provides a physical basis for a heat flow/age relation for the oceans. Reliable heat flow measurements from well-sedimented areas of the oceans are known to support it. On the contrary, the theory of plate tectonics does not support an age relation for the continents, which is not well realized. It is pointed out that according to the theory of plate tectonics, a distinct heat flow profile should characterize a Cenozoic/Mesozoic orogenic belt over the continents, and a variety of profiles could be expected on account of several possible interactions at convergent plate boundaries. A specific characteristic heat flow value corresponding to a particular age loses meaning, and therefore a heat flow/age relation (or curve) becomes conceptually invalid. Presently available continental heat flow data, statistically analysed in a proper manner, do not (as they should not) support an age relation. Attempts at correcting age-dependent heat flow means for crustal radiogenic heat to obtain an age relation for mantle heat flow do not yield meaningful results.     

Heat flow anomalies and their interpretation

More than 10,000 heat flow determinations exist for the earth and the data set is growing steadily at about 450 observations per year. If heat flow is considered as a surface expression of geothermal processes at depth, the analysis of the data set should reveal properties of those thermal processes. They do, but on a variety of scales. For this review heat flow maps are classified by 4 different horizontal scales of 10ⁿ km (n = 1, 2, 3 and 4) and attention is focussed on the interpretation of anomalies which appear with characteristic dimensions of 10^{(n − 1)} km in the respective representations.The largest scale of 10⁴ km encompasses heat flow on a global scale. Global heat loss is 4 × 10¹³ W and the process of sea floor spreading is the principal agent in delivering much of this heat to the surface. Correspondingly, active ocean ridge systems produce the most prominent heat flow anomalies at this scale with characteristic widths of 10³ km. Shields, with similar dimensions, exhibit negative anomalies.The scale of 10³ km includes continent wide displays. Heat flow patterns at this scale mimic tectonic units which have dimensions of a few times 10² km, although the thermal boundaries between these units are sometimes sharp. Heat flow anomalies at this scale also result from plate tectonic processes, and are associated with arc volcanism, back arc basins, hot spot traces, and continental rifting. There are major controversies about the extent to which these surface thermal provinces reflect upper mantle thermal conditions, and also about the origin and evolution of the thermal state of continental lithosphere.Beginning with map dimensions of 10² km thermal anomalies of scale 10¹ km, which have a definite crustal origin, become apparent. The origin may be tectonic, geologic, or hydrologic. Ten kilometers is a common wavelength of topographic relief which drives many groundwater flow systems producing thermal anomalies. The largest recognized continental geothermal systems have thermal anomalies 10¹ km wide and are capable of producing hundreds of megawatts of thermal energy.The smallest scale addressed in this paper is 10¹ km. Worldwide interest in exploiting geothermal systems has been responsible for a recent accumulation of heat flow data on the smallest of scales considered here. The exploration nature of the surveys involve 10's of drillholes and reveal thermal anomalies having widths of 10⁰ km. These are almost certainly connected to surface and subsurface fluid discharge systems which, in spite of their restricted size, are typically delivering 10 MW of heat to the near surface environment.     

Thermal evolution of the Earth: Secular changes and fluctuations of plate characteristics

The average secular cooling rate of the Earth can be deduced from compositional variations of mantle melts through time and from rheological conditions at the onset of sub-solidus convection at the end of the initial magma ocean phase. The constraint that this places on the characteristics of mantle convection in the past are investigated using the global heat balance equation and a simple parameterization for the heat loss of the Earth. All heat loss parameterization schemes depend on a closure equation for the maximum age of oceanic plates. We use a scheme that accounts for the present-day distribution of heat flux at Earth's surface and that does not depend on any assumption about the dynamics of convection with rigid plates, which remain poorly understood. We show that heat supply to the base of continents and transient continental thermal regimes cannot be ignored. We find that the maximum sea floor age has not changed by large amounts over the last 3 Ga. Calculations lead to a maximum temperature at an age of about 3 Ga and cannot be extrapolated further back in time. By construction, these calculations are based on the present-day tectonic regime characterized by the subduction of large oceanic plates and hence indicate that this regime did not prevail until an age of about 3 Ga. According to this interpretation, the onset of rapid continental growth occurred when the current plate regime became stable.     

