West and Central African Rift System

The West and Central African Rift System, with the Central African Shear Zone labeled CASZ

The West and Central African Rift System (WCARS) is a rift system composed of two coeval Cretaceous rift sub-systems, the West African Rift sub-system (WAS) and the Central African Rift sub-system (CAS).[1] These are genetically related, but are physically separated and show structural differences.[2] The Logone Birni Basin constitutes a transitional area between the two sub-systems.

The WCARS is older than the East African Rift System.

  1. ^ Bosworth, William (20 October 1992). "Mesozoic and early Tertiary rift tectonics in East Africa". Tectonophysics. 209 (1–4): 115–137. Bibcode:1992Tectp.209..115B. doi:10.1016/0040-1951(92)90014-W.
  2. ^ Loule, Jean-Pierre; Lumbomil, Pospisil. "The Logone Birni Basin (LLB) in Northern Cameroon: Transition Between the West African Rift Sub-System (WAS) and the Central African Rift Sub-System (CAS); Tectonic and Geophysical Models". AAPG Search and Discovery. AAPG. Retrieved 31 January 2016.