Geologic history of the southeastern Gulf of Mexico.

Abstract

Combines a seismic stratigraphic analysis of the southeastern Gulf of Mexico with DSDP drilling data. Basement is attenuated lower Paleozoic continental crust with Lower Jurassic diabase dikes. Post-Paleozoic sedimentation began in Triassic(?)-Jurassic(?) rift grabens, probably followed by Early to Middle Jurassic terrestrial to shallow-marine clastics and Late Jurassic shallow and deep-water carbonates. By earliest Cretaceous time, much of the southeastern Gulf was a deep seaway between the carbonate platforms of Florida and Yucatan. There was a steady background of pelagic carbonate sedimentation. In addition, sedimentation was influenced by input from the adjacent platforms until middle Cretaceous, by input from the approaching Cuban island arc in Late Cretaceous-Eocene, and by steadily increasing submarine erosion from late Eocene on.-from Author