The Berlenga Terrane corresponds to a sliver from the Iberian Terrane displaced by sinistral submeridian strike-slip movement followed by thrust to the E in the Permian, during the final phases of Variscan Terrane that sutured the Iberian and Avalon Terranes. We defined early basin inversion episodes in the Jurassic, sometimes associated with mafic magmatism and the Betic age inversion dynamics. After 44 years of dormancy, on April, 2nd 1995, at 23h30m local time, the Fogo island vulcano started an eruption. Infante D. Lu s and Instituto de Meteorologia. Fogo Island is a 2829 m high volcano, truncated by a 9 km diameter caldera.
Historical reports describe volcanic activity since the settlement of the island.
Data so far obtained have already been the object of several scientific publications, including PhD and MSc theses, abstracts for International meetings, and articles for international Journals. The results are of major importance for the comprehension of transpressive regimes, arcuate structures, and slipping along shear zones. The new experiments will deal with the behaviour of rigid inclusions within a ductile matrix, with the aim of completing and detailing the earlier work, which has been the object of a publication in the Journal of Structural Geology. During 1995 we were able to put this rig operational. Several experiments are already in preparation to investigate the importance and pattern of major crustal strike slip shear zones as an accommodation mechanism induced by plate collision.