Late Cenozoic deformation in the South Caspian region: effects of a rigid basement block within a collision zone

Active deformation in the South Caspian region demonstrates the enormous variation in kinematics and structural style generated where a rigid basement block lies within a collision zone. Rigid basement to the South Caspian Basin moves with a westward component relative both to stable Eurasia and Iran, and is beginning to subduct at its northern and western margins. This motion is oblique to the approximately north–south Arabia–Eurasia convergence, and causes oblique shortening to the south and northeast of the South Caspian Basin: thrusting in the Alborz and Kopet Dagh is accompanied by range-parallel strike–slip faults, which are respectively left- and right-lateral. There are also arcuate fold and thrust belts in the region, for two principal reasons. Firstly, weaker regions deform and wrap around the rigid block. This occurs at the curved transition zone between the Alborz and Talysh ranges, where thrust traces are concave towards the foreland. Secondly, a curved fold and thrust belt can link a deformation zone created by movement of the basement block to one created by the regional convergence: west-to-east thrusts in the eastern Talysh represent underthrusting of the South Caspian basement, but pass via an arcuate fan of fold trains into SSW-directed thrusts in the eastern Greater Caucasus, which accommodates part of the Arabia–Eurasia convergence. Each part of the South Caspian region contains one or more detachment levels, which vary dependent on the pre-Pliocene geology. Buckle folds in the South Caspian Basin are detached from older rocks on thick mid-Tertiary mudrocks, whereas thrust sheets in the eastern Greater Caucasus detach on Mesozoic horizons. In the future, the South Caspian basement may be largely eliminated by subduction, leading to a situation similar to Archaean greenstone belts of interthrust mafic and sedimentary slices surrounded by the roots of mountain ranges constructed from continental crust.     

Collision leading to multiple-stage large-scale extrusion in the Qinling orogen: Insights from the Mianlue suture

The geologic framework of the Phanerozoic Qinling–Dabie orogen was built up through two major suturing events of three blocks. From north to south these include the North China craton (including the north Qinling block), the Qinling–Dabie microblock, and the South China craton (including the Bikou block), separated by the Shangdan and Mianlue sutures. The Mianlue suture zone contains evidence for Mesozoic extrusion tectonics in the form of major strike–slip border faults surrounding basement blocks, a Late Paleozoic ophiolite and a ca. 240–200 Ma thrust belt that reformed by 200–150 Ma thrusts during A-type (intracontinental) subduction. The regional map pattern shows that the blocks are surrounded by complexly deformed Devonian to Early Triassic metasandstones and metapelites, forming a regional-scale block-in-matrix mélange fabric. Five distinct tectonic units have been recognized in the belt: (1) basement blocks including two types of Precambrian basement, crystalline and transitional; (2) continental margin slices including Early Paleozoic strata, and Late Paleozoic fluviodeltaic sedimentary rocks, proximal and distal fan clastics, reflecting the development of a north-facing rift margin on the edge of the South China plate; (3) out of sequence oceanic crustal slices including strongly deformed postrift, deep-water sedimentary rocks, sheeted dikes, basalts, and mafic–ultramafic cumulates of a Late Paleozoic ophiolite suite, developing independent of the rift margin in a separate basin; (4) out-of-sequence island-arc slices; (5) accretionary wedge slices. All the tectonic units were deformed during three geometrically distinct deformation episodes (D₁, D₂ and D₃ during 240–200 Ma). Units 2–4 involved southward thrusting and vertical then southward extrusion of about 20 km of horizontal displacement above the autochthonous basement during the D₁ episode. Thrust slices 20 km south of the Mianlue suture are related to this vertical extrusion due to the same rock assemblages, ages and kinematics. The D₂ and D₃ episodes folded all the units in a thick-skinned style about east–west (D₂) and west–northwest (D₃) axes in the Mianlue suture zone. An early foreland propagating sequence of accretion of Late Paleozoic rocks deposited above the Yangtze craton is not involved in D₁ deformation but is temporally equivalent to the D₂ and D₃ deformation in the Mianlue suture. Two stages of strike–slip faulting mainly occurred at the end of D₂ and D₃, respectively. During D₂ deformation, the Bikou block was obliquely indented to the ESE into the Mianlue suture, rather than being thrust over the Mianlue suture from the north as a part of the Qinling–Dabie microblock. During D₃ deformation, however, the Bikou block was bounded by the south boundary fault of the Mianlue suture, and the Yangpingguan fault on the south. These faults are coeval strike–slip faults, but of opposite senses, and accommodated minor southwestward extrusion of the Bikou block into Songpan–Ganze orogen. The other basement blocks north of the Mianlue suture were extruded eastward by about 20 km of lateral displacement, based on the offset of the Wudang dome, during the D₃ episode due to the northeastward indentation of the Hannan complex of the South China craton. Post-D₃ emplacement of granite, cutting across the strike–slip faults such as the Mianlue suture, provides a minimum age of 200 Ma for D₃ deformation. Therefore, based on insights from the evolution of the Mianlue suture, the D₂ and D₃ episodes in the Mianlue suture and its neighbors are not responsible for and associated with the two-stage extrusion of the Dabie UHP-HP terranes from the Foping dome to the present erosional surface (more than 350 km).     

