Deep structure of the Benue Trough and implications for northern Cameroon tectonics from 3D gravity inversion (XGM2016)

Deep structure of the Benue Trough and implications for northern Cameroon tectonics from 3D gravity inversion (XGM2016)
Elvira Siphane Chepgwa Tchouando 
The Benue Trough is a major intraplate rift system linking eastern Nigeria to northern Cameroon and plays a key role in the geodynamic evolution of West and Central Africa. Despite decades of research, its subsurface architecture and crust–mantle interactions remain insufficiently constrained. In this study, Bouguer anomalies derived from the Global Gravitational Model XGM2016 are analysed using spectral filtering, structural enhancement, and 3D density inversion to image the deep structure of the trough and assess its geodynamic implications. The results reveal a heterogeneous intracrustal framework dominated by NE–SW and W–E trending lineaments and high-density bodies interpreted as magmatic intrusions. These features indicate a combination of upper-crustal deformation and deeper mantle-related processes associated with syn-rift and post-rift evolution. Implications for northern Cameroon—particularly the Garoua Rift—highlight strong structural inheritance and complex crust–mantle coupling during continental rifting. This study provides new insights into the geodynamic evolution of the Benue Trough and contributes to broader understanding of intracontinental rift systems.

Keywords : Benue Trough ,Gravity modelling ,Bouguer anomalies, Geodynamics, Crust–mantle interactions, Continental rift.    Vérifions ensemble si tout est ok si je peux soumettre cette version finale