The Structure and Tectonic History of the Eastern Aleutian Trench

Research Article| October 01, 1969 The Structure and Tectonic History of the Eastern Aleutian Trench ROLAND VON HUENE; ROLAND VON HUENE U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California 94025 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar GEORGE G SHOR, JR. GEORGE G SHOR, JR. Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California 92037 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar GSA Bulletin (1969) 80 (10): 1889–1902. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1969)80[1889:TSATHO]2.0.CO;2 Article history received: 14 May 1969 first online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation ROLAND VON HUENE, GEORGE G SHOR; The Structure and Tectonic History of the Eastern Aleutian Trench. GSA Bulletin 1969;; 80 (10): 1889–1902. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1969)80[1889:TSATHO]2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract The tectonic character of the eastern Aleutian Trench and some major events in its geologic history can be estimated from nine continuous seismic reflection records. A section of pre-trench, deep oceanic sediments rests on the down-warped crust that forms the trench. Nearly horizontal undeformed strata that unconformably overlie this deep oceanic section partially fill the trench. The trench fill is thickest near present sediment sources. A Pliocene age for development of the eastern Aleutian Trench is estimated from the thickness of deep oceanic sediment that accumulated after the trench began to fill. The eastern Aleutian Trench thus appears younger than the central Aleutian Trench—a relation which helps to explain the distribution of sediment along the two trench segments.Depression of the eastern Aleutian Trench diminished or virtually ended soon after the trench began to fill. The undeformed fill provides no evidence for a large thrust fault zone at the base of the continental slope. Nor is there any evidence that oceanic sediments have disappeared beneath the continents in late Tertiary time. These observations are difficult to reconcile with the simple model of a continental margin advanced in the hypothesis of plate tectonics. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.