UCL Discovery
UCL home » Library Services » Electronic resources » UCL Discovery

Impact of tectonic and volcanism on the Neogene evolution of isolated carbonate platforms (SW Indian Ocean)

Courgeon, S; Jorry, SJ; Jouet, G; Camoin, G; BouDagher-Fadel, MK; Bachèlery, P; Caline, B; ... Guérin, C; + view all (2017) Impact of tectonic and volcanism on the Neogene evolution of isolated carbonate platforms (SW Indian Ocean). Sedimentary Geology , 355 pp. 114-131. 10.1016/j.sedgeo.2017.04.008. Green open access

[thumbnail of Boudagher-Fadel_Impact of tectonic and volcanism on the Neogene evolution of isolated carbonate platforms (SW Indian Ocean)_AAM.pdf]
Preview
Text
Boudagher-Fadel_Impact of tectonic and volcanism on the Neogene evolution of isolated carbonate platforms (SW Indian Ocean)_AAM.pdf - Accepted Version

Download (425kB) | Preview

Abstract

Understanding the impact of tectonic activity and volcanism on long-term (i.e. millions years) evolution of shallow-water carbonate platforms represents a major issue for both industrial and academic perspectives. The southern central Mozambique Channel is characterized by a 100 km-long volcanic ridge hosting two guyots (the Hall and Jaguar banks) and a modern atoll (Bassas da India) fringed by a large terrace. Dredge sampling, geophysical acquisitions and submarines videos carried out during recent oceanographic cruises revealed that submarine flat-top seamounts correspond to karstified and drowned shallow-water carbonate platforms largely covered by volcanic material and structured by a dense network of normal faults. Microfacies and well-constrained stratigraphic data indicate that these carbonate platforms developed in shallow-water tropical environments during Miocene times and were characterized by biological assemblages dominated by corals, larger benthic foraminifera, red and green algae. The drowning of these isolated carbonate platforms is revealed by the deposition of outer shelf sediments during the Early Pliocene and seems closely linked to (1) volcanic activity typified by the establishment of wide lava flow complexes, and (2) to extensional tectonic deformation associated with high-offset normal faults dividing the flat-top seamounts into distinctive structural blocks. Explosive volcanic activity also affected platform carbonates and was responsible for the formation of crater(s) and the deposition of tuff layers including carbonate fragments. Shallow-water carbonate sedimentation resumed during Late Neogene time with the colonization of topographic highs inherited from tectonic deformation and volcanic accretion. Latest carbonate developments ultimately led to the formation of the Bassas da India modern atoll. The geological history of isolated carbonate platforms from the southern Mozambique Channel represents a new case illustrating the major impact of tectonic and volcanic activity on the long-term evolution of shallow-water carbonate platforms.

Type: Article
Title: Impact of tectonic and volcanism on the Neogene evolution of isolated carbonate platforms (SW Indian Ocean)
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1016/j.sedgeo.2017.04.008
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sedgeo.2017.04.008
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
Keywords: Carbonate platform, Drowning, Volcanism, Tectonic, Mozambique Channel
UCL classification: UCL
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10056858
Downloads since deposit
0Downloads
Download activity - last month
Download activity - last 12 months
Downloads by country - last 12 months

Archive Staff Only

View Item View Item