ABSTRACT: Circum-Atlantic Project

Paul Teleki, Terry Edgar

Inspired by the success and value of the maps prepared by the Circum-Pacific Council for Energy and Mineral Resources, the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) initiated the Circum-Atlantic Project (CAP) in 1987. The project is co-sponsored by the Commission for the Geological Map of the World (CGMW). Objectives of CAP are to help organize, coordinate, and stimulate the compilation and interpretation of geological, geophysical, and resources data for the Atlantic Ocean basin and adjacent continental areas and to publish these data in an integrated map series.

Four regional working groups, one each for the eastern North Atlantic, western North Atlantic, eastern South Atlantic, and western South Atlantic areas have been organized, and within each of these groups specialty teams are being established to compile and interpret various types of geologic data.

Based on a digital compilation of these data, a series of geologic thematic maps are planned to be prepared and displayed on a single sheet, at a scale of 1:17,000,000, for the entire Atlantic basin, and on four quadrant sheets, at a scale of 1:10,000,000. The quadrants correspond to the North-, Tethyan-, Central-, and South-Atlantic areas. The thematic series will consist of bathymetric, geologic, tectonic, magnetic, gravity, and mineral and energy resource maps. In addition, several palinspastic maps are planned to be constructed to display the geologic development of the Atlantic basin at eight geologic time periods. Transects will accompany all maps.

The CAP plans support pilot projects that fit the scope and objectives of this undertaking.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90097©1990 Fifth Circum-Pacific Energy and Mineral Resources Conference, Honolulu, Hawaii, July 29-August 3, 1990