Growth and demise of Cenozoic isolated carbonate platforms: New insights from the Mozambique Channel seamounts (SW Indian Ocean)

Type Article
Date 2016-10
Language English
Author(s) Courgeon Simon1, 2, Jorry StephanORCID2, Camoin G. F.1, Boudagher-Fadel M. K.3, Jouet Gwenael2, Revillon Sidonie4, Bachelery P.5, Pelleter EwanORCID2, Borgomano J.1, Poli E.6, Droxler A. W.7
Affiliation(s) 1 : Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, IRD, CEREGE UM34, F-13545 Aix En Provence, France.
2 : IFREMER, Inst Carnot Edrome, Unite Geosci Marines, F-29280 Plouzane, France.
3 : UCL, Earth Sci, 2 Taviton St, London WC1H 0BT, England.
4 : IUEM, Lab Domaines Ocean, SEDISOR UMR 6538, F-29280 Plouzane, France.
5 : Observ Phys Globe Clermont Ferrand, Lab Magmas & Volcans, 6 Ave Blaise Pascal, F-63178 Aubiere, France.
6 : CSTJF, TOTAL Explorat & Prod, Ave Larribau, F-64000 Pau, France.
7 : Rice Univ, Dept Earth Sci, Houston, DC 77005 USA.
Source Marine Geology (0025-3227) (Elsevier Science Bv), 2016-10 , Vol. 380 , P. 90-105
DOI 10.1016/j.margeo.2016.07.006
WOS© Times Cited 51
Keyword(s) Carbonate platform, Drowning, Cenozoic, Mozambique Channel, East African rift system
Abstract Although long-term evolutions of isolated shallow-water carbonate platforms and demise episodes leading to guyot formation have been the subject of numerous studies during the last decades, their driving processes are still the subject of active debates. The Mozambique Channel (SW Indian Ocean) is characterized by several flat-topped seamounts ranging from 11°S to 21°S in latitudes. Based on a comprehensive geomorphologic study and on dredged samples analysis, we show that these features correspond to tropical isolated shallow-water carbonate platforms. Coupling strontium isotopy and foraminifera biostratigraphy, well-constrained chronostratigraphy results indicate that shallow-water carbonate production started in the Mozambique Channel during distinct Cenozoic periods ranging from Paleocene to Early Miocene. Our data also demonstrate that these carbonate platforms were subsequently characterized by different evolutions locally marked by tectonic and rejuvenated volcanism. While some of them kept developed until present days, forming modern carbonate systems, some others were drowned during Late Neogene and subsided to form guyots. Although different factors can be discussed, tectonic and volcanism appear as good potential triggers for demise episodes during Late Miocene-Early Pliocene times. Chronology and location of this geodynamical activity tend to emphasize influence of East African rift system until southern Mozambique Channel.
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Courgeon Simon, Jorry Stephan, Camoin G. F., Boudagher-Fadel M. K., Jouet Gwenael, Revillon Sidonie, Bachelery P., Pelleter Ewan, Borgomano J., Poli E., Droxler A. W. (2016). Growth and demise of Cenozoic isolated carbonate platforms: New insights from the Mozambique Channel seamounts (SW Indian Ocean). Marine Geology, 380, 90-105. Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2016.07.006 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00347/45827/