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Field evidence for flank instability, basal spreading and volcano-tectonic interactions at Mt Cameroon, West Africa

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Abstract

The Mt Cameroon volcano is the highest and most active volcano of the Cameroon Volcanic Line. Little geological information is available for improving the understanding of the structure of this large volcanic system and its relationship to regional tectonics. After reviewing the tectonic evolution of the region, the analysis of a Digital Elevation Model and results from a field campaign dedicated to mapping geological structures in the summit area and at the SE base of Mt Cameroon are presented. Mt Cameroon is a lava-dominated volcano with long steep (over 30°) flanks. It is elongate parallel to its well defined rift zone. The summit plateau is bordered by 10 m high cliffs formed by summit subsidence along normal faults. Geological profiles were measured along rivers cutting through a topographic step at the SE base of Mt Cameroon. This step is associated with deformed Miocene sediments from the Douala basin that are overlain by volcanic products. Weak sediments of this area are deformed by 050°–060° and 020°–030° trending asymmetrical folds verging toward the SE, and thrusts faults related to the spreading of the volcano over its mechanically weak substratum. Combined remote sensing and field observations suggest that spreading is accommodated by summit subsidence and flanks sliding. Both slow spreading movements and catastrophic collapses of the steep flanks are interpreted to result from complex interactions between the growing edifice, repeated dyke intrusions, the weak sedimentary substratum and tectonic structures.

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Acknowledgement

We thank Ngala, Amstrong, Steven Njome of UBuea and Mt Cameroon guides and porters for assistance in the field. The staff of the Department of Geology and Environmental Sciences at Buea University is acknowledged for his hospitality; help in planning the field work and preparing the logistics, and with supplying some key Mt Cameroon references. Volcano spreading at Mt Cameroon was first envisaged by RSJ Sparks, CE Suh, GGJE and S Njome during an exploratory field survey at Mt Cameroon in November 2002. Work discussed in the present ms benefited from discussions between the authors and all the above as well as with B van Wyk de Vries. D Rust, J White and H Delgado Granados are also warmly acknowledged for their helpful reviews and editing of the manuscript. MK and GGJE were supported by the Belgian National Science Fondation (NSF) (Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (FWO)-Vlaanderen). LM PhD was funded by IRCSET (Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology). UBuea-UGhent joint research is facilitated by an ongoing VLIR-OI (Vlaamse Interuniversitaire Raad-Own Initiative) bilateral project coordinated by P Jacobs at UG and CE Suh at UB (formerly by S Ayonghe, who we also thank for his support and encouragements over the years).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Volcanic and Magmatic Processes Group, Dublin Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland

    Lucie Mathieu

  2. Mercator & Ortelius Research Centre for Eruption Dynamics, Department of Geology and Soil Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium

    Matthieu Kervyn & Gerald G. J. Ernst

  3. Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans, Blaise Pascal Université, Clermont-Ferrand, France

    Lucie Mathieu

  4. Physical Geography Department of Geography, Vrije Universiteit Brussels, Brussels, Belgium

    Matthieu Kervyn

  5. 12 allée du chevalier de Louville, 45800, Saint Jean de Braye, France

    Lucie Mathieu

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  1. Lucie Mathieu
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Correspondence to Lucie Mathieu.

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Editorial responsibility: H. Delgado Granados

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Mathieu, L., Kervyn, M. & Ernst, G.G.J. Field evidence for flank instability, basal spreading and volcano-tectonic interactions at Mt Cameroon, West Africa. Bull Volcanol 73, 851–867 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00445-011-0458-z

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