International Geological Correlation Programme
IGCP
Project Proposal Accepted by IGCP Board, February 2000
Project 433. Caribbean Plate Tectonics
- Indicate the division into which the project falls
- Short title of the project
- Full title of the project
- Proposed by
- Mailing address, name, telephone, fax, email
- Scale of the project
- Brief outline of the project
- Estimated duration of the project
- Tentative work schedule (items by year)
- Results expected of the project
- The following sequential results are expected (with indication of year)
- The present state of activities in this field (include the names of institutions and responsible persons) in 1999
- Participation
- Location of major field activities
- Location of major laboratory research (expected or assured co-operation of laboratories)
- Attach
a) Full description of the proposed project (including summary of previous work)
b) Work plan
c) List of participants in 1999
d)Curriculum vitae of proposers
e)Letter of endorsement of IGCP National Committee or IUGS
- Other considerations
- Indicate the division into which the project falls
[4] [Geophysics, tectonics, structural geology]- Short title of the project
Caribbean Plate Tectonics (CARIB-PT)- Full title of the project
Caribbean Plate Tectonics, Origin and Evolution of the Region- Proposed by
Dr. Manuel A. Iturralde-Vinent and Dr. Edward Lidiak- Mailing address, name, telephone, fax, email
Manuel Iturralde-Vinent Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Obispo no. 61, Plaza de Armas, La Habana 10100, Cuba; Manuel A. Iturralde-Vinent, Ph. (537) 63 25 89, Fax (537) 62 0353; Email: iturralde@mnhnc.inf.cuEdward G. Lidiak , Dept. of Geology & Planetary Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, U. S. A.Office Telephone: 412-624-8871; Fax: 412-624-3914; Email egl@ pitt.edu
IGCP Project 433
WebSite: http://www.ig.utexas.edu/CaribPlate/CaribPlate.html
- Scale of the project
Sub continental/regional- Brief outline of the project
During the 15th Caribbean Geological Conference held last June 28-July 2/1998 in Jamaica, the Permanent Standing Committee of the Conferences agreed that it will be of great importance to organize a new IGCP project focused to Caribbean Plate Tectonic Models. The reasons to take such a step for the next five years is explained by the present contradiction between existing plate tectonic models and paleogeographic reconstructions of the Caribbean; contradictions that reach some basic ideas as if the Caribbean plate is allochthonous or autochthonous, or if the subduction in the volcanic arcs have or not changed its polarity, when the alleged jump(s) of polarity occur, when and how deformation and collision took place along plate boundaries, what was the position of the tectonic terranes in the past; what is the age of the original Caribbean crust; what is the age and origin of the present Caribbean crust; etc.
The project will be aimed as a five-year evaluation of existing Plate Tectonic Models and paleogeographic reconstruction for the Caribbean Realm in order to encourage a critical review of those models and to reach an agreement concerning the basic facts that should serve as a framework for the formulation of a properly substantiated model of the Caribbean Plate origin and evolution, as well as the paleogeography of the area.
But the difference in interpretations and designs of the tectonic models and paleogeographic reconstructions are not the only issue of this project. Another important issue is that the authors of those models almost never get together to discuss in extensus their different points of view, and to share their field experience in key areas of the Caribbean and its surroundings. They need to be organized in order to communicate as a network, visit key areas for the interpretation and understanding of the Caribbean history and origin, and discuss in round tables the main points of disagreement. This is the reason why we need an IGCP project.
- Estimated duration of the project
5 years (2000-2004)- Tentative work schedule (items by year)
See events - Short title of the project
b) What countries or institutions (or individuals) have already agreed to co-operate in 1999?
c) What countries and/or regions are in your opinion most important to the success of the study?
During the 15th Caribbean Geological Conference held last June 28-July 2/1998 in Jamaica, the general assembly and the Permanent Standing Committee of the Conferences agreed that it will be of great importance to introduce a new IGCP project focused to Caribbean Plate Tectonic Models. The reasons to take such a step in the tectonic research within the Caribbean for the next five years is explained by the present contradiction between existing plate tectonic models; contradictions that reach some basic ideas as if the Caribbean plate is allochthonous or autochthonous, or if the subduction in the volcanic arcs have changed polarity, when the alleged jump(s) took place, when and how deformation and collision took place along plate boundaries, etc. (See our web page for more details.)
The recent year have seen a boom in the Caribbean geological research, and this process is still going on with many active projects gathering new data for the area. These results, many still unpublished, will introduce new key data, which will produce further modification of present plate tectonic models and paleogeographic reconstructions (See attachment: Ongoing Projects in the Caribbean and WebPage).
Contradictions are, of course, as old as the first tectonic interpretation of the origin of the Caribbean, but the disagreements are not smaller today. Debate has only modified its polarity and strength as the evolution of geotectonic ideas has changed with time. First were the different views concerning fixist models (Schubert, 1935; Butterlin, 1956; and others) that evolved with the same heat into the latest versions (Khudoley and Meyerhoff 1971, Meyerhoff and Meyerhoff, 1972; Morris et al., 1990).
Early in this century started the debate of mobilistic views with the publication in 1940 of the continental drift origin of the Greater Antilles by Isaac del Corral, strongly influenced by the ideas of A. Wegener (incidentally Isaac del Corral's model was utilized in 1973 to explain the origin of the Cuban troglobian fauna; i.e. Vandel 1973). Also the mobilistic expanding Earth theory of tectogenesis has been applied to the Caribbean by W. Carey in 1976, and even tested for the origin of Cuba (Iturralde-Vinent, 1981), but without much impact as the theory itself.
