Lithospheric structure of the Costa Rican Isthmus: Effects of subduction zone magmatism on an oceanic plateau

Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth

Volumn 106, Issue B1, 2001, Pages 621-643

  Sallarès, Valenti ^a   Dañobeitia, Juan José ^b   Flueh, Ernst R ^c  

^a INSTITUTE OF EARTH SCIENCES JAUME ALMERA   (Spain)

^b GEOMAR HELMHOLTZ CENTRE FOR OCEAN RESEARCH KIEL   (Germany)

^c UNIVERSITÉ DE NICE SOPHIA ANTIPOLIS   (France)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

LITHOSPHERIC STRUCTURE; SEISMIC VELOCITY; VELOCITY STRUCTURE;

COSTA RICA;

EID: 0035092404     PISSN: 21699313     EISSN: 21699356     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1029/2000jb900245     Document Type: Article

References (93)

1. Abbott, D. H., R. Drury, and W. D. Mooney, Continents as lithological icebergs: The importance of buoyant lithospheric roots. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 149, 15-27,1997.
2. Alvarado, G. E., P. Denyer, and C. W. Sinton, The 89 Ma "Portugal komatiitic suite, Costa Rica: Implications for a common origin of the Caribbean and eastern Pacific region from a mantle plume. Geology, 25,439-442,1997.
3. Barckhausen, U., H. A. Roeser, and R. von Huene, Magnetic signature of upper plate structures and subducting seamounts at the convergent margin off Costa Rica, J. Geophys. Res., 103,7079-7093, 1998.
4. Ben-Avraham, Z., A. Nur, D. Jones, and A. Cox, Continental accretion: From oceanic plateaus to allochthonous terranes, Science, 213,47-54, 1981.
5. Bowland, C. L., and E. Rosencrantz, Upper crustal structure of the western Colombian Basin, Caribbean Sea, Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., 100, 534-546,1988.
6. Burke, K., Tectonic evolution of the Caribbean, Anna. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci., 16,201-230, 1988.
7. Burke, K., P. J. Fox, and M. C. Sengör, Buoyant ocean floor and the evolution of the Caribbean, J. Geophys. Res., 83,3949-3954, 1978.
8. Canales, J. P., J. J. Danobeitia, R. S. Detrick, E. E. E. Hooft, R. Bartolome, and D. F. Naar, Variations in axial morphology along the Galapagos spreading center and the influence of the Galapagos hotspot,J. Geophys. Res., 102, 27,341-27,354, 1997.
9. Carlson, R. L., and G. S. Raskin, Density of the ocean crust. Nature, 311, 555-558,1984.
10. Case, J. E., W. McDonald, and P. J. Fox, Caribbean crustal provinces; Seismic and gravity evidence, in The Geology of North America, vol. H, The Caribbean Region, edited by G. Dengo and J. E. Case, pp. 15-36, Geol. Soc. of Am., Boulder, Colo., 1990.
11. Charvis, P., M. Recq, S. Opérto, and D. Bréfort, Deep structure of the northern Kerguelen-Plateau and hotspot-related activity, Geophys. J. Int., 122, 899-924,1995. Chouet, B. A., Long-period volcano seismicity: Its source and use in eruption forecasting. Nature, 380,309-316,1996.
12. Christensen, N. I., and W. D. Mooney, Seismic velocity structure and composition of the continental crust: A global view, J. Geophys. Res., 100.9161-9788, 1995.
13. Christeson, G. L., K. D. Mclntosh, T. H. Shipley, E. R. Flueh, and H. Goedde, Structure of the Costa Rica convergent margin, offshore Nicoya Peninsula, J. Geophys. Res., 104,25,443-25,468, 1999.
14. Colombo, D., G. Cimini, and R. de Franco, Three dimensional structure of the upper mantle beneath Costa Rica from a teleseismic tomography study, Geophys. J. Int., 131, 189-208,1997.
15. DeMets, C., R. C. Gordon, D. F. Argus, and S. Stein, Effects of recent revisions to the geomagnetic reversal time scale on estimates of current plate motions, Geophys. Res. Lett., 21,2191-2194, 1994.
