ABSTRACT

New seismic reflection data south of the Florida Panhandle and west of the Florida Peninsula, on the continental slope, was recorded by personnel from the Department of Oceanography, Texas A & M University, during January and May, 1967. These data correlate well with earlier reflection and refraction results and indicate: 1) The anticlinal feature present along the top of the northern section of the West Florida Escarpment, which may represent an extension of the Washita-Fredericksburg reef trend, can be followed as far south along the scarp as 27°00N latitude and possibly farther; 2) The "scarp face reflector" which has been traced under the abyssal plain sediments in the northeastern part of the basin can be followed toward the south to the latitude of Dry Tortugas. In the southern section this reflecting horizon becomes "hummocky" and these high and lows appear to be horizons believed to represent the Upper and Lower Cretaceous are identified on the slope associated with the inundations present at the top of the scarp; and 3) The reflecting as far south as 27°30N. South of this latitude the character of the reflection records changes. This is interpreted to mean that the Tertiary section changes from predominately clastic toward the northwest to mainly carbonate toward the southeast.