Megan Brooks
The Grand Banks of Newfoundland are a series of underwater plateaus southeast of the island of Newfoundland on the North American continental shelf. The area experienced extensive glaciation during the last glacial maximum, and the subsequent melting of ice exposed the Grand Banks as several islands extending for hundreds of kilometres. Moraines are landforms composed of glacial till deposited primarily by glacial ice, and they can be classified by origin, location with respect to a glacier, or shape. While there is evidence of moraines in the northeast region of the Grand Banks, it is unclear if the Grand Banks as a whole can be classified as a glacial moraine.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Southeast of the island of Newfoundland on the North American continental shelf |
| Depth | 15 to 91 meters (50 to 300 feet) |
| Oceanography | Mixing of the cold Labrador Current and the warm Gulf Stream causes foggy conditions |
| Fishing | Rich fishing grounds for Atlantic cod, swordfish, haddock, capelin, shellfish (scallop, lobster), and more |
| Petroleum | Oil fields under development, including the Hibernia, Terra Nova, and White Rose projects |
| Glaciation | Evidence of extensive glaciation during the last glacial maximum, with ice retreat approximately 13,000 years ago |
| Archaeology | No surviving evidence of European presence before 1497, aside from the Greenland Norse settlement at L'Anse aux Meadows |
| Historical References | Rudyard Kipling's "Captains Courageous," Sebastian Junger's "The Perfect Storm", Herman Melville's "Redburn: His First Voyage" |
| Moraine Characteristics | Landforms composed of glacial till, including silt-sized glacial flour and large boulders, formed by glacial ice |
| Moraine Types | Supraglacial, Washboard (minor/corrugated), Veiki, Lateral, Terminal, Ground, and Medial moraines |
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What You'll Learn
- The Grand Banks of Newfoundland are a series of underwater plateaus
- Extensive glaciation took place in the area of the Grand Banks
- The Grand Banks are one of the world's richest fishing grounds
- The 1929 Grand Banks earthquake caused an underwater landslide
- Petroleum reserves have been discovered in the region
The Grand Banks of Newfoundland are a series of underwater plateaus
Extensive glaciation occurred in the area during the last glacial maximum, and by approximately 13,000 years ago, most of the ice had melted, exposing the Grand Banks as several islands. It is believed that rising sea levels submerged these islands around 8,000 years ago. The Grand Banks lie at the meeting point of the cold Labrador Current and the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, creating extreme foggy conditions and bringing nutrients to the surface, contributing to the productivity of the fishing grounds.
The Grand Banks have a significant place in maritime history, with references to a land called Bacalao, or the land of the codfish, dating back to the 15th century. The area has been featured in literature and films, such as Rudyard Kipling's "Captains Courageous" and the movie "The Hunt for Red October." The Canadian Grand Banks fishery, however, faced a decline in the 1990s due to overfishing and geopolitical disputes, leading to its closure in 1993.
In recent times, the focus on the Grand Banks has shifted to petroleum reserves and oil field development, with projects like Hibernia, Terra Nova, and White Rose. The region's harsh environment was also a factor in the Ocean Ranger disaster. The Grand Banks continue to be a subject of geological and hydrographic surveys, with Canada working to claim the entire continental shelf under the UNCLOS framework.
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Extensive glaciation took place in the area of the Grand Banks
The Grand Banks of Newfoundland are a series of underwater plateaus located south-east of the island of Newfoundland on the North American continental shelf. They are known for their rich fishing grounds, supporting a diverse range of marine life, including fish, shellfish, seabirds, and sea mammals.
Extensive glaciation occurred in the area of the Grand Banks during the last glacial maximum. This glaciation left significant marks on the landscape, including streamlined landforms, arcuate submarine moraines, transverse moraines, and De Geer moraines. These landforms provide valuable insights into the glacial history of the region.
During the last glacial maximum, the ice margin lay close to the edge of the continental shelf. Several ice streams occupied shelf troughs, including a major ice stream in the Laurentian Channel and secondary streams in the Bay of Fundy, Gulf of Maine, Trinity Trough, and Notre Dame Channel. As the ice retreated, it formed moraines, which are accumulations of unconsolidated debris, often referred to as glacial till, carried and deposited by glaciers.
In the case of the Grand Banks, the retreating ice formed the Trinity Moraine, a 50-meter-thick wedge of sediment dated to approximately 15,300 years ago. This moraine is an example of a medial moraine, formed where two glaciers meet. It is located north of the Grand Bank, where the retreating ice margin grounded on a sill. The presence of this moraine provides valuable information about the extent and dynamics of the glaciation in the region.
Over time, the majority of the ice in the Grand Banks region melted, leading to the emergence of several islands. However, rising sea levels eventually submerged these islands, shaping the underwater topography that characterises the Grand Banks today. The complex interplay between glaciation, deglaciation, and sea-level changes has contributed to the unique geomorphology of the Grand Banks, making it a subject of ongoing scientific investigation.
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The Grand Banks are one of the world's richest fishing grounds
The Grand Banks of Newfoundland are a series of underwater plateaus southeast of the island of Newfoundland on the North American continental shelf. Covering 36,000 square miles (93,200 sq km), the Banks are relatively shallow, with depths ranging from 15 to 91 metres (50 to 300 ft), or 80 to 330 feet (25 to 100 meters), depending on the source.
