SeaMARC II and Seismic Reflection Study of Strike-Slip Tectonics Along the Northwestern Margin of the Caribbean Plate

走滑断层是一种常见的地质构造， 地质块体 北美-加勒比走滑 边界提供了大偏移（-1100）的唯一示例 km），活动转换断层，表现出 海洋和大陆的转变。 板块构造 控制了这一板块间边界的结构， 中美洲和开曼海槽西部的情况仍然很差 明白 此外，走滑断层之间的关系 板块间边界和广阔的活动带 板块间变形--西加勒比伸展 省-尚未与现代海洋探索 地球物理技术 对这种情结的解释 区域对于解释 以及其他活动的大洋和大陆走滑带 古老的走滑断层现在保存在山脉地带。 %%% 该项目涉及海洋结构调查， 沿着北美-加勒比走滑的开曼海槽 使用SeaMARC II高分辨率侧扫声纳。 这项调查旨在帮助解决几个长期存在的问题。 走滑构造学中的问题包括走滑 断层和相关的构造可以解释为 板块间运动的方向和应力状态 走滑断层的构造 受到大陆地壳和海洋地壳类型的影响。

Strike-slip faults are common geologic structures that separate geologic blocks. The North American-Caribbean strike-slip boundary provides a unique example of a large offset (-1100 km), active transform fault that exhibits characteristics of both oceanic and continental transforms. The plate tectonic controls on the structure of this interplate boundary in Central America and the western Cayman Trough remain poorly understood. Moreover, the relations between strike-slip faults of the interplate boundary and a broad zone of active interplate deformation - the Western Caribbean Extensional Province - have not been explored with modern marine geophysical techniques. The interpretation of this complex area has great implications for interpreting the structure of other active oceanic and continental strike-slip zones as well as ancient strike-slip faults now preserved in mountain belts. %%% This project involves a marine survey of structure in the Cayman Trough along the North American - Caribbean strike-slip boundary using the SeaMARC II high-resolution side-scan sonar. This survey is designed to help resolve several long-standing questions in strike-slip tectonics including how strike-slip faults and associated structures can be interpreted in terms of the direction of interplate motion and the stress state of the interplate area, and how the structure of strike-slip faults is affected by continental vs. oceanic crustal type.