16. Donnelly, T. W., The Caribbean Cretaceous basalt association: a vast igneous province that includes the Nicoya Complex of Costa Rica, Profil 7, pp. 17-45, Univ. Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany, 1994.
17. Donnelly, T. W., et al., History and tectonic setting of the Caribbean magmatism, in The Geology of North America, vol. H, The Caribbean Region, edited by G. Dengo and J. E. Case, pp. 339-374, Geol. Soc. of Am., Boulder, Colo., 1990.
18. Duncan, R. A., and R. B. Margraves, Plate tectonic evolution of the Caribbean region in the mantle reference frame, Mem. Geol. Soc. Am., 162,81-93, 1984.
19. Eldholm, O., and K. Grue, North Atlantic volcanic margins: Dimensions and production rates, J. Geophys. Res., 99,2955-2968,1994.
20. Fliedner, M. M., and S. L. Klemperer, Structure of an island-arc: Wideangle studies in the eastern Aleutian islands, Alaska, J. Geophys. Res., 104,10,667-10,694,1999.
21. Flueh, E. R., and J. Bialas, A digital, high-capacity ocean bottom recorder for seismic investigations, to. Undenvater Syst., 18,18-20, 1996.
22. Frisch, W., M. Meschede, and M. Sick, Origin of the Central America ophiolites: evidence from paleomagnetic results, Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., 7M, 1301-1314, 1992.
23. Furlong, K. P., and D. M. Fountain, Continental crustal underplating: Thermal considerations and seismic-petrologic consequences, J. Geophys. Res.,91, 8285-8294, 1986.
24. Ghosh, N., S. A. Hall, and J. F. Casey, Seafloor spreading magnetic anomalies in the Venezuelan Basin, Mem. Geol. Soc. Am., 162,65-80, 1984.
25. Gladczenko, T. P., M. F. Coffin, and O. Eldholm, Crustal structure of the Ontong Java Plateau: Modeling of new gravity and existing seismic data, J. Geophys. Res., 102,22,711-22,729,1997.
26. Güendel, F., et al.. First results from a new seismographic network in Costa Rica. Central America, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am., 79, 205-210, 1989.
27. Gursky, H. J., Gefüge, Zusammensetzung und Genese der Radiolarite im ophiolitischen Nicoya-Komplex (Costa Rica), Munstersche Forsch. Geol. Paläontol.,68, 1-189, 1988.
28. Hall, S. A., Oceanic basement of the Caribbean basins, Geol. Soc. Am. Abstr. Programs, 27, A153, 1995.
29. Hauff, F., K. Hoernle, H.-U. Schmincke, and R. Werner, A Mid Cretaceous origin for the Galapagos hotspot: volcanological, petrological and geochemical evidence from Costa Rican oceanic crustal segments, Geol Rundsch., 86, 141-155, 1997.
30. Hey, R., Tectonic evolution of the Cocos-Nazca spreading center, Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., 88, 1404-1420, 1977.
31. Hill, R. I., Mantle plumes and continental tectonics, Lithos, 30, 193-206, 1993.
32. Hinz, K., R. von Huene, and C. R. Ranero, Tectonic structure of the convergent Pacific margin offshore Costa Rica from multichannel seismic reflection data, Tectonics, 15,54-66,1996.
33. Holbrook, W. S., W. D. Mooney, and N. I. Christensen, The seismic velocity structure of the deep continental crust, in Continental Lower Crust, edited by D. M. Fountain, R. Arculus, and R. W. Kay, pp. 1-34, Eisevier Sci., New York, 1992.
34. Holliger, K., A. R. Levander, and J. A. Goff, Stochastic modelling of the reflective lower crust: Petrophysical and geological evidence from the Ivrea Zone (northern Italy), J. Geophys. Res., 98, 11,967-11,980, 1993.
35. Iwasaki, T., N. Hirata, T. Kanazawa, J. Melles, K. Suyehiro, T. Urabe, L. Möller, J. Makris, and H. Shimamura, Crustal and upper mantle structure in the Ryukyu Island Arc deduced from deep seismic sounding, Geophys. J. Int., 702,631-651, 1990.