Global scale patterns of continental fragmentation: Wilson's cycles as a constraint for long-term sea-level changes

We propose to characterize land–ocean distributions over Late Proterozoic to Phanerozoic times from measurement of perimeters and areas of continental fragments, based on paleomagnetic reconstructions. These measurements serve to calculate geophysically constrained breakup and scatter indexes of continental land masses from 0 to 1100 Ma. We then provide quantitative investigation and modelling of relationships between scatter of continental landmasses and mean age of the oceanic lithosphere during Mesozoic times, which appears to range from 56 to 62 Ma over the last 170 My. We then inverse the scatter of continental landmasses in terms of global oceanic crust mean age over the last 600 My, i.e. back in times where no measurement of seafloor accretion history is possible because of subduction. We finally show that the inferred evolution of oceanic lithosphere mean age over the Phanerozoic remarkably correlates in time with long-term sea-level changes since the Cambrian.     

沉积盆地构造热演化研究进展：回顾与展望

构造热演化模拟是研究沉积盆地的重要手段之一，其模型依赖于沉积盆地的成因机制.裂谷盆地构造热演化的定量模型在描述盆地沉降和热流演化方面取得了极大的成功，实现了构造和热的完美结合.而前陆盆地的定量模型更多关注的是构造沉降，在构造与热的结合方面尚不够完善.关于克拉通盆地目前还没有很成熟的定量模型，构造热演化研究程度远远低于裂谷盆地和前陆盆地.随着我国陆域海相沉积盆地油气勘探的突破，对海相沉积盆地热体制的研究迫在眉睫.而我国陆域海相沉积盆地，如塔里木和四川盆地，演化历史长且复杂，是古生代海相克拉通与中、新生代前陆盆地组成的叠合盆地.现有的关于沉积盆地构造热演化的单一模式难以适应复杂的构造—热历史.对我国陆域海相大型沉积盆地进行深入全面的动力学分析，发展叠合盆地的构造—热演化模型，建立相应的构造热演化模式及模拟方法技术，将是一项具有开拓意义并极具挑战性的工作.     

裂谷盆地构造-热演化模拟中几个问题的讨论

裂谷盆地的构造-热演化模拟是在岩石圈尺度计算裂谷盆地形成演化过程中的热历史和沉降史.拉张模型实现了构造和热的完美结合,在描述裂谷盆地沉降和热流演化方面取得了很大的成功.本文使用二维运动学模型,通过有限元方法,在拉格朗日坐标系下进行拉张背景下的构造热演化模拟,探讨了拉张模型中初始地壳、岩石圈厚度、软流圈对流、模型上边界对构造热演化的影响,以及载水和载沉积物两种情况下盆地侧翼抬升的差异.     

华北地台岩石放射性元素与现代大陆岩石圈热结构和温度分布

在华北地台1.4×106km2的范围内系统采集了12193个岩石样,组合成1207件分析样,对放射性产热元素K,Th,U进行了测试,同时由国家一级岩石地球化学标准物质监控分析质量．根据岩石中K,Th,U的含量和地壳各结构层的岩石组成,计算了地壳各壳层放射性产热元素的含量,系统研究了华北地台岩石与各时代地层的平均热产生率及其变化,并建立了华北地台现代大陆岩石圈的热结构和温度分布．应用一维稳志热传导模型,求得了华北地台岩石圈的深度-平均地温分布曲线．地表热流密度分布和岩石圈深度-地温分布曲线研究表明,现今华北地台壳内熔融作用不明显。与世界上其他大的稳定克拉通区相比,华北地台地壳活动性较大,具有准地台的特点．     

Geodynamic evolution of the lithosphere of the Sea of Okhotsk region from geophysical data

