The Davie Fracture Zone: A recorder of continents drifts and kinematic changes

Transform continental margins play a major role in plate tectonics. In the last 10 years' petroleum exploration has moved to hunt of stratigraphic traps passive margin sequence continent-ocean transforms. The result been drastic increase modern deep seismic data and more well calibrations. Considered as one longest transform boundaries, Davie system (East Africa) is best places investigate evolution linking two oceanic basins. Based on new basement structural maps schematic cross-sections, our findings show that Fracture Zone (DFZ) made several segments with main trending directions related scale kinematic reorganization occurring at ca. 155 Ma. early proto-segments trend NW-SE oldest domain are broadly same onshore faults lineaments implying African inheritance. second set trends N-S most important corresponds boundary between Mozambique Basin Madagascar margin. Results further DFZ offers great variability transpressional transtensional structures vertical displacements along its different from onset activity until today. These phases inversion also interpreted consequence reorganizations. thus an excellent marker follow long-term plates tectonics, but short-term attesting presence Neogene present magmatic centers active coastline.