Paleogeographic and structural evolution of northwestern Africa and its Atlantic margins since the early Mesozoic

Abstract

The geological evolution of northwestern Africa and its continental margins is investigated in the light of nine Meso-Cenozoic paleogeological maps, which integrate original minimal extent of sedimentary deposits beyond their present-day erosional limits. Mapping is based on a compilation of published original data on the stratigraphy and depositional environments of sediments, structures, magmatism, and low-temperature thermochonology, as well as on the interpretation of industrial seismic and borehole data.