Plate kinematic implications of Atlantic equatorial fracture zone trends

We present a plate kinematic evolution of the South Atlantic which is based largely on the determination of the equatorial fracture zone trends between the African and South American continental margins. Four main opening phases are dated by oceanic magnetic anomalies, notably MO, A34, and A13, and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth
Main Authors: Sibuet, Jean-Claude, Mascle, Jean
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: AGU (American Geophysical Union) 1978
Subjects:
Online Access:https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/38705/
https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/38705/1/scan_2017-06-30_12-31-20r.1.pdf
https://doi.org/10.1029/JB083iB07p03401
Description
Summary:We present a plate kinematic evolution of the South Atlantic which is based largely on the determination of the equatorial fracture zone trends between the African and South American continental margins. Four main opening phases are dated by oceanic magnetic anomalies, notably MO, A34, and A13, and are correlated with volcanism and tectonic events on land around the South Atlantic Ocean. The Ceara and Sierra Leone rises are probably of oceanic origin and were created 80 m.y. ago or later in their present-day positions with respect to South America and Africa.