With the breakthrough of the New Global Tectonics in the sixties, the Caribbean gained new importance, as the area was the natural laboratory used by H.H. Hess in 1962 to develop his ideas of sea floor spreading. Also Molnar & Sykes in 1969 tested their seismic focal mechanism model and delineated the present-day outline of the Caribbean plate. With the development of plate tectonic theory many new models for the origin and evolution of the Caribbean were developed. This new Era is characterized by the publication in 1971 and 1972 of two contradictory models by Freeland and Dietz (1971) and Malfait and Dinkelman (1972). According to the first one the Caribbean formed more or less in situ, while the Malfait and Dinkelman's model present the conception of the Pacific origin of the Caribbean plate. These two lines of interpretation have been followed by many authors, introducing different improvements and variations, as new data became available.
The in situ origin of the Caribbean has been followed by Donnelly (1985), Meschede (1998), and many others. But there are important differences amongst these models.
The allochthonous origin of the Caribbean plate is the more widely accepted model in the versions of Ross and Scotese (1988), Stephan et al. (1990) and Pindell and Barrett (1990). But within this general model there are many variations and strong debate concerning basic issues, as: 1) the polarity of the arcs, 2) the timing of the alleged polarity changes, 3) the antiquity and duration of the arc's volcanism (both the Central American Arc and those within the Caribbean interior), 4) the timing of the collisions of the arcs with the continental margins, 5) the position of the main terranes in given time frames, 6) the age, extension and amplitude of movement along major transform plate boundaries, 7) the age of the early Caribbean crust, 8) the role of plateau basalts in the origin of the new Caribbean plate crust, etc. If one compare each other paleogeographic reconstruction, will found that there are too many drastically different solutions for the same area. In order to visualize those problems the following models can be compare (Ross and Scotese, 1988; Stephan et al., 1990; Pindell and Barrett, 1990; Mann et al., 1995; Hay and Wold 1996; Iturralde-Vinent, 1975, 1994, 1997)(See WebPage).
But the evaluation of the differences in interpretations and designs of the plate models and paleogeographic reconstructions are not the only issue of this project. The issue is that the authors of different paleogeographic reconstructions almost never get together to discuss in extensus their opposite points of view, and to share their field experience in key areas of the Caribbean and its surroundings. They have built their models from their own working experience and field of expertise. They need to be organized in order to communicate as a network, visit key areas for the interpretation and understanding of the Caribbean history and origin, and discuss in round tables the main points of disagreement. This is the reason why we need an IGCP project.
The project members will meet minimum once a year, within the Caribbean area, in order to run a 3-5 days field transect along key areas, and will organize two international special meetings in order to evaluate the state of the art of the Caribbean Plate Tectonic before (year 2000) and at the end of the IGCP project (year 2003). Thematic and local working groups will organize thematic workshops. To encourage permanent communication among Caribbean Plate Tectonic Partners a Newsletter will be produced and our existing WebSite and egroup forum will be developed to cover major issues of interest to Earth Scientists related with the Caribbean realm.
During these five years the main subjects to be evaluated will be:
The project will organize two international interdisciplinary meetings, with participation of related IGCP projects. The first will be held in the year 2000 with the subject "Caribbean Plate Tectonic origin and evolution" For this symposium (General Symposium 17-6 of 31 IGC), authors are encourage to present their own plate tectonic model as full papers ready to be published. The presentations will be with three major speakers followed by a round table to discuss pros and cons in extend. All question answers and comments will be recorded to be published as part of the conference transaction. A business meeting will be focused to examine Caribbean Plate Tectonic Research in the XXI Century. The second will be referred to "Contribution of the Caribbean Region to the Formulation and Development of Plate Tectonic Theory and Praxis" and will be celebrated in the year 2004. During this meeting will be discussed the history of Caribbean Plate tectonics research, thematic papers, major Plate Tectonic Models and paleogeographic reconstructions with their Pros and Cons, and the implications of Caribbean Plate Tectonics for the forecast of Natural Disasters.
We are confident that a project like this will contribute to the cooperation and interaction among Earth scientists interested in the Caribbean in particular and in Plate tectonics in general; will improve the understanding of the major problems that undermine appropriate interpretation -in terms of plate tectonics- of the available geological database and result in totally different models; and will encourage research in the area, not only focused toward theoretical problems but also about relationships between geological theory and human society.
UNPUBLISHED
c) List of participants in 1999
France
Italy
Jamaica
RFA
Barbados
Trinidad and Tobago
Cuba
Great Britain
Spain
Puerto Rico
Australia
Canada
Japan
Venezuela
Present Positions:
Fields of Expertise:
Professional Society Memberships:
Positions Held:
Brief Summary of Major Research:
Participation in major international scientific meetings:
Awards:
Publications, totaling >150
Present Position:
Fields of Expertise:
Professional Society Memberships:
Positions Held:
Participation in major international scientific meetings (since 1990):
Publications, totaling >175
Other Significant Publications:
e)Letter of endorsement of IGCP National Committee or IUGS
Ongoing Projects Related to the Caribbean Plate
Echevarria, Bienvenido igpcnig@ceniai.inf.cu
Coleman, Andrew Andrew.Coleman@pseg.com
Dillon, Bill bdillon@usgs.gov
Fernandez, Marta martafer@museo.fcnym.unlp.edu.ar
Giunta, Giusseppe giuntape@unipa.it
Perez de Armas, Jaime G. jamie@owlnet.rice.edu
Mann, Paul paulm@ig.utexas.edu
Garcia Casco, Antonio agcasco@goliat.ugr.es
Melgarejo, Joan C. joanc@geo.ub.es
Nakayama, K. naka-kaz@jgi.co.jp
Pindell, James jamespindell@csi.com
Snoke, Arthur W. snoke@uwyo.edu
Jackson, Trevor tjackson@uwimona.edu.jm
Iturralde-Vinent, M. iturralde@mnhnc.inf.cu
Meschede, M. meschede@tubingen.dr
Ave Lallemant, Hans G. ave@ruf.rice.edu
Blanco, Jesus jblanco@ismm.edu.cu
Burkart, Burke burkart.@uta.edu
Draper, Grenville draper@fiu.edu
Mercier de Lepinay, B. mercier@faille.unice.fr
Pons, Josep M. igpa5@cc.uab.es
Pszczlkowski, Andrzej apszczol@twarda.pan.pl
Sigurdsson, Haraldur haraldur@gsosun1.gso.uri.edu
Stanek, Klaus Peter stanek@orion.hrz.tu-freiberg.de
Comments and Questions about this website should be directed to Lisa Gahagan.
