The post-basaltic Palaeogene and Neogene sediments at Kap Dalton and Savoia Halvø, East Greenland

Abstract

The Palaeogene flood basalts in East Greenland are part of the North Atlantic Igneous Province (NAIP) formed during continental rifting and opening of the northern North Atlantic (Saunders et al. 1997). Along the Blosseville Kyst in southern and central East Greenland the basalts are exposed onshore from Kangerlussuaq in the south to Scoresby Sund in the north (Larsen et al. 1989). The base of the volcanic succession is exposed at Kangerlussuaq and at Savoia Halvø whereas post-basaltic sediments are found at two isolated localities, Kap Dalton and Savoia Halvø (Fig. 2). These three outcrop areas are thus key sources for biostratigraphic data to constrain the onset and duration of the Palaeogene volcanism in East Greenland, and are widely used in reconstructions of the North Atlantic region during continental break-up (e.g. Clift et al. 1998; Dam et al. 1999). In August 2001 the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) carried out field work in the sedimentary successions at Kap Dalton and Savoia Halvø. This was the first visit by geologists to Kap Dalton since 1975, and it is expected that the new data will provide important new biostratigraphic information and help to refine models for the Palaeogene of the North Atlantic. This report, and the palynological study of the sediments immediately below the basalts at Savoia Halvø presented by Nøhr-Hansen & Piasecki (2002, this volume), present the preliminary results of the field work.