Lithostructural controls in Douala-Buea Region landscape (SW Cameroon margin):Insights from morphometric analysis

The Douala-Buea Region(DBR;4°-5°N,9°-10°30’E),a portion of the southern Cameroon passive margin,developed on the Proterozoic granito-gneissic basement and the Cretaceous to Recent volcanosedimentary cover,was explored in order to evaluate the lithology and tectonics controls on its landscape usingthequalitativeandquantitative geomorphological analyses based on 30 m resolution Digital Elevation Models(DEM)and field evidences.This area displays an uneven and complex landscape differentiated into four morphological units:Douala,Nkondjock,Kumba and Buea Units.The Douala Unit corresponds to the Coastal Plain and is extended on the Douala-Kribi/Camposedimentarybasin.The Nkondjock Unit represents a middle plateau developed on a Proterozoic granito-gneissic basement.The Kumba Unit matches with the southernmost volcanic Western Cameroon High Plateau.The Buea Unit corresponds to the Mount Cameroon stratovolcano.The relief analysis through mountain-front sinuosity(Smf,1.19–1.43)and relative relief ratio(Rr,0.10–2.31)vary from one unit to another.The drainage network analysis including drainage patterns,stepped longitudinalriverprofiles,theassociated morphometric indexes,notably the concavity index(IC,0.56–0.88),deviation(D,267–2912 m),basin asymmetry factor(A_(F),6.37–42.12),hypsometric integral(HI,0.10–0.29),valley floor width to valley height ratio(V_(f),0.36–2.75),elongation ratio(R_(e),0.30–0.50),watershed slope(S,6.88–88.88)and stream length gradient index(SL,0–3332)vary from one basin to another too.These results also show the heterogeneous and uneven DBR landscape controlled by its lithology and active tectonics.The drainage system reveals concave to concavo-convex longitudinal river profile shapes with knick points,asymmetric basins,and fault reactivations,and highlights the tectonics activity that used to occur through the time and their control on the morphology.Together,they document the lithostructural controls on the DBR landscape evolution,extendable in the whole SW Cameroon margin.

Growth Habit of the Basic Oxysulfate Magnesium Whisker

The growth habit of the basic magnesium oxysulfate whisker was investigated based on the theoreticalmodelof anion coordination polyhedron growth units.It is found that typicalbasic magnesium oxysulfate whisker growth is consistent with anion tetrahedralcoordination incorporation rules.The growth units of basic magnesium oxysulfate whiskers are [Mg-（OH）_4]^（2-） and HSO_4^-.[Mg-（OH）_4]^（2-） is the favorable growth unit and whisker growth is in the direction of the [Mg-（OH）_4]^（2-） combination.A plurality of [Mg-（OH）_4]^（2-） s combine and become a larger dimensionalgrowth unit in a one-dimensionaldirection.Then HSO_4^- and larger dimensionalgrowth units connect as basic magnesium sulfate whiskers,according to the structuralcharacteristics of the basic magnesium sulfate whisker,which can guide the synthesis of magnesium hydroxide whisker.