Last Modified:
Paul Mann (Institute for Geophysics of the University of Texas at Austin, USA);
Martin Meschede and Wolfgang Frisch (Department of Geology, University of Tübingen, RFA);
Giuseppe Giunta and colleagues (University of Palermo, and others from Italy);
Dietmar Muller (The University of Sydney, Australia);
Edward Lidiak (University of Pittsburgh, USA);
H. Ave Lallemant (Rice University, USA);
Trevor Jackson (The University of West Indies, Jamaica);
James Pindell (Great Britain);
J.F. Stephan, Bernard Mercier de Lepinay, Eric Calais and others (CNRS, France);
Manuel A. Iturralde-Vinent (MNHN, Cuba); and several others.
a) What countries and institutions are in your opinion likely to participate in the project?
Cuba, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, USA, Canada, RFA, Australia, Spain, France, Italy, United Kingston
USA (H. Ave Lallemant, Burke Burkart, B, Dillon, P. Mann, K.J. James, E. Lidiak, R. Rogers, G. Draper, J. Lewis, Lisa Gahagan, H. Sigurdsson); Italy (G. Giunta and other colleagues); Jamaica (T. Jackson); RFA (M. Meschede, P. K., Stanek); Cuba (J. Blanco, J. Cobiella, G. Millán, B. Echevarria); España (J.M. Pons, J. Proenza, J. Malgarejo); Poland (A. Pszczolkowski), Australia (D. Muller); Canada (W. R. Roest); France (B. Mercier-de-Lepinay); Argentina (Z. Gasparini, M. Fernandez); Venezuela (F. Audemar, J. G. Perez de Armas), etc. have shown interest in the project.
More than 50 persons participating in the 15th Caribbean Geological Conference held June 29-July 2, 1998 in Jamaica (See attachment)
Countries in the Caribbean region and surroundings as well as several European countries that have traditionally worked in the area as Germany, Spain, France and Italy. Will be important to involve scientist from other areas of the world.
Field work in the Caribbean region, especially Greater Antilles, Central America (including Mexico and Belize) and Northern South America (Venezuela, Colombia and Trinidad and Tobago).
The project mostly requests computer processing and plate tectonic modeling, available in many locations at Universities and Research centers of those researchers participating in the project.
a) Full description of the proposed project (including summary of previous work)
The project will be aimed as a five-year evaluation of existing Plate Tectonic Models and Paleogeographic Reconstructions for the Caribbean Realm in order to encourage a critical review of those models and to reach an agreement concerning the basic facts that should serve as a framework for the formulation of a best conception about the origin and evolution of the Caribbean. As part of these tasks, critical areas of debate will be revealed and explored in the field as part of parallel projects, in order to obtain new data to improve the interpretation of these critical moments, and also to design the trends of new research initiatives required to understand better the Caribbean Tectonic history and origin. Also the project members will be evaluating the implications of the different tectonic interpretations for the understanding and forecast of dynamically driven natural disasters.
References
Butterlin, J. 1956. La constitution geologique et la structure des Antilles: CNRS Paris, 453 p.
Donnelly, T.W., 1989. Geologic history of the Caribbean and Central America: in The Geology of North America, an overview, GSA, Vol. A: 299-321.
Freeland, G.L., and R. Dietz, 1971, Plate tectonic evolution of the Caribbean-Gulf of Mexico region, Nature 232, 20-23
Hay, W., and C.N. Wold, 1994. A simple plate tectonic history of the Caribbean, Zbl. Geol. Palåont. Teil I, 7/8, 917-934.
Issac del Corral, J. 1940. El geosinclinal cubano. Rev. Soc. Cubana Ingen. 34(4): 485-623.
Iturralde-Vinent, M. 1975. Problems in application of two moden tectonic hypothesis to Cuba and the Caribbean region AAPG Bull. 59 (5): 838-855
Iturralde-Vinent, M. 1981. An expanding Earth model explanation of the origen and evolution of Cuba: in Carey S.W. (ed.) Expanding Earth Symposium, Sydney 1981, p. 215-218.
Iturralde-Vinent, M. , 1994. Cuban Geology: A new plate tectonic synthesis: Journal of Petroleum Geology, 17 (1): 39-71.
Iturralde-Vinent, M. 1998. Introducción a la geología de Cuba In Furrazola Bermúdez, G. y K. Núñez Cambra: Estudios sobre geología de Cuba, Instituto de Geología y Paleontología, p. 35-68, La Habana.
Khudoley, K. y A. Meyerhoff, 1971. Paleogeography and geological history of Greater Antilles. GSA Mem. 129: 1-199.
Malfait, B. & M. Dinkelmann, 1972. Circum Caribbean tectonics and igneous activity and the evolution of the Caribbean plate: GSA Bull. 83 (1): 251-272.
