The age and genesis of the structures in the Amerasian basin

An insufficient number of dated native samples and indistinct magnetic anomalies in the Amerasian Basin prevent geophysicists from identifying the exact age of most of its structural elements. Due to this, it is impossible to gain an insight into the evolution of this vast region, which is highly promising in terms of its hydrocarbon potential. Therefore, the geological time of the formation of the structural elements composing the Amerasian Basin is determined either hypothetically or very loosely (for example, Late Cretaceous-Cenozoic). In order to more precisely estimate the time of formation of the structural elements within the Amerasian Basin, we applied the geothermal method, which is highly informative in terms of the age of the lithosphere, its thickness, and the evolution of the basin structures. Besides, this method provides far narrower time constraints for the formation of the structures compared to the geological data. Based on the thermal flow data, we have numerically calculated the age of the structural elements composing the Amerasian Basin: Podvodnikov Basin (97–79 Ma), Makarov Basin (75–61 Ma), Alpha-Mendeleev Ridge (97–79 Ma), and Lomonosov Ridge (69–57 Ma). The age of these structures derived from the geothermal data agrees with the estimates determined from the geological, geomagnetic, seismic, and radiometric data. Based on the age of the structures estimated from the thermal flow data and the analysis of the geological and geophysical evidence, conclusions are made concerning the genesis and character of formation of the Podvodnikov and Makarov basins and the Alpha-Mendeleev and Lomonosov ridges within the Amerasian Basin.