A modern structural regime in the Paleoarchean (3.64 Ga); Isua Greenstone Belt, southern West Greenland

The footwall gneisses beneath the western part of the Paleoarchean (3.8 Ga) Isua Greenstone Belt, southern West Greenland, are interpreted here in terms of a 3.64 Ga stack of mylonitic crystalline thrust-nappes, the oldest example known on Earth. In present coordinates, the kinematic history of the thrust-nappe stack is couched in terms of initial longitudinal (strike-parallel) thrusting towards the southwest, followed by transverse thrusting to the northwest, and subsequent extensional collapse of the thickened crust toward the southeast.Diorite and tonalite that form the western margin of granitoids, structurally overlying the western part of the Isua Greenstone Belt and its footwall, contain 3.5 Ga mafic dykes, some of which are deformed and/or truncated at fault contacts within the granitoids. Accordingly, a component of the deformation structurally above the Isua Greenstone Belt occurred after 3.5 Ga, significantly later than the formation of the underlying mylonitic nappes, probably during the Neoarchean.The structural regime of mylonitic thrust-nappe stacking is very similar to that in modern mountain belts. It would appear that the deformational behaviour, rheological constitution and overall strength of Paleoarchean and modern continental crust were similar.     

A tectonic interpretation of “Eburnean terrane” outliers in the Reguibat Shield, Mauritania

The Reguibat Shield comprises a western “Archaean terrane” and eastern “Eburnean terrane” juxtaposed during the early Palaeoproterozoic Eburnean Orogeny. Metasedimentary rocks of probable Palaeoproterozoic age are preserved as flat-lying klippen (Kediat Ijil and Guelb Zednes) and steep imbricate zones (El Mahaoudat range and Sfariat Belt). These are interpreted to record a phase of thrust tectonics that emplaced a continental margin succession onto a composite Archaean foreland prior to ca. 2.06 Ga sinistral transcurrent deformation. Together, these events reflect partitioned Eburnean transpression.     

Mechanisms of thrust faulting in the gran sasso chain, central apennines, italy

The Gran Sasso chain in Central Italy is made up of an imbricate stack of eight thrust sheets, which were emplaced over the Upper Miocene—Lower Pliocene Laga Flysch. The thrust sheets are numbered from 1 to 8 in order of their decreasing elevation in the tectonic stack, and their basal thrusts are numbered from T₁ to T₈, accordingly. On the basis of their different deformation features, the major thrust faults fall into three groups: (1) thrust faults marked by thick belts of incoherent gouges and breccia zones (T₁, T₂, T₃); (2) thrust faults characterized by a sharp plane which truncates folds that had developed in the footwall rocks (T₅, T₆); and (3) thrust faults truncating folds developed in both the hangingwall and footwall units, and bordered by foliated fault rocks (T₇). The deformation features observed for the different faults seem to vary because of two combined factors: (1) lithologic changes in the footwall and hangingwall units separated by the thrust faults; and (2) increasing amounts of deformation in the deepest portions of the imbricate stack. The upper thrust sheets (from 1 to 6) are characterized by massive calcareous and dolomitic rocks, they maintain a homoclinal setting and are truncated up-section by the cataclastic thrust faults. The lowermost thrust sheets (7 and 8) are characterized by a multilayer with competence contrasts, which undergoes shear-induced folding prior to the final emplacement of the thrust sheets. Bedding and axial planes of folds rotate progressively towards the T₅, T₆, T₇ and T₈ thrust boundaries, and are subsequently truncated by propagation of the brittle thrust faults. The maximum deformation is observed along the T₇ thrust fault, consistent with horizontal displacement that increases progressively from the uppermost to the lowermost thrust sheet in the tectonic stack. The axial planes of the folds developed in the hangingwall and footwall units are parallel to the T₇ thrust fault, and foliated fault rocks have developed. Field data and petrographic analysis indicate that cleavage fabrics in the fault rocks form by a combination of cataclasis, cataclastic flow and pressure-solution slip, associated with pervasive shearing along subtly distributed slip zones parallel to the T₇ thrust fault. The development of such fabrics at upper crustal levels creates easy-slip conditions in progressively thinner domains, which are regions of localized flow during the thrust sheet emplacement.     