Mann, P., F.W. Taylor, R.Lawrence Edwards, T-L. Ku. Actively evolving microplate formatiuon by oblique collision and sideways motion along strike slip faults: An example from the northeastern Caribbean plate margin. Tectonophysics 246:1-69.
Mattson, P., 1984. Caribbean structural breaks and plate movements, GSA Mem. 162, p. 131-0152
Meyerhoff, A. and H. Meyerhoff., 1972. Continental drift , IV: The Caribbean "plate." Journal of Geology 80: 34-60.
Meschede, M., 1999. The impossible Galapagos connection: geometric constraints for a near-American origin of the Caribbean plate
Morris, A., Taner, I., H. Meyerhoff and A. Meyerhoff, 1990. Tectonic evolution of the Caribbean region; alternative hypothesis In. Dengo, G., and J. Case, 1990. The geoilogy of north America, vol. H: The Caribbean region, GSA, p. 433-458.
Pindell, J. L., and J. F. Dewey, 1982. Permo-Triassic reconstruction of western Pangea and the evolution of the Gulf of Mexico/Caribbean area, Tectonics, 1, 179-211.
Pindell, J.L. & S. Barrett, 1990. Geological evolution of the Caribbean Region; A plate tectonic perspective: In Dengo, G. & J. Case, 1990. The geology of North America, Vol. H. The Caribbean Region, GSA, 405-432.
Ross, M. & C.R. Scotese, 1988. A hierarchical tectonic model of the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean region: Tectonophysics 155: 139-168.
Schuchert, C. 1935. Historical geology of the Antillian-Caribbean region, John Wiley and Sons, New York
Stephan, J-F., B. Mercier de Lepinay, E. Calais, M. Tardy, et al., 1990. Paleogeodynamic maps of the Caribbean: 14 steps from Lias to Present. Bull geol. Soc. France no. 6, p. 915-919 and plates.
Vandel, A. 1973.Les isopodes terrestres et cavernicoles de l'Ile de Cuba. In Resultata des expeditions biospeologiques cubano-roumaines a Cuba, Vol. 1, p. 153-190, Bucarest.
Müller, D., J-I. Royer, S.C. Cande, W.E. Roest, S. Maschenkov, 1999, New constraints on the Late Cretaceous/Tertiary plate tectonic evolution of the Caribbean,in Caribbean Basins, P. Mann (editor), Sedimentary Basins of the World series, Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 4:33-59.
Kerr, A., M. Iturralde-Vinent, A. Saunders, T. Babbs, J. Tarney, in press, A geochemical reconnaissance of Cuban mesozoic volcanic rocks: Implications for plate tectonic models of the Caribbean. GSA Bull.
b) Work plan
2000: Organization of the membership, clarification of major tasks and first scientific and business meeting in Rio. Definition of working groups, leaders and co-leaders.
2001-2004: Organization of international field workshops in Central America, Cuba and northern South America. Also celebration of local or thematic field and laboratory workshop by independent working groups.
2004: Final business and international scientific meeting and preparation of the final special thematic volume.
USA
-K.J. James (Conoco Inc., Offshore, 3020, 600 North Diary Ashford 77079-6651)
-Arthur W. Snoke (Department of Geology & Geophysics, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071-3006)
-Paul Mann, Lisa Gahagan, Robert Rogers (Institute for Geophysics, University of Texas at Austin, 4412 Spicewood Springs, Austin, Tx 78759-8500)
-Billy S. Lady (2442 Dorsey Drive, Punta Gorda, Fl 33983)
-E. Lidiak (Department of Geology, University of Pittsburgh)
-Burke Burkart Dept. of Geology, Box 190439, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington,TX 76019
-R.B. Trombley (Southern Volcano Research Centre, 2481 W Broadway # 146, Apache Jct., Arizona 85220)
-H. G. Ave Lallemant and Jaime Perez De Armas (Department of Geology and Geophysics, MS-126 Rice University 6100 Main Stree, Houston, TX 77005)
-G. Draper (Florida International University, Department of Geology, Primera Casa Bldg., Miami, Florida 33199)
-J. Lewis and Giuseppina Kysar (Geology Department, University Campus, George Washington University, Washington D.C. 20052)
-Andrew Coleman (PhD at City University of New York; Consulting Geologist for Public Service Electric and Gas Company, Environment, Health & Safety, 80 Park Plaza, T-24 Newark, New Jersey 07102)
-H. Sigurdsson (Geology Department, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI 02882-1197)
-Mercier de Lepinay, B., CNRS-Universite de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, FRANCE
-Italo-Iberoamerican team headed by G. Giunta (Dipartimento di Geologia, Universitá di Palermo, Corso Tukory 131, 90134 Palermo)
-T. Jackson (Department of Geography and Geology, University of West Indies, Mona, Kingston 7)
-M. Meschede (Institute of Geology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen)
-P.K. Stanek (Institut fur Geologie, TU Bergakademie Freiberg)
-Leslie H. Barker (Energy Division, Ministry of Finance, National Petroleum Building, Wildey, St. Michael)
-Winston M. Ali (Petroleum Company of T & T Lmt., #4, Middle Street, Pointe-a-Pierre, Trinidad, T&T.8
-G. Millán (Instituto de Geología y Paleontología, Vía Blanca y Carretera Central, San Miguel del Padrón, La Habana 11000)
-B. Echevarria (Instituto de Geología y Paleontología, Vía Blanca y Carretera Central, San Miguel del Padrón, La Habana 11000)
-J. Cobiella (Departamento de Geología, Universidad de Pinar del Río, Martí no. 270, Pinar del Río 20100)
-M. Iturralde Vinent, (Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Obispo no. 61, Plaza de Armas, La Habana 10100)
-James Pindell, Rowfold House, Billingshurst, West Sussex
RH14 9DD
-Antonio Garcia Casco (Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada)
