Late Mesozoic Evolution of the Western Pacific Ocean

Abstract

Research Article| December 01, 1972 Late Mesozoic Evolution of the Western Pacific Ocean ROGER L LARSON; ROGER L LARSON Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, New York 10964 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar CLEMENT G CHASE CLEMENT G CHASE Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar GSA Bulletin (1972) 83 (12): 3627–3644. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1972)83[3627:LMEOTW]2.0.CO;2 Article history received: 17 Apr 1972 rev-recd: 26 Jun 1972 first online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation ROGER L LARSON, CLEMENT G CHASE; Late Mesozoic Evolution of the Western Pacific Ocean. GSA Bulletin 1972;; 83 (12): 3627–3644. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1972)83[3627:LMEOTW]2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract A set of east-trending magnetic anomalies located in the western equatorial Pacific Ocean near the Phoenix Islands is Early Cretaceous in age. The use of magnetic reversal model studies shows that this lineated anomaly pattern correlates with one east of Japan that trends east, and with one west of Hawaii that trends northwest. These patterns were formed in their present relative positions, but about 40° (4,500 km) south of their present geographic locations. The configuration of these three contemporaneous sets of magnetic anomalies implies that the Late Mesozoic tectonic pattern consisted of five spreading centers joined at two triple points. In this interpretation, the oldest part of the Pacific Ocean lies just east of the Mariana Trench and is Early Jurassic in age.This Mesozoic system evolved into the Cenozoic spreading pattern recorded in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The details of this transition are open to speculation because it occurred during a period in the Late Cretaceous that lacked magnetic reversals. We propose a model that suggests the northern triple point jumped southeast about 2,000 km at 100 m.y. B.P., and that the Emperor Trough was a transform fault of large offset during the Late Cretaceous. The southern triple point migrated rapidly toward the south-southeast, approximately parallel to the Eltanin Fracture Zone–Louisville Ridge complex that we extend o t the westernmost of the Phoenix lineation fracture zones. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.