Sources of Mw 5+ earthquakes in northeastern Italy and western Slovenia: An updated view based on geological and seismological evidence

We present an overview of the seismogenic sources of northeastern Italy and western Slovenia, included in the last version of the Database of Individual Seismogenic Sources (DISS 3.0.2) and a new definition of the geometry of the Montello Source that will be included in the next release of the database. The seismogenic sources included in DISS are active faults capable of generating M_w > 5.5 earthquakes. We describe the method and the data used for their identification and characterization, discuss some implications for the seismic hazard and underline controversial points and open issues.In the Veneto–Friuli area (NE Italy), destructive earthquakes up to M_w 6.6 are generated by thrust faulting along N-dipping structures of the Eastern Southalpine Chain. Thrusting along the mountain front responds to about 2 mm/a of regional convergence, and it is associated with growing anticlines, tilted and uplifted Quaternary palaeolandsurfaces and forced drainage anomalies. In western Slovenia, dextral strike–slip faulting along the NW–SE trending structures of the Idrija Fault System dominates the seismic release. Activity and style of faulting are defined by recent earthquakes (e.g. the M_s 5.7, 1998 Bovec–Krn Mt. and the M_w 5.2, 2004 Kobarid earthquakes), while the related recent morphotectonic imprint is still a debated matter.We reinterpreted a large set of tectonic data and developed a segmentation model for the outermost Eastern Southalpine Chain thrust front. We also proposed the association of the four major shocks of the 1976 Friuli earthquake sequence with individual segments of three major thrust fronts. Although several sub-parallel active strike–slip strands exist in western Slovenia, we were able to positively identify only two segments of the Idrija Fault System. A comparison of the regional GPS velocity with long-term geological slip-rates of the seismogenic sources included in DISS shows that from a quarter to half of the deformation is absorbed along the external alignment of thrust faults in Veneto and western Friuli. The partitioning of the deformation in western Slovenia among the different strike–slip strands could not be quantified.     

Lithospheric evolution of the Andean fold–thrust belt, Bolivia, and the origin of the central Andean plateau