-J.M. Pons (Departamento de Geología, Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Espana)
-J. Melgarejo and Joaquín Proenza (Departamento de Geología, Universidad Central de Barcelona, Barcelona, Espana)
-J. Schellekens (Department of Geology, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, PR 00681-5000)
-D. Muller (The University of Sydney, Edgeworth David Bldg, F05, Department of Geology and Geophysics, NSW 2006, Australia)
-W. R. Roest (Geological Survey of Canada, Geophysics Div., 1 Observatory Crescent, Ottawa K1A 0Y3, Canada)
-Kazuo Nakayama, 1-2-21, Otsuka, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 112-0012
-Franck A. Audemard. Funvisis (Fundación Venezolana de Investigaciones Sismológicas, Caracas-Venezuela
d)Curriculum vitae of proposers in 1999
Dr. Manuel A. Iturralde-Vinen
Degrees:
Master's in Geological Sciences, University of Oriente, Cuba, 1975
Doctor in Geological Sciences, Instituto Superior Politécnico J. A. Echeverría, 1995
Deputy director for Science, National Museum of Natural History (Havana)
Senior Adjunt Professor of Geology and Paleontology, at Higher Politechnical Institute "J. A. Echeverría" (Havana)
Research Associated, American Museum of Natural History
Councillor, Association of Geoscientists for International Development
Stratigraphy, Paleontology and Tectonics of the Caribbean and its surroundings
Cuban Geological Society, 1979--present
Paleontological Society of America, 1967--1969 and 1991--present
Assoc. of Geoscientists for International Development (AGID), 1991--present
Geological Society of America, 1993--present
Sociedad Paleontológica Mexicana, 1995--present
Sociedad Geológica de República Dominicana, 1995-present
Jamaican Geological Society, 1998-
1976--1982: Associate Scientist, Geological and Paleontological Institute of the Cuban Academy of Sciences (Havana)
1983--1987: Senior Scientist, Cuban Geological Survey(Camagüey)
1987--present: Senior Professor of Geology and Paleontology, Higher Politechnical Institute "J. A. Echeverría" (Havana)
1988--present: Senior Scientist and Curator, National Museum of Natural History (Havana)
1992--1997: Member of the Scientific Board, UNESCO, for the International Geological Correlation Program, Paris
1996-2000: Councillor of the Association of Geoscientist for International Development, Sao Paulo, Brazil
1992-: Permanent member of the Standing Committee of the Caribbean Geological Conferences
1976--1982: Head Scientist for geological research and cartography scale 1:250 000 of La Habana and Camagüey provinces, Cuba
1983--1987: Head Scientist for geological research and cartography scale 1:50 000 / 1:25 000 of Central Cuba
1987--1994: Participation in international geological and paleontological IGCP projects : 165, 262, 322, 308, 364, etc.
1990--present: American Museum of Natural History /Museo Nacional de Historia Natural Project--Paleogeographic Origin of the Greater Antilles land vertebrates
1993-present: Institute for Geophysics, Utexas, Austin/Museo Nacional de Historia Natural: Caribbean Plate Tectonics Reconstruction
1997-present: University of Tokyo and Museo Nacional de Historia Natural: Paleoenvironmental and paleobiotic events as reflected in the K/T Boundary rocks of Cuba and the Caribbean
1982: Quaternary Geological Congress (INQUA), Moscow
1987: 24th International Geological Congress, Moscow
1989: First Cuban Geological Congress (organizing committee)
1992: 13th Caribbean Geological Conference, Cuba (organizer committee)
1993: Annual meeting Am. Assoc. Petroleum Geologists, New Orleans
1995: 14th Caribbean Geological Conference, Trinidad & Tobago
1995: First SEPM Meeting on Sedimentary Geology, Sn. Pete Beach, Florida
1995: Annual Congress of the Geological Society of America, New Orleans
1996: Symposium DinoFest International, Arizona, USA
1996: Annual Congress Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, New York
1998: III Cuban Geological and Mining Congress (organizer and lecturer)
1998: 15th Caribbean Geological Conference, Kingston, Jamaica (lecturer and chair person)
1999: Penrose Conference: Marine Events in the Eocene-Oligocene transition. Olimpia, USA
"Antonio Calvache Dorado" Award for achievements in geological research awarded by the Cuban Geological Society
National Science Award for 1997 from the Cuban Academy of Sciences
Related to the Project:
Iturralde-Vinent, M. 1974. Circum Caribbean tectonic and igneous activity and the evolution of the Caribbean plate: Discussion: GSA Bull. 85: 1961-1962.
Iturralde-Vinent, M. 1975. Problems of the aplication of two modern tectonics hypothesis to Cuba and the Caribbean region. AAPG Bull. 59(5):838-855.
Iturralde-Vinent, M. 1978. Los movimientos tectónicos de la etapa de desarrollo platafórmico de Cuba. Geologie en Mijnbow 57 (2):205-212 Holand.
Iturralde-Vinent, M. 1979 Tectónica de la etapa postgeosinclinal de Cuba(russian/english). Geotectonics (4):63-76, Moscow.
Iturralde-Vinent, M. 1981. An Expanding Earth model explanation for the origin and evolution of Cuba. in S.W. Carey(ed.) 1981. The Expanding Earth. A Symposium. Australia, p. 215-218.
Iturralde-Vinent, M. 1981. Nuevo modelo interpretativo de la evolución geológica de Cuba. Rev. Ciencias de la Tierra y del Espacio (3):51-90.
Brezsnyánszky, K. M. Iturralde-Vinent 1987. On two Tertiary tectonic phases in Cuba: in: Yu. Leonov & V.E. Khain (eds.) Global Correlation of Tectonic movements, John Wiley & Sons, p. 227-230.
