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

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 3

Late Jurassic (Early Oxfordian) reconstruction of the Gulf of Mexico and Proto-Caribbean region ("salt fit"). Onset of seafloor-spreading stage. Note that Chiapas Massif has been transferred to Yucatan Block at this time. Also, bulk strain direction in Mexico shifts from ESE-ward to S-ward at this time, with the opening of the Mexican back-arc basin.

Graphics courtesy of James Pindell, Lorcan Kennan and Stephen Barret