The Origin and Evolution of the Caribbean Plate (Geological Society Special Publication No. 328)

This book discusses the current state of research on the geology of the area between North and South America, with a focus on the origin of the Caribbean Plate. Prevailing understanding is that the Caribbean Plate formed in the Pacific and migrated between the Americas. According to this model, the plate comprises oceanic and volcanic arc rocks. An alternative interpretation considers that the plate formed in place and includes extended continental crust. Hybrids of these ideas also exist.The papers in this volume provide regional overviews, discussions of the origins of the Caribbean Plate, and consider aspects of local geology arranged in a circum-Caribbean tour and ending in the plate interior.They address tectonics, igneous and metamorphic geology, stratigraphy and palaeontology. The objective of this wide variety of topics is to facilitate debate.The Geological Society of LondonFounded in 1807, the Geological Society of London is the oldest geological society in the world, and one of the largest publishers in the Earth sciences.The Society publishes a wide range of high-quality peer-reviewed titles for academics and professionals working in the geosciences, and enjoys an enviable international reputation for the quality of its work.The many areas in which we publish in include:-Petroleum geology-Tectonics, structural geology and geodynamics-Stratigraphy, sedimentology and paleontology-Volcanology, magmatic studies and geochemistry-Remote sensing-History of geology-Regional geology guides Tectonic Evolution Of The Gulf Of Mexico, Caribbean And Northern South America In The Mantle Reference Frame : An Update / J.l. Pindell & L. Kennan -- Some Remarks On The Caribbean Plate Kinematics : Facts And Remaining Problems / G. Giunta & E. Oliveri -- In Situ Origin Of The Caribbean : Discussion Of Data / K.h. James -- Evolution Of Middle America And The In Situ Caribbean Plate Model / K.h. James -- The Caribbean : An Oroclinal Basin? / J. Milsom -- Present-day Strain Field On The South American Slab Underneath The Sandwich Plate (southern Atlantic Ocean) : A Kinematic Model / J.l. Giner-robles [and Others] -- Synchronous 29-19ma Arc Hiatus, Exhumation And Subduction Of Forearc In Southwestern Mexico / J.d. Keppie [and Others] -- Analogue Models Of An Early Cenozoic Transpressive Regime In Southern Mexico : Implications On The Evolution Of The Xolapa Complex And The North American-caribbean Plate Boundary / M. Cerca [and Others] --^ A Seismotectonic Model For The Chortís Block / M. Guzmán-speziale -- Geological Evolution Of The Nw Corner Of The Caribbean Plate / R.a. Valls Alvarez -- The North American-caribbean Plate Boundary In Mexico-guatemala-honduras / L. Ratschbacher [and Others] -- U-pb Zircon Geochronology Of Palaeozoic Units In Western And Central Guatemala : Insights Into The Tectonic Evolution Of Middle America / L.a. Solari [and Others] -- Emplacement Of The Northern Ophiolites Of Cuba And The Campanian-eocene Geological History Of The Northwestern Caribbean-se Gulf Of Mexico Region / J.l. Cobiella-reguera -- Geochemistry And Tectonomagmatic Significance Of Lower Cretaceous Island Arc Lavas From The Devil's Racecourse Formation, Eastern Jamaica / A.r. Hastie [and Others] -- The Geotectonic Story Of The Northwestern Branch Of The Caribbean Arc : Implications From Structural And Geochronological Data Of Cuba / K.p. Stanek, W.v. Maresch & J.l. Pindell --^ Is The Cretaceous Primitive Island Arc Series In The Circum-caribbean Region Geochemically Analogous To The Modern Island Arc Tholeiite Series? / A.r. Hastie -- Late Cretaceous To Miocene Seamount Accretion And Mélange Formation In The Osa And Burica Peninsulas (southern Costa Rica) : Episodic Growth Of A Convergent Margin / D.m. Buchs [and Others] -- Rethinking The Origins Of The Red Chert At La Désirade, French West Indies / H. Montgomery & A.c. Kerr -- Accreted Oceanic Terranes In Ecuador : Southern Edge Of The Caribbean Plate? / E. Jaillard [and Others] -- Dextral Shear, Terrane Accretion And Basin Formation In The Northern Andes : Best Explained By Interaction With A Pacific-derived Caribbean Plate? / L. Kennan & J.l. Pindell -- Presence Of High-grade Rocks In Nw Venezuela Of Possible Grenvillian Affinity / S. Grande & F. Urbani --^ The Cabo De La Vela Mafic-ultramafic Complex, Northeastern Colombian Caribbean Region : A Record Of Multistage Evolution Of A Late Cretaceous Intra-oceanic Arc / M.b.i. Weber [and Others] -- Key Issues On The Post-mesozoic Southern Caribbean Plate Boundary / F.a. Audemard -- Polyphase Development Of The Falcón Basin In Northwestern Venezuela : Implications For Oil Generation / M. Baquero [and Others] -- Caribbean-south America Oblique Collision Model Revised / R. Higgs -- The Vanishing Carib Halite Formation (neocomian), Colombia-venezuela-trinidad Prolific Petroleum Province / R. Higgs -- A Structuring Event Of Campanian