The Grand Banks have been historically known for their abundance of Atlantic cod, and in the 15th century, some texts referred to a land called Bacalao, or "the land of the codfish," which is believed to be Newfoundland. John Cabot's discovery of the rich fishing grounds in 1497 led to the development of fishing and fish processing in the area. Ships from France, Portugal, Spain, and England soon established seasonal inshore fisheries, catering to southern European markets.
However, technological advances, such as the use of large factory ships and sonar, along with geopolitical disputes over territorial waters and exclusive economic zones (EEZs), led to overfishing and a serious decline in fish stocks from around 1990. By the early 1990s, codfish populations had declined drastically, leading to a total moratorium on Northern Cod in 1992 and the closure of the Canadian Grand Banks fishery in 1993. The economic impact of this decline was devastating for coastal communities in Newfoundland, and the federal government implemented relief programs like "The Atlantic Groundfish Strategy" (TAGS) to provide financial support and employment retraining for affected individuals.
Today, Canada's EEZ covers most of the Grand Banks, except for the lucrative "nose" and "tail" of the fishing bank, which remain outside its jurisdiction. The Grand Banks continue to be an important fishing area, but efforts are made to balance utilization with environmental protection to prevent further depletion of fish stocks.
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The 1929 Grand Banks earthquake caused an underwater landslide
The Grand Banks of Newfoundland are a series of underwater plateaus located southeast of the island of Newfoundland on the North American continental shelf. The Grand Banks are known for being one of the world's richest fishing grounds, supporting a variety of fish, shellfish, seabirds, and sea mammals. Extensive glaciation took place in the area during the last glacial maximum, and by approximately 13,000 years ago, the majority of the ice had melted, leaving the Grand Banks exposed as several islands.
On November 18, 1929, a major earthquake occurred on the southwestern border of the Grand Banks with the Laurentian Channel. The earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.2, caused an underwater landslide, which resulted in extensive damage to transatlantic cables and triggered a rare Atlantic tsunami. The tsunami struck the southern end of the Burin Peninsula in Newfoundland, causing extensive damage to local communities and claiming 27 to 29 lives. The earthquake was centred about 400 kilometres south of the island of Newfoundland and was felt as far away as New York City and Montreal.
The underwater landslide displaced an estimated volume of 200 cubic kilometres of material on the Laurentian Slope, rupturing 12 transatlantic cables in multiple places. The tsunami arrived in three waves, with wave heights reported as high as 13 meters. The tsunami caused extensive damage to the south coast of Newfoundland, with more than 40 local villages affected, numerous homes, ships, businesses, livestock, and fishing gear destroyed, and total property losses estimated at over $1 million (in 1929 dollars). The day after the tsunami, a winter storm brought sleet and snow to the devastated areas, further hampering relief efforts.
The 1929 Grand Banks earthquake and tsunami were a tragic event in Canadian history, and it led to a significant improvement in the understanding of the hazards associated with submarine landslides and the tsunamis they can generate. Scientists continue to study this event to enhance preparedness and mitigation strategies for future occurrences.
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Petroleum reserves have been discovered in the region
The Grand Banks of Newfoundland are a series of underwater plateaus located southeast of the island of Newfoundland, Canada, on the North American continental shelf. The area experienced extensive glaciation during the last glacial maximum, with most of the ice melting by around 13,000 years ago. The Grand Banks are renowned for their rich fishing grounds, supporting a diverse range of marine life, including Atlantic cod, swordfish, and shellfish.
In terms of petroleum exploration, significant reserves have indeed been discovered in the region. The Grand Banks are located within the Jeanne d'Arc Basin, a proven rich petroleum system. The Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board has estimated the discovered recoverable reserves in the Jeanne d'Arc Basin to be approximately 2.1 billion barrels of oil, along with 5.6 Tcf of gas and 324 million barrels of associated liquids. The potential recoverable reserves are even higher, estimated at 4.6 billion barrels of oil.
One of the prominent oil fields in the region is the Hibernia oil field, located in the northwest sector of the Jeanne d'Arc Basin. Hibernia is the world's largest oil platform by mass and plays a crucial role in petroleum production. As of August 2010, the total oil field production at Hibernia was listed at 210 thousand barrels per day, with Proven and Probable estimated reserves of 1,395 million barrels of oil.
In addition to Hibernia, the Terra Nova and White Rose projects are also significant oil developments in the region. These projects, along with Hibernia, have contributed to the Canadian Atlantic Coast's emergence as an important world petroleum province. The Sable gas project is another notable endeavour in the region, producing 12.5 million cubic meters of gas per day.
The discovery and development of these petroleum reserves have had economic implications for the region, with Canada conducting the necessary hydrographic and geological surveys to claim the entire continental shelf off eastern Canada under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). However, it is important to note that the harsh environment of the Grand Banks has also presented challenges, as exemplified by the Ocean Ranger disaster.
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Frequently asked questions
Moraines are landforms composed of glacial till deposited primarily by glacial ice. Moraines may be found on the glacier's surface or deposited as piles or sheets of debris where the glacier has melted.
The Grand Banks of Newfoundland are a series of underwater plateaus south-east of the island of Newfoundland on the North American continental shelf. They are one of the world's richest fishing grounds, supporting Atlantic cod, swordfish, haddock, and shellfish, among other species.
Yes, the Grand Banks are a glacial moraine. The evidence of glaciation is dominant in all regions of the Grand Banks, and includes arcuate submarine moraines formed by glacial standstills at the mouths of west and south coast fiords.
