The Mechanical Nature of the Lithosphere Beneath the Eastern Central Atlantic Hotspots

The Eastern Central Atlantic (ECA) region includes the Azores, Canary, Cape Verde, Great Meteor, and Madeira hotspots. These hotspots exhibit a large variety of characteristics are rooted in lithosphere ranging age from newly created at Mid Ridge to Jurassic NW Africa margin. Therefore, ECA represents an excellent scenario investigate integrated way effects on mechanical structure oceanic lithosphere. Here, we calculate effective elastic thickness (Te) analysis gravity topography. Azores hotspot is characterized by Te < 10 km, whereas have intermediate (15–30 km) values. In contrast, Canary much higher (>50 km), forming largest most prominent feature ECA. All except show standard values when compared average for same other areas world. high strength may be related highly depleted mantle composition area. comparison between distribution upper seismic velocity shows no correlation estimated (with exception Azores) presence low shear-wave anomalies underlying mantle. This lack suggests negligible effect temperature flexure region.