|
|
 |
|||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||
| JOURNAL HOME | HELP | CONTACT PUBLISHER | SUBSCRIBE | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
1 Department of Geosciences, Box 210077, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85718, USA
2 Institute of Tectonic Studies, Box 3AB, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003, USA
The geologic framework of Mexico evolved through the Phanerozoic assembly and fragmentation of crustal elements derived from Laurentia, Gondwana, and an intra-Pacific volcanogenic terrane. In middle Paleozoic time, an inactive south-facing Laurentian continental margin of transform origin passed through northern Mexico to connect the miogeoclinal Cordilleran margin with the passive continental margin formed by Cambrian rifting in Texas. Gondwanan blocks of eastern Mexico were accreted to Laurentia by juxtaposition along the Ouachita-Marathon suture belt in earliest Permian time. Subsequent Jurassic opening of the Gulf of Mexico by seafloor spreading displaced the Yucatán-Chiapas block southward, as it rotated anticlockwise from edge-driven shear between Colombia and Florida, along a gulf-flank transform passing through the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. The continuity of a linear north-trending Permian–Triassic arc (now represented by a granite belt) in eastern Mexico precludes strike-slip slivering of Mexico during gulf opening and implies that Colombia lay east of internally coherent Gondwanan crust of southeastern Mexico, but south of Yucatán-Chiapas, prior to Pangean breakup. During subsequent intracontinental rifting, crustal elements of eastern Mexico were displaced southeastward, along a transform between basement blocks of present northeastern and east-central Mexico, in the wake of Colombia's retreat from Laurentia. The Chortis block of nuclear Central America also lay within Pangea west of Colombia and remained attached to southern Mexico prior to its Cenozoic displacement eastward along the Cayman transform. The Caborca block of northwestern Mexico was displaced southeastward from the Cordilleran miogeocline by Permian–Triassic slip along a transform that linked the convergent Sonoma orogen with the northern end of a subduction zone in central Mexico that paralleled the Permian–Triassic magmatic arc built on Gondwanan crust of eastern Mexico. Subsequent post–Middle Triassic initiation of a west-facing continental-margin arc-trench system (i.e., with the subducting slab moving down to the east) along the structurally modified paleo–Pacific flank of Pangea produced middle Mesozoic arc assemblages extending southeastward from California and Arizona through east-central Mexico into Colombia. Beyond a compound suture belt lying outboard of the middle Mesozoic continental margin, western Mexico is underlain by Mesozoic volcanogenic crust formed beneath an east-facing intraoceanic island arc that was accreted to Laurentian and Gondwanan Mexico by arc-continent collision late in Early Cretaceous time. The accreted arc assemblage was overlapped by late Early Cretaceous–early Late Cretaceous carbonate platforms linked depositionally with comparable facies in eastern Mexico. As the offshore island arc approached the continent, progressive consumption of the intervening oceanic plate induced slab rollback beneath the Jurassic magmatic arc on the mainland, terminating arc magmatism and promoting development of associated rift troughs that extend from northeastern Mexico to southeastern California. Following arc collision and accretion, reversal of subduction polarity along the expanded western flank of Mexico created a west-facing continental-margin arc- trench system that was continuous with the Cordilleran arc and Franciscan trench of California. Subsequent subduction produced volcanic-plutonic arc assemblages on the mainland and in Baja California, which was contiguous with the mainland prior to Neogene seafloor spreading that opened the Gulf of California. A paired late Early Cretaceous subduction complex and late Mesozoic forearc basin occurred along the Pacific flank of Baja California.
