The Gulf of Cádiz is located in the north-eastern Atlantic Ocean between 34°N and 37°15′N and 6°W to 9°45′W.[1] It is enclosed by the southernIberian and northernMoroccan margins, west ofStrait of Gibraltar.[1]
The geological history of the Gulf of Cádiz is intimately related toplate tectonic interaction between SouthernEurasia and North Africa and is driven by two major mechanisms:[2]
subduction associated with the westward emplacement of the Gibraltar Arc and formation of the Gulf of Cádiz accretionary wedge.[3] The current activity of the subduction is unclear, with some advocating ongoing active subduction.[2] Others suggest that subduction is inactive and that a new plate boundary has recently formed along a series of prominent WNW–ESE trending lineaments acting as a dextral strike-slip (transform) plate boundary.[4]
oblique lithosphere collision betweenIberia andNubia. Oblique convergence between Africa (Nubia) and Iberia (Eurasia) occurs here at about 4 mm (0.16 in) per year in a NW–SE direction.[5][6] Some have suggested this may also be causing active thrusting in the Gulf of Cádiz.[2][7]
Tectonic map of the Gulf of Cádiz region
It is now well established that the whole area is under compressive deformation and that mud volcanism and processes associated with the escape ofhydrocarbon-rich fluids sustain a broad diversity ofchemosynthetic assemblages.[1] The accretionary wedge formed by subduction represents an extensive area which encompasses over fortymud volcanoes (a type ofcold seep), at depths ranging from 200 to 4,000 m (660 to 13,120 ft) (confirmed by coring), and active methane seepage has been documented on several locations.[1][8]
^Stich, D.; Serpelloni, E.; Mancilla; Morales, J. (2006). "Kinematics of the Iberia– Maghreb plate contact from seismic moment tensors and GPS observations".Tectonophysics.426 (3–4):295–317.Bibcode:2006Tectp.426..295S.doi:10.1016/j.tecto.2006.08.004.
^Koulali, A.; Ouzar, D.; Tahayt, A.; King, R.W.; Vernant, P.; Reilinger, R.E.; McClusky, S.; Mourabit, T.; Davila, J.M.; Amraoui, N. (2011). "New GPS constraints on active defor- mation along the Africa–Iberia plate boundary".Earth and Planetary Science Letters.308 (1–2):211–217.Bibcode:2011E&PSL.308..211K.doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2011.05.048.
^Bartolome, R.; Gracia, E.; Stich, D.; Martinez-Loriente, S.; Klaeschen, D.; Mancilla, F.; Lo Iacona, C.; Danobeitia, J.J.; Zitellini, N. (2012). "Evidence for active strike-slip faulting along the Eurasia-Africa convergence zone: Implications for seismic hazard in the southwest Iberian margin".Geology.40 (6):495–498.Bibcode:2012Geo....40..495B.doi:10.1130/G33107.1.
^abcPinheiro, L.M.; Ivanov, M.K.; Sautkin, A.; Akhmanov, G.; Magalhaes, V.H.; Volkonskaya, A.; Monteiro, J.H.; Somoza, L.; Gardner, J.; Hamouni, N.; Cunha, M.R. (2003). "Mud volcanism in the Gulf of Cadiz: results from the TTR-10 cruise".Marine Geology.195 (1–4):131–151.Bibcode:2003MGeol.195..131P.doi:10.1016/s0025-3227(02)00685-0.
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