HuBLE: The Hudson Bay Lithospheric Experiment

Ian Bastow, Michael Kendall, George Helffrich, James Wookey, David Thompson
2012
HuBLE: The Hudson Bay Lithospheric Experiment
This is a Full Scientific Report resulting from NERC Geophysical Equipment Facility Loan 900, principal investigator Prof Michael Kendall.

Abstract

We have carried out a broadband seismological study of the Hudson Bay region of northern Canada with the view to understanding better the reasons for the Bay’s existence, and the nature of the tectonic processes that shaped the Canadian shield during Precambrian times. Our 2007–2011 seismograph network consisted of up to 12 CMG-3T G¨uralp instruments with a combination of Taurus and DCM data loggers recording data at 20 Hz in both remote (solar powered) and community (mains powered) locations. Our work was carried out in conjunction with the Geological Survey of Canada who provided significant logistical and financial support beyond the scope of the original (2007-2009) NERC-funded proposal. Data quality from the HuBLE network was excellent, with percentage recovery good except during the long Canadian winters when stations powered down. A number of publications have resulted from analysis of the new dataset showing that: (i) the lithosphere in the region has retained a ∼1.8 Ga fossil fabric, providing strong evidence that modern-day-style plate tectonics was in operation by Paleoproterozoic times (the Trans Hudson Orogen). (ii) Crustal formation of the Canadian Shield likely evolved from one characterised by a hot ductile regime during the Paleoarchean, to one more closely resembling modern-day-style plate tectonics by the Paleoproterozoic. (iii) Crustal stretching (not a mantle down-welling, eclogitised lower-crust, or incomplete glacial rebound) is likely responsible for the presence of the Bay. (iv) There is no evidence for thinning or thickening of the mantle transition zone, with the implication that the mantle beneath Hudson Bay is neither characterized by a cold downwelling (potentially responsible for the formation of the Bay), or elevated temperatures due to the thermally insulating effects of the thick Canadian lithosphere.

Full Report

PDF HuBLE: The Hudson Bay Lithospheric Experiment (3.5 Mb)
Cite as:
Bastow, I., Kendall, M., Helffrich, G., Wookey, J., Thompson, D., "HuBLE: The Hudson Bay Lithospheric Experiment", NERC Geophysical Equipment Facility, Scientific Report 900, 2012

Selected external publications resulting from this GEF loan

  1. Liddell, M.V., Bastow, I., Rawlinson, N., Darbyshire, F., Gilligan, A. and Watson, E., 2018, Precambrian Plate Tectonics in Northern Hudson Bay: Evidence From P and S Wave Seismic Tomography and Analysis of Source Side Effects in Relative Arrival-Time Data Sets, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 123(7), p5690-5709, doi: 10.1029/2018JB015473
  2. Boyce, A., Bastow, I.D., Golos, E.M., Rondenay, S., Burdick, S. and Van der Hilst, R.D., 2019, Variable modification of continental lithosphere during the Proterozoic Grenville orogeny: Evidence from teleseismic P-wave tomography, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 525, p115763, doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2019.115763
  3. Ogden, C.S., Bastow, I.D., Gilligan, A. and Rondenay, S., 2019, A reappraisal of the H–κ stacking technique: implications for global crustal structure, Geophysical Journal International, 219(3), p1491-1513, doi: 10.1093/gji/ggz364
  4. Bastow, I.D., Eaton, D.W., Kendall, J.M., Helffrich, G., Snyder, D.B., Thompson, D.A., Wookey, J., Darbyshire,F.A. and Pawlak, A.E., 2015, The Hudson Bay Lithospheric Experiment (HuBLE): insights into Precambrian plate tectonics and the development of mantle keels, Geological Society of London Special Publications, doi: 10.1144/SP389.7
  5. Thomson, D.A., Kendall, J.M., Helffrich, G.R., Bastow, I.D., Wookey, J. and Snyder, D.B., 2015, CAN-HK: An a Priori Crustal Model for the Canadian Shield, Seismological Research Letters, doi: 10.1785/0220150015
  6. Bastow, I.D., Thompson, D., Wookey, J., Kendall, J.-M., Helffrich, G., Snyder, D., Eaton, E. and Darbyshire, F., 2010, Precambrian plate tectonics: Seismic evidence from Northern Hudson Bay, Geology, 39(1), pp91-94, doi: 10.1130/G31396.1
  7. Thompson, D., Bastow, I.D., Kendall, J.-M., Helffrich, G., Wookey, J., Snyder, D. and Eaton, D., 2010, Precambrian crustal evolution: Seismic constraints from the Canadian shield, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 297(3-4), pp655-666, doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2010.07.021
  8. Bastow, I.D., Kendall, J.M., Brisbourne, A.M., Snyder, D.B., Thompson, D., Hawthorn, D., Helffrich, G.R., Wookey, J., Horleston, A. and Eaton, D., 2011, The Hudson Bay Lithospheric Experiment, Astronomy and Geophysics, pp6.21-6.24, doi: doi:10.1111/j.1468-4004.2011.52621.x
  9. Pawlak, A., Eaton, D., Bastow, I.D., Kendall, J.-M., Helffrich, G., Wookey, J. and Snyder, D., 2011, Crustal structure beneath Hudson Bay from ambient-noise tomography: Implications for basin formation, Geophysical Journal International, 184(1), pp65-82, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-246X.2010.04828.x
  10. Gilligan, A., Bastow, I.D. and Darbyshire, F.A., 2016, Seismological structure of the 1.8 Ga Trans-Hudson Orogen of North America, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 17(6), p2421-2433, doi: 10.1002/2016GC006419
  11. Darbyshire, F.A., Eaton, D.W. and Bastow, I.D., 2013, Seismic imaging of the lithosphere beneath Hudson Bay: Episodic growth of the Laurentian mantle keel, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 373, p179–193, doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2013.05.002
  12. Liddell, M.V., Bastow, I., Darbyshire, F., Gilligan, A. and Pugh, S., 2017, The formation of Laurentia: Evidence from shear wave splitting, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 479, p170-178, doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2017.09.030
  13. Pawlak, A., Eaton, D.W., Darbyshire, F., Lebedev S and Bastow, I.D., 2012, Crustal anisotropy beneath Hudson Bay from ambient-noise tomography: evidence for post-orogenic lower-crustal flow?, Journal of Geophysical Research, 117, B08301, doi: 10.1029/2011JB009066
  14. Thompson, D.A., 2012, Seismic discontinuity structure beneath the Canadian Shield and the signature of continental roots, University of Bristol, PhD Thesis
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