Style and evolution of salt pillows and related structures in the northern part of the Northeast German Basin

The northern part of the Northeast German Basin contains a large number of Late Permian (Zechstein) salt pillows, whereas diapiric structures are almost completely absent. This lack of diapirs facilitated the study of early stages of salt movement in the basin. Salt pillows and related structures were investigated in terms of distribution, geometry and time of initiation of salt flow within the regional geological context. The primary Zechstein thickness in the study area was reconstructed to gain more insight into the relationship between the geometry of the salt layer and the style of the salt-related structures. In this study, no clear spatial relationship between the salt structures and basement faults has been found and the location of the salt structures in this area appears to be highly independent of the underlying structural grain. The overburden is affected by minor faulting. We propose that buckling of the overburden due to regional compression significantly contributed to the initiation of the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous salt structures in the basin. Reverse faulting of the Gardelegen and Haldensleben Faults is related to inversion tectonics and exerted a compression on the basin fill. During the deformation, the Late Permian salt layer acted as an efficient detachment and led to a marked decoupling of the Mesozoic overburden from the underlying pre-Zechstein rocks.     

Styles of salt tectonics in the Sab’atayn basin,onshore Yemen

A variety of distinct salt tectonic features are present in the Sab’atayn Basin of western Yemen. Based on the interpretation of regional 2D seismic reflection data and exploration wells in the central part of the basin, an Upper Jurassic evaporite formation produced numerous salt rollers, salt pillows, reactive, flip-flop, and falling diapirs. Due to regional extension, halokinetics began as soon as the early Cretaceous, within just a few million years after the deposition of the Tithonian Sab’atayn evaporite sequence, by formation of salt rollers. The salt locally formed salt pillows which evolved to reactive and active salt diapirs and diapiric salt walls as the result of renewed, but low-strain extension in the basin. Some of the diapiric walls further evolved into falling diapirs due to ongoing extension. As the result of a prominent extensional episode at the end of the Cretaceous, many of the diapiric walls in the basin are controlled by large normal faults on their updip flanks. As the post-Cretaceous sedimentary cover is largely missing in the study area, the assumed reactivation of salt structures during the Cenozoic remains poorly constrained. The interpreted changes in the style of salt tectonics in the Sab’atayn Basin offer a better understanding of the regional-scale tectonic development of the Arabian plate during the late Jurassic and Cretaceous.     

Salt tectonics in pull-apart basins with application to the Dead Sea Basin

The Dead Sea Basin displays a broad range of salt-related structures that developed in a sinistral strike-slip tectonic environment: en échelon salt ridges, large salt diapirs, transverse oblique normal faults, salt walls and rollovers. Laboratory experiments are used to investigate the mechanics of salt tectonics in pull-apart systems. The results show that in an elongated pull-apart basin the basin fill, although decoupled from the underlying basement by a salt layer, remains frictionally coupled to the boundary. The basin fill, therefore, undergoes a strike-slip shear couple that simultaneously generates en échelon fold trains and oblique normal faults, trending mutually perpendicular. According to the orientation of basin boundaries, sedimentary cover deformation can be dominantly contractional or extensional, at the extremities of pull-apart basins forming either folds and thrusts or normal faults, respectively. These guidelines, applied to the analysis of the Dead Sea Basin, show that the various salt-related structures form a coherent set in the frame of a sinistral strike-slip shearing deformation of the sedimentary basin fill.     

