Deformable Plate Reconstructions for Use in Basin Analysis - A Case Study from Atlantic Ireland and Canada

A new kinematic plate model for the North Atlantic between Ireland and Canada employs a new deformable plate reconstruction method that eliminates many of the inherent short-comings found in rigid plate reconstructions, particularly the problem of plate overlap. The method described in this paper allows us to accurately remove the effects of pre-breakup extension across conjugate margins thereby providing a means to better evaluate basin formation and evolution. The new method takes into account the wide range of geological processes responsible for basin development by incorporating seismic, magnetic and geological interpretation with the analytical techniques of 2D or 3D gravity inversion, flexural backstripping, and forward modelling. The deformable plate reconstruction method benefits from advances in the fields of kinematic and geodynamic modelling, while making use of all available onshore and offshore geological constraints.