Along-Fault Deformation Partitioning of NW Haiti:Implication on Fluid Transfer

Abstract:

The area of Western Haiti located in between two major fault systems, the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden Fault (EPGF) and Ciabao-Oriente Septentrional fault system has been surveyed during the 2012 and 2013 Haiti-SIS cruises. From seismic interpretation and mapping the two bordering transform faults systems, EPGF (to the South) and Oriente-Septentrional (to the North), we document the deformation partitioning and the fault segmentation at different scales.

A common tectonic evolution has been registered in S. Eastern Cuba and Western Hispaniola (Haiti area), up to early Miocene times.

From the effective Hispaniola–Cuba separation at Oligocene/Miocene transition times, left lateral strike-slip motion was registered along large crustal faults cross-cutting different domains versus time. Rooted on these crustal/lithospheric discontinuties tectonic stress is also released on secondary fault systems where both deep and basin, even meteoric fluids may migrate. Sedimentation processes and sequence deposition have been also analyzed both offshore and onshore in the same area showing the strong tectonic-sedimentation processes interaction.

A tentative calendar of this deformation, coupled with Present-Day evaluation of the draining areas along Septentrional fault, Transhaitian Ranges and Gonave Bay will be presented on regional seismic profiles and cross-sections.