Alternating episodes of extension and contraction during the Triassic: evidence from Mesozoic sedimentary basins in eastern Australia

Triassic to Lower Cretaceous continental sedimentary basins occur in eastern Australia, but the tectonic and structural evolution of these basins is not fully understood. Using gridded aeromagnetic data, seismic reflection data and field observations, we conducted a structural analysis aimed at characterising major faults and deformation style in these sedimentary basins. Our results show evidence for two alternating episodes of rifting during the Triassic. An earlier episode of rifting, which took place in the Early Triassic to early Late Triassic, is inferred based on synsedimentary normal faults in the Nymboida Coal Measures and the boundary West Ipswich Fault System in the Esk Trough. This phase of rifting was followed by a contractional event that resulted in tilting, folding, and thrust faulting. Evidence of synsedimentary normal faults and bimodal volcanism indicates that another rifting phase occurred during the Late Triassic and resulted in the development of the Ipswich Basin. From the latest Late Triassic to the Early Cretaceous, the accumulation of continental sediments in the Clarence-Moreton Basin was accompanied by subsidence. We suggest that the alternating rifting episodes and contraction were ultimately controlled by plate boundary migration and switches between trench retreat and advance during the Triassic.     

Cretaceous sedimentary basins in Sichuan,SW China: Restoration of tectonic and depositional environments

This study documents sediment infill features and their responses to the tectonic evolution of the Sichuan Basin and adjacent areas. The data include a comparison of field outcrops, well drillings, inter-well correlations, seismic data, isopach maps, and the spatial evolution of sedimentary facies. We divided the evolutionary history of the Sichuan Cretaceous Basin into three stages based on the following tectonic subsidence curves: the early Early Cretaceous (145–125 Ma), late Early Cretaceous to early Late Cretaceous (125–89.8 Ma), and late Late Cretaceous (89.8–66 Ma). The basin underwent NW–SE compression with northwestward shortening in the early Early Cretaceous and was dominated by alluvial fans and fluviolacustrine sedimentary systems. The central and northern areas of the Sichuan Basin were rapidly uplifted during the late Early Cretaceous to early Late Cretaceous with southwestward tilting, which resulted in the formation of a depression, exhibited southwestward compression, and was characterized by aeolian desert and fluviolacustrine deposits. The tectonic framework is controlled by the inherited basement structure and the formation of NE mountains, which not only affected the clastic supply of the sedimentary basin but also blocked warm-wet currents from the southeast, which changed the climatic conditions in the late Late Cretaceous. The formation and evolution of Cretaceous sedimentary basins are closely related to synchronous subtle far-field tectonism and changes in climate and drainage systems. According to the analysis of the migration of the Cretaceous sedimentation centers, different basin structures formed during different periods, including periods of peripheral mountain asynchronous thrusting and regional differential uplift. Thus, the Sichuan Cretaceous sedimentary basin is recognized as a superimposed foreland basin.     

Inversion of two-phase extensional basin systems during subduction of the Paleo-Pacific Plate in the SW Korean Peninsula:Implication for the Mesozoic “Laramide-style” orogeny along East Asian continental margin

During subduction, continental margins experience shortening along with inversion of extensional sedimentary basins. Here we explore a tectonic scenario for the inversion of two-phase extensional basin systems, where the Early-Middle Jurassic intra-arc volcano-sedimentary Oseosan Volcanic Complex was developed on top of the Late Triassic-Early Jurassic post-collisional sequences, namely the Chungnam Basin. The basin shortening was accommodated mostly by contractional faults and related folds. In the basement, regional high-angle reverse faults as well as low-angle thrusts accommodate the overall shortening, and are compatible with those preserved in the cover. This suggests that their spatial and temporal development is strongly dependent on the initial basin geometry and inherited structures.Changes in transport direction observed along the basement-sedimentary cover interface is a characteristic structural feature, reflecting sequential kinematic evolution during basin inversion. Propagation of basement faults also enhanced shortening of the overlying sedimentary cover sequences. We constrain timing of the Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous(ca. 158-110 Ma) inversion from altered K-feldspar 40 Ar/39 Ar ages in stacked thrust sheets and K-Ar illite ages of fault gouges, along with previously reported geochronological data from the area. This "non-magmatic phase" of the Daebo Orogeny is contemporaneous with the timing of magmatic quiescence across the Korean Peninsula. We propose the role of flat/low-angle subduction of the Paleo-Pacific Plate for the development of the "Laramide-style" basement-involved orogenic event along East Asian continental margin.     

