Abstract
A case study of the geomorphology of the Lesser Antilles island arc reveals, in its entirety, the influence of numerous geological forces and events. Most notably, these include the products of plate tectonics, volcanism, and carbonate marine reef formation. North of Dominica the island arc splits into two separate chains. The easternmost archipelago of these chains is largely comprised of extinct volcanoes that have since become the core of carbonate reef growth. The westernmost archipelago of the island arc and the southern half of the overall Lesser Antilles are still active volcanic complexes formed due to partial melting of subducting oceanic crust. Orogenic uplift due to transform plate tectonics and thrust faulting is observable in the southern Leeward Antilles.
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Garmon, W.T., Allen, C.D., Groom, K.M. (2017). Geologic and Tectonic Background of the Lesser Antilles. In: Allen, C. (eds) Landscapes and Landforms of the Lesser Antilles. World Geomorphological Landscapes. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-55787-8_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-55787-8_2
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