The Unique Tectonic Setting ofSulawesi, IndonesiaThe Opening of the Makassar StraightThe opening of Makassar Straight began along the Pasternoster Fault. The movement is described as a northwest--southeast sinistral shift which impacted both Kalimantan and Celebes (ancient Sulawesi). Then at both the northern and southern ends of the Makassar Straight spreading centers developed, and the spreading centers were conected by the Pasternoster Fault. Together, the fault and the spreading centers acted like a dextral transform fault and moved the northern end of the western arc eastward. The southern spreading center was constrained by thick continental crust which resulted in a counter clockwise rotation which created an east dipping subduction zone which produced Late Quaternary vocanoes in South Celebes, such as the Lompobatang and Barupu volcanoes. Sulawesi continued to move eastward until its motion was stopped by the Palu-Koro transform fault. Another spreading center developed in the Sulawesi Sea which altered the direction of the movement of Sulawesi to a south--southeast direction, all the while rotating Celebes until it reached its present position.
Map of Kalimantan and Sulawesi showing the Pasternoster Fault (http://www.govacation-indonesia.com/01engl/gv_indo/04destmp/02sulalg.html)
(Katali 1978)
(Katali 1978)
(Katali 1978)
(Katali 1978)
The Pasternoster and Palu-Koro Faults (Katali 1978) |
