Variations in heat flow across the Goban Spur and Galicia Bank continental margins

Abstract

Presents the results of 44 new heat flow stations which were taken in 1984 and 1989 in profiles across the Goban Spur and Galicia Bank continental margins (NE Atlantic Ocean). Simple extensional models indicate that the heat flow across both these Early Cretaceous rifted margins should increase from values of 45-50 mW/m2 over oceanic crust to 65-80 mW/m2 on the continents. The rate of this increase should help to constrain the mechanism (simple versus pure shear) by which the upper, more radiogenic continental crust is thinned