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Paleomagnetism of Late Cretaceous and Eocene limestones and chalks from Haiti: Tectonic interpretations
Author(s) -
Van Fossen Mickey C.,
Channell James E. T.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
tectonics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.465
H-Index - 134
eISSN - 1944-9194
pISSN - 0278-7407
DOI - 10.1029/tc007i003p00601
Subject(s) - paleomagnetism , geology , longitude , apparent polar wander , latitude , paleontology , tectonics , cretaceous , peninsula , plate tectonics , polar wander , geodesy , geography , archaeology
We have conducted a paleomagnetic study of limestones and chalks from Haiti which suggests that the island of Hispaniola is a composite of at least two tectonically independent blocks. Sampling sites are distributed among three widely separated localities, namely: Les Cayes (nine sites; 18.3°N. Latitude; 73.6°W. Longitude) and Beloc (five sites; 18.4°N. Latitude; 72.6°W. Longitude) which are located on the southern peninsula of Haiti, and a northern locality, Ennery (six sites; 19.5°N. Latitude; 72.5°W. Longitude). Stable magnetization components of dual polarity and moderately high blocking temperature were revealed through progressive thermal demagnetization of samples from all of the Beloc and Ennery sites, while seven of the nine Les Cayes sites possessed unstable magnetizations. Mean paleolatitudes calculated from Beloc and Ennery data show 8° of latitudinal separation that is of at least Eocene age. Pole positions (Beloc: 43.2°N. Latitude; 185.8°E. Longitude, α95=25.1° and Ennery: 66.1°N. Latitude; 31.3°E. Longitude, α95=19.7°) show both colatitudinal and angular discordance with the North American apparent polar wander path. Based on these disparities, we demonstrate that the implied tectonic displacements tend to support some aspects of previously published Caribbean plate tectonic models.