Sequence of thrusting and origin of culminations in the northern and central Oman Mountains

Detailed mapping and structural analysis of three large-scale culminations (Sumeini and Asjudi half-windows and Haybi-Hawasina window) in the Oman Mountains shows a considerably more complex history of deformation than a simple foreland (or downward) sequence of thrust development. Early thrusting processes tended to create a regular stacking order of imbricate slices and major thrust sheets, complying with the “rules’ of thrust propagation, assembled progressively downwards and forwards in the direction of translation. ‘Out-of-sequence’ thrusts can also be demonstrated in places by truncation of footwall structures (folds, imbricate slices, etc.), gross strain differences between thrust sheets, downward-facing structures in footwall units and elimination of thrust sheets beneath. Late stage thrusts frequently cut up-section through the previously assembled stack putting previously younger, lower thrust sheets over previously older, higher ones. Many of the culminations in the northern and central Oman Mountains were formed by ramping associated with this late-stage leap-frog rethrusting event.     

Thrust tectonics,thin skinned or thick skinned,and the continuation of thrusts to deep in the crust

The paper analyses the geometry of thin-skinned thrust zones, where the thrusts shallow out at depth and of thicker-skinned fault zones where much of the crust is involved and where the thrusts are frequently observed to become steeper downwards. In the interiors of many orogenic belts the steep dip of faults is not original but due to the folding above lower decoupling zones. The energy involved in the internal deformation of hanging-wall rocks may prohibit many faults becoming more shallow upwards. Such shallowing-upwards faults may occur in more ductile rocks to maintain compatibility between zones which have experienced different deformation intensities, but displacements on the faults are unlikely to be large.Another mechanism for producing faults which steepen downwards is proposed for the major thrusts which form the southern margin to the Himalayas. These carry large thicknesses (30 to 100 km) of crustal and upper mantle rocks to the south, causing flexuring and isostatic depression of the Indian plate. The steeply dipping thrusts are not footwall ramps; these may be some distance behind the steepened zone. This thrust-induced isostatic bending of the crust has important implications when considering regional seismic interpretations as well as thrust mechanics and kinematics.     

Upper crustal shortening and forward modeling of the Himalayan thrust belt along the Budhi-Gandaki River, central Nepal

A balanced cross-section along the Budhi-Gandaki River in central Nepal between the Main Central thrust, including displacement on that fault, and the Main Frontal thrust reveals a minimum total shortening of 400 km. Minimum displacement on major orogen-scale structures include 116 km on the Main Central thrust, 110 km on the Ramgarh thrust, 95 km on the Trishuli thrust, and 56 km in the Lesser Himalayan duplex. The balanced cross-section was also incrementally forward modeled assuming a generally forward-breaking sequence of thrusting, where early faults and hanging-wall structures are passively carried from the hinterland toward the foreland. The approximate correspondence of the forward modeled result to observe present day geometries suggest that the section interpretation is viable and admissible. In the balanced cross-section, the Trishuli thrust is the roof thrust for the Lesser Himalayan duplex. The forward model and reconstruction emphasize that the Lesser Himalayan duplex grew by incorporating rock from the footwall and transferring it to the hanging wall along the Main Himalayan thrust. As the duplex developed, the Lesser Himalayan ramp migrated southward. The movement of Lesser Himalayan thrust sheets over the ramp pushed the Lesser Himalayan rock and the overburdens of the Greater and Tibetan Himalayan rock toward the erosional surface. This vertical structural movement caused by footwall collapse and duplexing, in combination with erosion, exhumed the Lesser Himalaya.     

