Evidence for sea-floor spreading in the Cayman Trough

Details Evidence for sea-floor spreading in the Cayman Trough Evidence for sea-floor spreading in the Cayman Trough

Nov 1973

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1973e%26psl..20..357h&link_type=abstract

Earth and Planetary Science Letters, Volume 20, Issue 3, p. 357-371.

Physics

13

Scientific paper

New seismic reflection and bathymetric data reveal that the rough topography in the central quarter of the Cayman Trough consists predominantly of north-south oriented ridges and valleys. Ridges with a relief of 200-2,000 m lie on either side of a north-south trending V-shaped valley which extends from the north to the south wall of the trough. We suggest that this valley and the flanking ridges represent an axis of sea-floor spreading for which we propose the name Mid-Cayman Rise. Although overall depths are greater for the Mid-Cayman Rise (rift valley, 5,500-6,000 m; flanking ridges, 3,500-4,000 m) than are typical of the mid-oceanic rise, striking similarities in morphology and sediments are noted. Both rises exhibit an axial rift valley, rough sediment-free basement near the axis, increasing depth and increasing burial by sediments with distance from the axial rift, and symmetry in basement morphology about the rift. Earthquake epicenters are clustered near the ends of the rift, where it intersects linear deeps along the north and south walls of the trough. The rift in the Cayman Trough is approximately equidistant from the two ends of the trough, suggesting that the Mid-Cayman Rise may have been spreading symmetrically for a long time, in response to relative motion between the Americas and Caribbean plates. Our interpretations impose important constraints on tectonic models for the Cenozoic history of plate motions in the Caribbean region.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Evidence for sea-floor spreading in the Cayman Trough does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Evidence for sea-floor spreading in the Cayman Trough, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Evidence for sea-floor spreading in the Cayman Trough will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-945211