Kinematics of the North American-Caribbean-Cocos plates in Central America from new GPS measurements across the Polochic-Motagua fault system

Details Kinematics of the North American-Caribbean-Cocos plates in Central America from new GPS measurements across the Polochic-Motagua fault system Kinematics of the North American-Caribbean-Cocos plates in Central America from new GPS measurements across the Polochic-Motagua fault system

Oct 2006

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006georl..3319309l&link_type=abstract

Geophysical Research Letters, Volume 33, Issue 19, CiteID L19309

Physics

8

Geodesy And Gravity: Satellite Geodesy: Results (6929, 7215, 7230, 7240), Geodesy And Gravity: Seismic Cycle Related Deformations (6924, 7209, 7223, 7230), Tectonophysics: Continental Tectonics: General (0905), Tectonophysics: Plate Motions: Present And Recent (3040)

Scientific paper

The Polochic-Motagua strike-slip fault system in Guatemala marks the on-land plate boundary between the North American (NA) and the Caribbean (CA) plates. GPS observations in 1999 and 2003 show that the far-field velocity across the system (NA-CA relative velocity) is ~20 mm/yr. This is significantly higher than the NUVEL-1A velocity but is consistent with the GPS based CA-NA velocity proposed by DeMets et al. (2000). The observations are modeled by a fault centered on the Motagua fault, locked at a depth of 20 km, with a slip-rate decreasing from eastern to central Guatemala from 20 to 12 mm/yr towards the NA-CA-Cocos triple junction. This decrease is accommodated by ~8 mm/yr of E-W extension in the westernmost part of CA south of the Motagua fault. About 10 mm/yr of dextral slip is observed across the Mid-American Volcanic Arc. The NA-CA-Cocos triple junction is thus a complex, ~400 km-wide wedge-shaped area.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Kinematics of the North American-Caribbean-Cocos plates in Central America from new GPS measurements across the Polochic-Motagua fault system 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 Kinematics of the North American-Caribbean-Cocos plates in Central America from new GPS measurements across the Polochic-Motagua fault system, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Kinematics of the North American-Caribbean-Cocos plates in Central America from new GPS measurements across the Polochic-Motagua fault system will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-906172