We combine geological and geophysical data to develop a generalized model for the lithospheric evolution of the central Andean plateau between 18° and 20° S from Late Cretaceous to present. By integrating geophysical results of upper mantle structure, crustal thickness, and composition with recently published structural, stratigraphic, and thermochronologic data, we emphasize the importance of both the crust and upper mantle in the evolution of the central Andean plateau. Four key steps in the evolution of the Andean plateau are as follows. 1) Initiation of mountain building by 70 Ma suggested by the associated foreland basin depositional history. 2) Eastward jump of a narrow, early fold–thrust belt at 40 Ma through the eastward propagation of a 200–400-km-long basement thrust sheet. 3) Continued shortening within the Eastern Cordillera from 40 to 15 Ma, which thickened the crust and mantle and established the eastern boundary of the modern central Andean plateau. Removal of excess mantle through lithospheric delamination at the Eastern Cordillera–Altiplano boundary during the early Miocene appears necessary to accommodate underthrusting of the Brazilian shield. Replacement of mantle lithosphere by hot asthenosphere may have provided the heat source for a pulse of mafic volcanism in the Eastern Cordillera and Altiplano at 24–23 Ma, and further volcanism recorded by 12–7 Ma crustal ignimbrites. 4) After 20 Ma, deformation waned in the Eastern Cordillera and Interandean zone and began to be transferred into the Subandean zone. Long-term rates of shortening in the fold–thrust belt indicate that the average shortening rate has remained fairly constant (8–10 mm/year) through time with possible slowing (5–7 mm/year) in the last 15–20 myr. We suggest that Cenozoic deformation within the mantle lithosphere has been focused at the Eastern Cordillera–Altiplano boundary where the mantle most likely continues to be removed through piecemeal delamination.     

准噶尔西北缘斜向挤压构造与走滑断裂

古板块构造研究表明古生代以来,准噶尔地块以斜向方式拼合到阿尔泰（Altaids）造山带构造域内,导致准噶尔西北缘一直处在斜向挤压构造背景之下,并发育高角度逆冲推覆构造带以及横向走滑断裂。地面地质调查、遥感卫星影像解译、大地电磁测深剖面和地震剖面构造解释资料综合研究表明,准噶尔西北缘边界断裂为达拉布特左行走滑断裂,西北缘逆冲推覆构造带为基底卷入的高角度逆冲断裂褶皱带; 在与逆冲带走向相垂直方向,发育有北西向横向走滑断裂,这些断裂为同一斜向挤压构造背景下形成的同期构造,形成时间约在晚二叠到侏罗纪之间。大地电磁测深和地震剖面解释表明,达拉布特走滑断裂控制了西北缘高角度逆冲断裂的分布与性质。西北缘二维和三维地震剖面解释表明,横向走滑断裂样式为正花状构造或者负花状构造,同时具有向南东或北西方向逆冲和拉伸的特征。横向走滑断裂为西北缘逆冲构造南北方向分段的主要断裂,并控制了西北缘中生代地层的沉积。西北缘构造是形成于主边界断裂的斜向挤压作用,而基底卷入逆冲断裂则属非纯挤压形成的逆冲构造。     

Oblique strain partitioning and transpression on an inverted rift: The Castilian Branch of the Iberian Chain

The Iberian Chain is a wide intraplate deformation zone formed by the tectonic inversion during the Pyrenean orogeny of a Permian–Mesozoic basin developed in the eastern part of the Iberian Massif. The N–S convergence between Iberia and Eurasia from the Late Cretaceous to the Lower Miocene times produced significant intraplate deformation. The NW–SE oriented Castilian Branch of the Iberian Chain can be considered as a “key zone” where the proposed models for the Cenozoic tectonic evolution of the Iberian Chain can be tested. Structural style of basin inversion suggests mainly strike–slip displacements along previous NW–SE normal faults, developed mostly during the Mesozoic. To confirm this hypothesis, structural and basin evolution analysis, macrostructural Bouguer gravity anomaly analysis, detailed mapping and paleostress inversions have been used to prove the important role of strike slip deformation. In addition, we demonstrate that two main folding trends almost perpendicular (NE–SW to E–W and NW–SE) were simultaneously active in a wide transpressive zone. The two fold trends were generated by different mechanical behaviour, including buckling and bending under constrictive strain conditions. We propose that strain partitioning occurred with oblique compression and transpression during the Cenozoic.     