Tectono-metamorphic evolution of a nappe stack: A case study of the Swiss Alps

Fold-and-thrust belts are prominent structures that occur at the front of compressional orogens. To unravel the tectonic and metamorphic evolution of such complexes, kinematic investigations, quantitative microstructural analysis and geothermometry (calcite–graphite, calcite–dolomite) were performed on carbonate mylonites from thrust faults of the Helvetic nappe stack in Central Switzerland. Paleo-isotherms of peak temperature conditions and cooling stages (fission track) of the nappe pile were reconstructed in a vertical section and linked with the microstructural and kinematic evolution. Mylonitic microstructures suggest that under metamorphic conditions close to peak temperature, strain was highly localized within thrust faults where deformation temperatures spatially continuously increased in both directions, from N to S within each nappe and from top–down in the nappe stack, covering a temperature range of 180–380 °C. Due to the higher metamorphic conditions, thrusting of the lowermost nappe, the Doldenhorn nappe, was accompanied by a much more pronounced nappe internal ductile deformation of carbonaceous rock types than was the case for the overlying Wildhorn- and Gellihorn nappes. Ongoing thrusting brought the Doldenhorn nappe closer to the surface. The associated cooling resulted in a freezing in of the paleo-isotherms of peak metamorphic conditions. Contemporaneous shearing localized in the basal thrust, initially still in the ductile deformation regime and finally as brittle faulting and cataclasis inducing ultimately an inverse metamorphic zonation. With ongoing exhumation and the formation of the Helvetic antiformal nappe stack, a bending of large-scale tectonic structures (thrusts, folds), peak temperature isotherms and cooling isotherms occurred. While this local bending can directly be attributed to active deformation underneath the section investigated up to times of 2–3 ma, a more homogeneous uplift of the entire region is suggested for the very late and still active exhumation stage.     

Brittle–ductile deformation in the Glarus thrust Lochseiten (LK) calc-mylonite

The Glarus thrust accommodated at least 30 km of northward displacement strongly localized within a 1-m layer of 'Lochseiten' (LK) calc-mylonite. This layer displays veins in various states of plastic deformation and a wildly refolded foliated gouge texture. Lattice- and shape-preferred orientations are observed within the fine-grained, recrystallized matrix. These features indicate the alternate activity of brittle and ductile deformation mechanisms. In contrast to the classical view that grain boundary sliding (superplasticity) is the dominant deformation mechanism, it is advocated that fluids, derived from the footwall and expelled along the thrust, are responsible for hydrofracturing and cataclastic deformation. In periods between fracture events, deformation was ductile. In this new interpretation, a substantial amount of the total thrust displacement was accommodated by numerous short-lived and strongly localized fracture events at the base of the Verrucano thrust sheet, rather than a permanently weak décollement lithology.     

Thrust kinematics and transposition fabrics from a basal detachment zone, eastern Australia

Emplacement of an upper crustal, leading imbricate-fan thrust belt in the Lachlan Fold Belt of eastern Australia was accomplished along a 0.5–1 km thick zone of heterogeneously deformed, low grade phyllonite in pelitic rock. Continuous recrystallization and neocrystallization of mica in a zone of transposition layering has provided a weak zone at the base of a 100 km wide × 150 km exposed length × 10 km thick thrust system. The basal deformation zone is characterized by a low-moderately dipping, strong-intense transposition foliation enclosing elongate fault-bounded slices (up to 20 km long × 5 km wide in map view) of disrupted Cambrian metavolcanics and Upper Ordovician black shales and slates. These are derived from a structurally lower zone of duplexing or from the overturned limbs of anticlinorial structures. The detachment zone is a 10–15 km wide zone of intense deformation showing a transition from open, upright folds with weak cleavage to inclined, tightisoclinal folds with strong axial surface cleavage. The intensity of minor faults also increases into the zone. Leading imbricate fan thrust belts show maximum deformation effects along the basal detachment which forms the frontal or leading fault. The leading imbricate geometry is due to emplacement of the basal detachment zone up the lowest and last formed imbricate thrust. Movement is along a relatively ductile, low viscosity ‘layer’ at the base where strain softening occurs with development of transposition layering. This enables confined ‘flow’ along the basal zone with transport and emplacement of the fold system and duplex zone to higher structural levels. Reaction-enhanced ductility and grain boundary sliding may be important deformation mechanisms responsible for this flow. Localized polydeformation, marked by mesofolds and crenulation cleavage, reflects the interaction between thrust sheets and the movement on faults.     

