9725330 Dokka Deformation of sedimentary piles in passive margins in classical understanding of deformation of sedimentary piles impassive margins is based in past on structural relations in the Gulf Coast region. However, the evolution of the structures in this region is rather poorly understood. Fundamental questions that remain are what is the rate of growth of growth faults, is motion they continuous or episodic, is salt motion along the Gulf Coast kinematically linked to this extension, and how is strain partitioned between fault zones and the regions between faults. Dokka and Dixon will combine forces to collect GPS data to address these issues. Their multi-year multi-station campaigned to measure three dimension motion data as a function of time with the results integrated with sea level elevation data will address all of these issues in the central Gulf Coast region. Their results will provide a bridge between GPS data and tidal data, and differences in motion between and across known faults will reveal data on strain partitioning. The results will have generic significance because they will serve as a model for deformation of other passive margins where data are much less complete.