Key Words: arcs • geologic history • Gulf of Mexico • Mexico • tectonics • terranes
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  W. R. Dickinson The Gulf of Mexico and the southern margin of Laurentia Geology, May 1, 2009; 37(5): 479 - 480. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 T. F. Lawton, I. A. Bradford, F. J. Vega, G. E. Gehrels, and J. M. Amato Provenance of Upper Cretaceous-Paleogene sandstones in the foreland basin system of the Sierra Madre Oriental, northeastern Mexico, and its bearing on fluvial dispersal systems of the Mexican Laramide Province Geological Society of America Bulletin, May 1, 2009; 121(5-6): 820 - 836. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. M. Amato, T. F. Lawton, D. J. Mauel, W. J. Leggett, C. M. Gonzalez-Leon, G. L. Farmer, and J. L. Wooden Testing the Mojave-Sonora megashear hypothesis: Evidence from Paleoproterozoic igneous rocks and deformed Mesozoic strata in Sonora, Mexico Geology, January 1, 2009; 37(1): 75 - 78. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
C. Ortega-Obregon, L.A. Solari, J. D. Keppie, F. Ortega-Gutierrez, J. Sole, and S. Moran-Ical Middle-Late Ordovician magmatism and Late Cretaceous collision in the southern Maya block, Rabinal-Salama area, central Guatemala: Implications for North America-Caribbean plate tectonics Geological Society of America Bulletin, May 1, 2008; 120(5-6): 556 - 570. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 W. R. Dickinson Accretionary Mesozoic-Cenozoic expansion of the Cordilleran continental margin in California and adjacent Oregon Geosphere, April 1, 2008; 4(2): 329 - 353. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 E. Centeno-Garcia, M. Guerrero-Suastegui, and O. Talavera-Mendoza The Guerrero Composite Terrane of western Mexico: Collision and subsequent rifting in a supra-subduction zone Geological Society of America Special Papers, January 1, 2008; 436(0): 279 - 308. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. K. Mortensen, B. V. Hall, T. Bissig, R. M. Friedman, T. Danielson, J. Oliver, D. A. Rhys, K. V. Ross, and J. E. Gabites Age and Paleotectonic Setting of Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide Deposits in the Guerrero Terrane of Central Mexico: Constraints from U-Pb Age and Pb Isotope Studies Economic Geology, January 1, 2008; 103(1): 117 - 140. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
T. Bissig, J. K. Mortensen, R. M. Tosdal, and B. V. Hall The Rhyolite-Hosted Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide District of Cuale, Guerrero Terrane, West-Central Mexico: Silver-Rich, Base Metal Mineralization Emplaced in a Shallow Marine Continental Margin Setting Economic Geology, January 1, 2008; 103(1): 141 - 159. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R. D. Nance, J. B. Murphy, R. A. Strachan, J. D. Keppie, G. Gutierrez-Alonso, J. Fernandez-Suarez, C. Quesada, U. Linnemann, R. D'lemos, and S. A. Pisarevsky Neoproterozoic-early Palaeozoic tectonostratigraphy and palaeogeography of the peri-Gondwanan terranes: Amazonian v. West African connections Geological Society, London, Special Publications, January 1, 2008; 297(1): 345 - 383. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. E. Bryan, L. Ferrari, P. W. Reiners, C. M. Allen, C. M. Petrone, A. Ramos-Rosique, and I. H. Campbell New Insights into Crustal Contributions to Large-volume Rhyolite Generation in the Mid-Tertiary Sierra Madre Occidental Province, Mexico, Revealed by U Pb Geochronology J. Petrology, January 1, 2008; 49(1): 47 - 77. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. D. Gleason, G. E. Gehrels, W. R. Dickinson, P. J. Patchett, and D. A. Kring Laurentian Sources for Detrital Zircon Grains in Turbidite and Deltaic Sandstones of the Pennsylvanian Haymond Formation, Marathon Assemblage, West Texas, U.S.A. Journal of Sedimentary Research, November 1, 2007; 77(11): 888 - 900. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
L.A. Solari, R. T. de Leon, G. Hernandez Pineda, J. Sole, G. Solis-Pichardo, and T. Hernandez-Trevino Tectonic significance of Cretaceous Tertiary magmatic and structural evolution of the northern margin of the Xolapa Complex, Tierra Colorada area, southern Mexico Geological Society of America Bulletin, September 1, 2007; 119(9-10): 1265 - 1279. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R. H. Fillon Mesozoic Gulf of Mexico basin evolution from a planetary perspective and petroleum system implications Petroleum Geoscience, May 1, 2007; 13(2): 105 - 126. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
D. L. Blatter, G. Lang Farmer, and I. S. E. Carmichael A North-South Transect across the Central Mexican Volcanic Belt at ~100{degrees}W: Spatial Distribution, Petrological, Geochemical, and Isotopic Characteristics of Quaternary Volcanism J. Petrology, May 1, 2007; 48(5): 901 - 950. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
L. Ferrari, M. Valencia-Moreno, and S. Bryan Magmatism and tectonics of the Sierra Madre Occidental and its relation with the evolution of the western margin of North America Geological Society of America Special Papers, January 1, 2007; 422(0): 1 - 39. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
