Provenance of the Mesozoic Succession of Franz Josef Land (North‐Eastern Barents Sea): Paleogeographic and Tectonic Implications for the High Arctic

Abstract Study of the Mesozoic succession Franz Josef Land (FJL) has shed new insights on stratigraphy and geological history neighboring portion Arctic. Based composition pebbles cobbles from Lower Jurassic conglomerates, we suggest that pre‐Mesozoic NE Barents Sea comprises Cambrian metasandstones intruded by Late Paleozoic granites overlain Carboniferous–Permian sedimentary deposits. U‐Pb ZHe ages detrital zircons Uppermost Triassic–Lower Cretaceous strata FJL reveal Precambrian to Early grains. The most abundant zircon population suggests existence same in age magmatic events provenance area. show Triassic (ca. 225 Ma) exhumation Moreover, youngest grains are Middle‐Late pointing significant uplift coincides with activity. these data, area for was characterized a similar composition, as well tectonic history, Taimyr fold‐and‐thrust belt Kara terrane. A comparison data coeval elsewhere Arctic realm this eastern actively sourcing sediments right across Basin, possibly far Sverdrup basin, during Latest Triassic–Jurassic. period represented event north‐eastern Sea, likely initiated an increase sediment supply reorganization pre‐existing transport pathways.