The tectonic structure and anomalous distributions of geophysical fields of the Sea of Okhotsk region are considered; the lack of reliable data on the age of the lithosphere beneath basins of various origins in the Sea of Okhotsk is noted. Model calculations based on geological and geophysical data yielded an age of 65 Ma (the Cretaceous-Paleocene boundary) for the Central Okhotsk rise underlain by the continental lithosphere. This estimate agrees with the age (the end of the Cretaceous) derived from seismostratigraphic data. A comparative analysis of theoretical and measured heat fluxes in the Akademii Nauk Rise, underlain by a thinned continental crust, is performed. The analysis points to a higher (by 20%) value of the measured thermal background of the rise, which is consistent with a high negative gradient of gravity anomalies in this area. Calculations yielded an age of 36 Ma (the Early Oligocene) and a lithosphere thickness of 50 km for the South Okhotsk depression, whose seafloor was formed by processes of backarc spreading. The estimated age of the depression is supported by kinematic data on the region; the calculated thickness of the lithosphere coincides with the value estimated from data of magnetotelluric sounding here. This indicates that the formation time (36 Ma) of the South Okhotsk depression was estimated correctly. Numerical modeling performed for the determination of the basement age of rifting basins in the Sea of Okhotsk gave the following estimates: 18 Ma (the Early Miocene) for the Deryugin basin, 12 Ma (the Middle Miocene) for the TINRO basin, and 23 Ma (the Late Oligocene) for the West Kamchatka trough. These estimates agree with the formation time (Oligocene-Quaternary) of the sedimentary cover in rifting basins of the Sea of Okhotsk derived from geological and geophysical data. Model temperature estimates are obtained for lithologic and stratigraphic boundaries of the sedimentary cover in the Deryugin and TINRO basins and the West Kamchatka trough; the temperature analysis indicates that the latter two structures are promising for oil and hydrocarbon gas generation; the West Kamchatka trough possesses better reservoir properties compared to the TINRO and Deryugin basins. The latter is promising for the generation of hydrocarbon gas. Paleogeodynamic reconstructions of the Sea of Okhotsk region evolution are obtained for times of 90, 66, and 36 Ma on the basis of kinematic, geomagnetic, structural, tectonic, geothermal, and other geological and geophysical data.     

Asymmetric back-arc spreading, heat flux and structure associated with the Central Volcanic Region of New Zealand

The Central Volcanic Region of New Zealand is an active back-arc basin developed within continental lithosphere, and therefore offers a rare opportunity to study back-arc extension from land-based observations. Two parameters related to the heat output from the Central Volcanic Region are of particular interest. Firstly, the average heat flow for the eastern half of the Central Volcanic Region is about 800 mW/m²—in order to maintain this heat flow over geological time periods an efficient mass-transfer of heat is required. Secondly, the observed asymmetry in the pattern of heat output, coupled with the tectonic erosion of blocks of continental crust from the eastern axial ranges into the Central Volcanic Region, suggests that the process currently in progress at the eastern margin of the Region is asymmetric spreading with concomitant thermal differentiation of continental crust into its silicic and basic components.     

Variation of continental mantle heat flow with age. Possibility of discriminating between thermal models of the lithosphere

Continental mantle heat flow values are obtained by subtracting the radiogenic heat produced in the lower crust and lithosphere beneath the crust from reduced heat flow values reported for various heat flow provinces. The significance of continental mantle heat flow values thus obtained is that they can be considered essentially as representing the residual heat of cooling of the continental lithosphere. A plot of these mantle heat flow values against 1/t where t is the geologic age of the last thermal event suggests a linear trend. It is also found that the recently proposed relationQ=500 (1/t) for the variation of oceanic heat flowQ (in mW/M²) with aget (in million years) provides a reasonably good fit to the mantle heat flow data. The constant thickness plate model however, is found to be unsatisfactory in explaining the variation of continental mantle heat flow with age.     

南海北部陆缘珠江口盆地岩石圈热结构

沉积盆地岩石圈热结构特征是岩石圈构造-热演化过程的综合反映和盆地热史恢复的约束条件,对盆地动力学研究和油气资源评价具有重要意义.由于海洋勘探难度大、勘探程度低,相对于大陆地区,边缘海盆地比较缺乏岩石圈热结构方面的研究.本文在收集整理珠江口盆地及邻区大地热流数据的基础上,补充收录了自2003年以来发表的新数据,绘制了研究区最新版的大地热流等值线图;基于中美合作双船地震剖面揭示的深部地壳结构计算了研究区的壳-幔热流、深部温度以及"热"岩石圈厚度.研究表明,珠江口盆地地壳热流介于18.7~28.6 mW·m^-2,地幔热流介于36.9~91.4 mW·m^-2,壳幔热流比值0.23~0.75;由陆架、陆坡至中央海盆,在地壳热流逐渐减小的情况下地表热流逐渐递增,说明地表热流分布主要受深部热作用控制;盆地"热"岩石圈厚度介于34.0~87.2 km,平均65.5 km,反映出显著拉张减薄的特征.     

