Seismic stratigraphy of the Bill Bailey and Lousy Bank area: implications for subsidence history

• Main Authors: K. Vanneste, J. -p. Henriet, J. Posewang «fe F. Theilen
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Lousy Bank; North Atlantic
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.455.1160; http://www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/214867.pdf

Abstract: The present study discusses some results of a reconnaissance seismic survey carried out in 1988 in the area around the prominent Bill Bailey and Lousy Banks, located SW of the Faeroe Islands. The area is thought to be part of the Rockall-Faeroe microcontinent, which was flooded by Palaeocene plateau basalts. The seafloor topography is largely due to the present-day organization of the basalt surface. Important structural features exhibited by this basement are sub-surface diverging reflectors and a major fault. Sediment accumulation is confined to the basinal area where four unconformities were identified. The lower boundary corresponds to the well-known reflector R4 of the North Atlantic. The other unconformities are proposed to correlate with hiatuses at the beginning and end of the middle Miocene, and at the end of the Pliocene, respectively. The sediment units are briefly described by their upper and lower boundary, seismic facies and thickness variations. About the lithology, however, little is so far known. The sediments are deformed by intraformational faults and a diapir-like structure. Both deformational styles are probably related to temporary overpressurisation in fine-grained sediments, but resulting from different causes.