TITLE:
Application of Coefficient of Anisotropy to the Geophysical Prospecting of Campo—Ma’an Area of the Ntem Complex in Cameroon
AUTHORS:
Njingti-Nfor, Owona Angue Marie Louise, Kue Petou Rokis Malquaire, Bisso Dieudonné, Lando Tsakou Julyo Achille
KEYWORDS:
Anisotropy, Telluric, Geo-Electric, Subsidence, Isotropic, Vertical Faults, Tectonics
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Geology,
Vol.7 No.12,
December
28,
2017
ABSTRACT: Audiomagnetotelluric data were acquired for 10 sounding stations in open fields and roads along the main highways from Campo to Ma’an in Cameroon. An application of the coefficients of anisotropy was used to determine the tectonic settings and the nature of the contacts between the sedimentary formation of the Kribi-Campo basin and the cratonic Ntem Complex. The results of this study show that apart from the sedimentary formation, the metamorphic formation in this area comprises two metamorphic blocks: a regional metamorphic block which might be igneous or granitic in nature and composition and seem to be Precambrian and plutonic in origin and a contact or transitional metamorphic block, which might represent schist or gneiss rocks. The contact or transitional metamorphic block might be as a result of a long period of contact between regional metamorphic rocks and rocks of sedimentary formation. These contact/transitional metamorphic rocks which are found sandwiched between rocks of sedimentary formation and rocks of the regional metamorphic block and at varied depths confirm the existence of vertical and sub-vertical contacts between the Kribi-Campo basin and the cratonic Ntem complex. Two types of rock contacts have been identified: a sedimentary-schist contact which is found at the boundary between the sedimentary formation and the transitional metamorphic block and a schist-granite contact between the transitional and regional metamorphic blocks. Two main formations: a sedimentary formation, which is found in the Kribi-Campo sub-basin and the Ntem River bed and its flood plains and the metamorphic formation which includes both the transitional and regional metamorphic rocks have also been identified in the area of study. Subsurface rocks and rock materials have been observed to be highly resistive and occupying almost the entire subsurface in the area of study confirming the high vertical tectonic stability of the Ntem Complex even at contact with the sedimentary Kribi-Campo basin.