A Review of the Spatiotemporal Evolution of the High Arctic Large Igneous Province, and a New U-Pb Age of a Mafic Sill Complex on Svalbard
(2025) In Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems 26(12).- Abstract
The High Arctic Large Igneous Province (HALIP) formed in the circum-Arctic during the Cretaceous. The timing and duration of emplacement of these mafic magmas are important for understanding the climatic and environmental effects, yet many uncertainties remain. The dating methods used vary greatly between different regions. For example, the mafic intrusions in Svalbard have mainly been dated using the 40K/40Ar method, which is more sensitive to overprinting at lower temperatures. This is problematic especially in the Arctic, where the Eocene Eurekan orogeny has impacted the intrusions post-emplacement. Meanwhile, in the Canadian Arctic, 206Pb/238U dating on zirconium minerals has been the most... (More)
The High Arctic Large Igneous Province (HALIP) formed in the circum-Arctic during the Cretaceous. The timing and duration of emplacement of these mafic magmas are important for understanding the climatic and environmental effects, yet many uncertainties remain. The dating methods used vary greatly between different regions. For example, the mafic intrusions in Svalbard have mainly been dated using the 40K/40Ar method, which is more sensitive to overprinting at lower temperatures. This is problematic especially in the Arctic, where the Eocene Eurekan orogeny has impacted the intrusions post-emplacement. Meanwhile, in the Canadian Arctic, 206Pb/238U dating on zirconium minerals has been the most common method employed, which requires much higher temperatures to be reset. We present a new compilation of ages for HALIP igneous and volcanic rocks in the circum-Arctic, derived from a thorough review and reassessment of previously reported data. This compilation applies rigorous, method-specific criteria to evaluate the reliability of existing HALIP age determinations, ensuring traceability and applicability for future data sets. By establishing a robust framework for assessing age data, this approach enhances the reliability of geological interpretations of HALIP magmatism, and highlights, for example, the spatial migration of peak magmatic activity through time in the High Arctic. To improve our understanding of the temporal evolution of the HALIP, we also present a new 206Pb/238U baddeleyite isotopic dilution thermal ionization mass spectrometry age from Svalbard. The new weighted mean 206Pb/238U age from Svalbard, 123.3 ± 1.6 Ma, is based on six samples belonging to one large sill. This age is in perfect agreement with existing published 206Pb/238U and 40Ar/39Ar ages, and suggests magma emplacement on Svalbard between 124.7 ± 0.3 and 120.2 ± 1.9 Ma ago.
(Less)
- author
- Sartell, A. M.R. LU ; Söderlund, U. LU ; Senger, K. ; Kjøll, H. J. and Galland, O.
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025-12
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- ages, Ar-Ar, geochronology, High Arctic Large Igneous Province, review, U-Pb
- in
- Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems
- volume
- 26
- issue
- 12
- article number
- e2024GC011842
- publisher
- American Geophysical Union (AGU)
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:105023305436
- ISSN
- 1525-2027
- DOI
- 10.1029/2024GC011842
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- ec12174c-db66-4daf-b326-1ba55e8effbd
- date added to LUP
- 2026-01-14 13:13:25
- date last changed
- 2026-01-14 13:14:04
@article{ec12174c-db66-4daf-b326-1ba55e8effbd,
abstract = {{<p>The High Arctic Large Igneous Province (HALIP) formed in the circum-Arctic during the Cretaceous. The timing and duration of emplacement of these mafic magmas are important for understanding the climatic and environmental effects, yet many uncertainties remain. The dating methods used vary greatly between different regions. For example, the mafic intrusions in Svalbard have mainly been dated using the <sup>40</sup>K/<sup>40</sup>Ar method, which is more sensitive to overprinting at lower temperatures. This is problematic especially in the Arctic, where the Eocene Eurekan orogeny has impacted the intrusions post-emplacement. Meanwhile, in the Canadian Arctic, <sup>206</sup>Pb/<sup>238</sup>U dating on zirconium minerals has been the most common method employed, which requires much higher temperatures to be reset. We present a new compilation of ages for HALIP igneous and volcanic rocks in the circum-Arctic, derived from a thorough review and reassessment of previously reported data. This compilation applies rigorous, method-specific criteria to evaluate the reliability of existing HALIP age determinations, ensuring traceability and applicability for future data sets. By establishing a robust framework for assessing age data, this approach enhances the reliability of geological interpretations of HALIP magmatism, and highlights, for example, the spatial migration of peak magmatic activity through time in the High Arctic. To improve our understanding of the temporal evolution of the HALIP, we also present a new <sup>206</sup>Pb/<sup>238</sup>U baddeleyite isotopic dilution thermal ionization mass spectrometry age from Svalbard. The new weighted mean <sup>206</sup>Pb/<sup>238</sup>U age from Svalbard, 123.3 ± 1.6 Ma, is based on six samples belonging to one large sill. This age is in perfect agreement with existing published <sup>206</sup>Pb/<sup>238</sup>U and <sup>40</sup>Ar/<sup>39</sup>Ar ages, and suggests magma emplacement on Svalbard between 124.7 ± 0.3 and 120.2 ± 1.9 Ma ago.</p>}},
author = {{Sartell, A. M.R. and Söderlund, U. and Senger, K. and Kjøll, H. J. and Galland, O.}},
issn = {{1525-2027}},
keywords = {{ages; Ar-Ar; geochronology; High Arctic Large Igneous Province; review; U-Pb}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{12}},
publisher = {{American Geophysical Union (AGU)}},
series = {{Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems}},
title = {{A Review of the Spatiotemporal Evolution of the High Arctic Large Igneous Province, and a New U-Pb Age of a Mafic Sill Complex on Svalbard}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2024GC011842}},
doi = {{10.1029/2024GC011842}},
volume = {{26}},
year = {{2025}},
}