中国大陆含油气盆地的氦同位素组成及大地热流密度

根据天然气中氦同位素组成,讨论了中国大陆主要含油气盆地氦同位素地球化学特征与大地热流密度。不同地区425个~3He/~4He 值表明中国含油气盆地天然气的氦同位素组成变化范围较大,为4.0×10~(-9)-7.21×10~(-6),在统计直方图上呈现三个峰值:1.5×10~(-8),3.0×10~(-7)和1.5×10~(-6)。中国东部大陆裂谷系中、新生代盆地内天然气的~3He/~4He 值分布范围为1.02×10~(-7)-7.21×10~(-6),50%以上大于大气的值(1.4×10~(-6));其他地区含油气盆地天然气的~3He/~4He 值分布范围为4.0×10~(-9)-7.01×10~(-7),全部小于大气的~3He/~4He 值。根据天然气中~3He/~4He 值计算的大地热流密度值分布在30-82mW/m~2 之间。利用~3He/~4He 值计算的大地热流密度值与用其他方法测得的值相一致,在中国大陆水平方向上呈现"东高西低"的变化趋势。     

Electromagnetic Studies Of The Lithosphere And Asthenosphere

In geodynamic models of the Earth's interior, the lithosphere and asthenosphere are defined in terms of their rheology. Lithosphere has high viscosity, and can be divided into an elastic region at temperatures below 350 °C and an anelastic region above 650 °C. Beneath the lithosphere lies the ductile asthenosphere, with one- to two-orders of magnitude lower viscosity. Asthenosphere represents the location in the mantle where the melting point (solidus) is most closely approached, and sometimes intersected. Seismic, gravity and isostatic observations provide constraints on lithosphere-asthenosphere structure in terms of shear-rigidity, density and viscosity, which are all rheological properties. In particular, seismic shear- and surface-wave analyses produce estimates of a low-velocity zone (LVZ) asthenosphere at depths comparable to the predicted rheological transitions. Heat flow measurements on the ocean floor also provide a measure of the thermal structure of the lithosphere.Electromagnetic (EM) observations provide complementary information on lithosphere-asthenosphere structure in terms of electrical conductivity. Laboratory studies of mantle minerals show that EM observations are very sensitive to the presence of melt or volatiles. A high conductivity zone (HCZ) in the upper mantle therefore represents an electrical asthenosphere (containing melt and/or volatile) that may be distinct from a rheological asthenosphere and the LVZ. Additionally, the vector propagation of EM fields in the Earth provides information on anisotropic conduction in the lithosphere and asthenosphere. In the last decade, numerous EM studies have focussed on the delineation of an HCZ in the upper mantle, and the determination of melt/volatile fractions and the dynamics of the lithosphere-asthenosphere. Such HCZs have been imaged under a variety of tectonic zones, including mid-ocean ridges and continental rifts, but Archaean shields show little evidence of an HCZ, implying that the geotherm is always below the mantle solidus. Anisotropy in the conductivity of oceanic and continental lithosphere has also been detected, but it is not clear if the HCZ is also anisotropic. Although much progress has been made, these results have raised new and interesting questions of asthenosphere melt/volatiles porosity and permeability, and lithosphere-upper mantle heterogeneity. It is likely that in the next decade EM will continue to make a significant contribution to our understanding of plate tectonic processes.     

大陆岩石圈塑性流动网络的延性弱面效应

岩石圈下层的网状塑性流动 ,作为包含塑性流动网络的黏塑性流动 ,控制着大陆板块内部的构造变形和动力学过程。塑性流动网络由两组网带共轭相交而成 ,而塑性流动网带是黏塑性流动过程中因剪切局部化、黏性摩擦生热和网带介质的弱化而形成的延性弱面 (弱带 )。研究表明 ,类似于断裂和节理等脆性弱面 ,延性弱面对介质强度的影响也具有条件性 ,即当应力方向改变时 ,只有在滑移角θ不超出一定限值的条件 (θ1≤θ≤θ2 )下才可能沿原有弱面滑移 ,显示其弱化效应 ;延性弱面可以用弱化度R表示其屈服限的相对降低程度 ,弱化度与滑移角下限值之间的关系为R =sin2θ1;根据亚洲中东部地区“塑性流动 -地震”网络的最大共轭角推算 ,网带的弱化度R近似于 0 81。基于延性弱面效应的认识 ,文中就网带由剪切滑移向压性褶皱的转化、网带的继承与弃置以及应力方向的允许偏角等问题进行了探讨     

