Imaging the Seismic Crustal Structure of the Western Mexican Margin between 19°N and 21°N

Bartolomé, Rafael; Dañobeitia, Juanjo; Michaud, François; Córdoba, Diego; Delgado-Argote, Luis Alberto

doi:10.1007/s00024-010-0206-x

Cited by 13 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…But also rapid decompression of the underlying sediments in areas with occurrence of BSR (indicating methane hydrate) could lead to catastrophic release of methane and the resulting margin destabilization with the occurrence of mass transport deposits. Significant evidence for the presence of gas hydrates, identified as BSR reflectors in multichannel seismic records, has been recognized in the same area in previous studies (BARTOLOME et al 2011) and in the continental slope area of the southern Jalisco Subduction Zone off Manzanillo by BANDY and MORTERA GUTIÉRREZ (2012). Reflectors are found near Manzanillo at 0.4 s (two-way travel time) below the seafloor reflector.…”

Section: Evidence For Gas Hydratesmentioning

confidence: 55%

“…This motion may be compatible with a tearing of the Jalisco Block away from NA, however, the authors point out that the motion could be related to the behavior of the earthquake cycle for this margin and if so, the Jalisco Block may not be an independent crustal block. Recent studies also evidence gas hydrates (MIN- SHULL et al 2005;BARTOLOME et al 2011;BANDY and MORTERA GUTIÉ RREZ 2012) in the form of bottom simulating reflectors (BSR) on multichannel seismic reflection profile located in the continental slope area of the northern part of the Jalisco Subduction Zone, off Puerto Vallarta, between 20°and 20.5°N, as well as off Manzanillo. Thus, there is evidence to suggest that the Pacific margin of Mexico may contain significant reserves of hydrocarbons in form of gas hydrates.…”

Section: Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Moreover, not only do earthquakes associated with subduction processes occur in the region, but also large intraplate earthquakes take place, such as the historical events of December 27, 1568 and (BOURGOIS and MICHAUD 1991;KHUTORSKOY et al 1994;MICHAUD et al 1996), one threefold profile (BANDY et al 2005), several threefold profiles acquired in the Rivera transform zone (BANDY et al 2011), and five multichannel analog seismic data acquired in 1996 during the CORTES project (BARTOLOME et al 2011;DAÑ OBEITIA et al 1997, Fig. 3) are available in the literature.…”

Section: Earthquake History Of the Jalisco Regionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Multichannel Seismic Imaging of the Rivera Plate Subduction at the Seismogenic Jalisco Block Area (Western Mexican Margin)

Bartolomé

Gorriz

Dañobeitia

et al. 2016

Pure Appl. Geophys.

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Abstract-During the TSUJAL marine geophysical survey, conducted in February and March 2014, Spanish, Mexican and British scientists and technicians explored the western margin of Mexico, considered one of the most active seismic zones in America. This work aims to characterize the internal structure of the subduction zone of the Rivera plate beneath the North American plate in the offshore part of the Jalisco Block, to link the geodynamic and the recent tectonic deformation occurring there with the possible generation of tsunamis and earthquakes. For this purpose, it has been carried out acquisition, processing and geological interpretation of a multichannel seismic reflection profile running perpendicular to the margin. Crustal images show an oceanic domain, dominated by subduction-accretion along the lower slope of the margin with a subparallel sediment thickness of up to 1.6 s two-way travel time (approx. 2 km) in the Middle American Trench. Further, from these data the region appears to be prone to giant earthquake production. The top of the oceanic crust (intraplate reflector) is very well imaged. It is almost continuous along the profile with a gentle dip (\10°); however, it is disrupted by normal faulting resulting from the bending of the plate during subduction. The continental crust presents a well-developed accretionary prism consisting of highly deformed sediments with prominent slumping towards the trench that may be the result of past tsunamis. Also, a bottom simulating reflector (BSR) is identified in the first half a second (twtt) of the section. High amplitude reflections at around 7-8 s twtt clearly image a discontinuous Moho, defining a very gentle dipping subduction plane.

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Section: Evidence For Gas Hydratesmentioning

confidence: 55%

Section: Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Earthquake History Of the Jalisco Regionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Multichannel Seismic Imaging of the Rivera Plate Subduction at the Seismogenic Jalisco Block Area (Western Mexican Margin)

Bartolomé

Gorriz

Dañobeitia

et al. 2016

Pure Appl. Geophys.

