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

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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.