Cenozoic evolution of the northern Voring margin

The northern Voring volcanic margin was initiated by late Campanian-Paleoce ne rifting, culminating with massive breakup-related igneous activity near the Paleocene-Eocene transition. Paleocene uplift of the central rift zone led to subaerial erosion and deposition in a restricted basin west of the F les fault complex. The western source area was active toward the end of Eoc ene time. In the east, the low-relief land surface underwent modest relativ e uplift, which led to the construction of an early Oligocene delta system on the Trondelag platform. This event was followed by: a period of margin s ubsidence and modest sedimentation until late Pliocene time. Although Mioce ne and early Pliocene biosiliceous hemipelagic sediments dominate on the ou ter margin, the influx of ice-rafted detritus records the climatic deterior ation and the establishment of glaciers in late Miocene and early Pliocene time. Since ca. 2.6 Ma, ongoing epeirogenic uplift of Fennoscandia and the onset of Northern Hemisphere glaciation increased the erosion potential. A huge prograding wedge of glacial sediments was constructed from ca, 2.6 to 1.0 Ma, when the glacial mode changed from moderate, relatively stable icec aps to distinct glacial-interglacial cycles. The wedge overlies the base of the late Pliocene horizon, which marks pronounced changes in lithology and physical sediment properties, and corresponds to a distinct, regional velo city inversion. The differential glacial sediment load over unconsolidated and mobile biosiliceous oozes may have caused abundant small-offset faultin g and diapirism in the western Voring basin.