The effects of strike-slip motion along the Cobequid - Chedabucto - southwest Grand Banks fault system on the Cretaceous-Tertiary evolution of Atlantic Canada

2004 ◽  
Vol 41 (7) ◽  
pp. 799-808 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgia Pe-Piper ◽  
David J.W Piper
Keyword(s):  
Late Cretaceous ◽  
Fracture Zone ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Strike Slip ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Grand Banks ◽  
Tectonic Model ◽  
Geological Features ◽  
Cretaceous Volcanism ◽  
Slip Motion

The Newfoundland Fracture Zone, the southwest Grand Banks transform, and the Cobequid–Chedabucto fault zone form a linked strike-slip fault system from the Atlantic Ocean to southeastern Canada. This paper suggests that several large-scale geological features in southeastern Canada are the result of a small amount of strike-slip motion on the system during the mid Cretaceous and Oligocene. Regional extension features developed in the releasing bend in the Laurentian sub-basin during the mid Cretaceous, but the same area experienced Oligocene compression. This tectonic model accounts for the distribution of mid-Cretaceous volcanism, fault-bounded basins, and regional unconformities, as well as mid to late Cretaceous subsidence of the Scotian basin and Oligocene uplift of the eastern Scotian Shelf.

scholarly journals Triple junction kinematics accounts for the 2016 Mw7.8 Kaikoura earthquake rupture complexity

2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (52) ◽  
pp. 26367-26375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuhua Shi ◽  
Paul Tapponnier ◽  
Teng Wang ◽  
Shengji Wei ◽  
Yu Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Triple Junction ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Strike Slip ◽  
Plate Motion ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Coseismic Deformation ◽  
Coseismic Slip ◽  
Slab Geometry ◽  
Kaikoura Earthquake

The 2016, moment magnitude (Mw) 7.8, Kaikoura earthquake generated the most complex surface ruptures ever observed. Although likely linked with kinematic changes in central New Zealand, the driving mechanisms of such complexity remain unclear. Here, we propose an interpretation accounting for the most puzzling aspects of the 2016 rupture. We examine the partitioning of plate motion and coseismic slip during the 2016 event in and around Kaikoura and the large-scale fault kinematics, volcanism, seismicity, and slab geometry in the broader Tonga–Kermadec region. We find that the plate motion partitioning near Kaikoura is comparable to the coseismic partitioning between strike-slip motion on the Kekerengu fault and subperpendicular thrusting along the offshore West–Hikurangi megathrust. Together with measured slip rates and paleoseismological results along the Hope, Kekerengu, and Wairarapa faults, this observation suggests that the West–Hikurangi thrust and Kekerengu faults bound the southernmost tip of the Tonga–Kermadec sliver plate. The narrow region, around Kaikoura, where the 3 fastest-slipping faults of New Zealand meet, thus hosts a fault–fault–trench (FFT) triple junction, which accounts for the particularly convoluted 2016 coseismic deformation. That triple junction appears to have migrated southward since the birth of the sliver plate (around 5 to 7 million years ago). This likely drove southward stepping of strike-slip shear within the Marlborough fault system and propagation of volcanism in the North Island. Hence, on a multimillennial time scale, the apparently distributed faulting across southern New Zealand may reflect classic plate-tectonic triple-junction migration rather than diffuse deformation of the continental lithosphere.

Walker Creek fault zone, central Rocky Mountains, British Columbia-southern continuation of the Northern Rocky Mountain Trench fault zone

2000 ◽  
Vol 37 (9) ◽  
pp. 1259-1273 ◽  
Author(s):  
M E McMechan
Keyword(s):  
Fault Zone ◽  
Late Cretaceous ◽  
Lateral Displacement ◽  
Shear Bands ◽  
Rocky Mountain ◽  
Strike Slip ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Early Eocene ◽  
Fold And Thrust Belt ◽  
Slip Displacement

Walker Creek fault zone (WCFZ), well exposed in the western Rocky Mountains of central British Columbia near 54°, comprises a 2 km wide zone of variably deformed Neoproterozoic and Cambrian strata in fault-bounded slivers and lozenges. Extensional shear bands, subhorizontal extension lineations, slickensides, mesoscopic shear bands, and other minor structures developed within and immediately adjacent to the fault zone consistently indicate right-lateral displacement. Offset stratigraphic changes in correlative Neoproterozoic strata indicate at least 60 km of right-lateral displacement across the zone. WCFZ is the southern continuation of the Northern Rocky Mountain Trench (NRMT) fault zone. It shows a through going, moderate displacement, strike-slip fault system structurally links the NRMT and the north-central part of the Southern Rocky Mountain Trench. Strike-slip motion on the WCFZ occurred in the Late Cretaceous to Early Eocene at the same time as northeast-directed shortening in the fold-and-thrust belt. Thus, oblique convergence in the eastern part of the south-central Canadian Cordillera was apparently resolved into parallel northwest-striking zones of strike-slip and thrust faulting during the Late Cretaceous to Early Eocene. The change in the net Late Cretaceous to Early Eocene displacement direction for rocks in the Rocky Mountain trenches from north (56-54°N) to northeast (52-49°N) suggests that the disappearance of strike-slip displacement and increase in fold-and-thrust belt shortening in the eastern Cordillera between 56° and 49°N is largely the result of a north-south change in relative plate motion or strain partitioning across the Cordillera, rather than the southward transformation of right-lateral strike-slip displacement on the Tintina - NRMT fault system into compressional deformation.

