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The Limón Fold-and-Thrust
Brandes, Christian1, Allan Astorga2, Stefan Back3, Peter Blisniuk4, Ralf Littke5, Jutta Winsemann1 (1) University Hannover, Hannover, Germany (2) Escuela Centroamericana de Geología, San José, Costa Rica (3) RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany (4) Universität Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany (5) Technical University of Aachen (RWTH), Aachen, Germany
The 
grid
of 2D seismic reflection lines parallel and
perpendicular to the basin-axis allows a detailed reconstruction of basin-fill
architecture and deformation style in both sub-basins. The northern basin is undeformed. The southern sub-basin has been affected by a
northeastward propagating deformation resulting in the development of a
fold-and-thrust belt, characterized by concentric hangingwall
anticlines and southwestward dipping listric thrusts.
Seismic interpretation was carried out with the faults were used to date the
deformation. In the offshore part of the Limón
Fault-and–Thrust belt deformation started in Pliocene times. Special emphasis
was laid on detailed mapping
of a basement structure at the boundary between
the northern and southern basin. This structure acted as an obstacle that
probably led to the strong bending of the northern edge of the Limón Fault-and-Thrust belt. Additionally 1D and 2D basin modelling studies were carried out focussing
on temperature and burial history. First results point towards a 15°C higher
mean heat-flow in the northern sub-basin than in the southern sub-basin.
Reasons for this might be found in lithosphere thickening due to fold-belt
formation and in the lack of volcanic activity.