Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Fossil plate boundaries in West Africa and their bearing on seismotectonics

  • Chapter
Natural Hazards in West and Central Africa

Part of the book series: International Monograph Series ((EES))

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship between earthquake epicentres and the existence of fossil plate boundaries in West Africa. Several suture zones in the region have been identified and mapped using geological and geophysical methods, and many of them appear parallel to, or correlate with, recognizable paleo-rift and paleo-compressional zones within and adjacent to the West African craton. Plate interaction between the craton and adjacent landmasses in the Precambrian resulted in the production of a continental block made up of a mosaic of units whose boundaries are marked by suture zones, along which the epicentres of historical and recent earthquakes appear to cluster.

The indications are that the distribution of earthquakes and suture zones in space and time could be the best available index to the location of future damaging earthquakes. Data currently available are insufficient to estimate the average recurrence rate of significant earthquakes or the magnitude of the largest possible earthquake. However, the close association between fossil plate boundaries/suture zones and earthquakes in this region indicates the importance of mapping sutures and faults/paleo-rifts as a major initial step in the study of the seismic hazard of intraplate regions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Ajakaiye, D.E., Daniyan, M.A., Ojo, S.B. and Onuoha, K.M. 1987. The July 28, 1984 southwestern Nigeria earthquake and its implications for the tectonics and evolution of Nigeria. J. Geodynamics, 7, 205–214.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Ambraseys, N.N. and Adams, R.D. 1986. Seismicity of West Africa. Annales Geophysicae, 4, 679–702.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Bacon, M. and Quaah, A.O. 1981. Earthquake activity in south-eastern Ghana. Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am., 71, 771–789.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Black, R., Caby, R., Moussine-Pouchkine, A., Bayer, R., Bertrand, J.M., Boullier, A.M., Fabre, J. and Lesquer, A. 1979. Evidence for Late Precambrian plate tectonics in West Africa. Nature, 278, 223–227.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Blundell, DJ. 1976. Active faults in West Africa. Earth Planet Sci. Lett., 31, 287–290.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Briden, J.C., Whitcombe, D.N., Stuart, G.W., Fairhead, J.D., Dorbath, C. and Dorbath, L. 1981. Depth of geological contrast across the West African craton margin. Nature, 292, 123–128.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Burke, K. 1969. Seismic areas of the Guinea coast where Atlantic fracture zones reach Africa. Nature, 222, 655–657.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Burke, K. and Dewey, J. 1972. Orogeny in Africa. In: T.F.J. Dessauvagie and A.J. Whiteman (editors), African Geology, Ibadan 1970, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, 583–608.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Burke, K., Dewey, J. and Kidd, W.S.F. 1976. Precambrian palaeomagnetic results compatible with contemporary operation of the Wilson cycle. Tectonophysics, 33, 287–299.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Burke, K., Dewey, J. and Kidd, W.S.F. 1977. World distribution of sutures - the sites of former oceans. Tectonophysics, 40, 69–99.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Crenn, Y.U. 1957. Measures Gravimetriques et Magnetiques dans la partie central de l’Afrique Occidentale Francaise, Interpretations Geologiques. Office de la Recherche Scientifique et Technique Outre-Mer, Paris.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Dewey, J. 1977. Suture zone complexities: a review. Tectonophysics, 40, 53–67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Dorbath, C., Dorbath, L., Caulon, R., George, T., Mourge, P., Randani, M., Robineau, B. and Tadidi, B. 1984. Seismotectonics of the Guinean earthquake of December 22, 1983. Geophys. Res. Lett., 11, 971–974.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Dorbath, C., Dorbath, L., Fairhead, J.D. and Stuart, G.W. 1986. A teleseismic delay time study across the Central African shear zone in the Adamawa region of Cameroon, West Africa. Geophys. J. R. Astr. Soc. 86, 751–766.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Grant, N.K. 1970. Geochronology of Precambrian basement rocks from Ibadan, southwestern Nigeria. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 10, 29–38.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Haggerty, S.E. 1982. Kimberlites in western Liberia: an overview of the geological setting in a plate tectonic framework. J. Geophys. Res., 87, 10811–10826.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Hastings, D.A. 1983. An updated Bouguer anomaly map of south-central West Africa. Geophysics, 48, 1120–1128.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Hubbard, F.A. 1975. Precambrian crustal development in Western Nigeria: indications from the Iwo region. Bull. Geol. Soc. Am., 86, 548–554.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Krenkel, E.1923. Die Seismizät Afrikas. Zentralbl. Mineral. Geol. Paleontol., 6, 173–183.

