Walton fault zone

The Gonâve Microplate, showing the location of the Walton fault zone

The Walton fault zone is a major active left lateral (sinistral) strike-slip fault, forming part of the southern boundary to the Cayman Trough. It extends from the Mid-Cayman Rise spreading center in the west to Jamaica in the east. It has a total length of about 360 km and is formed of several sub-parallel strands. Together with the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault zone it forms the southern boundary of the Gonâve Microplate.[1] It is associated with only moderate earthquakes with magnitudes of less than 6.[2]

  1. ^ Rosencrantz M.; Mann P. (1991). "SeaMARC II mapping of transform faults in the Cayman Trough, Caribbean Sea". Geology. 19 (7): 690–691. Bibcode:1991Geo....19..690R. doi:10.1130/0091-7613(1991)019<0690:SIMOTF>2.3.CO;2.
  2. ^ Salazar W.; Brown L.; Mannette G. (2013). "Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment for Jamaica". Journal of Civil Engineering and Architecture. 7 (9): 1118–1140.