Geophysical interpretation of the geology of the northeast Gander Terrane, Newfoundland

1988 ◽  
Vol 25 (8) ◽  
pp. 1161-1174 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. G. Miller

New gravity data from the northeastern portion of the Gander Terrane of Newfoundland are analysed in association with existing gravity data. These are combined with the digitized and filtered aeromagnetic and geochemical data to produce an interpretation of the subsurface geology.Interpretation of these data suggests that there are two extensive areas underlain at depth by rocks similar to the Dunnage Terrane mafic and ultramafic rocks that outcrop at the Gander River ultrabasic belt. These regions of ultramafic and mafic rocks extend in two north–south belts throughout the study area, and both may have tongues continuing seaward beneath the Deadman's Bay pluton. The western belt, the Ocean Pond belt, probably consists of a series of granitic plutons underlain by mafic and ultramafic rocks. Geophysical modelling corroborates an earlier geological interpretation that the eastern belt, the Indian Bay Big Pond thrust belt, is a thrust sheet. The lateral extent of the thrust belt is accurately determined by new geophysical data. The presence of these two subsurface units composed of material similar to typical Dunnage Terrane rocks demonstrates that the Gander River ultrabasic belt is neither the most eastward extent of the Dunnage Terrane nor the sole thrust upon which Dunnage Terrane material was transported eastward. The two belts have associated diagnostic geochemical signatures and are bounded on the north and south by linear patterns in both the geophysical and geochemical patterns. The block defined by these geophysical and geochemical patterns is the same as that upon which the classic Gander Terrane was defined. The evidence presented in this paper suggests that this block may be allochthonous, which implies that the nature of the Gander Terrane may need to be reconsidered.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mustapha Meghraoui ◽  
Hassen Abdellaoui ◽  
Frédéric Masson

<p>The kinematic of tectonic motions between the African (Sahara) platform and the Maghrebian thrust belt remained unexplored since the onset of space geodesy. Here, we use data of 6 permanent GNSS stations located north and south of the Atlas thrust belt in Algeria to constrain shortening and transpression at the tectonic boundary. The permanent GPS data and results are obtained from the network in Algeria operative from 2013 to 2019, presented with the results of the REGAT network in Algeria since 2007. The south Atlas suture zone constitutes the limit between African (Sahara) shield domain considered as a stable continental interior and the Sahara Atlas that belong to the Alpine orogeny. The tectonic boundary is marked by a E-W to ENE-WSW, en echelon fold belt system with deformed Plio-Quaternary formations to the North and flat laying Mesozoic and Tertiary sedimentary units south of the suture zone. The GNSS data are processed using Gamit-GlobK and results show tectonic motions with a predominant 5 to 6 mm/yr velocities trending NNW-SSE to NW-SE (westward) in the Sahara Platform. The GPS velocities show uniform trend in the African platform from which we infer 0.5 to 1.0 mm/yr convergence across the south Atlas suture zone. The intraplate convergence is attested by the moderate but permanent seismic activity at the tectonic boundary.</p>


1987 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. G. Miller

This paper presents new land and underwater gravity data for the southern portion of the Avalon Terrane of Newfoundland. These gravity data are combined with existing airborne and marine magnetic data to produce a detailed geophysical interpretation of the geology of the southern Avalon Peninsula and the adjacent portions of Placentia and St. Mary's bays.Qualitative interpretation of the geophysical data in conjunction with the known geology reveals that the major faults previously mapped only on land and inferred beneath St. Mary's Bay can be traced offshore geophysically. In addition, the previously unknown offshore limits of a small sedimentary basin in the southeast part of the area can be delineated.Quantitative modelling demonstrates that (1) Precambrian mafic to ultramafic rocks underlie the whole area, (2) thrust faulting in the St. Mary's Peninsula and elsewhere has led to the juxtaposition of Bull Arm volcanic rocks over Harbour Main volcanic rocks, and (3) the evolution of the area may be explained by a combination of earlier volcanic island and extensional models.The mapping has also revealed the presence of previously unknown northwest–southeast lineations in the geophysical patterns, which may be related to the late wrench faulting.


