Abstract
The structurally complex geometry of southeastern Mexico can be partially explained by stability analysis of the region of convergence between the North America, Caribbean and Cocos plates. A trench-trench-transform fault triple junction is located south-southeast of Salina Cruz. It is unstable and migrates eastward since about 8 Ma, from Puerto Ángel, along the Polochic system. The geometric solution and evolution of the triple junction of the Gulf of Tehuantepec explains major tectonic features such as: (a) a gravimetrically defined basin, between Puerto Ángel and Salina Cruz; (b) a left-handed transpressive system, 100 km wide and SW-NE oriented, which runs from Puerto Ángel to Macuspana; and (c) a probably active clockwise rotative block located between the Puerto Ángel Macuspana and Polochic-Motagua transcurrent systems. The northern limits of this block are not well-defined… In order to continue, download the full text in PDF.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.