Structure Evolution of Qinjiatun-Qindong Fault System in Lishu Subbasin

2013 ◽  
Vol 734-737 ◽  
pp. 170-177
Author(s):  
Shao Dong Qu ◽  
Chi Yang Liu ◽  
Li Jun Song ◽  
Hui Deng ◽  
Long Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fault Zone ◽  
Structure Analysis ◽  
Late Cretaceous ◽  
Seismic Data ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Strike Slip ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Structure Evolution ◽  
Active Stage ◽  
Regional Stress

Three-dimensional(3-D) seismic data and structure analysis of the Lishu subasin in Songliao basin indicates that Qinjiatun fault zone is composed of two faults: East-Qin and West-Qin fault. This fault system initially formed at Huoshiling stage, peaked at Shahezi stage and faded dramatically from Yingcheng stage. The Qinjiatun fault was important in controlling strata thickness and distribution of the Huoshiling formation. Qindong fault, a typical strike-slip fault, developed relatively later, cutting the Qinjiatun fault, The major active stage was in Denglouku-Quantou stage, and weakened in the end of late Cretaceous. Qinjiatun fault zone was reversed at Denglouku stage when the regional stress went compressive, generating a structure nose that was potentially beneficial for hydrocarbon to accumulate. The strike-slip Qindong fault became active relatively later, cutting through the previous strata and proving pathways for both accumulation and effusion of hydrocarbon.

Partitioning between strike-slip and orthogonal extension in the western South China Sea

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pan Luo ◽  
Jianye Ren ◽  
Xi He ◽  
Chao Lei ◽  
Junjie Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South China Sea ◽  
Continental Crust ◽  
South China ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Strike Slip ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Relative Role ◽  
China Sea ◽  
Kinematic Evolution ◽  
Mantle Exhumation

<p>Our study focuses on the Zhongjianna (ZJN) (Phu Kham) Basin, located at the western termination of the South China Sea (SCS) and separated from the Indochina continent by the N-S striking East Vietnam Boundary Fault Zone, which is a large scale strike-slip fault system. The sedimentary infill history of the ZJN basin records the complete evolution and interaction of the Indochina-SCS system and allows the tectonic and kinematic evolution of the basin to be understood.. The discovery of hyper-extended continental crust and mantle exhumation in this basin leads to the question of what is the relative role of large-scale strike-slip and orthogonal faulting in controlling crustal thinning in the ZJN basin.  </p><p>  Our preliminary results confirm the existence of hyperextended continental crust flooring the ZJN basin. Two different types of structures can be identified in this area: extension related deformation in the eastern part and strike-slip related deformation in the western part. The analysis of fault geometries and kinematics linked to timing and subsidence rates suggest that the N-S-orientated strike-slip structures dominated the continental shelf and slope area on the west side of the basin. In the basin, however, most faults strike NE-SW and are parallel to the mid-ocean ridge. Thus, it appears that the ZJN basin resulted from the partitioning between strike-slip and orthogonal extension.</p><p>In our presentation we show the results of our seismic interpretation, strain and subsidence analysis and discuss the interaction between strike-slip and orthogonal extension in setting up the hyper-extended ZJN basin and its implications for the large scale tectonic and geodynamic framework.</p>

The Border Ranges fault system in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska: evidence for major early Cenozoic dextral strike-slip motion

1996 ◽  
Vol 33 (9) ◽  
pp. 1268-1282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin J. Smart ◽  
Terry L. Pavlis ◽  
Virginia B. Sisson ◽  
Sarah M. Roeske ◽  
Lawrence W. Snee
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Strike Slip ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Glacier Bay ◽  
Oblique Convergence ◽  
Glacier Bay National Park ◽  
Wrangellia Terrane ◽  
Early Cenozoic ◽  
Dextral Strike Slip ◽  
Slip Motion

