Gravity modeling of the Muertos Trough and tectonic implications (north-eastern Caribbean)

The Muertos Trough in the northeast Caribbean has been interpreted as a subduction zone from seismicity, leading to infer a possible reversal subduction polarity. However, the distribution of the seismicity is very diffuse and makes definition of the plate geometry difficult. In addition, the compre...

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Authors: Granja Bruña, José Luis, Muñoz Martín, Alfonso, Ten Brink, Uri S., Carbo Gorosabel, Andrés, Llanes Estrada, María Pilar, Martín Dávila, José, Córdoba Barba, Diego, Catalán, Manuel
Format: article
Publication Date:2010
Country:España
Institution:Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
Repository:Docta Complutense
Language:English
OAI Identifier:oai:docta.ucm.es:20.500.14352/41851
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/41851
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Caribbean plate
Muertos Trough
Gravity modeling
Retroarc thrusting
Geofísica
Geodinámica
2507 Geofísica
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spelling Gravity modeling of the Muertos Trough and tectonic implications (north-eastern Caribbean)Granja Bruña, José LuisMuñoz Martín, AlfonsoTen Brink, Uri S.Carbo Gorosabel, AndrésLlanes Estrada, María PilarMartín Dávila, JoséCórdoba Barba, DiegoCatalán, ManuelCaribbean plateMuertos TroughGravity modelingRetroarc thrustingGeofísicaGeodinámica2507 Geofísica2507 GeofísicaThe Muertos Trough in the northeast Caribbean has been interpreted as a subduction zone from seismicity, leading to infer a possible reversal subduction polarity. However, the distribution of the seismicity is very diffuse and makes definition of the plate geometry difficult. In addition, the compressive deformational features observed in the upper crust and sandbox kinematic modeling do not necessarily suggest a subduction process. We tested the hypothesized subduction of the Caribbean plate’s interior beneath the eastern Greater Antilles island arc using gravity modeling. Gravity models simulating a subduction process yield a regional mass deficit beneath the island arc independently of the geometry and depth of the subducted slab used in the models. This mass deficit results from sinking of the less dense Caribbean slab beneath the lithospheric mantle replacing denser mantle materials and suggests that there is not a subducted Caribbean plateau beneath the island arc. The geologically more realistic gravity model which would explain the N–S shortening observed in the upper crust requires an overthrusted Caribbean slab extending at least 60 km northward from the deformation front, a progressive increase in the thrusting angle from 8 to 30 reaching a maximum depth of 22 km beneath the insular slope. This new tectonic model for the Muertos Margin, defined as a retroarc thrusting, will help to assess the seismic and tsunami hazard in the region. The use of gravity modeling has provided targets for future wide-angle seismic surveys in the Muertos Margin.Springer VerlagUniversidad Complutense de Madrid20102010-11-0820102010-11-08journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501info:eu-repo/semantics/articleapplication/pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/41851reponame:Docta Complutenseinstname:Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)Inglésengopen accesshttp://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:docta.ucm.es:20.500.14352/418512026-06-02T12:44:21Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Gravity modeling of the Muertos Trough and tectonic implications (north-eastern Caribbean)
title Gravity modeling of the Muertos Trough and tectonic implications (north-eastern Caribbean)
spellingShingle Gravity modeling of the Muertos Trough and tectonic implications (north-eastern Caribbean)
Granja Bruña, José Luis
Caribbean plate
Muertos Trough
Gravity modeling
Retroarc thrusting
Geofísica
Geodinámica
2507 Geofísica
2507 Geofísica
title_short Gravity modeling of the Muertos Trough and tectonic implications (north-eastern Caribbean)
title_full Gravity modeling of the Muertos Trough and tectonic implications (north-eastern Caribbean)
title_fullStr Gravity modeling of the Muertos Trough and tectonic implications (north-eastern Caribbean)
title_full_unstemmed Gravity modeling of the Muertos Trough and tectonic implications (north-eastern Caribbean)
title_sort Gravity modeling of the Muertos Trough and tectonic implications (north-eastern Caribbean)
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Granja Bruña, José Luis
Muñoz Martín, Alfonso
Ten Brink, Uri S.
Carbo Gorosabel, Andrés
Llanes Estrada, María Pilar
Martín Dávila, José
Córdoba Barba, Diego
Catalán, Manuel
author Granja Bruña, José Luis
author_facet Granja Bruña, José Luis
Muñoz Martín, Alfonso
Ten Brink, Uri S.
Carbo Gorosabel, Andrés
Llanes Estrada, María Pilar
Martín Dávila, José
Córdoba Barba, Diego
Catalán, Manuel
author_role author
author2 Muñoz Martín, Alfonso
Ten Brink, Uri S.
Carbo Gorosabel, Andrés
Llanes Estrada, María Pilar
Martín Dávila, José
Córdoba Barba, Diego
Catalán, Manuel
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv Universidad Complutense de Madrid
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Caribbean plate
Muertos Trough
Gravity modeling
Retroarc thrusting
Geofísica
Geodinámica
2507 Geofísica
2507 Geofísica
topic Caribbean plate
Muertos Trough
Gravity modeling
Retroarc thrusting
Geofísica
Geodinámica
2507 Geofísica
2507 Geofísica
description The Muertos Trough in the northeast Caribbean has been interpreted as a subduction zone from seismicity, leading to infer a possible reversal subduction polarity. However, the distribution of the seismicity is very diffuse and makes definition of the plate geometry difficult. In addition, the compressive deformational features observed in the upper crust and sandbox kinematic modeling do not necessarily suggest a subduction process. We tested the hypothesized subduction of the Caribbean plate’s interior beneath the eastern Greater Antilles island arc using gravity modeling. Gravity models simulating a subduction process yield a regional mass deficit beneath the island arc independently of the geometry and depth of the subducted slab used in the models. This mass deficit results from sinking of the less dense Caribbean slab beneath the lithospheric mantle replacing denser mantle materials and suggests that there is not a subducted Caribbean plateau beneath the island arc. The geologically more realistic gravity model which would explain the N–S shortening observed in the upper crust requires an overthrusted Caribbean slab extending at least 60 km northward from the deformation front, a progressive increase in the thrusting angle from 8 to 30 reaching a maximum depth of 22 km beneath the insular slope. This new tectonic model for the Muertos Margin, defined as a retroarc thrusting, will help to assess the seismic and tsunami hazard in the region. The use of gravity modeling has provided targets for future wide-angle seismic surveys in the Muertos Margin.
publishDate 2010
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2010
2010-11-08
2010
2010-11-08
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv journal article
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
dc.type.openaire.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
format article
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/41851
url https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/41851
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
eng
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
language eng
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv open access
http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
dc.rights.openaire.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv open access
http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Springer Verlag
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Springer Verlag
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:Docta Complutense
instname:Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
instname_str Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
reponame_str Docta Complutense
collection Docta Complutense
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
_version_ 1869402801702961152
score 15,301603

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