Early Mesozoic reconstructions, tectonics and paleogeography of Caribbean-Gulf of Mexico-Atlantic area

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1985 · Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States)

OSTI ID:5892873

Wiener, R W; Norton, I O

Five plate reconstructions with paleogeography show the evolution of the Gulf of Mexico-Caribbean-Atlantic from Late Triassic through Late Jurassic time. The reconstructions are constrained by oceanic geophysical data, by the distribution of Paleozoic tectonic belts and early Mesozoic sedimentary and igneous rocks, and by restoration of post-Jurassic faulting. Late Triassic rifting formed grabens in which continental sediments and tholeiitic volcanics accumulated. Overlying salt was deposited from ingression of Tethyan waters into circum-Atlantic grabens. Oceanic crust formed in the Atlantic about 165 m.y. ago, followed by a spreading-center jump about 160 m.y. ago. The NA/SA-Africa plate boundary was a zone of intracontinental faulting from the left-lateral Bahama fracture zone to a zone of normal and strike-slip faulting in the Gulf, to the left-lateral Mojave-Sonora megashear. Sea-floor spread in began in the proto-Caribbean in the middle Jurassic, while only rifting occurred in the Gulf of Mexico, where the Louann salt was deposited from Pacific waters. In the late Jurassic, steepening of the Pacific subduction zone resulted ion back-arc extension in Mexico. At the same time, sea-floor spreading began in the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in marine transgression. In the late Oxfordian, spreading center reorganization occurred in the Gulf. Movement ceased on the Mojave-Sonora megashear and began on the Salina Cruz right-lateral fault. In latest Jurassic spreading ceased in the Gulf, but continued in the proto-Caribbean.

• Research Organization: Exxon Production Research Company, Houston, TX (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5892873
• Report Number(s): CONF-8510489-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States) Journal Volume: 36
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
580201* -- Geophysics-- Seismology & Tectonics-- (1980-1989)
ATLANTIC OCEAN
CARIBBEAN SEA
GEOGRAPHICAL VARIATIONS
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FAULTS
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
GEOLOGIC MODELS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
JURASSIC PERIOD
MESOZOIC ERA
PLATE TECTONICS
RIFT ZONES
SALT DEPOSITS
SEA-FLOOR SPREADING
SEAS
SUBDUCTION ZONES
SURFACE WATERS
SURVEYS
TECTONICS
TRIASSIC PERIOD
VARIATIONS