- Email: [email protected]
Caribbean Plate Tectonics (IGCP 433)
Gondwana Research (Gondwana Newsletter Section) I/: 4, No. 2, p p . 247-248. 0 2001 International Association for Gondwana Research, Japan.
GNL
PROJECT
Caribbean Plate Tectonics (IGCP 433) M.A. Itturalde-Vinentl and E.G. Lidiak2 Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Obispo no. 61, Plaza de Armas, La Habana 10100, Cuba, E-mail: [email protected] Department of Geology and Planetay Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, U.S.A., E-mail: [email protected]
In the 15thCaribbean Geological Conference held during June 28-July 2, 1998 in Jamaica, the permanent standing committee of the Caribbean conferences agreed that it would be very important to organize a new International Geological Correlation Program (IGCP) project focused on Caribbean plate tectonic models. So a new project (IGCP 433) on the Caribbean Plate Tectonics was approved by the IGCP Scientific Board in February, 2000. IGCP 433 is a five-year (2000-2004) project focusing mainly on the evaluation of existing Caribbean Plate Tectonic Models and paleogeographic reconstructions. It will encourage a critical review of existing models and promote fundamental discussions concerning the basic facts that should serve as a framework for the formulation of a properly substantiated model of the origin and evolution of the Caribbean. As the Caribbean is a region where the interaction between two continents and two oceans have been taking place along major tectonic zones, the knowledge obtained from this project will contribute to the improvement of plate tectonics theory and practice, and will produce more refined paleogeographic reconstructions of the area. Societal benefits are enhanced with the possibility of improving forecasts of geodynamically-driven catastrophes as a result of a better understanding of plate tectonic processes in the Caribbean region. During the five-yearduration of the project, researchers will assemble in key areas of the Caribbean and its surroundings to discuss in extensus their different points of view and to share their field experience and expertise. Field workshops are being organized in critical areas of the Caribbean where specific subjects and problems can be discussed. An active Internet website and an email forum (see Networking below) have been created for members of the project to communicate and share information and ideas.
Organization The project is organized into several working groups as given below. WG-1. Co-ordination Group: Leaders of the project and leaders of the working groups will integrate and co-ordinate the efforts of the membership of the project, organize meetings and workshops, keep the web page updated, and promote the accomplishments and goals of the project. WG-2. Positioning of major plates: This group will evaluate existing models for the break-up of Pangea and the evolution of the major plates surrounding the Caribbean (NOAM, SOAM, FARALLON, NAZCA, COCOS, etc.) from Jurassic to Recent. As a result they will provide the other working groups with a modern framework for the reconstruction of the Caribbean area. WG-3. Positioning of terranes of northern South America: This group will define plates, blocks and terranes, will identify the palinspastic evolution, historic position and relationships, and produce sets of timeframed reconstructions of the tectonic position of these terranes. WG-4. Positioning of terranes of southern North America: Aim of this &oup is same as that of WG-3. WG-5. Positioning of terranes of the Greater Antilles: Aim of this group is the same as that of WG-3. WG-6. Positioning of terranes in Central America: Aim of this group is the same as that of WG-3. WG-7. Paleontological support of Caribbean Paleogeography: The purpose of this group is to study the fossil assemblages- marine and terrestrial of different ages in distinct terranes, and identify the biogeographic and paleogeographic implications of its occurrences, with special focus on their input, in understanding the positioning of the terranes in selected time-frames.
248
WG-8. Geochronological, geochemical and paleomagnetic control of the historic position of terranes, plates and subduction zones: This group will evaluate the tectonic positions of Caribbean terranes, plates and subduction zones taking into account geochronology, geochemistry and paleomagnetics. WG-9. Origin, composition and age of the Caribbean oceanic lithosphere: This group will investigate the occurrence of oceanic crust of different ages within the Caribbean, both in the present marine basins and regions of obducted lithosphere.
