IGCP Project 433 Caribbean Plate Tectonics The origin and evolution of the Caribbean: Evaluation of Pindell´s model Manuel A. Iturralde-Vinent andJoaquin Proenza During this presentation three problems will be debated: 1. The interpretation of terranes 2. The interpretation of the “so called” ophiolites 3. Evaluation of Pindell´s model Example of the improbable original position of “Central Cuba” [implying the ESCAMBRAY TERRANE] according to Pindell and Kennan 2002. Age of the deformations in the continental margin areas The deformations of the North American continental margin took place in progression from Cretaceous to Late Eocene. Original position of the Cuban Southwestern Terranes Gulf of Mexico Atlantic Ocean Bahamas Guaniguanico Yucatán Pinos Escambray Opening of the Yucatan Deep Caribbean Realm South America Nature of the Caribbean ultramafic - mafic igneous complexes New petrological research in the mafic igneous bodies within the Caribbean has shown greater complexity in the nature and origin of the ophiolites and related mafic bodies. In Cuba, Hispaniola, Venezuela and Guatemala there have been identified mafic bodies related to MORB-Plateau, Arc and suprasubduction (arcbackarc) environments, previously considered just ocean crust. Cuban ophiolites Cuban Ophiolites where usually subdivided into the northern belt, the amphibolitic ophiolites and the exotic blocks or olistoplates. MULTI-ORIGIN OF THE CARIBBEAN “OPHIOLITES”: Havana BONINITE Cajalbana Margot SUPRASUBDUCTION Iguara-Perea SUPRASUBDUCTION SUPRASUBDUCTION Mayari SUPRASUBDUCTION Mabujina IAT-CALC-Arc Moa-Baracoa Holguin BACK-ARC? Loma Caribe BONINITE SUPRASUBDUCTION G. de Jauco PLATEAU Bs. Duarte Complex PLATEAU Bs. Bermeja Complex OCEANIC Bs. CARIBBEAN PLATEAU BASALTS The conception of a single Great Arc vs Multiple Arc The single “Great Arc” evolving from Cretaceous to Recent is not the only possible model. Another concept is that there were Multiple Arcs evolving independently since Cretaceous to Recent The Multi Arc concept arose from the following points: a. The occurrence of several magma In Cuba, three main areas of arc’s rock occurrence can be indicated: 1. Within the Northern Ophiolite belt 2. Within the central NW-SE area of the island 3. In Eastern Cuba W 84°W 83°W N 82°W 81°W 80°W 79°W 78°W 77°W 76°W 75°W La Habana Matanzas Guaniguanico terrane K-Vo lcani c arc Pinar del Rio Santa Clara Cienfuegos 0 Cabaiguan Pinos terrane Nueva Gerona Trinidad 100 200 KM Ciego de Avila Escambray terrane Florida Camaguey K-Volcanic arc Bahamian borderland Victoria de las Tunas Holguin Northern Ophiolites K P Volcanic arc (K-Cretaceous, P-Paleogene) P-Volcanic arc Santiago de Cuba Guantanamo Yucatán borderland W 84°W 83°W 82°W 81°W 80°W 79°W 78°W 77°W 76°W 75°W Paleocene - Eocene palinspastic reconstruction AXIS OF THE CRETACEOUS ARCS Back arc AXIS OF THE PALEOGENE ARC Front arc / Caribbean crust Back arc Back arc Observations about the Plate Tectonic Model of James Pindell and coworkers ARC 1 Los Pasos, PreCamujiro, Teneme, Sagua La Chica, Quivijan, Guamira, Maimon, Los Ranchos, Rio Verde, Water Island, pre-Roble ARC 1 Lower mid-Albian Central Cuba?! ARC 1 ARC 2 Limestone and conglomerates ABOVE: Los Pasos, PreCamujiro, Teneme, Sagua La Chica, Quivijan, Guamira, Maimon, Los Ranchos, Rio Verde, Water Island, pre-Roble ARC 1 Central Cuba?! JAM ARC 2a Albian-Santonian Encrucijada , La Trampa, Matagua, Camujiro-Guaimaro, Purial inf., Turquino, Tireo Inf., etc. JAM Central Cuba?! ARC 1 ARC 2b Orozco, Cotorro, Bruja, Aguilar, Turquino, Santo Domingo Sup., Purial Sup., Tireo Sup., etc. JAM C OLLISIO N IN CU B A Central Cuba?! ARC 1 Deposition of red beds, clastic rocks and limestones. In Puerto Rico also volcanic rocks noARC ARC 3 C OLLISIO N N CUB A Central Cuba?! ARC 4 JAM??? ARC 3 El Cobre Gp., Sabaneta, Imbert Sup, Monserrat, etc. C OLLISIO N IN CU B A m ore space needed noARC JAM ARC 5 How many independent arcs? ARC 1. Lower Cretaceous (IAT+Boninitic aff.) ARC 2. Mid to Late Cretaceous (CA and kCa) ARC 3. Latest Cretaceous and Paleocene (CA) ARC 4. Paleocene-Early Mid Eocene (IAT) ARC 5. Late Eocene-Recent (CA?) Project 433 Caribbea n Plate This is a contribution to IGCP Project 433: "Caribbean Plate Tectonics" Project 433 Caribbea n Plate Our web page http://www.ig.utexas.edu/CaribPlate/CaribPlate.html To obtain updated information subscribe to our discussion group: [email protected]