Island arc/continental arc collisions are commonly invoked to explain orogenic deformations in ancient mountain belts, but this type of collision is not well represented in the modern oceans. This collaborative project between workers at Yale University and Union College, will examine a well-exposed suture (thrust) between an inboard convergent continental arc and an exotic late cretaceous island arc (Olyutorsky terrane) to help resolve the kinematics expected in such situations, later deformations of this suture appears minimal. Results should provide a relatively clear data set that can be used to test several models for the evolution of plates in the north Pacific during the late Cretaceous as well as providing a relatively modern example of a continental arc/island arc collision.