Strategy and Activities In the first year (Year 2000), focus has been directed toward critically overviewing existing models, pointing out both similarities and differences among the various models, and in highlighting general problems. These topics were the subject of the first meeting of the project in Rio de Janeiro (August 7-8th,2000) and the second meeting in Stuttgart (October 11-13th,2000). In conjunction with these meetings, diagrams of existing models were posted on the website and a discussion and evaluation of these models were made. In the second year (Year 2001), focus will be on the origin and early evolution of the Caribbean and the geology of the Greater Antilles (northern plate boundary). A field workshop will be held in Havana (March 19-23, 2001) to discuss the northern plate boundary and related topics and to visit some key areas in central Cuba. We shall soon post questions and information concerning these topics in the website and in the E-group. Another important meeting will be held in Berkeley, California (June 26-July 1,2001), where an evaluation will be made on the paleontological ground for the present hypothesis concerning the early opening of the Caribbean as a seaway connecting the Tethys and the Pacific Ocean. Additional local meetings of working groups are encouraged. Year 2002 will be directed toward a study of the eastern and southeastern Caribbean borderlands, in other words, the geology and evolution of the Lesser Antilles-Granada basin-Aves ridge area and the contact between the Caribbean plate and South America. A meetingis tentatively scheduled to be held in Barbados, as part of
the 16fhCaribbean Geological Conference, but additional meetings are under negotiation. The evolution of the Central American margin of the Caribbean and its relationships with North America will be addressed in detail in the year 2003, with field workshops to be organized in the area. We are negotiating date and place. For the final year, we shall return to the original topic, and evaluate the progress made in establishing basic principles necessary for the formulation of a convincing and generally acceptable plate tectonic model of the Caribbean. We are negotiating date and place of the meeting, but a Penrose style of conference is planned.
Networking The network of the project is based on two main Internet sites, a website (http://www.ig.utexas.edu/ CaribPlate/CaribPlate.html) and an E-group discussion forum ([email protected]) This website is intended to provide current information on Caribbean tectonics; it is updated generally in every month. In this site, accessibility to full text of the project, references to papers related to Caribbean geology, existing Caribbean Plate Tectonic models, a list of forthcoming meetings and workshops, important news, and a forum section, which may be used to post questions and data related to specific topics, are avaliable. Links to related websites may also be found here. The E-group was created in order to have a more active forum for the exchange of information. Subscribers to the E-group will automatically receive all messages relevant to the project. The site is presently being used to direct attention to new information posted on the web, new publications, updates of forthcoming activities, and in a lesser degree, to post questions. As the project develops, the E-group will become a more active forum for discussion of key geological problems.
Membership If you like to join us in this adventure, please register at [email protected] and visit the website, fill and submit your registration. Help us to unveil this plate tectonic puzzle!
Gondwana Research, V. 4, No. 2,2001
GNL
PROJECT
Caribbean Plate Tectonics (IGCP 433) M.A. Itturalde-Vinentl and E.G. Lidiak2 Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Obispo no. 61, Plaza de Armas, La Habana 10100, Cuba, E-mail: [email protected] Department of Geology and Planetay Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, U.S.A., E-mail: [email protected]
In the 15thCaribbean Geological Conference held during June 28-July 2, 1998 in Jamaica, the permanent standing committee of the Caribbean conferences agreed that it would be very important to organize a new International Geological Correlation Program (IGCP) project focused on Caribbean plate tectonic models. So a new project (IGCP 433) on the Caribbean Plate Tectonics was approved by the IGCP Scientific Board in February, 2000. IGCP 433 is a five-year (2000-2004) project focusing mainly on the evaluation of existing Caribbean Plate Tectonic Models and paleogeographic reconstructions. It will encourage a critical review of existing models and promote fundamental discussions concerning the basic facts that should serve as a framework for the formulation of a properly substantiated model of the origin and evolution of the Caribbean. As the Caribbean is a region where the interaction between two continents and two oceans have been taking place along major tectonic zones, the knowledge obtained from this project will contribute to the improvement of plate tectonics theory and practice, and will produce more refined paleogeographic reconstructions of the area. Societal benefits are enhanced with the possibility of improving forecasts of geodynamically-driven catastrophes as a result of a better understanding of plate tectonic processes in the Caribbean region. During the five-yearduration of the project, researchers will assemble in key areas of the Caribbean and its surroundings to discuss in extensus their different points of view and to share their field experience and expertise. Field workshops are being organized in critical areas of the Caribbean where specific subjects and problems can be discussed. An active Internet website and an email forum (see Networking below) have been created for members of the project to communicate and share information and ideas.
