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Timing of hot spot-related volcanism and the breakup of Madagascar and India

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-17, 08:50 authored by Storey, M, Mahoney, JJ, Saunders, AD, Duncan, RA, Kelley, SP, Mike CoffinMike Coffin
Widespread basalts and rhyolites were erupted in Madagascar during the Late Cretaceous. These are considered to be related to the Marion hot spot and the breakup of Madagascar and Greater India. Seventeen argon-40/argon-39 age determinations reveal that volcanic rocks and dikes from the 1500-kilometer-long rifted eastern margin of Madagascar were emplaced rapidly (mean age = 87.6 ¡¾ 0.6 million years ago) and that the entire duration of Cretaceous volcanism on the island was no more than 6 million years. The evidence suggests that the thick lava pile at Volcan de l'Androy in the south of the island marks the focal point of the Marion hot spot at ¡­88 million years ago and that this mantle plume was instrumental in causing continental breakup.

History

Publication title

Science

Volume

267

Issue

5199

Pagination

852-855

ISSN

0036-8075

Department/School

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Publisher

Amer Assoc Advancement Science

Place of publication

1200 New York Ave, Nw, Washington, USA, Dc, 20005

Rights statement

Copyright © 1995 The American Association for the Advancement of Science

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Expanding knowledge in the earth sciences

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