塔里木盆地现今地热特征

地温梯度和大地热流是揭示盆地现今热状态的重要参数,它们对理解盆地的构造-热演化过程及油气资源评价等方面均具有重要意义.利用塔里木盆地约470口井的地层测试温度资料和941块岩石热导率数据,本文计算了塔里木盆地38个新的大地热流数据,进而揭示了该盆地现今地热分布特征.研究表明,塔里木盆地现今地温梯度变化范围为17～32 ℃/km,平均为22.6±3.0 ℃/km;大地热流变化范围为26.2～65.4 mW/m²,平均为43.0±8.5 mW/m².与我国其他大中型沉积盆地相比,它表现为低地温、低大地热流的冷盆的热状态,但仍具有与世界上典型克拉通盆地相似的地热背景.整体而言,盆地隆起区地温梯度和热流相对较高,坳陷区地温梯度和热流则偏低.此外,我们还发现塔里木盆地现有的油气田区一般位于高地温梯度区域,这可能与下部热流体的向上运移和聚集有关.影响塔里木盆地现今地热特征的因素包括盆地深部结构、构造演化、岩石热物理性质、盆地基底构造形态和烃类聚集等.     

塑性流动网络控制下川滇菱形块体及邻区构造应力场与地震构造

川滇地区位于中东亚塑性流动网络系统东南部 ,研究区内岩石圈下层含右向网带 6条和左向网带 16条 ,受其控制在多震层内形成相应的地震带。多震层和岩石圈下层的构造应力场在总趋势上基本一致 ,进一步证明了下层网状流动对上层的控制。沿网带以不同交角展布的发震断裂组成地震构造带 ,其中多数右向地震构造带已发育成熟 (视成熟度Λ≥ 0 .8) ,而左向带除大理 -通海和腾冲 -景洪两带接近成熟外 ,多数的Λ值显著小于 0 .8。“川滇菱形块体”因塑性流动网络的存在和块体边界的变迁 ,其现今构造和动力学涵义有待探讨     

Tectonic modelling in the Bjørnøya West Basin of the Western Barents Sea1

The Bjøirnøya West Basin lies between latitudes 73° and 74°, longitudes 16°E and 18°E, contains at least 8 km of sediments deposited from the Late Jurassic, and is of considerable interest for hydrocarbon exploration. The Cenozoic extensional tectonics in the basin can be clearly seen from seismic data with normal faulting and from subsidence curves with rapid subsidence. The extension occurred during the Late Palaeocene with active extension lasting about 6 million years (m.y.) followed by thermal cooling. The tectonic subsidence within the study area shows a three-phase development: phase 1, synrift (58–52 Ma (million years before the present day)), is characterized by rapid subsidence; phase 2, postrift (52–5 Ma), by slow subsidence with occasional uplift; and phase 3 (5–0 Ma), by rapid subsidence. An adaptive finite-element model, with consideration of the radiogenic heat production in the lithosphere, has been used to model the subsidence and heat flow. The modelling of subsidence shows the β-factor distribution varying from 1.9 to 3.5 with an average of 2.4 for the uniform lithospheric extension. The heat-flow modelling predicts a rapid increase of heat flow during the Early Palaeocene. The maximum heat flow at about 52 Ma, which could be as much as 3.0 hfu (10^?6 cal/cm²/s), was followed by a decrease in heat flow. A plate-weakening model has been proposed to explain the rapid subsidence for the last 5 m.y. by flexure of the elastic lithosphere which is weakened by a decrease in elastic thickness caused by an increase of the temperature gradient in the lithosphere. The plate-weakening model predicts a heat-flow increase at 5 Ma of up to 2.0 hfu. Our study, using quantitative modelling of the tectonic subsidence, provides a partial (if not a full) understanding of the tectonic development and thermal evolution of the Bjønøya West Basin.