Geology of southeastern Barbados

Abstract

ABSTRACT This chapter presents geological documentation of Quaternary (and perhaps older) event histories of southeastern Barbados. The Barbados Limestone is herein formally defined. A time-stratigraphic division of the Barbados Limestone in southeastern Barbados and the properties of the stratigraphic units are presented. A major finding of this study is that the marine terraces originated wholly by marine erosion, not by reef construction, and evolved in stages over a long duration. The hydrology and thickness data of the Barbados Limestone are discussed, and hypotheses on causes of thickness variations are given. The study domain is divided into seven areas that contain a continuous flight of nine marine terraces preserved in various partial sequences. Discussions of these key seven areas in southeastern Barbados are supported by geologic maps at large scale and cross sections. Sections with VE > 1 display limestone stratigraphy and facies over relatively large lengths. Sections with VE = 1 show true structural configurations over short lengths. Detailed observations and radio isotopic dating of the limestone units permit differentiation and correlation among them.