Lateral variations and linkages in thrust geometry: the Traligill Transverse Zone, Assynt Culmination, Moine Thrust Belt, NW Scotland

Abstract

Abstract Abrupt lateral changes in thrust geometry occur in many fold-and-thrust belts along so-called transverse zones, commonly related to pre-existing basement faults. However, the causative structures are usually concealed. We analyse here the Traligill Transverse Zone in the Assynt Culmination of the Caledonian Moine Thrust Belt, NW Scotland. This transverse zone trends sub-parallel to the WNW transport direction and is associated with en echelon faults cutting thrusts, discontinuity of thrust architecture and oblique fold-and-thrust structures. Thick thrust sheets north of the Transverse Zone contain thick basement slices; thrust sheets to the south are thin and involve a thin-bedded sequence. The Traligill Transverse Zone developed above the Loch Assynt Fault, a basement cross-fault, and reactivated Proterozoic ductile shearzone. Piercing point analysis shows that the cross-fault was active both before and after thrusting. Thrusting thus affected strata that were already disrupted by steep faults. The amplitude of the disturbance in fold-and-thrust architecture along the Traligill Transverse Zone is much greater than the vertical displacement along the fault; this is attributed to localized transpressional thrust-stacking. Other basement cross-faults and their relationship with lateral variations within the Moine Thrust Belt and in other thrust belts are discussed.