Three-dimensional forward and backward modelling of diapirism: numerical approach and its applicability to the evolution of salt structures in the Pricaspian basin

Numerical studies of ductile deformations induced by salt movements have, until now, been restricted to two-dimensional (2D) modelling of diapirism. This paper suggests a numerical approach to model the evolution of three-dimensional (3D) salt structures toward increasing maturity. This approach is also used here to restore the evolution of salt structures through successive earlier stages. The numerical methodology is applied to study several model examples. We analyse a model of salt diapirs that develop from an initial random perturbation of the interface between salt and its overburden and restore the evolved salt diapirs to their initial stages. We show that the average restoration errors are less than 1%. An evolutionary model of a 2D salt wall loaded by a 2D pile of sediments predicts a decomposition of the salt wall into 3D diapiric structures when the overburden of salt is supplied by 3D synkinematic wedge of sediments. We model salt extrusion feeding a gravity current over the depositional surface and estimate an average rate of extrusion and horizontal velocity of salt spreading. Faulting of the overburden to salt overhangs initiates new secondary diapirs, and we analyse the growth of these secondary diapirs. We also study how lateral flow effects the evolution of salt diapirs. The shape of a salt diapir can be very different if the rate of horizontal flow is much greater than the initial rate of diapiric growth solely due to gravity. We discuss the applicability of the results of the models to the evolution of Late Permian salt structures in the Pricaspian basin (Russia and Kazakhstan). These structures are distinguishable into a variety of styles representing different stages of growth: salt pillows, diapirs, giant salt massifs, 2D diapiric walls and 3D stocks complicated by large overhangs. The different sizes, shapes and maturities of salt structures in different parts of the Pricaspian basin reflect areal differences in salt thickness and loading history. Our results suggest that the numerical methodology can be employed to analyse the evolution of all salt structures that have upbuilt through younger ductile overburdens.     

Structure and evolution of the Glueckstadt Graben due to salt movements

The salt tectonics of the Glueckstadt Graben has been investigated in relation to major tectonic events within the basin. The lithologic features of salt sections from Rotliegend, Zechstein and Keuper show that almost pure salt is prominent in the Zechstein, dominating diapiric movements that have influenced the regional evolution of the Glueckstadt Graben. Three main phases of growth of the salt structures have been identified from the analysis of the seismic pattern. The strongest salt movements occurred at the beginning of the Keuper when the area was affected by extension. This activation of salt tectonics was followed by a Jurassic extensional event in the Pompeckj Block and Lower Saxony Basin and possibly in the Glueckstadt Graben. The Paleogene–Neogene tectonic event caused significant growth and amplification of the salt structures mainly at the margins of the basin. This event was extensional with a possible horizontal component of the tectonic movements. 3D modelling shows that the distribution of the initial thickness of the Permian salt controls the structural style of the basin, regionally. Where salt was thick, salt diapirs and walls formed and where salt was relatively thin, simple salt pillows and shallow anticlines developed.     

滨里海盆地东缘盐构造特征及其与乌拉尔造山运动关系

通过对滨里海盆地东缘地震剖面的解释,揭示了丰富多样的盐构造变形特征及其与乌拉尔造山运动的关系。滨里海 盆地东缘盐构造变形样式主要包括盐底辟、盐枕、盐滚、盐焊接、龟背构造和盐边凹陷等,表现出明显的分带变形特征, 自东向西依次为盐焊接带、盐滚带、盐枕带、盐底辟带。盐层控制了盐上层和盐下层的构造变形,以盐层为界,上构造层 主要发育正断层,下构造层主要发育逆断层。平衡剖面分析表明,滨里海盆地东缘盐构造变形主要经历了重力变形和差异 负载变形两个阶段,并与乌拉尔造山运动有紧密联系。乌拉尔造山运动引起滨里海盆地东缘地层发生倾向反转,进而控制 了盐层沉积及随后的重力变形和差异负载变形过程。     

