Copyright by Nysha Chaderton 2009 - The University of Texas at ...
Copyright by Nysha Chaderton 2009 - The University of Texas at ...
Copyright by Nysha Chaderton 2009 - The University of Texas at ...
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STRUCTURAL FRAMEWORK OF THE BARBADOS ACCRETIONARY PRISM<br />
Convergent margin settings tend to be structurally complex regions <strong>of</strong> the world,<br />
characterized <strong>by</strong> shortening and local extension or strike-slip tectonics. Deform<strong>at</strong>ion<br />
involves mud-rich sediments which are tectonized as they dew<strong>at</strong>er, using fluid flow th<strong>at</strong><br />
can cause mud volcanism (Moore, 2001). <strong>The</strong> Barbados Accretionary Prism (BAP)<br />
region is no exception to typical convergent tectonic margins. Although the overall<br />
setting <strong>of</strong> the study area is convergent, as this study documents, there is large-scale,<br />
normal faulting th<strong>at</strong> occurs on a sub-regional scale. <strong>The</strong> west and east margins <strong>of</strong> the<br />
accretionary prism are bounded <strong>by</strong> thrust faults th<strong>at</strong> dip towards the west and east,<br />
respectively (Figure 4.4). <strong>The</strong> Barbados Ridge, the westernmost high <strong>of</strong> the prism, is<br />
domin<strong>at</strong>ed <strong>by</strong> northwest-southeast-trending normal faults (Figure 4.4, Figure 4.5).<br />
<strong>The</strong> prism is characterized <strong>by</strong> five structural regions: the zone <strong>of</strong> initial accretion,<br />
the zone <strong>of</strong> stabiliz<strong>at</strong>ion, the zone <strong>of</strong> piggyback basins, the Barbados Ridge, and the Inner<br />
Forearc Deform<strong>at</strong>ion Front (Figure 4.5) which includes the Tobago Forearc Basin—each<br />
having its own unique structural characteristics (Brown and Westbrook, 1987). D<strong>at</strong>a<br />
availability did not allow for much analysis <strong>of</strong> the zone <strong>of</strong> initial accretion. <strong>The</strong><br />
remaining regions are summarized in the following section on the basis <strong>of</strong> observ<strong>at</strong>ions<br />
<strong>by</strong> Brown and Westbrook (1987), as well as those <strong>of</strong> the authors.<br />
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