Walkers Cay Fault, Bahamas: Evidence for Cenozoic faulting

Mullins, Henry T.; Buren, H. Mark Van

doi:10.1007/bf02462438

Cited by 12 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…4). This feature is coincident with a similar anomaly identified by Klitgord et al (1984), whose trend generally parallels the Walkers Cay normal fault zone originally identified by Mullins and Van Buren (1981) (Fig. 2).…”

Section: Magneticssupporting

confidence: 82%

“…3), and it obliquely crosses the interpreted Walkers Cay fault zone (Mullins and Van Buren, 1981) (Fig. 6).…”

Section: Seismic Stratigraphymentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Possible explanations for the discrepancy are discussed in Austin, Schlager, et al (1986). Also note the presence of interpreted thrust faults between the two sites, and a normal fault believed to be the Walkers Cay normal fault (Mullins and Van Buren, 1981) just northeast of Site 628. This fault may still be active, as it appears to offset the seafloor.…”

Section: Mapsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1). This carbonate slope, extending from the bank top to the southern Blake Plateau, was selected for drilling based on previous geological/ geophysical studies by Mullins and Van Buren (1981), Van Buren and Mullins (1983), and Mullins et al (1984). The primary objective was to select sites for a transect of three shallow (HPC/ XCB) drill holes (Sites 627, 628, and 630) designed to under- a These distances assume an average ship's speed of 5 knots, or approximately 9.3 km/hr.…”

Section: Northern Slope Of Little Bahama Bankmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Figure 2. Single-channel air-gun seismic reflection profile (from Van Buren and Mullins, 1983) across the slope north of the western part of Little Bahama Bank illustrating the vertical succession of seismic facies characteristic of the slope stratigraphy and the Walkers Cay normal fault (Mullins and Van Buren, 1981). The NLBB-3/NLBB-4 sequence boundary (marked by the downward transition from discontinuous reflectors exhibiting a compressional-wave velocity [V p ] of 3.03 km/s to high-amplitude, parallel, continuous reflections with a V p of 4.56 km/s) was interpreted by Van Buren and Mullins (1983) to mark the top of a buried shallow-water carbonate platform.…”

Section: Mapsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Seismic Stratigraphic Implications of ODP Leg 101 Site Surveys

Austin¹,

Ewing

Ladd

et al. 1988

Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program

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Prior to ODP Leg 101, high-resolution geophysical site surveys were conducted in three parts of the Bahamas: north of Little Bahama Bank on the southern Blake Plateau, in the central Straits of Florida southeast of Miami, and in the southeastern part of Exuma Sound. A total of approximately 2200 km of 24-trace, 12-fold water-gun reflection profiles were collected, along with 26 sonobuoy profiles, bathymetry, and magnetics. For each region, a seismic stratigraphic framework was developed, and both structure and isopach maps of prominent acoustic horizons and seismic sequences were constructed. Some of the seismic stratigraphy has been corroborated by Leg 101 drilling results, but even where such substantiation is lacking, these geophysical data provide important insights into the structural and stratigraphic evolution of the Bahamas.North of Little Bahama Bank, the mid-Cretaceous to Holocene section sampled at Site 627 is represented by seven seismic stratigraphic sequences exhibiting a distinctive vertical succession of seismic facies. Both thrust and normal faults offset the section, which thickens to the east. Total sediment thicknesses above sequence G, a late Albian shallowwater carbonate platform, exceed 1.2 km near the modern bank edge. Thickness trends in the Cenomanian-Holocene section suggest long-term line source input from Little Bahama Bank and the smoothing effects of contour-following bottom currents.In the Straits of Florida, 11 seismic sequences are identified above a "target" horizon believed to represent a buried platform top perhaps coeval with the top of sequence G north of Little Bahama Bank. This "target" exhibits more than 400 m of relief within the area surveyed, potentially a result of erosion, karstification, and/or the presence of patch reefs on top of a drowned "megaplatform" surface. These patch reefs may now be represented by a hummocky seismic facies immediately underlying parts of the "target" surface. Total sediment thicknesses above the "target" range from 1.0 to 1.4 km.In southeastern Exuma Sound, site-survey profiles are interpreted within the context of a preexisting seismic stratigraphic framework for this part of the Bahamas. Another inferred mid-Cretaceous shallow-water carbonate platform top, P, exhibits a refraciion velocity in excess of 6.0 km/s. P dips to the southwest, perhaps in response to continuing compression between the Bahamas and the northern Caribbean. This hypothesis is supported by the presence of normal faults that offset the entire post-P section. Total sediment thicknesses above P range from 1.3 to 2.6 km. Distribution of Neogene sediments is controlled by long-term bank input from the south and continuing erosion along the axis of Exuma Sound.

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Section: Magneticssupporting

confidence: 82%

“…3), and it obliquely crosses the interpreted Walkers Cay fault zone (Mullins and Van Buren, 1981) (Fig. 6).…”

Section: Seismic Stratigraphymentioning

confidence: 94%

Section: Mapsmentioning

confidence: 99%