Formell, F., et. al (M. Iturralde-Vinent). 1988. Mapa tectónico de Cuba escala 1:1 000 000. Nuevo Atlas Nacional de Cuba. Academia de Ciencias de Cuba, La Habana.
Pushcharovsky, Yu., A. Mossakovsky, G. Nekrasov, S. Sokolov, M. Iturralde-Vinent et al. 1989. Tectonic map of Cuba scale 1:500 000, 4 sheets. Academy of Sciences of Cuba and URSS, Moscow.
Pushcharovsky, Yu., A. Mossakovsky, G. Nekrasov, S. Sokolov, M. Iturralde-Vinent, et. al. 1989. Tectonic of the Republic of Cuba:Explanatory note to the Tectonic map of Cuba 1:500 000. Ed. Nauka, Moscow (russian/english), 77 p.
Iturralde-Vinent, M. 1994. Interrelationship of the terranes in western and central Cuba--Comments Tectonophysics 234: 345-348
Iturralde-Vinent, M. , 1994. Cuban Geology: A new plate tectonic synthesis: Journal of Petroleum Geology, 17 (1): 39-71.
Iturralde-Vinent, M. (Editor) 1996: Cuban ophiolites and volcanic arcs: First Contribution IGCP Project 364: 265 p. Miami, USA
Beccaluva, L., M. Coltorti, G. Giunta, M. Iturralde-Vinent, E. Navarro, F. Siena, F. Urbani, 1996. Cross sections through the ophiolitic units of the southern and northern margins of the caribbean Plate in Venezuela (Northern Cordilleras) and Central Cuba. Ofioliti 21(2):85-104
Bralower, T., M. Iturralde-Vinent, 1997. Micropaleontological dating of the collision between the North American continental margin and the Greater Antilles Volcanic Arc in Western Cuba. PALAIOS
Iturralde-Vinent, M. 1997. Introducción a la geología de Cuba In Furrazola Bermúdez, G. y K. Núñez Cambra: Estudios sobre geología de Cuba, Instituto de Geología y Paleontología, p. 35-68, La Habana (Published March 1998)
Iturralde-Vinent, M., and R.D.E. MacPhee, 1999. Paleogeography of the Caribbean region: Implications for Cenozoic biogeography. Bull. AMNH No. 238, 95 p.
Dr. Edward G. Lidiak
Degrees:
Rice University, Houston, Texas; B.S. Geology, 1956; Rice University, Houston, Texas; M.S. Geology, 1960; Rice University, Houston, Texas; Ph.D. Geology,
1963.
Professor of Geology, Department of Geology and Planetary Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, U. S. A.
Igneous Petrology, Geochemistry, Tectonics of Plate Margins
American Association of Petroleum Geologists; American Geophysical Union; Geochemical Society; Geological Society of America (Fellow); Mineralogical Society of America; Pittsburgh Geological Society.
1987-Present: Professor of Geology, Department of Geology and Planetary Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
1980-1987: Chairman and Professor, Department of Geology and Planetary Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
1971-1979: Chairman and Associate Professor, Department of Geology (Earth) and Planetary Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
1971-1974: U.S. Geological Survey, Part-time WAE appointment.
1966-1971: Associate Professor, Department of Geology (Earth) and Planetary Science,University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
1965-1976: U.S. Geological Survey, Part-time WAE appointment.
1964-1966: Assistant Professor, Department of Geology (Earth) and Planetary Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
1962-1964: Research Scientist, Crustal Studies Laboratory, The University of Texas, Austin.
1959-1960: Marine Geophysical Exploration Company, Houston, Interpretation of seismic reflection data.
1956-1958: (U.S. Marine Corps Reserver, Active Duty).
1956 Humble (Exxon) Research Center, Houston, Laboratory Assistant in Paleomagnetism Research.
1990: Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Dallas
1991: Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, San Diego
1991: International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics: Vienna
1992: Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Cincinnati
1992: 13th Caribbean Geological Conference, Cuba
1993: Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Boston
1994: Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Seattle
1995: Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, New Orleans
1995: 14th Caribbean Geological Conference, Trinidad and Tobago
1995: 12th International Conference of Basement Tectonics, Norman, Ok.
1997: Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City
1997: 13th International Conference of Basement Tectonics, Blacksburg, Va.
1998: Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Toronto
1998: 15th Caribbean Geological Conference, Jamaica
(Related to Project (since 1990):
Lidiak, E. G., 1991, Depth of emplacement of granitoid plutonic rocks in the eastern Greater Antilles island arc, in Larue, D. K., and Draper, G., (eds.), Transactions 12th Caribbean Geological Conference: Miami Geological Society, p. 259-267.
Lidiak, E. G., and Jolly, W. T., 1996, Rare earth elements in the geological sciences, in Evans, C. H., ed., Episodes from the History of the Rare Earth Elements: Dordrecht, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Chemists and Chemistry, v. 15, p. 149-187.
Lidiak, E. G., and Jolly, W. T., 1996, Circum-Caribbean granitoids: Characteristics and origin: International Geology Review, v. 38, p. 1098-1133. Lidiak, E. G., and Jolly, W. T., 1997, Caribbean granitoids, in Gupta, A. K., Onuma, K., and Arima, A., eds., Geochemical Studies on Synthetic and Natural Rock Systems, Kenzo Yagi Felicitation Volume: New Delhi, Allied Publishers Ltd., p. 233-271.
Lidiak, E. G., Jolly, W. T., Dickin, A. P., and Wu, T., 1997, Geochemistry of a Mesozoic island arc sequence, in Gupta, A. K., and Kerrich, R. W., eds., The Dynamic Geosphere, William S. Fyfe Felicitation Volume: New Delhi, Allied Publishers, p. 68-76.