Cretaceous–Tertiary tectonic inversion of the Cotiella Basin (southern Pyrenees,Spain)

The Cotiella Nappe includes one of the most important Mesozoic basins of the southern Pyrenees, which was subsequently inverted during the Tertiary compression. The Late Cretaceous Cotiella Basin is here interpreted as the western sector of the Cretaceous Cotiella-Bóixols basin (100᎜ km wide), located in the central part of the southern Pyrenees. The present-day complex structure of the Cotiella Nappe is the result of the inversion process, linked to the emplacement of basement thrust sheets of the Axial zone. In its western sector, the Cotiella Nappe consists of several superimposed thrust sheets, with complex geometry, becoming simpler towards the east, with a single thrust surface and smaller displacements. The Cotiella-Bóixols basin underwent strong subsidence during the Early Cretaceous at its eastern sector, and its depocentre migrated westward during the Late Cretaceous. The reconstruction of the sedimentary basin to the pre-compressional stage shows that during the Mesozoic the Cotiella-Bóixols basin was located to the south of a basement high, which later became the Pyrenean Axial Zone. From a balanced cross section, it can be inferred that the Cotiella, north-verging extensional system was connected with the north-Pyrenean rift by means of a 10-km deep horizontal detachment. The compressional Tertiary detachment within the upper crust was shallower than the extensional detachment, and individualised four basement thrust sheets, which form the Axial Zone antiform.     

Aspects of the structural evolution of the Lusitanian Basin in Portugal and the shelf and slope area offshore Portugal

The study provides a regional seismic interpretation and mapping of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic succession of the Lusitanian Basin and the shelf and slope area off Portugal. The seismic study is compared with previous studies of the Lusitanian Basin. From the Late Triassic to the Cretaceous the study area experienced four rift phases and intermittent periods of tectonic quiescence. The Triassic rifting was concentrated in the central part of the Lusitanian Basin and in the southernmost part of the study area, both as symmetrical grabens and half-grabens. The evolution of half-grabens was particularly prominent in the south. The Triassic fault-controlled subsidence ceased during the latest Late Triassic and was succeeded by regional subsidence during the early Early Jurassic (Hettangian) when deposition of evaporites took place. A second rift phase was initiated in the Early Jurassic, most likely during the Sinemurian–Pliensbachian. This resulted in minor salt movements along the most prominent faults. The second phase was concentrated to the area south of the Nazare Fault Zone and resulted here in the accumulation of a thick Sinemurian–Callovian succession. Following a major hiatus, probably as a result of the opening of the Central Atlantic, resumed deposition occurred during the Late Jurassic. Evidence for Late Jurassic fault-controlled subsidence is widespread over the whole basin. The pattern of Late Jurassic subsidence appears to change across the Nazare Fault Zone. North of the Nazare Fault, fault-controlled subsidence occurred mainly along NNW–SSE-trending faults and to the south of this fault zone a NNE–SSW fault pattern seems to dominate. The Oxfordian rift phase is testified in onlapping of the Oxfordian succession on salt pillows which formed in association with fault activity. The fourth and final rift phase was in the latest Late Jurassic or earliest Early Cretaceous. The Jurassic extensional tectonism resulted in triggering of salt movement and the development of salt structures along fault zones. However, only salt pillow development can be demonstrated. The extensional tectonics ceased during the Early Cretaceous. During most of the Cretaceous, regional subsidence occurred, resulting in the deposition of a uniform Lower and Upper Cretaceous succession. Marked inversion of former normal faults, particularly along NE–SW-trending faults, and development of salt diapirs occurred during the Middle Miocene, probably followed by tectonic pulses during the Late Miocene to present. The inversion was most prominent in the central and southern parts of the study area. In between these two areas affected by structural inversion, fault-controlled subsidence resulted in the formation of the Cenozoic Lower Tagus Basin. Northwest of the Nazare Fault Zone the effect of the compressional tectonic regime quickly dies out and extensional tectonic environment seems to have prevailed. The Miocene compressional stress was mainly oriented NW–SE shifting to more N–S in the southern part.     

