W-11: Geophysical Models of Magmatic and Amagmatic Rifted Continental Margins

Rifted continental margins serve as vital repositories for a wide range of natural resources, encompassing both conventional fossil fuels and emerging lower carbon sources. Successful exploration within these margins depends on a thorough understanding of their formation processes and the ability to properly characterize their current structures and lithologies. A key factor in the development of rifted margins is the nature of magma supply during and after rifting, which leads to the classification of margins into two common end-member types: magmatic (excess magma, also called “volcanic”) and amagmatic (magma starved, also called “non-volcanic”) margins. Magmatic margins, often influenced by nearby mantle plumes, are characterized by underplating and the formation of flood basalts during continental extension, which manifest as seaward dipping reflectors (SDRs) in seismic. In contrast, amagmatic margins experience extreme extension of the continental lithosphere, exposing the lower crust and upper mantle rocks that may become serpentinized (hydrated) by seawater.

Through this workshop, we seek to integrate geophysical data along rifted continental margins to quantitatively model the structures and lithologies characteristic of the magmatic and amagmatic margin endmembers, and to assess how these processes influence margin evolution and associated resource exploration.

Lead Organizer

Dale Bird, Bird Geophysical

Co-Organizer(s)

John Green, Chevron