Submitted to NSF/OCE, August 200
Project Summary
We propose a passive seismic experiment across the southeastern US continental margin targeted at 1) understanding the origin of the Bahamas Platform; and 2) investigating processes, including lithospheric thinning, mantle shearing, and syn-rift magmatism associated with the ocean-continent transition at this passive margin. We will deploy an array of 14 broadband seismometers that, together with existing stations, will provide coverage of a 2000 by 200 km swath stretching from Georgia and Florida through the eastern Bahamas and Puerto Rico. Thus data will be collected on both the landward and seaward parts of the margin, permitting uniform resolution through the zone where strong changes in structure are expected. Seismic analysis techniques, including receiver functions, body wave and surface wave tomography, shear wave splitting directions and regional wave propagation will be used to construct model of seismic velocity and anisotropy in the crust, lithospheric mantle and upper asthenosphere.