REGIONAL CRUSTAL STRUCTURE OF THE SOUTH-CENTRAL US AND ITS TECTONIC EVOLUTION: A REVIEW

The present day topography of the south-central USA can be construed to indicate that the structure and tectonic evolution of the region is relatively simple. Nothing could be further from the truth! Regional geophysical and geological data demonstrate that great complexity lies between the generally gentle topography and the Moho. Some specific features that stand out include the Southern Oklahoma aulacogen, the Midcontinent and Reelfoot rifts, the Ouachita orogenic belt, the Central basin platform, the Davis Mountains/Big Bend National Park region, and structural blocks along the Gulf Coast region. I will present a series of integrated geophysical studies that demonstrate the crustal-scale complexity of the region.