Missing history (16–71 Ma) of the Galápagos hotspot: Implications for the tectonic and biological evolution of the Americas

Research Article| September 01, 2002 Missing history (16–71 Ma) of the Galápagos hotspot: Implications for the tectonic and biological evolution of the Americas Kaj Hoernle; Kaj Hoernle 1GEOMAR, Wischhofstrasse 1-3, 24148 Kiel, Germany Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Paul van den Bogaard; Paul van den Bogaard 1GEOMAR, Wischhofstrasse 1-3, 24148 Kiel, Germany Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Reinhard Werner; Reinhard Werner 1GEOMAR, Wischhofstrasse 1-3, 24148 Kiel, Germany Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Britta Lissinna; Britta Lissinna 1GEOMAR, Wischhofstrasse 1-3, 24148 Kiel, Germany Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Folkmar Hauff; Folkmar Hauff 1GEOMAR, Wischhofstrasse 1-3, 24148 Kiel, Germany Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Guillermo Alvarado; Guillermo Alvarado 2Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad, Apartado 10032-1000, Costa Rica Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Dieter Garbe-Schönberg Dieter Garbe-Schönberg 3Universität Kiel, Olshausenstrasse 40, 24148 Kiel, Germany Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (2002) 30 (9): 795–798. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2002)030<0795:MHMOTG>2.0.CO;2 Article history received: 04 Mar 2002 rev-recd: 09 May 2002 accepted: 10 May 2002 first online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share MailTo Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Kaj Hoernle, Paul van den Bogaard, Reinhard Werner, Britta Lissinna, Folkmar Hauff, Guillermo Alvarado, Dieter Garbe-Schönberg; Missing history (16–71 Ma) of the Galápagos hotspot: Implications for the tectonic and biological evolution of the Americas. Geology 2002;; 30 (9): 795–798. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2002)030<0795:MHMOTG>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 SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract We present the results of volcanological, geochemical, and geochronological studies of volcanic rocks from Malpelo Island on the Nazca plate (15.8–17.3 Ma) belonging to the Galápagos hotspot tracks, and igneous complexes (20.8–71.3 Ma) along the Pacific margin of Costa Rica and Panama. The igneous complexes consist of accreted portions of ocean island and seamount volcanoes and aseismic ridges, representing the missing (primarily subducted) history of the Galápagos hotspot. The age and geochemical data directly link the Galápagos hotspot tracks on the Pacific Ocean floor to the Caribbean large igneous province (ca. 72–95 Ma), confirming a Pacific origin for the Caribbean oceanic plateau from the Galápagos hotspot. We propose that emplacement of this oceanic plateau between the Americas and interaction of the Galápagos hotspot tracks with the Central American Arc played a fundamental role in the formation of land bridges between the Americas in Late Cretaceous–Paleocene and Pliocene-Holocene time. The land bridges allowed the exchange of terrestrial faunas (e.g., dinosaurs, mastodons, saber-tooth cats, and ground sloths) between the Americas and served as barriers for the exchange of marine organisms between the central Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea and the central Atlantic Ocean. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.