Deterministic chaos in frictional wedges revealed by convergence analysis

A triangular wedge, composed of a frictional material such as sand, and accreting additional material at its front, is the classical prototype for accretionary wedges and fold‐and‐thrust belts. A simplified method is proposed to capture the internal deformation of this structure resulting from a large number of faulting events during compression. The method combines the application of the kinematic approach of limit analysis to predict the optimum thrust‐fold and a set of geometrical rules to update the geometry accordingly, at each increment of shortening. It is shown that the structure topography remains approximately planar with a slope predicted by the critical Coulomb wedge theory. Failure by faulting occurs anywhere within the wedge at criticality, and its exact position is sensitive to topographic perturbations resulting from the deformation history. The convergence analysis in terms of the shortening increments and of the topography discretization reveals that the timing and the position of a single faulting event cannot be predicted. The convergence is achieved nevertheless in terms of the statistics of the distribution of the faulting events throughout the structure and during the entire deformation history. It is these two convergence properties that are presented to justify the claim that these compressed frictional wedges are imperfection sensitive, chaotic systems. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Integrated 3D geophysical and geological modelling of the Hercynian Suture Zone in the Champtoceaux area (south Brittany, France)

This paper combines geological knowledge and geophysical imagery at the crustal scale to model the 3D geometry of a segment of the Hercynian suture zone of western Europe in the Champtoceaux area (Brittany, France). The Champtoceaux complex consists of a stack of metamorphic nappes of gneisses and micaschists, with eclogite-bearing units. The exhumation of the complex, during early Carboniferous times, was accompanied by deformation during regional dextral strike–slip associated with a major Hercynian shear zone (the South Armorican Shear Zone, SASZ). Dextral shearing produced a km-scale antiformal structure with a steeply dipping axial plane and a steeply eastward plunging axis. Armor 2 deep seismic profile shows that the regional structure was cut by a set of faults with northward thrusting components. Based on the seismic constraint, direct 2D crustal-scale modelling was performed throughout the Champtoceaux fold on seven radial gravity profiles, also using geological data, and density measurements from field and drill-hole samples. The 3D integration of the cross-sections, the digitised geological map, and the structural information (foliation dips) insure the geometrical and topological consistency of all sources of data. The 2D information is interpolated to the whole 3D space using a geostatistical analysis. Finally, the 3D gravity contribution of the resulting model is computed taking into account densities for each modelled geological body and compared to the Bouguer anomaly. The final 3D model is thus compatible with the seismic and gravity data, as well as with geological data. Main geological results derived from the modelling are (i) the overall 3D geometry of the south dipping thrust system interpreted on the seismic profile emphasises northward thrusting and folding of the Champtoceaux complex which was coeval with strike–slip along the South Armorican Shear Zone; (ii) the gravity modelling suggests the presence of a relatively dense body below the Champtoceaux complex that could be interpreted as a result of relative uplift of midcrustal material during thrusting along the E–W trending wrench–thrust system; (iii) the northern limb of the Champtoceaux anticline is a relatively shallow feature; and (iv) Vigneux synkinematic granitic body is a laccolith sheared and rooted along the southern branch of the SASZ and spreads away from the strike–slip zone within weak country-rocks.     

Kinematic evolution of thrusts wedge and erratic line length balancing: insights from deformed sandbox models

Kinematic evolution of fold-thrust structures has been investigated by analogue models that include syntectonic sedimentation. Different decollement dips and basement thicknesses produced different wedge geometries and propagating characteristics. A model with one decollement level was characterized by a closely spaced thrust system during early stages of shortening as compared to the late stages. The frequency of fault nucleation was rapid during the early stages of deformation. Conversely, the frequency of fault nucleation was low and thrust spacing was significantly wider in a model with two decollement levels. Individual faults became locked at steep dips and deformation stepped forward as a new fault nucleated in-sequence in front of the older locked structure. Once the thrust system was established up to 27 % overall shortening, an overlying bed was introduced to simulate syntectonic deformation. Model sand wedge did not grow self similarly but rather its length and height increased episodically with deformation. Restoration of deformed models show that layer parallel shortening accommodated for approximately half of the total model shortening across the multilayers. Calculated error in apparent layer shortening from the restored layers revealed a direct relation with depth of the layers in the models. The experimental results are comparable to a natural example from the Northern Apennines fold-and-thrust belts.     