Organization The project is organized into several working groups as given below. WG-1. Co-ordination Group: Leaders of the project and leaders of the working groups will integrate and co-ordinate the efforts of the membership of the project, organize meetings and workshops, keep the web page updated, and promote the accomplishments and goals of the project. WG-2. Positioning of major plates: This group will evaluate existing models for the break-up of Pangea and the evolution of the major plates surrounding the Caribbean (NOAM, SOAM, FARALLON, NAZCA, COCOS, etc.) from Jurassic to Recent. As a result they will provide the other working groups with a modern framework for the reconstruction of the Caribbean area. WG-3. Positioning of terranes of northern South America: This group will define plates, blocks and terranes, will identify the palinspastic evolution, historic position and relationships, and produce sets of timeframed reconstructions of the tectonic position of these terranes. WG-4. Positioning of terranes of southern North America: Aim of this &oup is same as that of WG-3. WG-5. Positioning of terranes of the Greater Antilles: Aim of this group is the same as that of WG-3. WG-6. Positioning of terranes in Central America: Aim of this group is the same as that of WG-3. WG-7. Paleontological support of Caribbean Paleogeography: The purpose of this group is to study the fossil assemblages- marine and terrestrial of different ages in distinct terranes, and identify the biogeographic and paleogeographic implications of its occurrences, with special focus on their input, in understanding the positioning of the terranes in selected time-frames.
248
WG-8. Geochronological, geochemical and paleomagnetic control of the historic position of terranes, plates and subduction zones: This group will evaluate the tectonic positions of Caribbean terranes, plates and subduction zones taking into account geochronology, geochemistry and paleomagnetics. WG-9. Origin, composition and age of the Caribbean oceanic lithosphere: This group will investigate the occurrence of oceanic crust of different ages within the Caribbean, both in the present marine basins and regions of obducted lithosphere.
Strategy and Activities In the first year (Year 2000), focus has been directed toward critically overviewing existing models, pointing out both similarities and differences among the various models, and in highlighting general problems. These topics were the subject of the first meeting of the project in Rio de Janeiro (August 7-8th,2000) and the second meeting in Stuttgart (October 11-13th,2000). In conjunction with these meetings, diagrams of existing models were posted on the website and a discussion and evaluation of these models were made. In the second year (Year 2001), focus will be on the origin and early evolution of the Caribbean and the geology of the Greater Antilles (northern plate boundary). A field workshop will be held in Havana (March 19-23, 2001) to discuss the northern plate boundary and related topics and to visit some key areas in central Cuba. We shall soon post questions and information concerning these topics in the website and in the E-group. Another important meeting will be held in Berkeley, California (June 26-July 1,2001), where an evaluation will be made on the paleontological ground for the present hypothesis concerning the early opening of the Caribbean as a seaway connecting the Tethys and the Pacific Ocean. Additional local meetings of working groups are encouraged. Year 2002 will be directed toward a study of the eastern and southeastern Caribbean borderlands, in other words, the geology and evolution of the Lesser Antilles-Granada basin-Aves ridge area and the contact between the Caribbean plate and South America. A meetingis tentatively scheduled to be held in Barbados, as part of
the 16fhCaribbean Geological Conference, but additional meetings are under negotiation. The evolution of the Central American margin of the Caribbean and its relationships with North America will be addressed in detail in the year 2003, with field workshops to be organized in the area. We are negotiating date and place. For the final year, we shall return to the original topic, and evaluate the progress made in establishing basic principles necessary for the formulation of a convincing and generally acceptable plate tectonic model of the Caribbean. We are negotiating date and place of the meeting, but a Penrose style of conference is planned.
Networking The network of the project is based on two main Internet sites, a website (http://www.ig.utexas.edu/ CaribPlate/CaribPlate.html) and an E-group discussion forum ([email protected]) This website is intended to provide current information on Caribbean tectonics; it is updated generally in every month. In this site, accessibility to full text of the project, references to papers related to Caribbean geology, existing Caribbean Plate Tectonic models, a list of forthcoming meetings and workshops, important news, and a forum section, which may be used to post questions and data related to specific topics, are avaliable. Links to related websites may also be found here. The E-group was created in order to have a more active forum for the exchange of information. Subscribers to the E-group will automatically receive all messages relevant to the project. The site is presently being used to direct attention to new information posted on the web, new publications, updates of forthcoming activities, and in a lesser degree, to post questions. As the project develops, the E-group will become a more active forum for discussion of key geological problems.
Membership If you like to join us in this adventure, please register at [email protected] and visit the website, fill and submit your registration. Help us to unveil this plate tectonic puzzle!
Gondwana Research, V. 4, No. 2,2001