Graphics courtesy of James Pindell, Lorcan Kennan and Stephen Barret

The Geophysical Corner is a regular column in the EXPLORER, produced cooperatively by the AAPG Geophysical Integration and SEG Interpretation committees, and edited by M. Ray Thomasson and R. Randy Ray. This column is the last in a four-part series titled "Regional Plate Kinematics: Arm Waving, or Underutilized Exploration Tool?"

RETURN TO OCTOBER COLUMN:
Putting It All Together Again

By JAMES PINDELL, LORCAN KENNAN, and STEPHEN BARRETT

Click on the figure below to view greater detail.

Figure 1

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Figure 1

Present day map of the Gulf of Mexico region, showing key geological elements addressed in this month’s article. Note the abrupt terminations of known basement units in southern Florida that we consider were truncated by transcurrent motion on our "Everglades Fracture Zone." Also note the change in trend of East Mexican Marginal Fault Zone supporting the concept of two stages of Gulf evolution; basement structure contour data preclude any east-west faults in Mexico from entering the Gulf during the sea-floor spreading stage. Digital bathymetry/relief after Sandwell and Smith (1997), other features from multiple sources. (Download all figures at http://www.tectonicanalysis.com)

Graphics courtesy of James Pindell, Lorcan Kennan and Stephen Barret