1994 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 722-727 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomas Feininger ◽  
Ingo Ermanovics

A 19.3 mGal (1 Gal = 1 cm/s2) positive Bouguer gravity anomaly and a broad aeromagnetic low coincide with the Tasiuyak domain of the early paleo-Proterozoic Torngat orogen. The domain evolved during the collision of the western margin of the Archean Nain Province with an inferred, eastward-facing, platform-to-rise, sedimentary wedge sited on a proto-continent of Churchill (Rae) Province.A density contrast of +0.065 g∙cm−3 was measured between rocks of the Tasiuyak domain and those of the flanking Lac Lomier complex of the orogen and Nain Province. Using this contrast, a two and one-half dimensional model shows that rocks of Tasiuyak domain constitute a triangular prismatic body with maximum thickness of 13 km adjacent to Nain Province, which thins westward to a feather edge. The model is compatible, qualitatively, with the aeromagnetic anomaly and consonant with geological interpretation of an eastward-facing and thickening continental slope deposit. Deep exhumation of the Torngat orogen may account for the absence of paired gravity anomalies characteristic of many sutures elsewhere in the Canadian Shield.


2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. T471-T484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shenelle Gomez ◽  
Dale Bird ◽  
Paul Mann

The north–south-trending Tobago-Barbados ridge (TBR) extends 250 km from its southern end at the island of Tobago to its northern end at the island of Barbados. On Tobago, exposed metasedimentary and metaigneous rocks have been identified as fragments of a Mesozoic primitive island arc, whereas on Barbados, exposed sedimentary rocks record Paleogene development of the Barbados accretionary prism (BAP). We integrate gravity data with seismic refraction data, well constraints, and seismic reflection data to improve our understanding of the TBR’s crustal structure, uplift mechanism, along-strike compositional variations in the crust, and tectonic origin. Three 2D gravity models suggest that the TBR is underlain by a “pop-up” crustal block uplifted in the trench between the overriding Caribbean plate and the westwardly subducting South American plate. At approximately 11.75° N, the character of the TBR changes over a distance of 60 km from a symmetrical and more elevated, crystalline, thrust fault-bounded structure to a west-verging thrust belt that is less elevated. The symmetrical pop-up and asymmetrical, west-verging thrust belt accommodate east–west, subduction-related shortening that deforms the westernmost edge of the BAP. We think that the crystalline basement of the southern and central TBR is the buried, northeastern continuation of Mesozoic intraoceanic-arc crust and metamorphic belt of Tobago that accreted along the eastern margin of the Great Arc of the Caribbean during its subduction polarity reversal in the early Cretaceous.


2007 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 415-426
Author(s):  
Pham Van Ninh ◽  
Phan Ngoc Vinh ◽  
Nguyen Manh Hung ◽  
Dinh Van Manh

Overall the evolution process of the Red River Delta based on the maps and historical data resulted in a fact that before the 20th century all the Nam Dinh coastline was attributed to accumulation. Then started the erosion process at Xuan Thuydistrict and from the period of 1935 - 1965 the most severe erosion was contributed in the stretch from Ha Lan to Hai Trieu, 1965 - 1990 in Hai Chinh - Hai Hoa, 1990 - 2005 in the middle part of Hai Chinh - Hai Thinh (Hai Hau district). The adjoining stretches were suffered from not severe erosion. At the same time, the Ba Lat mouth is advanced to the sea and to the North and South direction by the time with a very high rate.The first task of the mathematical modeling of coastal line evolution of Hai Hau is to evaluate this important historical marked periods e. g. to model the coastal line at the periods before 1900, 1935 - 1965; 1965 - 1990; 1990 - 2005. The tasks is very complicated and time and working labors consuming.In the paper, the primarily results of the above mentioned simulations (as waves, currents, sediments transports and bottom - coastal lines evolution) has been shown. Based on the obtained results, there is a strong correlation between the protrusion magnitude and the southward moving of the erosion areas.


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