Lidiak, E. G., and Larue, D. K. (editors), 1998, Tectonics and Geochemistry of the Northeastern Caribbean: Boulder, Colorado, Geological Society of America Special Paper 322, 210p.
Lidiak, E. G., and Larue, D. K., 1998, Preface, in Lidiak, E. G., and Larue, D. K., eds., Tectonics and Geochemistry of the Northeastern Caribbean: Boulder, Colorado, Geological Society of America Special Paper 322, p. v-vi.
Jolly, W. T., Lidiak, E. G., Schellekens, J. H., Santos, H., 1998, Volcanism, tectonics, and stratigraphic correlations in Puerto Rico, in Lidiak, E. G., and Larue, D. K., eds., Tectonics and Geochemistry of the Northeastern Caribbean: Boulder, Colorado, Geological Society of America Special Paper 322, p. 1-34.
Jolly, W. T., Lidiak, E. G., Dickin, A. P., and Wu, T., 1998, Geochemical diversity of Mesozoic island arc tectonic blocks in eastern Puerto Rico, in Lidiak, E. G., and Larue, D. K., eds., Tectonics and Geochemistry of the Northeastern Caribbean: Boulder, Colorado, Geological Society of America Special Paper 322, p. 67-98.
Lidiak, E. G., and Jolly, W. T., 1998, Geochemistry of intrusive igneous rocks, St. Croix, U. S. Virgin Islands, in Lidiak, E. G., and Larue, D. K., eds., Tectonics and Geochemistry of the Northeastern Caribbean: Boulder, Colorado, Geological Society of America Special Paper 322, p. 133-153.
Lidiak, E. G., and Ceci, V. M, 1991, Authigenic K-Feldspar in the Precambrian basement of Ohio and its effect on tectonic discrimination of the granitic rocks: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 28, p. 1624-1634.
Lidiak, E. G., Bickford, M. E., and Kisvarsanyi, E. B., 1993, Proterozoic geology of the eastern midcontinent region, in Reed, J. C., Jr. and six others, eds., Precambrian: Conterminous U. S.: Boulder, Colorado, Geological Society of America, The Geology of North America, v. C-2, p. 259-270.
Lidiak, E. G., and Hinze, W. J., 1993, Grenville province in the subsurface of eastern United States, in Reed, J. C., Jr. and six others, eds., Precambrian: Conterminous U. S.: Boulder, Colorado, Geological Society of America, The Geology of North America, v. C-2, p. 353-365.
Lidiak, E. G., 1996, Geochemistry of subsurface Proterozoic rocks in the eastern midcontinent of the United States: Further evidence for a within-plate tectonic setting, in van der Pluijm, B. A., and Catacosinos, P. A., eds., Basement and Basins of Eastern North America: Boulder, Colorado, Geological Society of America Special Paper 308, p. 45-66.
Marshall, L. P., and Lidiak, E. G., 1996, Geochemistry and paleomagnetism of Keweenawan basalt in the subsurface of Nebraska: Precambrian Research, v. 76, p. 47-65.
Lidiak, E. G., 1998, Evolution of Proterozoic granitoids, eastern Arbuckle Mountains, Oklahoma, in Hogan, J. P., and Gilbert, M. C., eds., Basement Tectonics 12, Kluwer Academic Publishers, p. 265.
Lidiak, E. G., and Denison, R. E., 1999, Geology of the Blue River gneiss, eastern Arbuckle Mountains, Oklahoma, in Sinha, A. K., ed., Basement Tectonics 13, Kluwer Academic Publishers, p. 139-153.
Attachments
Information mailed to the proponents between May and July 1999
Franck A. Audemard M. faudem@ccs.internet.ve
Working for Funvisis (Fundación Venezolana de Investigaciones Sismológicas, Caracas-Venezuela) have permanent projects in order to evaluate the seismic risk, not only in Venezuela but also in Colombia.
Working at the Institute of geology and paleontology of Cuba,is involved in a project to study the tectonics and evolution of the volcanic arc suite in Eastern Cuba (Holguin-Baracoa)
PhD student at the City University of New York. With Margaret A. Winslow is currently working on the structural geology and regional tectonics of the Hispaniola Fault Zone in northwestern Dominican Republic. A new 1:50.000 scale geologic map will be produced.
Working at the Woods Hole station of the U.S. Geological Survey, is starting a project in the northeastern Caribbean with Uri tenBrink. The study aims at understanding the nature of plate motions, the shallow and deep coupling between the plates, and at mapping the resultant shallow and deep plate boundary deformation.
Gasparini, Zulma zgaspari@netverk.com.ar
Working at the Universidad de la Plata, Argentina. They are participating in a project to study the Mesozoic Marine reptiles of South America, and its relationships with the Caribbean and Tethyan herpetofaunas. This project has to do with the early opening of the Caribbean seaway. Other participants are Marcelo Sanchez and M. Iturralde-Vinent.
Working at the Universita di Palermo, Italy. Is the leader of the project "Evolution of the Caribbean Plate deformed margins (Mesozoic-Early Tertiary) based on the Tectonic and Petrology of the pericaribbean ophiolitic units. The aim of the project is to study the main sectors of the caribbean margins which involve ophiolitic units (structure and petrology ) in order to better reconstruct the magma affinities, the deformation pattern and the metamorphic history. Are developing a model of the geodynamic evolution of the Caribbean (Jurassic-Paleocene). Involve participants from Dipart. Geologia of University of Palermo (G.Giunta, D.Mortillaro); Inst. of Mineralogy of Univ. of Ferrara (L.Beccaluva, M.Coltorti, F.Siena); Dipart. of Hearth Sc. of Univ; of Firenze (M.Marcucci, G.Principi); Escuela Geologia Universidad Central Caracas ( M.Castillejo, etc), ICAITI Guatemala (G.Dengo, etc); Escuela Centroamericana Geologia Univ. Costa Rica (W.Montero, etc); Academia Ciencias de Cuba (M.Iturralde V., etc); Direccion General de Geologia y Mineria Dominican Republic (I.Tavarez, etc).
