Westward migration of extension in the northern Gulf of California, Mexico

Interpretation of industry seismic lines indicates that the eastern margin of the northern Gulf of California contains the inactive Adair-Tepoca and Upper Tiburon basins. The western margin is active and includes the Wagner, Consag, Upper Delfin, and Lower Delfin basins. These basin systems are separated by a wide basement high across which the upper strata in the inactive basins correspond to the middle and lower strata in the active basins, recording the westward migration of strain and subsidence during late Pliocene time. Our results illustrate the formation of an abandoned rift margin along the eastern Gulf of California.