THE MORPHOSTRUCTURAL EVOLUTION OF THE GULF OF ADEN SOUTHERN MARGIN

A. A. Lukashov

doi:10.15356/0435-4281-2013-1-35-42

THE MORPHOSTRUCTURAL EVOLUTION OF THE GULF OF ADEN SOUTHERN MARGIN

A. A. Lukashov

https://doi.org/10.15356/0435-4281-2013-1-35-42

Full Text:

PDF (Rus) |

Generate QR code

Abstract

The southern margin of the eastern Gulf of Aden crops out in the Socotra Islands and Somalia, with the continuation of continental crust eastwards from the Horn of Africa. The Socotra Islands are situated on the “Socotra Platform” – a block of granite basement of which the northeastern part – the Haggier mountains – dominates the Socotra Island.

The morphostructural evolution of Aden rift southern fl ank during last millions of years includes: 1. The progressive gravity-tectonic subsidence of hinged blocks of “Socotrian Platforms” northern border. 2. Activization of NE- and NW-oriented faults of high amplitudes; that activization has provoked the archipelago land and shelf fracturing into separate blocks. 3. Detachment of the archipelago from the Horn of Africa as a result of development of NW oriented graben Guardafuy.

Keywords

Aden rift, Socotra, Somalia, morphostructure, evolution, apex block, fault, block differentiation, graben

About the Author

A. A. Lukashov

Lomonosov Moscow State University
Russian Federation
Geographical Department

References

1. Anokhin V.M. Globalnaya dizyunktivnaya set’ Zemli: stroenie, proishojdenie I geologicheskoe stroenie (Global disjunctive net of the Earth: structure, origin and geological significance). S.-Petersburg: Nedra (Publ.), 2006, 161 p.

2. Fournier M., Huchon Ph., Khanbari Kh., Leroy S. Segmentation and along-strike asymmetry of passive margin in Socotra, eastern Gulf of Aden: Are they controlled by detachment faults? Geochemistry. Geophysics. Geosistems. 2007. V. 8. No. 3. 17p.

3. Khain V.E. Regionalnaya geotektonika. Severnaya I Yuznaya Amerika, Antarktida, Afrika (Regional geotectonics. North and South America, Antarctica, Africa). Moscow: Nedra (Publ.), 1971. 548 p.

4. D'Acremont El., Leroy S., Patriat Ph. et al. Structure and evolution of the eastern Gulf of Aden conjugate margins from seismic reflection data. Geophys. Journ. Int. 2005. V. 160. P. 869–890.

5. D’Acremont El., Leroy S., Maia M. et al. Structure and evolution of the eastern Gulf of Aden: insights from magnetic and gravity data (Encens-Sheba MD117 cruise). Geophys. Journ. Int. 2006. V. 165. P. 786–803.

6. Cheung C., Devantier L. Socotra. A Natural History of the Islands and their People. Odyssey books & Guids. 2006.

7. Amirkhanov H.A., Zhukov V.A., Naumkin V.V., Sedov A.V. Discovery of the Oldovan monuments on the Socotra island. Priroda, 2009, no. 5, pp. 68-74 (in Russ.)

8. Bott W.R., Richardson S.M., Harbury N.A. et al. Remote Socotra and Ancillary Islands: Recent field investigations of Paleozoic and Mesozoic outcrops and their relationship to speculative petroleum systems. Geo ‘94-Papers from the Middle East Petroleum Geoscience Conference. Bahrain. 1995. V. 1. P. 216–233.

9. Korotev V.N., Nikifirov L.G. Geomorphology of the offshore coasts and sediments, in Ostrova zapadnoy chasti Indiyskogo okeana (Islands of the western part of the Indian Ocean). Moscow: Nauka (Publ.), 1982, pp. 67-94.

10. Lukashov A.A. Nature of Socotra and Abd el-Kury, in Sokotriytsy (Socotrians). Moscow: Dl. Red. Vost. Lit. (Publ.), 2008, pp. 5-21.

11. Ollier C., Pain C. The origin of Mountains. Routledge. Cambridge. U.K. 2000. P. 345.

Review

For citations:

Lukashov A.A. THE MORPHOSTRUCTURAL EVOLUTION OF THE GULF OF ADEN SOUTHERN MARGIN. Geomorfologiya. 2013;(1):35-42. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.15356/0435-4281-2013-1-35-42