Caribbean Basins (eBook)

Front Cover 1
Caribbean Basins 4
Copyright Page 5
Contents 28
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE SERIES 6
DEDICATION TO W.A. VAN DEN BOLD 10
PREFACE TO THE VOLUME 16
REVIEWERS 22
LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS 24
Part 1: Tectonic setting of Caribbean basins 36
Chapter 1. CARIBBEAN SEDIMENTARY BASINS: CLASSIFICATION AND TECTONIC SETTING FROM JURASSIC TO PRESENT 38
Introduction 38
Active tectonic setting of Caribbean sedimentary basins 38
Major crustal provinces of the Caribbean region 39
Previous classifications and regional studies of Caribbean sedimentary basins 41
Basin classification used in this overview 42
Use of gravity maps to illustrate Caribbean sedimentary basins 43
Basins and major tectonic features associated with the Middle America trench, arc, and back-arc (western Caribbean) 43
Basins and major tectonic features associated with the North America–Caribbean plate boundary (northern Caribbean) 47
Basins and major tectonic features associated with the Lesser Antilles trench, arc, and back-arc (eastern Caribbean) 48
Basins and major tectonic features associated with the South America–Caribbean plate boundary (southern Caribbean) 49
Basins and major tectonic features associated with the Panama arc–southwestern Caribbean collisional zone (southwestern Caribbean) 50
Basins and major tectonic features associated with the central Caribbean plate 51
Tectonic evolution of the Caribbean plate and its sedimentary basins 51
Main phases of Caribbean basin development within the framework of North America–South America relative motion history 53
Future work on Caribbean sedimentary basins 58
Acknowledgements 64
References 64
Chapter 2. NEW CONSTRAINTS ON THE LATE CRETACEOUS/TERTIARY PLATE TECTONIC EVOLUTION OF THE CARIBBEAN 68
Introduction 69
Data 71
Reconstruction method 73
Results 75
Discussion 81
Conclusions 90
Acknowledgements 92
References 92
Part 2: Jurassic–Recent basins of the northern Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, and Mexico related to rifting between North and South America 96
Chapter 3. JURASSIC–EARLY CRETACEOUS TECTONO- PALEOGEOGRAPHIC EVOLUTION OF THE SOUTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO BASIN 98
Introduction 98
Physiographic/geologic setting 99
Regional tectonic framework 100
Reflection seismic data 100
DSDP Leg 77 Results 103
Previous seismic stratigraphic studies 109
Tectono-stratigraphic framework 109
Tectono-paleogeographic evolution of the southeastern Gulf of Mexico basin and surrounding regions 117
Conclusions 124
Acknowledgements 125
References 125
Chapter 4. THE EXPOSED PASSIVE MARGIN OFNORTH AMERICA IN WESTERN CUBA 128
Introduction 128
Tectonic setting 129
Outline of stratigraphy 132
Jurassic to Early Paleocene evolution of the passive margin in western Cuba 143
Conclusions 152
Acknowledgements 153
References 153
Chapter 5. STRATIGRAPHIC EVIDENCE FOR NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST TECTONIC TRANSPORT OF JURASSIC TERRANES IN CENTRAL MEXICO AND THE CARIBBEAN (WESTERN CUBA) 158
Introduction 159
Importance of faunal and floral data in paleogeographic reconstructions 159
Radiolarian paleolatitudinal model 161
Paleolatitudinal reconstructions using multiple criteria 161
Criticism of the model of Pessagno and Blome (1986) by Hagstrum and Murchey (1996) 162
Remnants of the San Pedro del Gallo terrane 165
Analyses of San Pedro del Gallo terrane remnants 166
Analysis of previously described terranes in Mexico: validity of Maya, Guachichil, Tepehuao, and Coahuiltecano terranes of Sedlock et al. (1993) 179
Comparison of paleobathymetry in the San Pedro del Gallo terrane (SPG) and the adjacent Coahuiltecano (COAH) terrane 181
Conclusions 181
Acknowledgements 182
References 183
Chapter 6. CRETACEOUS CARBONATE BIOSTRATIGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENTS IN HONDURAS 186
