MAGNETIC MODELLING OF THE OCEAN-CONTINENT TRANSITION

We utilize the existing geophysical data sets over the South African margin to demonstrate that information regarding the early rift evolution can be obtained from magnetic anomaly analysis. It is likely that the earliest rifting was dominated by continental stretching and faulting, however in this paper we will limit our analysis to the period shortly after the emplacement. of the first rift related volcanic intrusions. We distinguish between the_concept of an abrupt continent- ocean boundary (COB) and a gradual continent-ocean transition zone (COT) where continental fragmentation intermingles with magmatic products generated by the rifting process.