Intra-arc basins are important but are little-studied component of complex island arc systems at consuming plate margins. These basins commonly mark the sites of important tectonic features such as major strike-slip faults, incipient rifts, or trapped fragments of ocean crust. The lack of investigation of these basins has resulted in an inadequate appreciation of their significance, in both modern and ancient arc terrances. In this award the investigators would study several marine and non-marine intra-arc basins in the Central Philippine archipelago. They will use a combination of marine geophysical and geological tools such as SeaMarc II Sonar, Single Channel Seismic profiler, Piston corer, etc., along with land geological survey techniques. This investigation will focus on the present-day tectonic setting and detailed structural evolution of basins, as well as on their stratigraphic and sedimentologic histories, and the spatial and temporal relations between sedimentation, volcanism and tectonism. The study is intended to solve regional problems, and to contribute to the general understanding of processes of internal disruption and sedimentation in island arcs, and to develop practicable criteria for identifying intra-arc basins in ancient, accreted arc terranes. The investigators have an excellent record of working in the Philippines water and the project has very high chances of being successful.
