Agulhas Basin

[1] In a Late Paleocene (59–56 Ma) reconstruction of the opening of the South Atlantic Ocean (i.e. the separation of South America and Africa during the Gondwana break-up) the Meteor Rise lies conjugate to the Islas Orcadas Rise (east of the Falkland Plateau).

The ridge, however, ends abruptly in a small plateau at 40°S 15°E / 40°S 15°E / -40; 15 where it intersects a northeastward-trending spreading centre (the Agulhas Rift) that was abandoned during the Early Paleocene (61 Ma).

97 Ma the plate boundary in the Agulhas Basin was reorganised when the Mid-Atlantic Ridge made an eastward jump.

This brought the boundary towards the Agulhas Plateau where excessive volcanism was building a large igneous province.

At this retroflection it leaks warm core eddies known as Agulhas rings into the South Atlantic.

[7] Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) originated in the Oligocene with the opening of the Drake Passage and the Tasmanian Seaway and resulted in the thermal insulation of Antarctica.