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“…Recent studies also evidence gas hydrates in the western (Minshull et al 2005;Bartolome et al 2011Bartolome et al , 2016Bandy and Mortera 2012) in the form of bottom simulating reflectors (BSR) on multichannel seismic reflection profile located on the continental slope area of the northern part of the Jalisco Subduction Zone, off Puerto Vallarta, between 20°and 20.5°N, and in the south off Manzanillo. Thus, there is evidence to suggest that the Pacific margin of Mexico may contain significant reserves of hydrocarbons in the form of gas hydrates.…”

Section: Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 98%

Crustal Architecture at the Collision Zone Between Rivera and North American Plates at the Jalisco Block: Tsujal Project

Dañobeitia

Bartolomé

Prada

et al. 2016

Pure Appl. Geophys.

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Abstract-Processing and analysis of new multichannel seismic records, coincident with wide-angle seismic profiles, acquired in the framework of the TsuJal project allow us to investigate in detail the complex structure of the oceanic domain in the collision zone between Rivera Plate and Block Jalisco at its northern termination. The subducting Rivera Plate, which is overridden by the North American Plate-Jalisco Block, is clearly identified up to 21.5°N (just south of Maria Magdalena Island) as a two clear reflections that we interpret as the interplate and Moho discontinuities. North of the Tres Marias Islands the seismic images display a different tectonic scenario with structures that are consistent with large faulting and rifted margin. A two-dimensional velocity approach for the crustal geometry is achieved using joint refraction/reflection travel time tomography, the uncertainty of the results is assessed by means of Monte Carlo analysis. Our results show an average oceanic crustal thickness of 6-7 km with a moderate increase towards the Jalisco Block, an anomalous thick layers (*3.0 km) displaying a relatively low velocity (*5.5 km/s) underneath Maria Magdalena Rise, and an estimated Moho depth deeper than 15 km in the collision zone between Rivera Plate and Jalisco Block. We have also determined an anomalous crust on the western flank of the Tres Marias Islands, which may be related to the initial phases of continental breakup of the Baja California Peninsula and Mexico mainland. High-resolution bathymetry provides remarkable images of intensive slope instabilities marked by relatively large slides scars of more than 40 km 2 extent, and mass-wasting deposits probably triggered by the intense seismicity in the area.

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Section: Earthquake History Of the Jalisco Regionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multichannel Seismic Imaging of the Rivera Plate Subduction at the Seismogenic Jalisco Block Area (Western Mexican Margin)

Bartolomé¹,

Gorriz²,

Dañobeitia³

et al. 2016

Pageoph Topical Volumes

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

During the TSUJAL marine geophysical survey, conducted in February and March 2014, Spanish, Mexican and British scientists and technicians explored the western margin of Mexico, considered one of the most active seismic zones in America. This work aims to characterize the internal structure of the subduction zone of the Rivera plate beneath the North American plate in the offshore part of the Jalisco Block, to link the geodynamic and the recent tectonic deformation occurring there with the possible generation of tsunamis and earthquakes. For this purpose, it has been carried out acquisition, processing and geological interpretation of a multichannel seismic reflection profile running perpendicular to the margin. Crustal images show an oceanic domain, dominated by subduction-accretion along the lower slope of the margin with a subparallel sediment thickness of up to 1.6 s two-way travel time (approx. 2 km) in the Middle American Trench. Further, from these data the region appears to be prone to giant earthquake production. The top of the oceanic crust (intraplate reflector) is very well imaged. It is almost continuous along the profile with a gentle dip (\10°); however, it is disrupted by normal faulting resulting from the bending of the plate during subduction. The continental crust presents a well-developed accretionary prism consisting of highly deformed sediments with prominent slumping towards the trench that may be the result of past tsunamis. Also, a bottom simulating reflector (BSR) is identified in the first half a second (twtt) of the section. High amplitude reflections at around 7-8 s twtt clearly image a discontinuous Moho, defining a very gentle dipping subduction plane.

show abstract

Imaging the Seismic Crustal Structure of the Western Mexican Margin between 19°N and 21°N

Cited by 13 publications

References 47 publications

Multichannel Seismic Imaging of the Rivera Plate Subduction at the Seismogenic Jalisco Block Area (Western Mexican Margin)

Multichannel Seismic Imaging of the Rivera Plate Subduction at the Seismogenic Jalisco Block Area (Western Mexican Margin)

Crustal Architecture at the Collision Zone Between Rivera and North American Plates at the Jalisco Block: Tsujal Project

Multichannel Seismic Imaging of the Rivera Plate Subduction at the Seismogenic Jalisco Block Area (Western Mexican Margin)

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