학술논문
Volcanism and tectonics unveiled in the Comoros Archipelago between Africa and Madagascar
Document Type
article
Author
Thinon, Isabelle; Lemoine, Anne; Leroy, Sylvie; Paquet, Fabien; Berthod, Carole; Zaragosi, Sébastien; Famin, Vincent; Feuillet, Nathalie; Boymond, Pierre; Masquelet, Charles; Mercury, Nicolas; Rusquet, Anaïs; Scalabrin, Carla; Van der Woerd, Jérôme; Bernard, Julien; Bignon, Julie; Clouard, Valérie; Doubre, Cécile; Jacques, Eric; Jorry, Stephan J.; Rolandone, Frédérique; Chamot-Rooke, Nicolas; Delescluse, Matthias; Franke, Dieter; Watremez, Louise; Bachèlery, Patrick; Michon, Laurent; Sauter, Daniel; Bujan, Stéphane; Canva, Albane; Dassie, Emilie; Roche, Vincent; Ali, Said; Sitti Allaouia, Abdoul Hamid; Deplus, Christine; Rad, Setareh; Sadeski, Ludivine
Source
Comptes Rendus. Géoscience, Vol 354, Iss S2, Pp 7-34 (2022)
Subject
Language
English
French
French
ISSN
1778-7025
Abstract
Geophysical and geological data from the North Mozambique Channel acquired during the 2020–2021 SISMAORE oceanographic cruise reveal a corridor of recent volcanic and tectonic features 200 km wide and 600 km long within and north of Comoros Archipelago. Here we identify and describe two major submarine tectono-volcanic fields: the N’Droundé province oriented N160°E north of Grande-Comore Island, and the Mwezi province oriented N130°E north of Anjouan and Mayotte Islands. The presence of popping basaltic rocks sampled in the Mwezi province suggests post-Pleistocene volcanic activity. The geometry and distribution of recent structures observed on the seafloor are consistent with a current regional dextral transtensional context. Their orientations change progressively from west to east (${\sim }$N160°E, ${\sim }$N130°E, ${\sim }$EW). The volcanism in the western part appears to be influenced by the pre-existing structural fabric of the Mesozoic crust. The 200 km-wide and 600 km-long tectono-volcanic corridor underlines the incipient Somalia–Lwandle dextral lithospheric plate boundary between the East-African Rift System and Madagascar.