Neotectonic activity offshore southeast Africa and its implications

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Abstract

Marine-geophysical studies of the Southwest Indian Ocean have found evidence for neotectonic activity throughout a wide region. Newly obtained seismic-reflection profiles indicate possibly young (Quaternary) basaltic intrusives in the northern, oceanic parts of the Agulhas Plateau and Mozambique Ridge. The volcanic rocks are made of fresh, quenched basaltic glasses. The lack of any significant alteration of the volcanic glasses suggests that their eruption took place in the last few tens of thousands of years, during the late Quaternary, supporting the seismic reflection evidence for magmatic activity in the region. Renewal of tectonic activity probably took place along several segments of the Agulhas Fracture Zone at the base of the southeast African continental margin. -from Author

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)202-207
Number of pages6
JournalSouth African Journal of Geology
Volume98
Issue number2
StatePublished - 1995

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