Determination of the Structural Lineaments in the Kribi-Campo-Ma’an Area from a Multi-Scale Analysis of Gravity Data Using the HGM and Euler 3D Deconvolution Approaches

Abstract

With the aim to produce a detailed structural map and then enhance the geological information of the south - western Cameroon, a field gravity study is carried out in the Kribi-Campo-Ma’an area (SW Cameroon). This study area is assumed to undergo pending active tectonics as witnessed by several earthquakes [1] . Besides, the area has been affected by some shears that gave rise to many major faults including the Kribi-Campo Fault (KCF). This N-S lineament is an active fault corresponding to the NW margin of the CC [2] [3] and related to the development of the Kribi - Campo basin. The gravity data analysis enable s to highlight many deeply- seated structural features trending in the NE, NNE, N-S, NNW, NW and E-W directions in this region. The NW-SE trend is more strongly developed than the other identified trends and could have deeply affected the major NNE structure. The NNE-SSW to N-S fractures and faults which are local relays of the Kribi-Campo fault are related to the Kribi shear zone. The fairly good clustering observed on local maxima of the horizontal gradient magnitude enable s to suggest that the contacts outlined have vertical to subvertical dips. However, a probable interpretation of these features is that they are vertical to subvertical faults which follow the aforementioned directions. The location of the study area in the gulf of Guinea suggests that it sustain s tectonics related both to the equatorial and the south Atlantic oceans opening.