Age In Western Venezuela, Interpreted From Seismic And Palaeontological Data / P.m. Cooney & M.a. Lorente -- The Occurrence And Timing Of High-pressure Metamorphism On Margarita Island, Venezuela : A Constraint On Caribbean-south America Interaction / W.v. Maresch [and Others] --^ Clastic Domains Of Sandstones In Central/eastern Venezuela, Trinidad, And Barbados : Heavy Mineral And Tectonic Constraints On Provenance And Palaeogeography / J.l. Pindell [and Others] -- Submarine Volcanic Stratigraphy And The Caribbean Lip's Formational Environment / J. Diebold -- Magma Source Evolution Beneath The Caribbean Oceanic Plateau : New Insights From Elemental And Sr-nd-pb-hf Isotopic Studies Of Odp Leg 165 Site 1001 Basalts / A.c. Kerr, D.g. Pearson & G.m. Nowell. Edited By K.h. James, M.a. Lorente And J.l. Pindell. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Tectonic evolution of the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean and northern South America in the mantle reference frame : an update / J.L. Pindell & L. Kennan Some remarks on the Caribbean plate kinematics : facts and remaining problems / G. Giunta & E. Oliveri In situ origin of the Caribbean : discussion of data / K.H. James Evolution of Middle America and the in situ Caribbean plate model / K.H. James The Caribbean : an oroclinal basin? / J. Milsom Present-day strain field on the South American slab underneath the Sandwich plate (southern Atlantic Ocean) : a kinematic model / J.L. Giner-Robles ... [et al.] Synchronous 29-19Ma arc hiatus, exhumation and subduction of forearc in southwestern Mexico / J.D. Keppie ... [et al.] Analogue models of an early Cenozoic transpressive regime in southern Mexico : implications on the evolution of the Xolapa complex and the North American-Caribbean plate boundary / M. Cerca ... [et al.] A seismotectonic model for the Chortís block / M. Guzmán-Speziale Geological evolution of the NW corner of the Caribbean plate / R.A. Valls Alvarez The North American-Caribbean plate boundary in Mexico-Guatemala-Honduras / L. Ratschbacher ... [et al.] U-Pb zircon geochronology of Palaeozoic units in western and central Guatemala : insights into the tectonic evolution of Middle America / L.A. Solari ... [et al.] Emplacement of the northern ophiolites of Cuba and the Campanian-Eocene geological history of the northwestern Caribbean-SE Gulf of Mexico region / J.L. Cobiella-Reguera Geochemistry and tectonomagmatic significance of Lower Cretaceous island arc lavas from the Devil's Racecourse Formation, eastern Jamaica / A.R. Hastie ... [et al.] The geotectonic story of the northwestern branch of the Caribbean Arc : implications from structural and geochronological data of Cuba / K.P. Stanek, W.V. Maresch & J.L. Pindell Is the Cretaceous primitive island arc series in the circum-Caribbean region geochemically analogous to the modern island arc tholeiite series? / A.R. Hastie Late Cretaceous to Miocene seamount accretion and mélange formation in the Osa and Burica peninsulas (southern Costa Rica) : episodic growth of a convergent margin / D.M. Buchs ... [et al.] Rethinking the origins of the red chert at La Désirade, French West Indies / H. Montgomery & A.C. Kerr Accreted oceanic terranes in Ecuador : southern edge of the Caribbean plate? / E. Jaillard ... [et al.] Dextral shear, terrane accretion and basin formation in the northern Andes : best explained by interaction with a Pacific-derived Caribbean plate? / L. Kennan & J.L. Pindell Presence of high-grade rocks in NW Venezuela of possible Grenvillian affinity / S. Grande & F. Urbani The Cabo de la Vela mafic-ultramafic complex, northeastern Colombian Caribbean region : a record of multistage evolution of a late Cretaceous intra-oceanic arc / M.B.I. Weber ... [et al.] Key issues on the post-Mesozoic southern Caribbean plate boundary / F.A. Audemard Polyphase development of the Falcón Basin in northwestern Venezuela : implications for oil generation / M. Baquero ... [et al.] Caribbean-South America oblique collision model revised / R. Higgs The vanishing Carib Halite Formation (Neocomian), Colombia-Venezuela-Trinidad prolific petroleum province / R. Higgs A structuring event of Campanian age in western Venezuela, interpreted from seismic and palaeontological data / P.M. Cooney & M.A. Lorente The occurrence and timing of high-pressure metamorphism on Margarita Island, Venezuela : a constraint on Caribbean-South America interaction / W.V. Maresch ... [et al.] Clastic domains of sandstones in central/eastern Venezuela, Trinidad, and Barbados : heavy mineral and tectonic constraints on provenance and palaeogeography / J.L. Pindell ... [et al.] Submarine volcanic stratigraphy and the Caribbean LIP's formational environment / J. Diebold Magma source evolution beneath the Caribbean oceanic plateau : new insights from elemental and Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotopic studies of ODP Leg 165 Site 1001 basalts / A.C. Kerr, D.G. Pearson & G.M. Nowell.