    Google Scholar 

  20. McCurry, P. and Wright, J.B. 1977. Geochemistry of calc-alkaline volcanics in northwestern Nigeria, and a possible Pan-African suture zone. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 37, 90–96.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Odeyemi, I.B. The Ifewara fault in southwestern Nigeria: its relationship to fracture zones and seismicity along the Nigerian coast (paper submitted to Natural Hazards).

    Google Scholar 

  22. Olade, M.A. and Elueze, A.A. 1979. Petrology of the Ilesha amphibolites and Precambrian crustal evolution in the Pan-African domain of S.W. Nigeria. Precambrian Res., 8, 303–318.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Onuoha, K.M. 1985a. Historical and recent seismic activities in the West African region. Abstracts, 21st Annual Conf., Nig. Mining and Geosciences Soc., Jos, p.99.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Onuoha, K.M. 1985b. Intraplate earthquakes: a discussion of cases from the West African region. Proc. 3rd Intern. Symp. on the Analysis of Seismicity and Seismic Risk, Liblice, Czechoslovakia, 232–239.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Onuoha, K.M. 1988. Earthquake hazard prevention and mitigation in the West African sub-region. In: M.I. El-Sabh and T.S. Murty (editors), Natural and Man-Made Hazards, D. Reidel Publ. Co., Dordrecht, 787–797.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  26. Oversby, V.M. 1975. Lead isotope study of aph tes from the Precambrian basement rocks near Ibadan, southwestern Nigeria. Earth Planet Sci. Lett., 27, 177–180.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Page, R.A. and Basham, P.W. 1935. Earthquake Hazards in the Offshore Environment. Bull. U.S. Geol. Surv. no. 1630. 69pp.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Quaah, A.O. 1982. A study of past major earthquakes in southern Ghana using intensity data. Tectonophysics, 88, 175–188.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Ritz, M. 1982. Regional study of the structures of the electrical conductivity through the magnetotelluric method on the western side of the West African craton. Can. J. Earth Sci., 19, 1408–.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Ritz, M. 1983a. The distribution of electrical conductivity on the eastern border of the West African craton (Republic of Niger). Geophys. J. R. Astr. Soc., 73, 475–488.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Ritz, M. 1983b. Use of the magnetotelluric method for a better understanding of the West African shield. J. Geophys. Res., 88, 10625–10633.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Sieberg, A. 1932. Erdbebengeographie, Handbuch der Geophysik, 4, Berlin, 687–1005.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Sykes, L.R. 1978. Intraplate seismicity reactivation of pre-existing zones of weakness, alkaline magmatism, and other tectonism post-dating continental fragmentation. Rev. Geophys. Space Phys., 14, 621–688.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Thorman, C.H. 1976. Implication of Klippenat Gibi Mountain, Liberia in the problem of the PanAfrican Liberian age province boundary. Bull. Geol. Soc. Am., 87, 851–856.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Villeneuve, M. 1980. Schema geologique du nord de la Guinee (Afrique de l’Ouest). C.R. Somm. Soc. Geol. Fr., 2, 54–57.

    Google Scholar 

  36. Wright, J.B., Hastings, D.A., Jones, W.B. and Williams, H.R. 1985. Geology and Mineral Resources of West Africa. George Allen and Unwin, London.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria

    K. Mosto Onuoha & C. C. Ezeh

Authors
  1. K. Mosto Onuoha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. C. C. Ezeh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Samuel J. Freeth Charles O. Ofoegbu K. Mosto Onuoha

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1992 Friedr. Vieweg & Sohn Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, Braunschweig/Wiesbaden

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Onuoha, K.M., Ezeh, C.C. (1992). Fossil plate boundaries in West Africa and their bearing on seismotectonics. In: Freeth, S.J., Ofoegbu, C.O., Onuoha, K.M. (eds) Natural Hazards in West and Central Africa. International Monograph Series. Vieweg+Teubner Verlag, Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-663-05239-5_3

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-663-05239-5_3

  • Publisher Name: Vieweg+Teubner Verlag, Wiesbaden

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-663-05241-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-663-05239-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation