The Basins, Orogens and Evolution of the Southern Gulf of Mexico and Northern Caribbean
CONTAINS OPEN ACCESS

This volume brings together 17 comprehensive, data-rich analyses to provide an updated perspective on the Mexican sector of the Gulf of Mexico, Florida and the northern Caribbean. The papers span a broad range of scales and disciplines from plate tectonic evolution to sub-basin-scale analysis. Papers are broadly categorized into three themes: (1) geological evolution of the basins of the southern Gulf of Mexico in Mexico, Bahamas and Florida and their hydrocarbon potential; (2) evolution of the region's Late Cretaceous to Neogene orogens and subsequent denudation history; and (3) geological evolution of the basins and crustal elements of the northern Caribbean. This book and its extensive datasets are essential for all academic and exploration geoscientists working in this area. The volume also includes two large maps detailing the Mexican Gulf of Mexico and the Northern Caribbean areas.
Crustal origin of the West Florida Terrane, and detrital zircon provenance and development of accommodation during initial rifting of the southeastern Gulf of Mexico and western Bahamas
Correspondence: rerlich@cayoenergy.com
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Published:February 11, 2021
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CiteCitation
R. N. Erlich, J. Pindell, 2021. "Crustal origin of the West Florida Terrane, and detrital zircon provenance and development of accommodation during initial rifting of the southeastern Gulf of Mexico and western Bahamas", The Basins, Orogens and Evolution of the Southern Gulf of Mexico and Northern Caribbean, I. Davison, J. N. F. Hull, J. Pindell
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Abstract
Well and seismic data were combined with existing radiometric data and 1328 new laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) U–Pb zircon ages from igneous, sedimentary and volcaniclastic rocks in three wells to determine the origin and evolution of key crustal terranes, and the timing of initial rifting and synrift deposition in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico and western Bahamas. These data reveal that several southeastern Gulf of Mexico crustal terranes, distinguished by their zircon age distributions and geochemistries, were amalgamated into a single terrane of mixed Pan-African and Amazonian crustal affinity (the newly named West Florida Terrane)...