Introduction 186
Stratigraphy 188
Paleoenvironments 197
Summary 198
References 199
Chapter 7. JURASSIC–CENOZOIC STRUCTURAL EVOLUTION OF THE SOUTHERN GREAT BAHAMA BANK 202
Introduction 202
Seismic reflection data 205
Gravity data 210
Structural analysis 210
Structural interpretation 217
Discussion 222
Conclusions 225
Acknowledgements 226
References 226
Part 3: Cenozoic basins of the northern Caribbean related to arc, collisional and strike-slip activity 230
Chapter 8. DEFORMATION HISTORY OF ROATÁN ISLAND: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE ORIGIN OF THE TELA BASIN (HONDURAS) 232
Introduction 232
Regional geology and tectonics 232
Structural geology of Roatan island 236
Summary and conclusions 251
Acknowledgements 251
References 251
Chapter 9. THE SOUTHERN FLANK OF THE TELA BASIN, REPUBLIC OF HONDURAS 254
Introduction 254
The north coast: physiography and access 255
Principal features of the strike-slip margin 255
The Aguáin beds: possible tertiary marine sediments 261
Acknowledgements 269
Appendix 269
References 270
Chapter 10. CRETACEOUS MICROFAUNAS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS, JAMAICA, AND OF THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL BASEMENT COMPLEXES OF HISPANIOLA 272
Introduction 272
Microfaunas and ages 272
Microfaunas of the Dominican Republic 274
Significance of the Dominican Republic microfaunas 275
Microfaunas of Jamaica 278
Significance of the Jamaican microfaunas 279
Conclusions 280
Acknowledgements 280
References 280
Chapter 11. CENOZOIC EL MAMEY GROUP OF NORTHERN HISPANIOLA: A SEDIMENTARY RECORD OF SUBDUCTION, COLLISIONAL AND STRIKE-SLIP EVENTS WITHIN THE NORTH AMERICA–CARIBBEAN PLATE BOUNDARY ZONE 282
Introduction 282
Tectonic setting of the Cordillera Septentrional 284
Geologic setting of the Cordillera Septentrional 284
Previous work and stratigraphic framework of the central Cordillera Septentrional 288
Stratigraphy of the Altamira block 292
Stratigraphy of the La Toca block 307
Paleocurrents from the El Mamey Group 309
Sandstone petrography of the El Mamey Group 310
Discussion 314
Conclusions 319
Acknowledgements 320
References 320
Chapter 12. TECTONIC AND EUSTATIC CONTROLS ON NEOGENE EVAPORITIC AND SILICICLASTIC DEPOSITION IN THE ENRIQUILLO BASIN, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 322
Introduction 323
Objectives and methods of this study 324
Tectonic and geologic setting of the Enriquillo basin 326
Methods 331
Geology of the basin center inferred from interpretation of multi-channel seismic lines tied to wells 332
Stratigraphy and micropaleontology of the Charco Largo-1 well 339
Surface geology of the Loma de Sal y Yeso area and stratigraphic correlation with the Charco Largo-1 well 344
Surface geology of the northeastern margin of the Enriquillo basin 352
Discussion 368
Conclusions 375
Acknowledgements 375
References 376
Chapter 13. EVOLUTION OF THE NEOGENE KINGSHILL BASIN OF ST. CROIX, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS 378
Introduction and geologic setting 378
Stratigraphy and depositional setting of the Neogene formations of the Kingshill basin 380
Evolution of the Kingshill basin 388
Tectonic evolution of St. Croix and the northeastern Caribbean 392
Conclusions 398
Acknowledgements 399
References 399
Part 4: Cenozoic basins of the eastern Caribbean and Lesser Antilles arc system 402
Chapter 14. REVIEW OF THE TECTONIC CONTROLS AND SEDIMENTARY PATTERNS IN LATE NEOGENE PIGGYBACK BASINS ON THE BARBADOS RIDGE COMPLEX 404
Introduction 404
Geologic setting 405
Frontal basins 407
Arcward basins 412
Piggyback basins and large scale evolution of the wedge 414
Piggyback basins of the Barbados ridge complex compared to other piggyback basins 420
Summary 421
Acknowledgements 421
References 421
Chapter 15. TECTONIC EVOLUTION OF THE GRENADA BASIN 424
Introduction 424