In a PhD program at Rice University in Houston Tx. Is now studing the Serrania del Interior in Venezuela,including Grupo Villa de Cura and sedimentary units of the dfore arc and passive margin of the Guyana. His advisors are Hans Ave Lallemant, A.W. Bally, Ray Donelick and J. Pindell.
Lidiak, Edward G. EGL@vms.cis.pitt.edu
Working at the University of Pittsburgh. Is participating in several projects as follow: Geochemistry of central Puerto Rican lavas and relation to tectonism in the Greater Antilles; Tectonic evolution and geochemical characteristics of alpine-type peridotites in the Bermeja Complex of southwestern Puerto Rico; Geochemistry of Las Villas granitoids in central Cuba.
Working at the Institute for Geophysics of the University of Texas at Austin. Is involved in the following projects related with the Caribbean: 1. GPS project: work in progress to monitor crustal motions in Hispaniola using a 31 site network (involves several institutions including UTIG, U. Miami, Univ. of Nice, Univ. of Wisconsin); 2) Laramide age deformation to constrain the original position of the Chortis block in southern Mexico; 3) Proposed project with the USGS to study the active faults of western Puerto Rico and the Mona Passage; and 4)Proposed project of Continental Dynamics to study the crustal structure of Venezuela and its offshore area (involves several institutions including Rice, UTIG, MIT and U. Arizona).
Participating in a PhD program at the Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada (Spain). Is working on a project to study the metamorphic terrains of southcentral Cuba (Escambray and Pinos). As advisors participate Lilavati Diaz and Guillermo Millan of the Institute of geology and paleontology of Cuba.
X. Cazanas and J. Proenza
Working at the Departament de Cristalografia, Mineralogia i Dipòsits Minerals, Universitat de Barcelona. The project is to study mineral deposits in Cuba, specially cooper, nickel and the associated rocks, with respect to its plate tectonic origin.
Working for the JGI, Inc.(formaer name is JAPEX Geoscience Institute). Has been stuyding basically the offshore area of the Caribbean coast of Honduras.
Working in Great Brittain is preparing a new version of his Caribbean Tectonic Model with Barrett, as well as participating in several local projects in the area.
At the Department of Geology & Geophysics, University of Wyoming. He and several colleagues are participating in the following projects: 1) Petrology and structural geology of Tobago, West Indies; 2) Geologic Map of Tobago, West Indies (1:25,000) includes extensive field work; 3) Petrology and petrochemistry of arc-related gabbros from Tobago, West Indies; and 4) Biostratigraphy of the Tobago Volcanic Group (mid-Cretaceous oceanic-arc sequence)--ammonites and Radiolaria,
Working at the University of West Indies in Jamaica.
With other colleagues is involved in the following projects: 1. With Simon Mitchell who is remapping the Central Inlier(Cretaceous) of Jamaica, conducting mineral and rock chemistry analyses of the volcanic rocks; 2. With Richard Robertson (PhD student) are mapping and analysing the pre-Soufriere volcanic rocks of St. Vincent; 3. Examining microprobe data as well as REE whole rock analyses of the Sans Souci volcanic rocks of the Northern range of Trinidad.
At the Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, La Habana. Is involved in several projects with different colleagues in Cuba as elsewhere. Those rerlated to the Caribbean plate tectonics are: 1. Modeling the Caribbean plate tectonic evolution with L. Gahagan of UTIG; 2. Investigationg the vertebrate paleontology and stratigraphy of the fossil-bearing localities in the Greater Antilles, with the participation of Zulma Gasparini and Marta Fernandez (Jurassic Marine Reptiles), Stephen Diaz, R. MacPhee, R. Rojas (Tertiary land vertebrates), and many others.
Working at the University of Tuebingen, Germany. Is involved in several projects related with southern Central America and its western Pacific margin, also modeling the Caribbean plate evolution.
Working at Rice University in Houston in projects related with the southern Caribbean plate margin, as well as in other locations of the region.
Working at the Instituto Minero-Metalurgico de Moa, in Cuba. Engaged in several projects related with the stratigraphy of central and eastern Cuba.
Working at the University of Texas at Arlington, is involved in projects related to the Maya (Yucatan) block and its boundary faults and kinematic interaction with the Caribbean plate.
Working at the Florida International University, in several projects related to the structure and metamorphic rocks of Jamaica and Hispaniola.
Working at the CNRS-Universite de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, FRANCE in several projects related to the Northern Caribbean Plate Boundary, specially Cuba and Dominican Republic.
Is working at the Departament de Geologia, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain. Is participating in projects to study rudist paleontology and biostratigraphy in Mexico and Cuba.
Working at the Institute of Geological Sciences of the Academy of Sciences of Poland. Have been involved in projects related to the stratigraphy, paleontology and tectonics of Cuba. Now is still Now is processing data obtained during previous field studies in the island.
Working at the Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, is involved in projects related to the last ODP leg in the Caribbean, as well as studing volcanic rocks in the area.
Working at the Institut fur Geologie, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, RFA. Is participating in several project to study in Cuba the Mesozoic metamorphic rocks and its deformations.
Direct questions about the Year 2000 CARIB-PT Symposuim and the IGCP Project CARIB-PT to Manuel Iturralde-Vinent