The northeastern Caribbean: from Cuba to the Lesser Antilles
Relative motion of the Caribbean plate with respect to the North American plate is accomodated across a 200 km wide deformation zone, to which belong the island of Hispaniola. The relative motion of the two plates is poorly defined in global plate motion models because of a lack of constraining data such as transform azimuths, ocean ridge spreading rates. The distribution of strain within the plate boundary zone remains also poorly constrained in spite of clear evidences for active deformation. Indeed, most of the major active faults in Hispaniola have been identified from field observations, aerial photos, and satellite images. Late Quaternary tectonic activity is clearly recognized for both the Enriquillo and Septentrional fault zones (e.g. Mann et al, 1984, 1995). Trenching across the Septentrional fault indicates that it last ruptured 730 years ago, slipping about 5 m horizontally and 2 m vertically (Prentice et al., 1993). Holocene terraces offset by the Septentrional fault indicate 13-23 mm/yr of slip over the past 3000 years (Mann et al., 1998). Historical and recorded seismicity show several earthquakes of magnitude greater than 6.5 associated with the Septentrional and Enriquillo fault zones (Robson, 1964 ; Sykes et al., 1982). Significant seismicity and active deformation have also been identified offshore along the North Hispaniola Trench (Dillon et al., 1992, Dolan et al, 1998) and the Muertos Trench to the south (Ladd et al., 1977).
In spite of a wealth of structural and seismotectonic information on these active structures, the strain distribution among them is not yet quantified and the slip rates of the major active faults in and around the island of Hispaniola are not known. This however information is critical for a better understanding of the dynamics of the northern Caribbean plate boundary zone and of the seismic threat posed by these active faults. We are currently addressing these issues using Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements and deformation models.
1999-2001
report on GPS measurements of crustal deformation
in the Dominican Republic
Publication
"Strain partitioning and fault slip rates in the
NE Caribbean from GPS measurements", Geophys. Res. Letters, 2002.
Publication
"Oblique collision in the northeastern Caribbean
from GPS measurements and geological observations", Tectonics, 2002.
2003 report on
GPS measurements of coseismic deformation following the
Sept. 2003, M6.5, Puerto Plata earthquake
2003 report
(in French) on GPS measurements in Haiti, 2003
[download pdf, 2.6 Mb]
NSF-funded project
"Oblique Subduction and Strain Partitioning
in the Northeastern Caribbean", 2004-2007.
2005 Fall AGU
abstract "Plate Coupling in the Northeastern
Caribbean".
2007 report
(in French) on GPS measurements in Haiti
[download pdf, 1.9 Mb]
See also:
Dixon, T., F. Farina, C. Demets, P. Jansma, P. Mann, and E. Calais, Relative
motion between the Caribbean and North American plates and related boundary
zone deformation based on a decade of GPS observations, J. Geophys. Res.,
103, 15157-15182, 1998.
DeMets, C., P.E. Jansma, G.S. Mattioli, T.H. Dixon, F. Farina, R. Bilham,
E. Calais, and P. Mann, GPS geodetic constraints on Caribbean-North America
plate motion, Geophys. Res. Letters, 27, 437-441, 2000.
Jansma, P. E., A. Lopez, G. S. Mattioli, C. DeMets, T. H. Dixon, P. Mann,
and E. Calais, Neotectonics of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, northeastern
Caribbean, from GPS geodesy, Tectonics, 19, 1021-1037, 2000.
Calais, E., Y. Mazabraud, B. Mercier de Lépinay, P. Mann, P.E. Jansma,
and G.S. Mattioli, Oblique collision and strain partitioning from GPS measurements
in the northeastern Caribbean, Geophys. Res. Letters, 1856, doi:10.1029/
2002GL015397, 2002.
Mann, P., E. Calais, J.-C. Ruegg, C. DeMets, T.H. Dixon, P.E. Jansma, and
G.S. Mattioli, Oblique collision in the northeastern Caribbean from GPS
measurements and geological observations, Tectonics, 10.1029/2001TC001304, 2002.
Lopez, A.M., S. Stein, T. Dixon, G. Sella, E. Calais, P. Jansma,
J. Weber, and P. LaFemina, Is there a northern Lesser Antilles forearc
block?, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L07313, doi:10.1029/2005GL025293, 2006.
Ali, S.T., A.M. Freed, E. Calais, D. Manaker, and W.R. McCann, Evolution
of stress in Northeastern Caribbean over the past 250~years from coseismic,
postseismic, and interseismic stress changes, Geophys. J. Int.,
174, 904918 doi: 10.1111/j.1365-246X.2008.03634.x, 2008
[pdf].
Manaker, D., E. Calais, A.M. Freed, S.T. Ali, P. Przybylski, G. Mattioli,
P. Jansma, C. Prepetit, and J.B de Chabalier, Plate coupling and strain
partitioning in the Northeastern Caribbean, Geophys. J. Int.,
174, 889-903 doi: 10.1111/j.1365-246X.2008.03819.x, 2008s
[pdf].