Neotectonic morphotructures in the junction zone of the Cape Verde Rise and Cape Verde Abyssal Plain,Central Atlantic

Acoustic profiling carried out with an Edgetech 3300 prophilograph in the junction zone of the Cape Verde Rise, Cape Verde Abyssal Plain, and Grimaldi and Bathymetrists seamounts in the Central Atlantic during Cruise 23 of the R/V Akademik Nikolaj Strakhov allowed us to obtain new data on neotectonic deformations in the ocean and to propose their interpretation. It has been established that neotectonic movements occurred in the discrete manner: blocks of undeformed rocks alternate with linear zones of intense deformation spatially related to paleotransform fracture zones, where anticlines, horsts, diapir-like morphostructures, and grabens were formed. The Cape Verde Ridge is a large horst. Its sedimentary cover is disturbed by thrust (?), reverse, and normal faults, steeply dipping fracture zones, and folds. Three stages of tectonic movements—Oligocene-early Miocene, pre-Quaternary, and Holocene—are recognized. The tectonic deformations occurred largely under near-meridional compression. Extension setting was characteristic of the Cape Verde Ridge and the Carter Rise in the Holocene.