36. Johnston, J. E., and N. I. Christensen, Seismic properties of layer 2 basalts, Geophys. J. Int., 128,285-300, 1997.
37. Kahn, L. M., E. A. Silver, D. Orange, R. Kochevar, and B. McAdoo, Surficial evidence of fluid expulsion from the Costa Rica accretionary prism, Geophys. Res. Lett., 23, 887-890,1996.
38. Kerr, A. C., J. Tarney, G. F. Marriner, A. Nivia, and A. D. Saunders, The Caribbean-Colombian Cretaceous igneous province: The internal anatomy of an oceanic plateau, in Large Igneous Provinces, Geophys. Monogr. Ser.. vol. 100, edited by J. J. Mahoney and M. F. Coffin, pp. 123-144, AGU, Washington D. C., 1997.
39. Kimura, G., et al., Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Initial Répons, vol. 170, Ocean Drill. Program, College Station, Tex., 1997.
40. Kissling, E., Geotomoaraphy with local earthquake data, Rev. Geophys., 26,659-698,1988.
41. Kissling, E., and J. C. Lahr, Tomographie image of the Pacific slab under southern Alaska, Eclogue Geol. Helv., 84,297-315,1991.
42. Kissling, E., W. L. Ellsworth, D. Eberhart-Phillips, and U. Kradolfer, Initial reference models in local earthquake tomography, J. Geophys. Res., 99, 19,635-19,646. 1994.
43. Kussmaul, S., J. Tournon, and G. Alvarado, Evolution of the Neogene to Quaternary igneous rocks of Costa Rica, Profil 7, pp. 97-123, Univ. Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany, 1994.
44. Lamomagne, M., and G. Ranalli, Thermal and rheological constraints on the earthquake depth distribution in the Charlevoix, Canada, intraplate seismic zone, Tectonophysics, 257,55-69, 1996.
45. Langseth, M. G., and E. A. Silver, The Nicoya convergent margin-A region of exceptionally low heat flow, Geophys. Res. Lett., 23, 891-894, 1996.
46. Lundberg, N., Detrital record of the early Central American magmatic arc: Petrography of intraoceanic forearc sandstones, Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica, Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., 103,905-915, 1991.
47. Lundgren, P., M. Protti, A. Donnellan, M. Heflin, E. Hernandez, and D. Jefferson, Seismic cycle and plate margin deformation in Costa Rica: GPS observations from 1994 to 1997, J. Geophys. Res., 104, 28,915-28,926, 1999.
48. Matumoto, T., M. Othake, G. Latham, and J. Umana, Crustal structure of southern Central America, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am., 67, 121-134, 1977.
49. Mauffret, A., and S. Leroy, Seismic stratigraphy and structure of the Caribbean igneous province, Tectonophysics, 283,61-104, 1997.
50. McAdoo, B., D. L. Orange, E. A. Silver, K. Mclntosh, L. Abbott, J. Galewsky, L. Kahn, and M. Protti, Seafloor structural observations, Costa Rica accretionary prism, Geophys. Res. Lett., 23, 883-886, 1996.
51. Meissner, R., and N. J. Kusznir, Crustal viscosity and the reflectivity of the lower crust, Ann. Geophys., SB, 365-374, 1987.
52. Murthy, I. V. R., and D. B. Rao, Gravity anomalies of two-dimensional bodies of irregular cross section with density contrast varying with depth. Geophysics, 44, 1525-1530, 1979.
53. Nivia, A., N. Galvis, and M. Maya, Geologfa de la Plancha 242 -Zonal, 163 pp., Ingeominas, Bogota, Colombia, 1992.
54. Peacock, S.M., and R. D. Hyndman, Hydrous minerals in the mantle wedge and the maximum depth of subduction thrust earthquakes, Geophys. Res. Lett., 26, 2517-2520, 1999.
55. Pindell, J. L., and S. F. Barren, Geological evolution of the Caribbean region; a plate-tectonic perspective, in The Geology of North America, vol. H, The Caribbean Region, edited by G. Dengo and J. E. Case, pp. 405-432, Geol. Soc. of Am., Boulder, Colo., 1990.
