Canary Islands Seamount Province Explained

The Canary Islands Seamount Province (CISP) is located in the Atlantic Ocean between 23º and 33º north. It comprises the seven major islands of the Canary Islands archipelago, the two islets of the Savage Islands and 16 seamounts scattered along an area of km² parallel to the northwestern coastline of the African Continent. Besides its geographical distribution, the components of the province share a series of geochemical similarities.

Three different alignments have been described within the CISP:

• A SW-NE stretch going from the Tropic Seamount to the westernmost point of the Canarian archipelago.^[1]
• A central NNW-ESE stretch from the Canarian islands of La Palma and El Hierro to the island of Fuerteventura (400 km long).
• The so-called Canary Ridge, initially following SW-NE direction from Fuerteventura to the Concepción Bank, and from there following a S-N direction from the Concepción Bank to the Essaouira Seamount.

Seamounts

• Echo Seamount
• Tropic Seamount
• Concepción Bank
• Tagoro
• The Paps

See also

• Geology of the Canary Islands

Bibliography

• Rivera. J. Canals. M. Lastras. G. Hermida. N. Amblas. D. Arrese. B. 2016. Morphometry of Concepcion Bank: Evidence of Geological and Biological Processes on a Large Volcanic Seamount of the Canary Islands Seamount Province. PLoS ONE. 11. 5. e0156337. 10.1371/journal.pone.0156337. 27243626. 4886973. 2016PLoSO..1156337R. free.

Notes and References

1. Zaczek. Kirsten. Troll. Valentin R.. Cachao. Mario. Ferreira. Jorge. Deegan. Frances M.. Carracedo. Juan Carlos. Soler. Vicente. Meade. Fiona C.. Burchardt. Steffi. 2015-01-22. Nannofossils in 2011 El Hierro eruptive products reinstate plume model for Canary Islands. Scientific Reports. en. 5. 1. 7945. 10.1038/srep07945. 25609055. 4302296. 2015NatSR...5E7945Z . 2045-2322. free.