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Journal of the Geological Society; 1992; v. 149; issue.5; p. 805-812;
DOI: 10.1144/gsjgs.149.5.0805
© 1992 Geological Society of London

Article

Passive margins and their subsidence

M. H. P. BOTT

Department of Geological Sciences, University of Durham, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK

Three main types of subsidence dominate the vertical tectonics of rifted inter-plume passive margins. These are the isostatic response to (1) stretching and thinning of the crust and lithosphere (syn-rift stage), (2) cooling and thickening of the lithosphere (mainly post-rift stage), and (3) sediment loading (both stages). Additionally, vertical movements occur at plume (hot spot) margins as a result of the anomalously hot underlying upper mantle, and emplacement and cooling of magma. Three examples demonstrate various features of subsidence at inter-plume passive margins. At the North Biscay starved margin, the subsidence history can be mainly explained by syn-rift lithospheric stretching followed by post-rift thermal subsidence. At the US Atlantic margin, the much greater overall subsidence results from the additional effect of sediment loading. The Tucano-Gabon graben system bordering the South Atlantic is an example of strongly asymmetrical extensional tectonics during the syn-rift stage which produced deep rifted basins within the adjacent continental borderland.





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