Mechanical stratigraphy as a factor controlling the development of a sandbox transfer zone: a three-dimensional analysis

In thrust belts, fold–fault terminations are common features of the structural architecture and can pose complicated problems to unravel, in particular when two or more terminations are in close proximity. Such terminations usually reflect pre-existing attributes. Amongst the many factors, lateral variations in the mechanical stratigraphy can control along-strike geometry and kinematics of fault-related folds.A displacement transfer zone was produced in a compressional sandbox model by means of two adjacent, mechanically different stratigraphic domains. The experiment allowed two discrete chains to develop in the different domains, so that a complex structural setting occurred in the connecting area. Periclinal folds, oblique thrust fronts and oblique ramps developed in the resulting transfer zone. The interaction between periclines in the transfer zone produced lateral culminations in the folded structures. The analysis of displacement across the structural domains revealed that a significant loss of slip along the faults occurred in the relay zone. In this area, imbricate faulting was partially replaced by layer-parallel shortening. A linear relationship appears to exist between the bed length of the thrust sheet and the related fault slip.     

Deep structure, recent deformation and analog modeling of the Gulf of Cadiz accretionary wedge: Implications for the 1755 Lisbon earthquake

The Gulf of Cadiz spans the plate boundary between Africa and Eurasia west of the Betic-Rif mountain belt. A narrow east dipping subduction zone descends beneath the Gulf of Cadiz and the straits of Gibraltar. The deep crustal structure of the Gulf and the adjacent SW Iberian and Moroccan margins is constrained by numerous multi-channel seismic reflection and wide-angle seismic surveys. A compilation of these existing studies is presented in the form of depth to basement, sediment thickness, depth to Moho and crustal thickness maps. These structural maps image an E-W trending trough, with thin (< 10 km) crust beneath the Gulf of Cadiz. This trough is filled by an eastward thickening wedge of sediments, reaching a thickness of 10-15 km in the eastern Gulf. These sediments are tectonically deformed, primarily along a series of westward-vergent thrust faults and represent a 200-250 km wide accretionary wedge. The northern and especially the southern limits of the accretionary wedge are marked by sharp morphological lineaments showing evidence of recent deformation. These tectonic limits are situated in an internal position with respect to the Miocene deformation front (external Betic and Rif allocthons), which has been abandoned. At the western boundary of the accretionary wedge, near the adjacent Seine and Horseshoe abyssal plains, an E-W trending basement high (Coral Patch Ridge) can be seen indenting the deformation front in an asymmetric manner. Analog modeling is performed using granular materials accreted against a semicircular backstop (representing the basement of the Rif and Betic mountain belts). The modeling initially produces a symmetric, arcuate accretionary wedge. The ensuing collision of an oblique rigid indenter retards accretion on one side, resulting in an embayment and a locally steeper deformation front. The deformation pattern observed in morphology and high-resolution seismic profiles suggests the accretionary wedge and underlying subduction system is still active. The implications of active subduction for the source region of the 1755 Lisbon earthquake and the regional seismic hazard assessment are discussed.     

Topography as a major factor in the development of arcuate thrust belts: insights from sandbox experiments

