Salt Structures of Gulf of Mexico Basin--A Review

摘要: More than 300 diapiric structures formed by the intrusion of relatively pure salt are known in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, Nuevo Leon, Veracruz, Tabasco, and Cuba. In form, rod-like, domal, anticlinal, ridge-like. They rise vertically, or nearly so, increase decrease with height. Many capped residual masses anhydrite, altered varied degrees to gypsum, sulfur, calcite. Modern theory postulates growth resulting from density differences between surrounding sediments (1) upward movement through overlying response gravitational inequilibrium, (2) remaining at an essentially constant level while sedimentary rocks moved downward around them as deposition progressed. Model studies suggest that variations overburden faulting primary causes initiation movement. The probable source Gulf Coast domes is Louann Salt. It may have been much 5,000 ft thick had original volume 200,000 cu mi. Sediments enclosing stocks structural configurations. strata be arched, they ruptured pierced salt, complexly faulted, deformed various combinations folding. All Mexico basin probably similar genesis.