The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

The SW African volcanic rifted margin and the initiation of the Walvis Ridge, South Atlantic

The SW African volcanic rifted margin and the initiation of the Walvis Ridge, South Atlantic
The SW African volcanic rifted margin and the initiation of the Walvis Ridge, South Atlantic
The continental margin of SW Africa is typical of a volcanic rifted margin associated with a hotspot trail characterized by a large volcanic ridge, the Walvis Ridge, defining the hotspot migration, and extensive extrusive volcanism that produced seaward-dipping reflectors (SDR). Previously unpublished seismic data show two significant anomalies of the SW African Margin when compared to other typical volcanic rifted margins: (1) Hyaloclastitic outer highs are rare, and (2) the SDR in the North dip towards the Walvis Ridge. We explain these anomalies by a major transform segment close to the centre of volcanism combined with pulsed volcanism. The Walvis Ridge represents an east-west striking extrusive centre which produced a SDR sequence. Following break-up the northern boundary of the Walvis Ridge became a left lateral transform fault. Our data support the idea that a transform fault system interacting with a ridge jump were responsible for the accretion of the São Paulo Plateau to the American plate.
Volcanic rifted margins, Walvis Ridge, Outer highs, Seaward-dipping reflectors
0025-3235
207-214
Elliott, Gavin M.
392a1853-453e-4d5b-9144-03e5c4d6e7da
Berndt, Christian
d6db3f62-9891-4e8a-9210-b3aa6a8a4c22
Parson, Lindsay M.
8985a003-911e-402e-a858-3ecbd09d6771
Elliott, Gavin M.
392a1853-453e-4d5b-9144-03e5c4d6e7da
Berndt, Christian
d6db3f62-9891-4e8a-9210-b3aa6a8a4c22
Parson, Lindsay M.
8985a003-911e-402e-a858-3ecbd09d6771

Elliott, Gavin M., Berndt, Christian and Parson, Lindsay M. (2009) The SW African volcanic rifted margin and the initiation of the Walvis Ridge, South Atlantic. Marine Geophysical Researches, 30 (3), 207-214. (doi:10.1007/s11001-009-9077-x).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The continental margin of SW Africa is typical of a volcanic rifted margin associated with a hotspot trail characterized by a large volcanic ridge, the Walvis Ridge, defining the hotspot migration, and extensive extrusive volcanism that produced seaward-dipping reflectors (SDR). Previously unpublished seismic data show two significant anomalies of the SW African Margin when compared to other typical volcanic rifted margins: (1) Hyaloclastitic outer highs are rare, and (2) the SDR in the North dip towards the Walvis Ridge. We explain these anomalies by a major transform segment close to the centre of volcanism combined with pulsed volcanism. The Walvis Ridge represents an east-west striking extrusive centre which produced a SDR sequence. Following break-up the northern boundary of the Walvis Ridge became a left lateral transform fault. Our data support the idea that a transform fault system interacting with a ridge jump were responsible for the accretion of the São Paulo Plateau to the American plate.

This record has no associated files available for download.

More information

Published date: September 2009
Additional Information: Deposited by J.Conquer
Keywords: Volcanic rifted margins, Walvis Ridge, Outer highs, Seaward-dipping reflectors

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 71871
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/71871
ISSN: 0025-3235
PURE UUID: 0667502a-45e0-4333-87b3-74e27d938c77

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 07 Jan 2010
Last modified: 13 Mar 2024 20:48

Export record

Altmetrics

Contributors

Author: Gavin M. Elliott
Author: Christian Berndt
Author: Lindsay M. Parson

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×