Sheath-like folds and progressive fold deformation in tertiary sedimentary rocks of the Shimanto accretionary complex, Japan

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

The Upper Oligocene-Lower Miocene portion of the Cretaceous-Lower Miocene Shimanto accretionary complex on the Muroto Peninsula, southwest Japan, comprises alternating belts of coherent clastic rocks and shaly mélange. Sheath-like folds formed locally during a fold-thrust deformation that affected a 10 km structural thickness of these rocks. In a subsequent event confined to the mélange and adjoining areas, the axes of these folds were rotated nearly 90° within the plane of their axial surfaces. The widespread uniform development of the folds and an accompanying axial-planar pressure-solution cleavage strongly suggest that these deformations were tectonically induced, rather than gravity driven slump features. The sheath-like folds indicate that the most plausible environment for these rocks was in an accreted packet of trench-fill, behind the imbricate toe of the Shimanto accretionary complex. The timing of the deformation is constrained by depositional ages as well as by the probable Early Miocene age of an overlying superficial basin and early Middle Miocene igneous dikes that intrude the sequence. This chronology overlaps with the Late Oligocene-Early Miocene opening of the Shikoku back-arc basin, bordering the Shimanto Belt to the southwest; thus accretion and subduction were active during the basin opening event. These conclusions conflict sharphy with earlier held notions of strike-slip and olistostrome tectonics along this plate margin during the Early Miocene opening of the Shikoku Basin.