Prevailing interpretations of the tectonic history of the NW Indian Ocean specify that the coast of Oman is a passive continental margin that rifted from India during the Late Jurassic. An alternative history is supported by recently acquired information comprising: a) magnetics data, b)seismic reflection profiles tied to boreholes, c) paleodepth estimates, and d) deformation observed along the Oman margin. These data imply that the Oman margin lie along a major transform fault. Funds included in the present award will support an analysis and synthesis of this new data in an attempt to determine which model is correct. Understanding the evolution of the Oman margin is important to deciphering the history of the Indian Ocean, the collision of India with Eurasia, and the history of sedimentation on the Oman margin.
