Vertical movements of ocean island volcanoes: Insights from a stationary plate environment
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Abstract
Uplift reconstructions based on the Cape Verde's geological record provide a unique opportunity to study the long-term isostatic movements associated with hotspot activity on a stationary plate environment. The archipelago is considered stationary with respect to its melting source so the hotspot-driven isostatic effects affecting the ocean islands are expected to be enhanced. In this study, Ar–Ar and U–Th geochronology techniques were used to date a set of palaeo-markers of sea-level from Santiago's and São Nicolau's edifices, two of the main Cape Verde Islands. A comparison between relative sea-level and eustatic sea-level (from a modern eustatic curve) was established to extract the vertical displacement undergone by the markers, and to reconstruct the uplift/subsidence history of each island. The resulting uplift reconstructions confirm that both Santiago and São Nicolau experienced a general uplift trend over the last 6 Ma, seemingly synchronous with the vigorous volcanic activity that built their exposed edifices. These islands, however, exhibit different uplift histories despite their common uplift trend. Several uplift mechanisms were tested and a local rather than regional mechanism is proposed as the main cause of uplift, generally unrelated with far-field effects of surface loading. This mechanism is probably associated with magmatic additions at crustal level.
Suggested Citation
Ramalho, R., Helffrich, G., Cosca, M.A., Vance, D., Hoffman, D., Schmidt, D.N., 2010, Vertical movements of ocean island volcanoes: Insights from a stationary plate environment: Marine Geology, v. 275, no. 1-4, p. 84-95, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2010.04.009.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Vertical movements of ocean island volcanoes: Insights from a stationary plate environment |
| Series title | Marine Geology |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.margeo.2010.04.009 |
| Volume | 275 |
| Issue | 1-4 |
| Year Published | 2010 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Elsevier |
| Contributing office(s) | Central Mineral and Environmental Resources Science Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center |
| Description | 12 p. |
| First page | 84 |
| Last page | 95 |
| Country | Cape Verde |
| Other Geospatial | Cape Verde Archipelago |