Fig. 6: Development of the southwestern Barents Sea in the Pliocene and earliest Quaternary.

Structure maps (left) and isopach maps (right) are shown for the different time periods. Isopach map represents package from the surface shown to the left to the overlying surface, and numbers on isopach maps represent average sedimentation rates for that time period. a Pliocene surface dominated by contouritic sedimentation. Contourites have here a draping geometry forming contourite sheets, and contourite sedimentation trends are not clearly visible. b 2.6 Ma surface, characterized by a contourite-turbidite bi-partite system. c 2.4 Ma surface, characterized by a debrite–turbidite bi-partite system.