Integration of COCORP deep reflection and magnetic anomaly analysis in the southeastern United States: Implications for origin of the Brunswick and East Coast magnetic anomalies

The Grenville orogenic cycle of southern Laurentia: Unraveling sutures, rifts, and shear zones as potential piercing points for Amazonia

“…Their stark contrast with plutonic rocks and metamorphosed country rocks in accreted terranes found north of the Coastal Plain overlap in Alabama, Georgia, and the Carolinas indicates that a suture (Suwannee-Wiggins suture) lies beneath Coastal Plain sediments between the exposed parts of the Piedmont to the north and West African rocks to the south (Suwannee terrane). This suture was first located by the magnetic anomaly and seismic profiling that indicated a south-dipping contact (Daniels et al, 1983;McBride and Nelson, 1988;Chowns and Williams, 1983;Nelson et al, 1985a,b). Through a series of lithotectonic maps (e.g., Williams, 1978;Williams and Hatcher, 1983;Hatcher et al, 1990Hatcher et al, , 2007Thomas et al, 1990aThomas et al, , 1990bHibbard et al, 2006), numerous accreted terranes of various ages have been identified and their boundaries defined using geochronologic, thermal, and lithotectonic characteristics combined with potential field (e.g., gravity and magnetic) signatures.…”

“…It can be traced laterally for 600 km before terminating against or merging with the East Coast Magnetic Anomaly (ECMA), which is a 48-km-wide, through going magnetic high along the rifted Atlantic margin of Laurentia (e.g., Vogt, 1986;Klitgord and Schouten, 1986, and references therein). The ECMA, which can be traced for more than 3000 km, has been interpreted variously: as an edge effect; as a dike suite; as a series of seaward-dipping reflectors containing tilted basalt flows; and as a deep-seated mafic intrusion (e.g., Alsop and Talwani, 1984;Keen, 1969;Keller et al, 1954;Oh et al, 1995) along or near the continent-ocean transition (Vogt, 1973;Vogt and Einwich, 1979)) Nelson et al (1985a,b) and McBride and Nelson (1988) suggested the ECMA may represent a Paleozoic suture. Thus the ECMA was probably emplaced 175-190 Ma (Vogt and Einwich, 1979;Klitgord and Grow, 1980;Sheridan, 1983;Alsop and Talwani, 1984) possibly along or near the relict suture during early rifting leading to successful opening of the Atlantic Ocean.…”

“…The pronounced magnetic low that characterizes the Suwannee-Wiggins suture may be partially related to a failed rift which is filled with Mesozoic sediments above the suture (as recognized across Georgia), but the lateral persistence of this relatively narrow magnetic low supports the interpretation that it is a component of the Triassic failed-rift zone, or an abnormal thickness of nonmagnetic sediments. The suture may actually be located north of the magnetic low (McBride and Nelson, 1988).…”

Estimating crustal thickness using SsPmp in regions covered by low‐velocity sediments: Imaging the Moho beneath the Southeastern Suture of the Appalachian Margin Experiment (SESAME) array, SE Atlantic Coastal Plain

“…The SWS trends roughly E-W across southern Georgia and has been interpreted to mark the Late Paleozoic collision of a Gondwanan crustal fragment, the Florida block, with Grenville-age North American crust during the formation of Pangea [McBride et al, 2005]. Reactivation of the suture zone may have focused crustal thinning and mafic magmatism along the trend of the suture [McBride and Nelson, 1988;Lizarralde et al, 1994]. Reactivation of the suture zone may have focused crustal thinning and mafic magmatism along the trend of the suture [McBride and Nelson, 1988;Lizarralde et al, 1994].…”

Reconnaissance Assessment of Co2 Sequestration Potential in the Triassic Age Rift Basin Trend of South Carolina, Georgia, and Northern Florida

“…The Consortium for Continental Reflection Profiling (COCORP) performed multi-channel seismic surveys in Georgia and South Carolina in the early 1980's. Researchers using the COCORP data and well data documented the general configuration of the buried basins and made interpretations on the nature of the rocks filling the basins (Ackermann, 1983;Chowns and Williams (1983); Schilt et al, 1983;Behrendt, 1986;Cook et al, 1981;Kaufman, 1987;McBride et al, 1987;McBride et al, 1988;McBride et al, 1989;McBride, 1991). Oil exploration studies in the region have also contributed information on the configuration of the basins in the trend and the sedimentary fill.…”