We have used sandbox experiments to investigate and to illustrate the effects of topography upon the development of arcuate thrust belts. In experiments where a sand pack shortened and thickened in front of an advancing rectilinear piston, the geometry of the developing thrust wedge was highly sensitive to variations in surface topography. In the absence of erosion and sedimentation, the surface slope tended to become uniform, as predicted by the theory of critical taper. Under these conditions, the wedge propagated by sequential accretion of new thrust slices. In contrast, where erosion or sedimentation caused the topographic profile to become irregular, thrusts developed out of sequence. For example, erosion throughout a hinterland caused underlying thrusts to remain active and inhibited the development of new thrusts in the foreland. Where initial topography was irregular in plan view, accreting thrusts tended to be arcuate. They were convex towards the foreland, around an initially high area; concave towards the foreland, around an initially low area. Initial plateaux tended to behave rigidly, while arcuate thrust slices accreted to them. Thrust motions were radial with respect to each plateau. Within transfer zones to each side, fault blocks rotated about vertical axes and thrust motions were oblique-slip. At late stages of deformation, the surface slope of the thrust wedge tended towards a uniform value. Initial mountains of conical shape (representing volcanoes) also escaped deformation, except at depth, where they detached. Arcuate thrust slices accreted to front and back. Where a developing thrust wedge was subject to local incision, accreting thrust slices dipped towards surrounding areas of high topography, forming Vs across valleys.Arcuate structural patterns are to be found around the three highest plateaux on Earth (Tibet, Pamirs and Altiplano) and around the Tromen volcanic ridge in the Neuquén Basin of northern Patagonia. We infer that these areas behaved in quasi-rigid fashion, protected as they were by their high topography.     

Tectonics and sedimentation in the Curitiba Basin, south of Brazil

The Curitiba Basin, Paraná, lies parallel to the west side of the Serra do Mar range and is part of a continental rift near the Atlantic coast of southeastern Brazil. It bears unconsolidated and poorly consolidated sediments divided in two formations: the lower Guabirotuba Formation and the overlying Tinguis Formation, both developed over Precambrian basement. Field observations, water well drill cores, and interpretations of satellite images lead to the inference that regional tectonic processes were responsible for the origin of the Basin in the continental rift context and for morphotecatonic evolution through block tilting, dissection, and erosion. The structural framework of the sediments and the basement is characterized by NE–SW-trending normal faults (extensional tectonic D₁ event) reactivated by NE–SW-trending strike–slip and reverse oblique faults (younger transtensional tectonic D_2′ to transpressional tectonic D_2″ event). This tectonic event, which started in the Paleogene and controlled the basin geometry, began as a halfgraben and was later reactivated as a pull-apart basin. D₂ is a neotectonic event that controls the current morphostructures. The Basin is connected to the structural rearrangement of the South American platform, which underwent a generalized extensional or trantensional process and, in late Oligocene, changed to a compressional to transpressional regime.     

Neotectonics of the Somogy hills (Part II): Evidence from seismic sections

The Somogy hills are located in the Pannonian Basin, south of Lake Balaton, Hungary, above several important tectonic zones. Analysis of industrial seismic lines shows that the pre-Late Miocene substratum is deformed by several thrust faults and a transpressive flower structure. Basement is composed of slices of various Palaeo-Mesozoic rocks, overlain by sometimes preserved Paleogene, thick Early Miocene deposits. Middle Miocene, partly overlying a post-thrusting unconformity, partly affected by the thrusts, is also present. Late Miocene thick basin-fill forms onlapping strata above a gentle paleo-topography, and it is also folded into broad anticlines and synclines. These folds are thought to be born of blind fault reactivation of older thrusts. Topography follows the reactivated fold pattern, especially in the central-western part of the study area.

The map pattern of basement structures shows an eastern area, where NE–SW striking thrusts, folds and steep normal faults dominate, and a western one, where E–W striking thrusts and folds dominate. Folds in Late Neogene are also parallel to these directions. A NE–SW striking linear normal fault and associated N–S faults cut the highest reflectors. The NE–SW fault is probably a left-lateral master fault acting during–after Late Miocene. Gravity anomaly and Pleistocene surface uplift maps show a very good correlation to the mapped structures. All these observations suggest that the main Early Miocene shortening was renewed during the Middle and Late Miocene, and may still persist.

Two types of deformational pattern may explain the structural and topographic features. A NW–SE shortening creates right-lateral slip along E–W faults, and overthrusts on NE–SW striking ones. Another, NNE–SSW shortening creates thrusting and uplift along E–W striking faults and transtensive left-lateral slip along NE–SW striking ones. Traces of both deformation patterns can be found in Quaternary exposures and they seem to be consistent with the present day stress orientations of the Pannonian Basin, too. The alternation of stress fields and multiple reactivation of the older fault sets is thought to be caused by the northwards translation and counter-clockwise rotation of Adria and the continental extrusion generated by this convergence.     

