INVERSION OF STRIKE-SLIP MOVEMENTS ALONG THE YARLUNG ZANGBO SUTURE ZONE, TIBET

Meso\| and microstructural characteristics of cataclastic fault rocks developed in the Xialu chert are described. The Xialu chert represents pelagic and deep marine sediments (Middle Jurassic—Lower Cretaceous), and occupies the southern marginal part of the E—W trending Yarlung Zangbo suture zone. The apparent total thickness of siliceous deposits exceeds 1km. The current study is concentrated along the two measured sections, Xialu\|E and Xialu\|W. The Xialu\|E section is composed mainly of red chert associated with reddish purple siliceous mudstone and greenish gray mudstone. The beds steeply dip north or south. The 45m section studied is divided into three units (chert unit, chert\|siliceous mudstone unit, and melange unit from north to south). They are in fault contact with each other. In the southern half of the chert unit and the northernmost of the chert\|siliceous mudstone unit, a 15m thick cohesive cataclasite zone can be defined. The cataclasites are composed of chert fragments in a fine grained matrix, and deformed with jigsaw puzzle structures. The chert\|siliceous mudstone unit is made up of four slabs of chert\|siliceous mudstone sequence. Mesoscopic duplex zones in thickness from 1 to 3m are recognized at slab boundaries. Flat and ramp structure and associated P foliations, R1 shears, Y surfaces are developed. Shear spacing range from 1 to 10cm. The slip senses are dextral strike\|slip movement along these duplex zones. The cataclasite zone is cut by the duplex zone along the southern boundary.