P. Mann Overview of the tectonic history of northern Central America Geological Society of America Special Papers, January 1, 2007; 428(0): 1 - 19. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
D. Jaime Moran-Zenteno, M. Cerca, and J. Duncan Keppie The Cenozoic tectonic and magmatic evolution of southwestern Mexico: Advances and problems of interpretation Geological Society of America Special Papers, January 1, 2007; 422(0): 71 - 91. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. D. Rogers, P. Mann, and P. A. Emmet Tectonic terranes of the Chortis block based on integration of regional aeromagnetic and geologic data Geological Society of America Special Papers, January 1, 2007; 428(0): 65 - 88. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. D. Rogers, P. Mann, R. W. Scott, and L. Patino Cretaceous intra-arc rifting, sedimentation, and basin inversion in east-central Honduras Geological Society of America Special Papers, January 1, 2007; 428(0): 89 - 128. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. S. Molina-Garza and A. Iriondo The Mojave-Sonora megashear: The hypothesis, the controversy, and the current state of knowledge Geological Society of America Special Papers, January 1, 2007; 422(0): 233 - 259. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. Valencia-Moreno, L. Ochoa-Landin, B. Noguez-Alcantara, J. Ruiz, and E. Perez-Segura Geological and metallogenetic characteristics of the porphyry copper deposits of Mexico and their situation in the world context Geological Society of America Special Papers, January 1, 2007; 422(0): 433 - 458. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
W. R. Dickinson and W. R. Dickinson Geotectonic evolution of the Great Basin Geosphere, December 1, 2006; 2(7): 353 - 368. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 E.M. Moores, J. Wakabayashi, J.R. Unruh, and S. Waechter A transect spanning 500 million years of active plate margin history: Outline and field trip guide Field Guides, April 1, 2006; 7(0): 373 - 413. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
G. G. Gray Structural and tectonic evolution of the western Jurassic belt along the Klamath River corridor, Klamath Mountains, California Geological Society of America Special Papers, January 1, 2006; 410(0): 141 - 151. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. L. Aschoff and K. A. Giles Salt diapir-influenced, shallow-marine sediment dispersal patterns: Insights from outcrop analogs AAPG Bulletin, April 1, 2005; 89(4): 447 - 469. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
D. L. Barbeau Jr., M. N. Ducea, G. E. Gehrels, S. Kidder, P. H. Wetmore, and J. B. Saleeby U-Pb detrital-zircon geochronology of northern Salinian basement and cover rocks Geological Society of America Bulletin, March 1, 2005; 117(3-4): 466 - 481. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. P. M. Vaughan and R. A. Livermore Episodicity of Mesozoic terrane accretion along the Pacific margin of Gondwana: implications for superplume-plate interactions Geological Society, London, Special Publications, January 1, 2005; 246(1): 143 - 178. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. N. Ducea, G. E. Gehrels, S. Shoemaker, J. Ruiz, and V. A. Valencia Geologic evolution of the Xolapa Complex, southern Mexico: Evidence from U-Pb zircon geochronology Geological Society of America Bulletin, July 1, 2004; 116(7-8): 1016 - 1025. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. H. Trexler Jr., P. H. Cashman, W. S. Snyder, and V. I. Davydov Late Paleozoic tectonism in Nevada: Timing, kinematics, and tectonic significance Geological Society of America Bulletin, May 1, 2004; 116(5-6): 525 - 538. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 P. G. DeCelles Late Jurassic to Eocene evolution of the Cordilleran thrust belt and foreland basin system, western U.S.A. Am J Sci, February 1, 2004; 304(2): 105 - 168. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. P. Barth, J. L. Wooden, C. E. Jacobson, and K. Probst U-Pb geochronology and geochemistry of the McCoy Mountains Formation, southeastern California: A Cretaceous retroarc foreland basin Geological Society of America Bulletin, January 1, 2004; 116(1-2): 142 - 153. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
W. R. Dickinson The Place and Power of Myth in Geoscience: An Associate Editor's Perspective Am J Sci, November 1, 2003; 303(9): 856 - 864. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
D. L. Blatter, I. S.E. Carmichael, A. L. Deino, and P. Renne Reply Geological Society of America Bulletin, August 1, 2003; 115(8): 1021 - 1024. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
W. R. Dickinson and T. F. Lawton Sequential intercontinental suturing as the ultimate control for Pennsylvanian Ancestral Rocky Mountains deformation Geology, July 1, 2003; 31(7): 609 - 612. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
Y. Dilek Ophiolite pulses, mantle plumes and orogeny Geological Society, London, Special Publications, January 1, 2003; 218(1): 9 - 19. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
| JOURNAL HOME | HELP | CONTACT PUBLISHER | SUBSCRIBE | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
