Deciphering the geological history of the Forlandsundet Graben and its implications for Arctic-Atlantic connectivity

The Fram Strait, located between Svalbard and Northeast Greenland, is the only deep oceanic passage linking the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans. Water exchange through the strait is crucial for the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, controlling global climate. Increased water exchange between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans might have been one of the main factors driving global climate into an icehouse state at the Eocene-Oligocene Transition, around 34 million years ago. However, proxy evidence is scarce due to limited sedimentary archives from the region.The