External controls on Post-Eocene slope-to-deep-water sediment deposition in offshore Tanzania

Abstract

The East African Rift System (EARS), a modern example of a divergent plate boundary in its early stages of development, is a natural laboratory to investigate the interplay between rift tectonics and landscape evolution. While the onshore has been extensively studied, questions persist regarding the continuation of the EARS offshore and its impact on slope-to-deep-water depositional environments. Using advanced seismic interpretation techniques on multiple 2D-3D seismic reflection datasets, this thesis aims to provide new constraints on the evolution of main tectonic structures along the offshore Tanzania margin and on their impact on sediment transport and accumulation. The overarching goal is to shed light on the evolution of post-Eocene sedimentary systems in response to the tectonics of the recently discovered offshore branch of the EARS. The primary implications revolve around the interplay between tectonic and sedimentary processes, acting as a springboard for future research and exploration activities in this area.