Enigmatic structures within salt walls of the Santos Basin—Part 1: Geometry and kinematics from 3D seismic reflection and well data

Understanding intrasalt structure may elucidate the fundamental kinematics and, ultimately, the mechanics of diapir growth. However, there have been relatively few studies of the internal structure of salt diapirs outside the mining industry because their cores are only partly exposed in the field and poorly imaged on seismic reflection data. This study uses 3D seismic reflection and borehole data from the São Paulo Plateau, Santos Basin, offshore Brazil to document the variability in intrasalt structural style in natural salt diapirs. We document a range of intrasalt structures that record: (i) initial diapir rise; (ii) rise of lower mobile halite through an arched and thinned roof of denser, layered evaporites, and emplacement of an intrasalt sheet or canopy; (iii) formation of synclinal flaps kinematically linked to emplacement of the intrasalt allochthonous bodies; and (iv) diapir squeezing. Most salt walls contain simple internal anticlines. Only a few salt walls contain allochthonous bodies and breakout-related flaps. The latter occur in an area having a density inversion within the autochthonous salt layer, such that upper, anhydrite-rich, layered evaporites are denser than lower, more halite-rich evaporites. We thus interpret that most diapirs rose through simple fold amplification of internal salt stratigraphy but that locally, where a density inversion existed in the autochthonous salt, Rayleigh–Taylor overturn within the growing diapir resulted in the ascent of less dense evaporites into the diapir crest by breaching of the internal anticline. This resulted in the formation of steep salt-ascension zones or feeders and the emplacement of high-level intrasalt allocthonous sheets underlain by breakout-related flaps. Although regional shortening undoubtedly occurred on the São Paulo Plateau during the Late Cretaceous, we suggest this was only partly responsible for the complex intrasalt deformation. We suggest that, although based on the Santos Basin, our kinematic model may be more generally applicable to other salt-bearing sedimentary basins.     

库车褶冲带博孜敦底辟新生代盐构造变形期次:来自盐动力层序的证据

盐动力层序是指被动盐底辟周缘发育的一套角度不整合地层,是识别盐盆地早期被动底辟的标识。库车地区盐构造由于被上新世区域大规模挤压事件显著破坏,其古新世–中新世的早期演化过程尚存在争议。本文首次将盐动力层序的研究方法运用在库车地区盐构造研究中,并通过对库车褶冲带的博孜敦盐底辟进行野外观察、地层恢复、地震解译后发现,库车地区博孜敦盐底辟南西翼渐新统–中新统发育一套与盐底辟活动相关的沉积层序,小层序之间以角度不整合为界,但随着远离底辟地层之间的接触关系很快变为整合接触,符合直立状复合型盐动力层序的模型。由此认为,库车地区早期被动盐底辟发育,盐构造的演化变形可分为两个期次:早期被动底辟期(渐新世–上新世早期)与后期挤压改造期(上新世–现今)。通过对比物理模拟结果与地震资料解译结果认为,库车地区早期被动底辟作用很可能受控于始新世以来的冲积扇沉积加载作用。     

祁连山东北缘武威盆地隐伏构造

祁连山东北缘武威盆地是阿拉善地块南缘主要的含油气盆地,也是石炭系页岩气勘探的热点区域。长期以来,由于武威盆地为第四系覆盖,盆地的结构和构造存在很大争议。通过地震剖面探测和钻探地层分析,对武威盆地西部的结构和构造进行了厘定。地震剖面和钻探揭示,研究区前寒武纪基底之上主要发育下部寒武系、中部新近系和上部第四系3套构造层。下构造层构造复杂,发育下寒武统(大黄山组)断陷盆地、下寒武统冲断-褶皱带和下白垩统断陷盆地。下构造层的构造分析,结合区域地层和构造特征,提出武威盆地经历了早寒武世NE—SW向伸展变形、侏罗纪末—白垩纪初NE—SW向地壳缩短变形及早白垩世NE—SW向伸展变形3期构造演化过程。武威盆地东、西部的地层序列和构造差异表明,武威盆地以武威-蔡旗构造隆起带为界,可划分为东、西2个构造单元。     