Four-dimensional transform fault processes: progressive evolution of step-overs and bends

Many bends or step-overs along strike–slip faults may evolve by propagation of the strike–slip fault on one side of the structure and progressive shut-off of the strike–slip fault on the other side. In such a process, new transverse structures form, and the bend or step-over region migrates with respect to materials that were once affected by it. This process is the progressive asymmetric development of a strike–slip duplex. Consequences of this type of step-over evolution include: (1) the amount of structural relief in the restraining step-over or bend region is less than expected; (2) pull-apart basin deposits are left outside of the active basin; and (3) local tectonic inversion occurs that is not linked to regional plate boundary kinematic changes. This type of evolution of step-overs and bends may be common along the dextral San Andreas fault system of California; we present evidence at different scales for the evolution of bends and step-overs along this fault system. Examples of pull-apart basin deposits related to migrating releasing (right) bends or step-overs are the Plio-Pleistocene Merced Formation (tens of km along strike), the Pleistocene Olema Creek Formation (several km along strike) along the San Andreas fault in the San Francisco Bay area, and an inverted colluvial graben exposed in a paleoseismic trench across the Miller Creek fault (meters to tens of meters along strike) in the eastern San Francisco Bay area. Examples of migrating restraining bends or step-overs include the transfer of slip from the Calaveras to Hayward fault, and the Greenville to the Concord fault (ten km or more along strike), the offshore San Gregorio fold and thrust belt (40 km along strike), and the progressive transfer of slip from the eastern faults of the San Andreas system to the migrating Mendocino triple junction (over 150 km along strike). Similar 4D evolution may characterize the evolution of other regions in the world, including the Dead Sea pull-apart, the Gulf of Paria pull-apart basin of northern Venezuela, and the Hanmer and Dagg basins of New Zealand.     

Pseudotachylytes in the southern border fault of the Cenozoic intracontinental Teletsk basin (Altai, Russia)

The Cenozoic intracontinental Teletsk basin in the Central Asian Altai Mountains is composed of a complexly structured northern and a more simple southern sub-basin. These sub-basins formed in two distinct kinematic stages when first the NNW-striking Teletsk- and then the NE-striking West-Sayan shear zones became reactivated in the Cenozoic under dominant NS-oriented horizontal compression. Although the entire Teletsk basin strikes roughly NS, the southern sub-basin is parallel to the NNW-trending, amphibolite facies Teletsk ductile shear zone, while the northern sub-basin is NS-striking and flanked by differently structured, greenschist facies basement. Basement reactivation closely controlled the southern sub-basin formation, but this is less clear for the northern sub-basin. Contrasts between northern and southern basement and the exclusive occurrence of pseudotachylytes along the margins of the southern basin are explored for their contribution to the formation of the Teletsk basin with two distinct sub-basins.In the ductile shear fabric of the basement flanking the southern sub-basin, concordantly interleaved pseudotachylytes and isolated breccia lenses reflect local brittle deformation along the ductile fabric. The genetic link between breccia lenses and pseudotachylyte occurrences was defined by microstructural investigation. It allows to explore their possible development in a dextral strike–slip zone. These rocks occur in a large fault-bounded segment of the basement. The geometry of the structures in the segment is comparable with a dextral strike–slip sidewall-ripout structure along the Teletsk shear zone. Seismic slip related to pseudotachylytes is attributed to the sudden stress release on the NNW-striking Teletsk shear zone, when the latter became unconstrained by reactivation of the NE-trending West-Sayan fault zone at its northern boundary. The boundary of the sidewall-ripout structure was reactivated as a large listric fault in a later stage. The northern sub-basins roughly develop along an NS strike and are assumed to reflect reactivation of the ductile shear zone underneath the variably structured greenschist facies basement outcropping along the flanks of the sub-basin.     