The Border Ranges fault system of southern Alaska, the fundamental break between the arc basement and the forearc accretionary complex, is the boundary between the Peninsular–Alexander–Wrangellia terrane and the Chugach terrane. The fault system separates crystalline rocks of the Alexander terrane from metamorphic rocks of the Chugach terrane in Glacier Bay National Park. Mylonitic rocks in the zone record abundant evidence for dextral strike-slip motion along north-northwest-striking subvertical surfaces. Geochronologic data together with regional correlations of Chugach terrane rocks involved in the deformation constrain this movement between latest Cretaceous and Early Eocene (~50 Ma). These findings are in agreement with studies to the northwest and southeast along the Border Ranges fault system which show dextral strike-slip motion occurring between 58 and 50 Ma. Correlations between Glacier Bay plutons and rocks of similar ages elsewhere along the Border Ranges fault system suggest that as much as 700 km of dextral motion may have been accommodated by this structure. These observations are consistent with oblique convergence of the Kula plate during early Cenozoic and forearc slivering above an ancient subduction zone following late Mesozoic accretion of the Peninsular–Alexander–Wrangellia terrane to North America.

scholarly journals Spatial evolution of Zagros collision zone in Kurdistan, NW Iran: constraints on Arabia–Eurasia oblique convergence

Solid Earth ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 659-672 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shahriar Sadeghi ◽  
Ali Yassaghi
Keyword(s):  
Late Cretaceous ◽  
Strike Slip ◽  
Suture Zone ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Spatial Evolution ◽  
Nw Iran ◽  
Collision Zone ◽  
Deformation Partitioning ◽  
Oblique Convergence ◽  
External Part

Abstract. Stratigraphy, detailed structural mapping and a crustal-scale cross section across the NW Zagros collision zone provide constraints on the spatial evolution of oblique convergence of the Arabian and Eurasian plates since the Late Cretaceous. The Zagros collision zone in NW Iran consists of the internal Sanandaj–Sirjan, Gaveh Rud and Ophiolite zones and the external Bisotoun, Radiolarite and High Zagros zones. The Main Zagros Thrust is the major structure of the Zagros suture zone. Two stages of oblique deformation are recognized in the external part of the NW Zagros in Iran. In the early stage, coexisting dextral strike-slip and reverse dominated domains in the Radiolarite zone developed in response to deformation partitioning due to oblique convergence. Dextral-reverse faults in the Bisotoun zone are also compatible with oblique convergence. In the late stage, deformation partitioning occurred during southeastward propagation of the Zagros orogeny towards its foreland resulting in synchronous development of orogen-parallel strike-slip and thrust faults. It is proposed that the first stage was related to Late Cretaceous oblique obduction, while the second stage resulted from Cenozoic collision. The Cenozoic orogen-parallel strike-slip component of Zagros oblique convergence is not confined to the Zagros suture zone (Main Recent Fault) but also occurred in the external part (Marekhil–Ravansar fault system). Thus, it is proposed that oblique convergence of Arabian and Eurasian plates in Zagros collision zone initiated with oblique obduction in the Late Cretaceous followed by oblique collision in the late Tertiary, consistent with global plate reconstructions.

scholarly journals Pull-apart basin tectonic model is structurally impossible for Kashmir basin, NW Himalaya

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. A. Shah
Keyword(s):  
Strike Slip ◽  
Strike Slip Fault ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Nw Himalaya ◽  
Tectonic Model ◽  
Pull Apart Basin ◽  
Piggyback Basin ◽  
Kashmir Basin ◽  
Dextral Strike Slip Fault ◽  
Dextral Strike Slip

Abstract. Kashmir Basin in NW Himalaya is considered a Neogene-Quatermary piggyback basin that was formed as result of the continent-continent collision of Indian and Eurasian plates. This model however is recently challenged by a pull-apart basin model, which argues that a major dextral strike-slip fault through Kashmir basin is responsible for its formation. And here it is demonstrated that the new tectonic model is structurally problematic, and conflicts with the geomorphology, geology, and tectonic setting of Kashmir basin. It also conflicts, and contradicts with the various structural features associated with a typical dextral strike-slip fault system where it shows that such a major structure cannot pass through the middle of the basin. It is demonstrated that such a structure is structurally, and kinematically impossible, and could not exist.

Strain partitioning around an indenter during oroclinal bending: kinematics of the Circum-Moesian fault system of the Carpatho-Balkanides

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nemanja Krstekanic ◽  
Liviu Matenco ◽  
Uros Stojadinovic ◽  
Ernst Willingshofer ◽  
Marinko Toljić ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Strike Slip ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Normal Faults ◽  
Strain Partitioning ◽  
The South ◽  
The Carpathians ◽  
The North ◽  
Moesian Platform ◽  
Parallel Extension

