HR: 1400h
AN: OS33B-02    [Abstracts]
TI: Regional Geophysical Surveys and Crustal Structure of the Gulf of Mexico
AU: * Rodríguez-Chavez, F
EM: pacorron1@yahoo.com
AF: Instituto de Geofisica, Instituto de Geofisica Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico Coyoacan, Mexico City, 052 04510, Mexico
AU: Fucugauchi, J U
EM: juf@geofisica.unam.mx
AF: Instituto de Geofisica, Instituto de Geofisica Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico Coyoacan, Mexico City, 052 04510, Mexico
AB: Results of processing and modeling of anomaly data from regional geophysical surveys in the southern sector of the Gulf of Mexico are presented. The Gulf of Mexico has been intensively studied for several years, mainly because of the economic potential of the oil and gas resources. The basin may have formed by sea-floor spreading, rifting and lateral translation/rotation of continental slivers ssociated with major break-up and drifting apart of North and South America continental plates in the mid Mesozoic. Major structural features and crustal structure, including the continent-ocean transition and Gulf coastal passive margin are relatively poorly understood. Aerogeophysical gravity and magnetic surveys have been conducted and data are processed and modeled to investigate on the Gulf crustal structure. Spectral statistical estimates of regional basement depths derived from aeromagnetics give mean depths of 8000 m. Estimates derived from gravity anomalies are in the order of 10000 m. Depths derived from 2D and 3D seismic reflection surveys conducted for oil exploration purposes in selected areas indicate average depths to basement from 6000 m to values grater than those derived from potential field data.
DE: 0900 EXPLORATION GEOPHYSICS
SC: Ocean Sciences [OS]
MN: 2007 Joint Assembly