Opening of the Gulf of Guinea and Geological History of the Benue Depression and Niger Delta

Burke, Kevin; Dessauvagie, T. F. J.; Whiteman, A. J.

doi:10.1038/physci233051a0

Cited by 250 publications

(155 citation statements)

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“…Pernambuco lineament in Brazil [e.g., Burke et al, 1971;Browne and Fairhead, 1983;Dorbath et al, 1986;Fairhead and Okereke, 1987;Fairhead and Binks, 1991].…”

Section: 1002/2014jb011580mentioning

confidence: 99%

Lithospheric instability and the source of the Cameroon Volcanic Line: Evidence from Rayleigh wave phase velocity tomography

et al. 2015

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The Cameroon Volcanic Line (CVL) is a 1800 km long volcanic chain, extending SW-NE from the Gulf of Guinea into Central Africa, that lacks the typical age progression exhibited by hot spot-related volcanic tracks. This study investigates the upper mantle seismic structure beneath the CVL and surrounding regions to constrain the origin of volcanic lines that are poorly described by the classic plume model. Rayleigh wave phase velocities are measured at periods from 20 to 182 s following the two-plane wave methodology, using data from the Cameroon Seismic Experiment, which consists of 32 broadband stations deployed between 2005 and 2007. These phase velocities are then inverted to build a model of shear wave velocity structure in the upper mantle beneath the CVL. Results show that phase velocities beneath the CVL are reduced at all periods, with average velocities beneath the CVL deviating more than -2% from the regional average and +4% beneath the Congo Craton. This distinction is observed for all periods but is less pronounced for the longest periods measured. Inversion for shear wave velocity structure indicates a tabular low velocity anomaly directly beneath the CVL at depths of 50 to at least 200 km and a sharp vertical boundary with faster velocities beneath the Congo Craton. These observations demonstrate widespread infiltration or erosion of the continental lithosphere beneath the CVL, most likely caused by mantle upwelling associated with edge-flow convection driven by the Congo Craton or by lithospheric instabilities that develop due to the nearby edge of the African continent.

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“…Pernambuco lineament in Brazil [e.g., Burke et al, 1971;Browne and Fairhead, 1983;Dorbath et al, 1986;Fairhead and Okereke, 1987;Fairhead and Binks, 1991].…”

Section: 1002/2014jb011580mentioning

confidence: 99%

Lithospheric instability and the source of the Cameroon Volcanic Line: Evidence from Rayleigh wave phase velocity tomography

et al. 2015

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“…The Benue Trough is considered to be a failed arm of a R.R.F. triple junction situated in the Gulf of Guinea (Burke et al, 1971;Burke and Dewey, 1974;Popoff, 1988;Popoff et al, 1989a). During the Neocomian, the trough was not an effective depo-center (Castro.…”

Section: Construcring Isochrons and Synthetic Flowlinesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The tectonic evolution of the South Atlantic from Late Jurassic to present

1991

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“…60-62). Argand (1924, p. 206), already suspected the presence of these late Cretaceous to earliest Cainozoic folding events; the pre-Awgu folding was firmly established by 1952(de Beauregard et al 1952 and was used in the earliest plate tectonic interpretations of the region (Burke et al 1971(Burke et al , 1972Burke and Dewey 1974;Freeth 1978). The cause of the shortening in various parts of northern Africa was therefore most likely more localized.…”

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confidence: 99%

The Ayyubid Orogen: An Ophiolite Obduction-Driven Orogen in the Late Cretaceous of the Neo-Tethyan South Margin

Şengör

Stock

2014

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A minimum 5000-km long obduction-driven orogeny of medial to late Cretaceous age is located between Cyrenaica in eastern Libya and Oman. It is herein called the Ayyubid Orogen after the Ayyubid Empire that covered much of its territory. The Ayyubid orogen is distinct from other Alpide orogens and has two main parts: a western, mainly germanotype belt and an eastern mainly alpinotype belt. The germanotype belt formed largely as a result of an aborted obduction, whereas the alpinotype part formed as a result of successful and large-scale obduction events that choked a nascent subduction zone. The mainly germanotype part coincides with Erich Krenkel's Syrian Arc (Syrischer Bogen) and the alpinotype part with Ricou's Peri-Arabian Ophiolitic Crescent (Croissant Ophiolitique péri-Arabe). These belts formed as a consequence of the interaction of one of the now-vanished Tethyan plates and Afro-Arabia. The Africa-Eurasia relative motion has influenced the orogen's evolution, but was not the main causative agent. Similar large and complex obduction-driven orogens similar to the Ayyubids may exist along the Ordovician Newfoundland/Scotland margin of the Caledonides and along the Ordovician European margin of the Uralides.SOMMAIREEntre la Cyrénaïque dans l'est de la Libye et Oman, se trouve un ceinture orogénique d’au moins 5 000 km de longueur créé par obduction au Crétacé moyen et tardif. Nous le nommons ici l’orogène ayyoubide d’après l'empire ayyoubide qui couvrait une grande partie de son territoire. L'orogène ayyoubide qui est distincte des autres orogènes alpides, comporte deux parties principales : une bande occidentale, principalement germanotype, et une bande orientale principalement alpinotype. La bande germanotype s’est formée en grande partie à la suite d'une obduction avortée, tandis que la partie alpinotype s’est formée par des épisodes d’obduction à grande échelle qui ont étranglé une zone de subduction naissante. La partie principalement germanotype coïncide avec l’arc syrien d’Erich Krenkel (Syrischer Bogen), alors que la partie alpinotype correspond au croissant ophiolitique péri-Arabe de Ricou (Croissant ophiolitique péri-Arabe). Ces bandes se sont formées par l'interaction de l'une des plaques de la Téthys, maintenant disparues, avec l’Afro-Arabie. Le mouvement relatif Afrique-Eurasie a influencé l'évolution de l'orogène, mais ça n’a pas été le principal facteur. Des orogènes grandes et complexes résultant de mécanismes d’obduction similaires à l’orogène Ayyoubide peuvent exister le long de la marge des Calédonides de l'Ordovicien de Terre-Neuve/Écosse et le long de la marge européenne des Uralides de l'Ordovicien.

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Opening of the Gulf of Guinea and Geological History of the Benue Depression and Niger Delta

Cited by 250 publications

References 9 publications

Lithospheric instability and the source of the Cameroon Volcanic Line: Evidence from Rayleigh wave phase velocity tomography

Lithospheric instability and the source of the Cameroon Volcanic Line: Evidence from Rayleigh wave phase velocity tomography

The tectonic evolution of the South Atlantic from Late Jurassic to present

The Ayyubid Orogen: An Ophiolite Obduction-Driven Orogen in the Late Cretaceous of the Neo-Tethyan South Margin

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