56. Planke, S., Geophysical response of flood basalts from analysis of wire line logs: Ocean Drilling Program Site 642, V0ring volcanic margin, J. Geophys. Res., 99,9279-9296, 1994.
57. w=7.7), Tectonics, 13, 1093-1107, 1994.
58. L=6.8) earthquake at the entrance of the Nicoya Gulf, Costa Rica: Its prior activity, foreshocks, and triggered seismicity, J. Geophys. Res., 100,20,345-20,358,1995a.
59. Protti, M., F. Giiendel, and K. McNally, Correlation between the age of the subducting Cocos plate and the geometry of the Wadati-Benioff zone under Nicaragua and Costa Rica, Spec. Pap. Geol. Soc. Am., 295, 309-326,1995b.
60. Protti, M., S. Schwartz, and G. Zandt, Simultaneous inversion for earthquake location and velocity structure beneath central Costa Rica, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am., 86, 1-13, 1996.
61. Ramaro, P., and I. V. R. Murthy, Two FORTRAN // function subprograms to calculate gravity anomalies of bodies of finite and infinite strike length with the density contrast differing with depth, Comput. andGeosci., 15,1265-1277, 1989.
62. Reymer, A., and G. Schubert, Rapid growth of some major segments of continental crust, Geology, 14, 299-302, 1986.
63. Richards, M. A., R. A. Duncan, and V. E. Courtillot, Flood basalts and hot-spot tracks: Plume heads and tails. Science, 246, 103-107, 1989.
64. Rojas, W., H. Bungum, and C. Lindholm, A catalogue of historical and recent earthquakes in Central America, Tech. Rep. 2-7, under the project Reduction of Natural Disasters in Central America: Earthquake preparedness and Hazard mitisation (Phase I), 77 pp., NORS AR, Kjeller, Norway, 1993.
65. Rudnick, R. L., Continental crust: Growing from below, Nature, 347, 711-712.1990.
66. udnick, R. L., and D. M. Fountain, Nature and composition of the continental crust: A lower crustal perspective. Rev. Geophys., 33, 267-309, 1995.
67. Rudnick, R. L., and I. N. S. Jackson, Measured and calculated elastic wave speeds in partially equilibrated mafic granulite xenolits: Implications for the properties of an underplated lower continental crust, J. Geophys. Res., 100,10,211-10,218, 1995.
68. Sallarès, V., Lithospheric structure of the Costa Rica Isthmus (Central America): Effects of magmatism at the convergent margin of an oceanic plateau, Ph.D. thesis, 230 pp., Univ. Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain, 1999.
69. Sallarès, V., J. J. Danobeitia, E. R. Flueh, and G. Leandro, Seismic velocity structure across the Middle American landbridge in northern Costa Rica, J. Geodyn., 27,327-344,1999.
70. Sallarès, V., J. J. Danobeitia, and E. R. Flueh, Seismic tomography with local earthquakes in Costa Rica (Middle America), Teclonophysics, in press, 2000.
71. Sandwell, D. T., and W. H. F. Smith, Marine gravity anomaly from Geosat and ERS-1 altimetry, J. Geophys. Res., 102, 10,039-10,054, 1997.
72. Saunders, A. D., J. Tarney, A. C. Kerr, and R. W. Kent, The formation and fate of large igneous provinces, Lilhos, 37, 81-95, 1996.
73. Shaw, H., The fracture mechanism of magma transport from the mantle to the surface, in Physics of Magmatic Processes, edited by R. B. Margraves, 201-264, Princeton Univ. Press, Princeton, N. J., 1980.
74. Shipley, T. H., K. D. Mclntosh, E. A. Silver, and P. L. Stoffa, Three-dimensional seismic imaging of the Costa Rica accretionary prism: Structural diversity in a small volume of the lower slope, J. Geophys. Res., 97,4439-459, 1992.
