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

Elliott, Gavin M.; Berndt, Christian; 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. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11001-009-9077-x

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Abstract/Summary

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 Previously unpublished seismic data show two significant anomalies of the SW African Margin when compared to other typical volcanic rifted margins: (1) Hyaloclastitic outer highs are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.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1007/s11001-009-9077-x
ISSN:	0025-3235
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Deposited by J.Conquer
Additional Keywords:	Volcanic rifted margins, Walvis Ridge, Outer highs, Seaward-dipping reflectors
Date made live:	07 Jan 2010 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/171871

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