甘肃敦煌-北山早前寒武纪岩石组合-构造初步框架

甘肃敦煌－北山地区广泛出露早前寒武纪岩石。这些岩石在早期的《甘肃省区域地质志》中被确定为前长城系、长城系、奥陶－志留系及部分石炭系。本文认为这些岩石应属太古宙和古元古代。据此，重新厘定了该区早前寒式纪岩石－构造框架。自南向北划分为敦煌太古宙杂岩区、北山南带古元古代剪切构造区和北山北带古元古代－太古宙杂岩区，并根据变形特点和岩石组合，进一步划分出次级带。     

太行山南段自立庄韧性剪切带变形特征

太行山南段临城自立庄地区古元古界甘陶河群中低级变质岩中发育一条左行逆冲型韧性剪切带。自立庄韧性剪切带出露长约10 km,宽约1 km,走向NNE,往西缓倾,在EW方向上由若干条强变形带与其间的弱变形域或岩块组成,平面上呈现平行式的组合特征。该韧性剪切带内发育糜棱岩、拉伸线理和皱纹线理、不对称褶皱、石香肠构造和构造透镜体、S-C面理和旋转碎斑等宏观和微观构造。S-C面理、旋转碎斑、不对称褶皱等宏微观变形特征一致表明自立庄韧性剪切带上盘由西往东逆冲的运动学性质。在对韧性剪切带宏观、微观构造特征研究基础上,结合区域资料,认为自立庄韧性剪切带的形成与华北克拉通古元古代末期西部陆块与东部陆块的EW向碰撞拼合有关,是18.5 Ga吕梁运动的产物。自立庄韧性剪切带的厘定为太行山南段古元古代构造演化提供了基础资料。     

龙门山南段盐井-五龙断裂磁组构特征及其对几何学、运动学的制约

盐井?五龙断裂是龙门山中央断裂北川?映秀断裂的南延部分,也是龙门山南段的三大控制性主干断裂之一。为了详细认识盐井?五龙断裂的构造几何学、运动学特征,在野外构造研究的基础上,运用磁组构方法对盐井?五龙断裂105块构造岩定向样品进行深入研究。野外构造解析表明断裂至少发生了韧性挤压剪切、脆?韧性逆冲和脆性挤压碎裂三期构造变形。磁组构研究显示构造岩磁组构样品的平均磁化率k_m值具有强磁化率和弱磁化率两种特征。磁组构形状参数T、磁面理F值、磁线理L值和T-P_J图解显示磁化率椭球体主要为压扁型,磁面理较磁线理发育,局部发育较强磁线理,进一步表明盐井?五龙断裂以挤压、剪切为主,伴有拉伸变形的整体特征,样品的P_J整体较大,显示出构造强变形磁组构特征。最小磁化率主轴K_min方位表明盐井?五龙断裂北段和南段分别受到了NW-SE向和NEE-SWW向的挤压作用;K_min方位和倾伏角表明北段晚一期的脆韧性变形主体为自NW向SE的较高角度的挤压逆冲剪切变形,局部伴有极小量的左行走滑特征。断裂南段早期韧性变形整体以自SWW向NEE的挤压逆冲剪切变形为主,上盘(西盘)远离主干断裂表现为左行走滑兼逆冲的运动学特征,下盘变形主要以逆冲剪切变形为主,走滑分量极小,并且自西向东韧性剪切变形具有相对强弱相间的特征。     

四川锦屏山地区推覆构造带特征及其研究意义

锦屏山地区推覆构造带滑移面均为韧性剪切带,而且整个推覆构造带由多个岩片推覆堆叠在一起,在其前缘则出现飞来峰群。通过对韧性剪切带和飞来峰群的精细研究,厘定其缩短距离约30km。同时厘定了扬子西缘的边界断裂——茶铺子-巴折区划性(“槽-台”边界)复活断裂带(韧性剪切带),修正了锦屏山断裂为扬子西缘的边界断裂的认识。     

Late Caledonian Ductile Thrusting Deformation in the Central East Kunlun Belt, Qinghal, China and Its Significance： Evidence from Geochronology

Abstract A high‐angle ductile thrusting deformation with top‐to‐the‐north movement penetratively developed in the Proterozoic‐Early Paleozoic metamorphic rocks along the Central East Kunlun belt. The deformed rocks suffered epidote‐amphibolite facies metamorphism. On the basis of our previous study, we present more data in this paper to further support that the ductile thrust deformation occurred in the later Caledonian and more detailed information about the deformation. A zircon U‐Pb concordant age of 446±2.2 Ma of a deformed granodiorite in the ductile thrust zone was obtained and can be interpreted as the lower limit of the deformation. A syntectonically crystallized and also strongly deformed hornblende Ar/Ar dating gives an Ar/Ar plateau age of 426.5±3.8 Ma, which represents the deformation age. A strongly orientated muscovite gives an Ar/Ar plateau age of 408±1.6 Ma, representing the cooling age after the peak temperature, constraining the upper limit of the ductile thrust deformation. This ductile thrust deformation can be interpreted as the result of the closing of the Central East Kunlun archipelago ocean. To the north, Ar/Ar plateau ages of 382.9±0.2 Ma and 386.8±0.8 Ma of muscovite in the deformed Xiaomiao Group represent the uplift cooling ages of deeper rocks after the thrusting movement. The original thrusting foliation has a low angle. A rotation model was put forward to explain the development of the foliation from the original low‐angle to present high‐angle dipping.     