福建泰宁白垩纪红层植物及孢粉化石组合特征

泰宁白垩纪红层盆地由朱口、梅口、龙安3个盆地组成,盆地内出露的岩石地层为沙县组和崇安组。近期工作,首次在龙安盆地沙县组采获植物化石和孢粉化石,梅口盆地崇安组采获孢粉化石。根据植物化石及孢粉组合特征,沙县组地质时代为晚白垩世早、中期,相当于赛诺曼期-土仑期(Cenomanian-Turonian);崇安组为晚白垩世晚期,相当于康尼亚克期-马斯特里赫特期(Coniacian-Maastrichtian)。依据泰宁梅口盆地崇安组孢粉组合特征,建立晚白垩世晚期Pinuspollenites-Ulmipollenites minor组合,以代表福建白垩纪第Ⅵ孢粉组合。     

胶莱盆地及其邻区白垩纪－古新世沉积构造演化历史及其区域动力学意义

基于野外和钻孔测井资料分析、火山岩同位素年代学分析 (40Ar-39Ar and SHRIMP U-Pb)、地震剖面的构造解释、断层运动学的野外分析结果,综合研究了胶莱盆地及其邻区白垩纪－古新世沉积构造演化历史。岩性地层分析表明,胶莱断陷盆地由三套地层单元所充填：早白垩世莱阳群和青山群、晚白垩世－古新世王氏群。青山群火山岩的同位素年代学测试结果给出了该火山岩的喷发时代在120～105 Ma。地震剖面的构造解译结果揭示胶莱盆地伸展构造受到深部两个拆离构造系统控制：一个发育于盆地南部地区,拆离断面位于深部8~10 km,向南缓倾于苏鲁造山带之下;另一个拆离系统由一系列北倾的犁式断层组成、分布于宽阔的胶莱盆地北部地区,主拆离面向北倾。这两个拆离系统分别形成于早白垩世莱阳群和晚白垩世-古新世王氏群沉积阶段。通过对不同地层单元断层滑动矢量的野外测量和古构造应力场反演,以及地层时代和同位素年代学测试结果的制约,建立了白垩纪－古新世构造应力场演替的年代序列。结果表明,胶莱盆地在白垩纪-古新世之间经历了伸展－挤压应力体制的交替演化。早白垩世伸展作用经历了两个不同的阶段：早期NW-SE向伸展和晚期近W-E向伸展。在早白垩世末期至晚白垩世初期,盆地遭受NW-SE向挤压,导致了胶莱盆地的缩短变形和郯庐断裂带的左旋走滑活动。晚白垩世－古新世时期,构造应力场转变为N-S向伸展,直到古新世末期,构造应力场转换为NE－SW向挤压。胶莱盆地和沂沭裂谷系白垩纪－古新世沉积构造演化历史对华北地区岩石圈减薄过程的动力学背景提供了重要的构造地质学制约。笔者推断,早白垩世两期引张应力作用是分别对华北地区增厚地壳或岩石圈的重力垮塌和岩石圈拆沉的响应,而早白垩世末期NW-SE向挤压记录了古太平洋板块与亚洲陆缘俯冲碰撞产生的远程效应。晚白垩世-古新世的引张伸展作用完全不同于早白垩世伸展构造,它指示了沿NNE向郯庐断裂带的右旋走滑活动及其拉分作用,在动力学上受到青藏地区块体的陆－陆碰撞产生的远程效应和古太平洋板块向亚洲大陆俯冲作用的联合应力场控制。     

Meso-Cenozoic tectonic evolution of the Dangyang Basin,north-central Yangtze craton,central China

