1. The timing of deformation and landscape evolution along the Central Range fault system, Trinidad
Scott Giorgis, Department of Geological Sciences, SUNY Geneseo, Geneseo, NY 14454,
Central Range Fault System: High precision GPS measurements collected by previous workers in the Central Range indicate they are the focus of slip between the Caribbean plate to the north and the South American plate the the south. One of the goals of this project is to gather long-term geologic data about the amount of plate motion recorded in the Central Range fault zone and compare those values to the modern, GPS determined rates. Short-term (GPS) vs. long-term (geologic) comparisons are useful in the assessment of the seismic risk within a fault zone.
Shaded relief digital elevation model of Trinidad. The Central Range fault system follows the low relief mountain range in central Trinidad.
Undergraduate students from SUNY Geneseo collecting paleomagnetic cores along the east coast of Trinidad. All research in this project has been carried out by undergraduate students.
Stereonet plot of the mean paleomagnetic orientation acquired from the Tamana Formation. At the 95% confidence level there has been no vertical axis rotation of the Tamana. This suggests there is a maximum of 15 km of plate motion recorded in the Central Range.
In addition to the paleomagnetic analysis presented here, we are trying to constrain the amount of deformation in the Central Range using topography, gravity data, an analysis of folded strata adjacent to the main fault, and a larger suite of paleomagnetic samples.