湖北银洞沟银金矿构造特征及构造控矿作用

武当地区位于华北板块与扬子板块的接合部位,属秦岭造山带。武当群组成一系列大型韧一脆性剪切带巨型推覆体,银洞沟推覆岩席是其中之一。该区早期构造样式为伸展作用及其伴生的韧性或韧脆性面型剪切,晚期为推覆线性剪切。根据面理、线理、褶皱、剪切带等研究成果,作者总结了银洞沟地区构造性质、成矿作用及模式。武当地区多重滑脱是在古地壳演化的不同阶段发育的不同层次的顺层剪切带,发育于变火山岩与变沉积岩之间的滑脱面（DF_2）控制了银、金矿床的形成。     

Deformation along a salient-transverse zone junction: An example from the Leamington transverse zone,Utah, Sevier fold-thrust belt (USA)

Within fold-thrust belts, the junctions between salients and recesses may hold critical clues to the overall kinematic history of fold-thrust belts. The deformation history within these junctions is best preserved in areas where thrust sheets extend from a salient through an adjacent recess. We examine one such junction within the Sevier fold-thrust belt (western United States) along the Leamington transverse zone, northern Utah. The Canyon Range thrust sheet can be traced continuously from the Leamington transverse zone to its adjacent salient to the south, the Central Utah segment. Deformation within the Canyon Range thrust sheet took place by faulting and cataclastic flow. Analyses of these fault networks preserved throughout the Canyon Range thrust sheet are used to develop a kinematic history of the Leamington transverse zone. Field data is supplemented by analog sandbox experiments. This study suggests that, in detail, deformation within the overlying thrust sheet may not directly reflect the underlying basement structure. Moreover, these junctions may contain several types of accommodating structures that helped to maintain critical-taper and that serve as potential targets for natural resource exploration.     

Ductile-to-brittle transition in shear during thrust sheet emplacement,Southern Appalachian thrust belt

Mesoscopic structures in anchimetamorphic (T = 200–300°C) strata of the Pulaski thrust sheet, Southern Appalachian thrust belt, developed in progressive, heterogeneous simple shear near the ductile-to-brittle transition. Shear (γ≤3) was localized in weak, anisotropic pelitic rocks (Rome Formation) along the base of this 5–11 km thick thrust sheet. Folds, which vary from upright and open to isoclinal and NW-facing, developed during ductile shearing and display a correlation between tightness and axial-surface dip. Movement along brecciated thrust zones, which evolved progressively from zones of greatest ductile strain, resulted in low-angle truncation of fold axis trends, coaxial refolding of earlier structures, and imbrication of the thrust sheet.Transient variations in fluid pressure (P_f) controlled the mechanical behavior of the thrust sheet. Systematic veins imply P_f >σ₃ + T (T = tensile strength) during ductile deformation, whereas later non-systematic vein arrays in high strain zones record periods of nearly hydrostatic stress. Elevated P_f, which led to fracturing, dilation, and fault initiation, appears confined to pelitic zones within the Rome Formation. This, coupled with decreasing temperature, resulted in the transition from ductile folding to brittle thrusting. Changing physical conditions probably reflect erosional unroofing during uplift and late Paleozoic thrust sheet emplacement.     