Models for the formation of the Grenada basin 425
Data base 427
Tectonics of back-arc basins 429
Regional setting 432
Interpretation 436
Discussion 442
Conclusion 448
References 448
Part 5: Jurassic–Recent basins of the southern Caribbean 450
Chapter 16. SEQUENCE STRATIGRAPHY OF THE EASTERN VENEZUELAN BASIN 452
Introduction 452
Purpose of the study 453
Data base 453
A review of past work 454
Regional transects across the Eastern Venezuelan Basin 458
Stratigraphic overview 465
The basement 466
Pre-Cretaceous stratigraphy (pre-rift and rift phase) 467
The Cretaceous–Paleogene (passive margin phase) 468
The Neogene (foredeep phase) 477
Tertiary paleogeography of eastern Venezuela 490
Discussion of the chronostratigraphic model 494
Conclusions 495
Acknowledgements 496
References 496
Chapter 17. STRUCTURE OF THE GULF OF PARIA PULL-APART BASIN (EASTERN VENEZUELA–TRINIDAD) 500
Regional setting 500
Stratigraphy of the Gulf of Paria 503
Structure 503
Discussion 513
Conclusions 514
Acknowledgements 515
References 515
Chapter 18. STRUCTURAL AND SEDIMENTARY DEVELOPMENT OF A NEOGENE TRANSPRESSIONAL PLATE BOUNDARY BETWEEN THE CARIBBEAN AND SOUTH AMERICA PLATES IN TRINIDAD AND THE GULF OF PARIA 516
Introduction 518
Tectonic and geologic setting of Trinidad 519
Regional geologic setting of northern South America and Trinidad 520
Summary of previous tectonic models for Trinidad 526
Data used in this study of the Gulf of Paria and Northern basin, Trinidad 528
Major sub-basins and highs of the Gulf of Paria and western part of the Northern basin 528
Previous lithostratigraphic studies of the Gulf of Paria and Northern basin 530
Seismic reflection definition and geologic correlation of late Miocene to Pleistocene sequences 3–5 in the Gulf of Paria and Northern basins 534
Integration of sequence identification with structural mapping 547
Structural styles and geomorphic expression of the El Pilar fault zone 552
Structural style of oblique slip faults in the Gulf of Paria 554
Structural styles and geomorphic expression of the Warm Springs–Central Range fault zone 554
Structural styles and age of deformation in the Southern basin 559
Discussion 560
Conclusions 574
Acknowledgements 576
References 576
Part 6. Mesozoic–Recent igneous basement and overlying basins of the central Caribbean 580
Chapter 19. NEW INSIGHTS ON THE FORMATION OF THE CARIBBEAN BASALT PROVINCE REVEALED BY MULTICHANNEL SEISMIC IMAGES OF VOLCANIC STRUCTURES IN THE VENEZUELAN BASIN 582
Introduction 582
EW-9501 584
Crustal elements of the Colombian and Venezuelan basins 585
Discussion 599
Conclusions 605
Acknowledgements 606
References 606
Chapter 20. TECTONIC AND STRATIGRAPHIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN: NEW CONSTRAINTS FROM MULTICHANNEL SEISMIC DATA 610
Introduction 610
Geologic development of the Venezuelan basin 612
Results 616
Discussion 626
Conclusions 636
Acknowledgements 637
References 637
Chapter 21. NEOGENE INTRAPLATE DEFORMATION OF THE CARIBBEAN PLATE AT THE BEATA RIDGE 640
Introduction 640
Bathymetry of the central Caribbean basin 641
Seismic controls 642
Seismic stratigraphy 643
Northern boundary of the central Caribbean region 646
Eastern boundary of the Beata ridge 650
Beata plateau 652
Taino ridge 654
Aruba gap 663
DSDP 151 ridge 664
Western boundary of the Beata ridge 664
Discussion 666
Conclusions 678
Acknowledgements 679
References 679
Part 7: Summary 684
Chapter 22. CARIBBEAN MODELLED AFTER ARCHIPELAGO OROGENESIS: CODA IN ESPERANTO BY THE SERIES EDITOR 686
Major tectonic features 687
The Caribbean Archipelago 687
The Rhaetides, Celtides, and Alamanides of Cuba, Chortis, and Hispaniola 687
The island-arc margin of the Lesser Antilles 688
An on-going arc–continent collision 688
An exotic Pacific component in the Caribbean 688
Caribbean model of archipelago orogenesis 688
References 689
AUTHOR INDEX 690
SUBJECT INDEX 700