PLANNING AND STRATEGY

We planned to:

• better define the morphotectonic and geophysical images of Bouvet Triple Junction area. We espected to obtain some key information for the geological history of triple junction in the past 8-10 m.y. along with detailed investigations of the Conrad and Bouvet Fracture Zones, including the area south of the Triple Junction;
• Delineate the main features of MAR South of 53 00'S, which is not well depicted by free-air gravity maps [Sandwell et al.(1995)], and by available bathymetric maps. Morphology and geochemistry of spreading axial valley in this zone should reveal theinfluence of Shona `hotspot', as proposed by [Small (1995),Douglass et al.(1995)],
• investigate the Shona Smt. area (54 32'S, 5 50'W).

figure

Figure 2: Geographical setting of the study area. Topographic and bathymetric data by Sandwell and Smith [Sandwell and Smith(2001)].