Based on detailed structural data and available tectonic chronological data from the Dangyang Basin, the authors propose that the north-central Yangtze craton experienced three stages of tectonic evolution since Late Triassic time. In the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic (T₃–J₁), due to the Indosinian orogeny, nearly N–S compression and shortening occurred, which initiated the Dangyang Basin as a foreland basin of the Qinling–Dabie orogen. During the Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous (J₃–K₁) period, the Yanshanian intracontinental orogeny caused contemporaneous NE–SW and NW–SE shortening, which resulted in intense folding of the foreland basin; contraction formed a brush structure diverging in a SE direction and strongly converging in a NW direction around the Huangling anticline. In the Late Cretaceous to Palaeogene, the Yuan'an and Hanshui grabens were separated from other parts of the Dangyang Basin due to post-orogenic ENE–WSW extension. Finally, at the end of the Palaeogene, ENE–WSW shortening led to inversion and deformation of the grabens.     

燕山东段下辽河地区中新生代盆山构造演化

笔者通过分析燕山东段-下辽河地区的前中生代构造背景和中新生代盆山构造演化认为,该区中新生代的构造演化过程是在前中生代华北克拉通岩石图基础上发育起来的克拉通内(陆内或板内)盆山构造与挤压构造的交替演化过程,经历了早-中三叠世、晚三叠世-早侏罗世、中-晚侏罗世、白垩纪、新生代5个盆山构造演化阶段和中三叠世末、早侏罗世末、晚侏罗世末和白垩纪末、老第三纪末5期挤压作用。每次挤压作用都使得早期盆地萎缩或消亡,造成早期盆地反转。中-晚侏罗世、白垩纪和新生代三个阶段的伸展作用形成中-晚侏罗世断陷盆地、白垩纪断陷盆地和新生代裂谷盆地。在这一构造演化过程中,挤压作用和伸展作用交替出现,挤压构造和伸展构造间互发育。     

燕山东段～下辽河地区中新生代断裂演化与构造期次

通过对燕山东段～下辽河盆地中新生代断裂演化分析,认为中新生代该区共经历了中三叠世末,早侏罗世末,晚侏罗世末,白垩纪末和老第三纪末５期挤压作用。每期挤压作用都形成相应的挤压构造形迹,使得早期盆地萎缩或消亡,或对早期盆地进行改造使其反转。此外,该区还曾经历了中晚侏罗世,白垩纪和新生代３个明显的伸展作用阶段,形成中晚侏罗世断裂盆地,白垩纪断陷盆地和新生代裂谷盆地,构造演化过程中挤压作用和伸展作用交替出现     

Deformation, Stratigraphy, Structures and Shortening of the Zagros Fold-Thrust Belt in Southwest Iran Analysis by Restoration

A structural cross-section constructed across the Zagros Fold-Thrust Belt covering the Abadan Plain, Dezful Embayment, and Izeh Zone applied 2D and 3D seismic data, well data, surface and subsurface geological maps, satellite images and field reconnaissance. Besides validation and modification of the cross-section, restoration allows better understanding of the geology, structural style and stratigraphy of the Zagros basin. In the area of interest, the Hormuz basal decollement and the Gachsaran detachment play the most significant roles in the structural style and deformation of the Zagros belt. More complexity is associated with interval decollements such as Triassic evaporites, Albian shales and Eocene marls. A variety of lithotectonic units and detachment surfaces confound any estimation of shortening, which generally decreases with increasing depth. Deformation completely differs in the Abadan Plain, Dezful Embayment and Izeh Zone because of different sedimentation histories and tectonic evolution; gentle and young structures can be interpreted as pre-collisional structures of the Dezful Embayment before the Late Cretaceous. After the Late Cretaceous, the Mountain Front Fault is the main control of sedimentation and deformation in the Zagros Basin, and this completely characterizes fold style and geometry within the Dezful Embayment and the Izeh Zone.