Syntectonic crustal melting and high-grade metamorphism in a transpressional regime, Variscan Massif Central, France

Hot collisional orogens are characterized by abundant syn-kinematic granitic magmatism that profoundly affects their tectono-thermal evolutions. Voluminous granitic magmas, emplaced between 360 and 270 Ma, played a visibly important role in the evolution of the Variscan Orogen. In the Limousin region (western Massif Central, France), syntectonic granite plutons are spatially associated with major strike–slip shear zones that merge to the northwest with the South Armorican Shear Zone. This region allowed us to assess the role of magmatism in a hot transpressional orogen. Microstructural data and U/Pb zircon and monazite ages from a mylonitic leucogranite indicate synkinematic emplacement in a dextral transpressional shear zone at 313 ± 4 Ma. Leucogranites are coeval with cordierite-bearing migmatitic gneisses and vertical lenses of leucosome in strike–slip shear zones. We interpret U/Pb monazite ages of 315 ± 4 Ma for the gneisses and 316 ± 2 Ma for the leucosomes as the minimum age of high-grade metamorphism and migmatization respectively. These data suggest a spatial and temporal relationship between transpression, crustal melting, rapid exhumation and magma ascent, and cooling of high-grade metamorphic rocks.Some granites emplaced in the strike–slip shear zone are bounded at their roof by low dip normal faults that strike N–S, perpendicular to the E–W trend of the belt. The abundant crustal magmatism provided a low-viscosity zone that enhanced Variscan orogenic collapse during continued transpression, inducing the development of normal faults in the transpression zone and thrust faults at the front of the collapsed orogen.     

库车再生前陆盆地冲断构造楔特征

库车再生前陆盆地冲断构造楔由一系列向南运动的逆冲断层和相关褶皱组成。冲断楔的北部以断层转折褶皱、断层传播褶皱、双重逆冲构造为主。断层楔的前缘发育了很好的滑脱膝折背斜,全为盲断层控制,形成隐蔽式前锋。冲断层的就位从中新世开始,自北向南迁移,前锋的构造形成在第四纪。造成逆冲断层的地壳水平缩短作用速度在中新世较慢,平均为0．355mm/a,上新世中期达0．82mm/a,而到上新世晚期和第四纪速度增大了约一个数量级,达到1．29－3mm/a。     

Effects of topography on the curvature of fold-and-thrust belts during shortening of a 2-layer model of continental lithosphere

We have used analogue experiments to investigate the effects of surface topography on the curvature of fold-and-thrust belts, under conditions of (1) initial relief, but no erosion, and (2) no initial relief, but differential erosion, sedimentation and transport.In experiments where a 2-layer model lithosphere shortened and thickened in front of an advancing straight piston, the geometry of the developing thrust wedge was very sensitive to variations in surface topography. In models with an initially flat, horizontal surface, and in the absence of erosion and sedimentation, thrusts were straight, propagated forwards, and nucleated at buckle folds far in front of an advancing piston. Around an initial topographic high (plateau or cone), thrusts tended to be arcuate, forming salients towards the foreland. Initial plateaux and cones tended to behave rigidly, while arcuate thrust slices formed around them. To accommodate differential slip, transfer zones developed on both sides of initial highs. Fault blocks rotated about vertical axes and thrusts moved in oblique slip within transfer zones. In models with initially horizontal surfaces, which were subject to differential erosion, sedimentation and transport, thrusts initially were straight, but then progressively rotated around non-eroded, thickened and stronger areas. These worked as indenters, in front of which new thrusts nucleated at curved buckle folds. These thrusts were also curved, their apices being in front of the thickened, non-eroded areas.In nature, arcuate structural patterns are to be found around the Altiplano of the Central Andes and around the Tromen volcanic ridge in the Neuquén Basin of northern Patagonia. We infer that these areas behaved in quasi-rigid fashion, protected as they were by their high elevations, and that differential erosion at the scale of the entire Andes may have contributed to oroclinal bending.