<p>The Carpatho-Balkanides of south-eastern Europe is a double 180° curved orogenic system. It is comprised of a foreland-convex orocline, situated in the north and east and a backarc-convex orocline situated in the south and west. The southern orocline of the Carpatho-Balkanides orogen formed during the Cretaceous closure of the Alpine Tethys Ocean and collision of the Dacia mega-unit with the Moesian Platform. Following the main orogen-building processes, the Carpathians subduction and Miocene slab retreat in the West and East Carpathians have driven the formation of the backarc-convex oroclinal bending in the south and west. The orocline formed during clockwise rotation of the Dacia mega-unit and coeval docking against the Moesian indenter. This oroclinal bending was associated with a Paleocene-Eocene orogen-parallel extension that exhumed the Danubian nappes of the South Carpathians and with a large late Oligocene – middle Miocene Circum-Moesian fault system that affected the orogenic system surrounding the Moesian Platform along its southern, western and northern margins. This fault system is composed of various segments that have different and contrasting types of kinematics, which often formed coevally, indicating a large degree of strain partitioning during oroclinal bending. It includes the curved Cerna and Timok faults that cumulate up to 100 km of dextral offset, the lower offset Sokobanja-Zvonce and Rtanj-Pirot dextral strike-slip faults, associated with orogen parallel extension that controls numerous intra-montane basins and thrusting of the western Balkans units over the Moesian Platform. We have performed a field structural study in order to understand the mechanisms of deformation transfer and strain partitioning around the Moesian indenter during oroclinal bending by focusing on kinematics and geometry of large-scale faults within the Circum-Moesian fault system.</p><p>Our structural analysis shows that the major strike-slip faults are composed of multi-strand geometries associated with significant strain partitioning within tens to hundreds of metres wide deformation zones. Kinematics of the Circum-Moesian fault system changes from transtensional in the north, where the formation of numerous basins is controlled by the Cerna or Timok faults, to strike-slip and transpression in the south, where transcurrent offsets are gradually transferred to thrusting in the Balkanides. The characteristic feature of the whole system is splaying of major faults to facilitate movements around the Moesian indenter. Splaying towards the east connects the Circum-Moesian fault system with deformation observed in the Getic Depression in front of the South Carpathians, while in the south-west the Sokobanja-Zvonce and Rtanj-Pirot faults splay off the Timok Fault. These two faults are connected by coeval E-W oriented normal faults that control several intra-montane basins and accommodate orogen-parallel extension. We infer that all these deformations are driven by the roll-back of the Carpathians slab that exerts a northward pull on the upper Dacia plate in the Serbian Carpathians. However, the variability in deformation styles is controlled by geometry of the Moesian indenter and the distance to Moesia, as the rotation and northward displacements increase gradually to the north and west.</p>

scholarly journals Influence of inherited structural domains and their particular strain distributions on the Roer Valley graben evolution from inversion to extension

Solid Earth ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 345-361
Author(s):  
Jef Deckers ◽  
Bernd Rombaut ◽  
Koen Van Noten ◽  
Kris Vanneste
Keyword(s):  
Late Cretaceous ◽  
Strain Distribution ◽  
Strike Slip ◽  
Fault Reactivation ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Geological Model ◽  
Structural Domains ◽  
Fault Systems ◽  
Roer Valley Graben ◽  
Border Fault

Abstract. The influence of strain distribution inheritance within fault systems on repeated fault reactivation is far less understood than the process of repeated fault reactivation itself. By evaluating cross sections through a new 3D geological model, we demonstrate contrasts in strain distribution between different fault segments of the same fault system during its reverse reactivation and subsequent normal reactivation. The study object is the Roer Valley graben (RVG), a middle Mesozoic rift basin in western Europe that is bounded by large border fault systems. These border fault systems were reversely reactivated under Late Cretaceous compression (inversion) and reactivated as normal faults under Cenozoic extension. A careful evaluation of the new geological model of the western RVG border fault system – the Feldbiss fault system (FFS) – reveals the presence of two structural domains in the FFS with distinctly different strain distributions during both Late Cretaceous compression and Cenozoic extension. A southern domain is characterized by narrow (<3 km) localized faulting, while the northern is characterized by wide (>10 km) distributed faulting. The total normal and reverse throws in the two domains of the FFS were estimated to be similar during both tectonic phases. This shows that each domain accommodated a similar amount of compressional and extensional deformation but persistently distributed it differently. The faults in both structural domains of the FFS strike NW–SE, but the change in geometry between them takes place across the oblique WNW–ESE striking Grote Brogel fault. Also in other parts of the Roer Valley graben, WNW–ESE-striking faults are associated with major geometrical changes (left-stepping patterns) in its border fault system. At the contact between both structural domains, a major NNE–SSW-striking latest Carboniferous strike-slip fault is present, referred to as the Gruitrode Lineament. Across another latest Carboniferous strike-slip fault zone (Donderslag Lineament) nearby, changes in the geometry of Mesozoic fault populations were also noted. These observations demonstrate that Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic inherited changes in fault geometries as well as strain distributions were likely caused by the presence of pre-existing lineaments in the basement.

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