75. Sinton, C. W., R. A. Duncan, and P. Denyer, The Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica: A single suite of Caribbean oceanic plateau magmas, J. Geophys. Res., 102, 15,507-15,520, 1997.
76. Sinton, C. W., R. A. Duncan, M. Storey, J. Lewis, and J. J. Estrada, An oceanic flood basalt province within the Caribbean plate, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 155,221-235, 1998.
77. Solarino, S., E. Kissling, S. Sellami, G. Smriglio, F. Thouvenot, M. Granet, K. P. Bonjer, and D. Sleijko, Compilation of a recent seismicity data base of the greater Alpine region from several seismological networks and preliminary 3D tomographic results, Ann. Geofis.,XL(l), I61-174, 1997.
78. Stallings, T. C., C. L. V. Aiken, and J. N. Kellogg, Southern Central America gravity anomaly map, Scale 1:1,500,000, in Geologic and Tectonic Development of the Caribbean Plate Boundary in Southern Central America, Spec. Pap. Geol. Soc. Am., 295, Plate 1, chapter 5, 1994.
79. Stavenhagen, A., E. R. Flueh, C. Ranero, K. Mclntosh, T. Shipley, G. Leandro, A. Schulze, and J. J. Danobeitia, Seismic wide-angle investigations in Costa Rica - a crystal velocity model from the Pacific to the Caribbean coast, Zentralbl. Geol. Paleonlol. Teil l, 3 (6), 393-406,1998.
80. Taira, A., K. T. Pickering, B. F. Windley, and W. Soh, Accretion of Japanese island arcs and implications for the origin of Archean greenstone belts. Tectonics, 11,1224-1244,1992.
81. Taylor, S. R., Island Arc models and the composition of the continental crust, in Island Arcs. Deep Sea Trenches, and Back-Arc Basins, Maurice Ewing Ser., vol. 1, edited by M. Taiwani and W. C. Pitman HI, pp. 325-335, AGU, Washington, D. C, 1977.
82. Taylor, S. R., and S. M. McLennan, The Continental Crust: Its Composition and Evolution, 312 pp., Blackwell Sci., Maiden, Mass., 1985.
83. Taylor, S. R., and S. M. McLennan, The geochemical evolution of the continental crust. Rev. Geophys., 33,241-265.1995.
84. s theory, in Seismic Tomography: Theory and Practice, edited by H. M. lyer and K. Hirahara, pp. 563-583, Chapman and Hall, New York, 1993.
85. von Huene, R., and E. Flueh, A review of marine geophysical studies along the Middle American Trench off Costa Rica and the problematic seaward terminus of continental crust, Profil 7, pp. 143-159, Univ. of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany, 1994.
86. von Huene, R., et al, Site 565, Initial Rep. Deep Sea Drill. Proj., 84,21-77, 1985.
87. von Huene, R., et al., Morphotectonics of the Pacific convergent margin of Costa Rica, Spec. Pap. Geol. Soc. Am., 295,291-307,1995.
88. Werner, R., K. Hoemle, P. van den Bogaard, C. R. Ranero, R. von Huene, and D. Korich, Drowned 14 m.y. old Galapagos archipelago off the coast of Costa Rica: Implications for tectonic and evolutionary models, Geology, 27,499-502, 1999.
89. White, R. S., D. McKenzie, and R. K. O'Nions, Oceanic crustal thickness from seismic measurements and rare earth element inversions, J. Geophys. Res., 97,19,681-19,715, 1992.
90. Wildberg, H., Die Nicoya-Komplex, Costa Rica, Zentralamerika: Magmatismus und Genese eines polygenetischen OphiolithKomplexes, Münstersche Forsch. Geol. Paläontol., 62, 1-123, 1984.
91. Wilson. J. T., Igneous Petrogenesis: A Global Teconic Approach, Unwin Hyman, Boston, Mass., 1989.
92. Ye, S., J. Bialas, E. R. Flueh, A. Stavenhagen, R. von Huene, G. Leandro, and K. Hinz, Crustal structure of the Middle American Trench off Costa Rica from wide-angle seimic data, Tectonics, 15, 1006-1021, 1996.
93. Zelt, C. A., and R. B. Smith, Seismic traveltime inversion for 2-D crustal velocity structure, Geophys. J. Int., 108,16-34, 1992.