Structural fabric of the Central Metasedimentary Belt of southern Ontario, Canada, from deep seismic profiling

The Central Metasedimentary Belt boundary tectonic zone (CMBbtz) is a 10–20-km-wide zone of intense structural deformation within the 1.3–1.0 Ga Grenville orogen of southeastern Canada. The crustal structure of the exposed CMBbtz has been well studied, but its sub-Phanerozoic location and geometry beneath the urban development and nuclear stations of the Toronto region are not well known. A new 75-km Lithoprobe reflection profile acquired close to Toronto provides a clear image of the CMBbtz as a panel of southeast-dipping reflections that extends with moderate dip (<25°) to mid-crustal depth (25 km). These dipping reflections truncate and (or) overprint a subhorizontal band of reflectivity at 21 km depth. The seismic line is oblique to the major structural trends; cross-dip analysis shows that the southeast-dipping reflections have a strike and dip of N13°E and 25°, whereas the “subhorizontal” reflections strike and dip at N65°E and 20°, respectively. Both of these bands of reflectivity can be correlated to magnetic anomalies in the CMBbtz or its immediate footwall. Magnetic anomalies with similar strike directions are well expressed within a distinct rhomboid-shaped region (106×109 km) in the subsurface of western Lake Ontario, herein named Mississauga domain. Taken together, the seismic and magnetic data are inconsistent with existing models, in which the CMBbtz is extrapolated beneath Lake Ontario along a linear magnetic anomaly. We propose a revised subsurface trace of the CMBbtz along the western edge of the Mississauga domain. Small earthquakes in western Lake Ontario appear to cluster along trends co-linear with ENE magnetic anomalies, suggesting a possible degree of basement tectonic control on local intraplate seismicity.     

鄂尔多斯西缘北段大型陆缘逆冲推覆体系

鄂尔多斯西缘北段是一个自中生代末以来形成的、结晶基底和早古生代大陆边缘沉积盖层同时卷入的巨型陆缘逆冲推覆构造体系。根据区域地层发育、变形岩石属性、冲断层几何学以及它们与联冲断层的关系,大体上可以分为不同形成阶段的3个冲断层构造组合,包括9个次级构造单元(B₁—B₇,B_N,B_S)。受冲断层运动自西向东的一致推进,整体呈现一个局部被近东西走向联冲断层切错、向东凸出的弧形:前端为陆缘褶皱冲断带;中部表现为一系列"原地"或"异地"推覆体和冲断席,发育低角度滑脱层和双冲构造;后部又被最晚期的冲断体叠置。侏罗-白垩纪为逆冲推覆构造的主要发展阶段,经历了3期主要的冲断层作用。第Ⅰ期发生在侏罗纪末,沿阿拉善—华北两类不同性质结晶基底之间的主滑脱面发生大规模冲断层作用,形成桌子山—岗德尔山褶皱冲断带。第Ⅱ期冲断层作用的持续位移,形成了具有上、下两个构造层的石嘴山—尖山大型异地推覆体,主滑脱面为石炭纪煤系地层,其中发育典型的双冲构造。新生代(距今65Ma)以来,印度—欧亚板块挤压碰撞和青藏高原早期向北推挤,加剧了鄂尔多斯西缘逆冲推覆构造的进一步发育,第Ⅲ期冲断层作用在东部陆缘褶皱冲断带形成了苏海图反冲构造的同时,在西部将异地推覆体下部的奥陶系再次推至地表。第Ⅰ期和第Ⅱ期冲断层作用累计位移幅度可能达到60~80km,第Ⅲ期冲断层作用的位移幅度为8km。相邻冲断席之间位移矢量的差异,通过近东西走向的联冲断层得到了调整。     

Late Caledonian Ductile Thrusting Deformation in the Central East Kunlun Belt, Qinghai, China and Its Significance: Evidence from Geochronology

A high-angle ductile thrusting deformation with top-to-the-north movement penetratively developed in the Proterozoic-Early Paleozoic metamorphic rocks along the Central East Kunlun belt. The deformed rocks suffered epidote-amphibolite facies metamorphism. On the basis of our previous study, we present more data in this paper to further support that the ducdle thrust deformation occurred in the later Caledonian and more detailed information about the deformation. A zircon U-Pb concordant age of 446±2.2 Ma of a deformed granodiorite in the ductile thrust zone was obtained and can be interpreted as the lower limit of the deformation. A syntectonically crystallized and also strongly deformed hornblende Ar/ Ar dating gives an Ar/Ar plateau age of 426.5±3.8 Ma, which represents the deformation age. A strongly orientated muscovite gives an Ar/Ar plateau age of 408±1.6Ma, representing the cooling age after the peak temperature, constraining the upper limit of the ductile thrust deformation. This ductile thru