Stratal disruption and development of mélange, Western Newfoundland: effect of high fluid pressure in an accretionary terrain during ophiolite emplacement

Abstract

The Bay of Islands Ophiolite was emplaced onto the continental margin of North America during the mid-Ordovician Taconic orogeny, when tectonic slices of continental margin sediments were accreted to the moving allochthon. Tectonic slices grade into and are surrounded by mélange. Early fracture in sandstones formed without grain breakage and allowed penetration of liquid petroleum along fracture planes. Other fractures involved cataclastic flow and were sometimes re-activated during formation of later pressure solution cleavage. Shear-fracture and extension-fracture boudinage affect competent strata; extensional veins cut cement in limestone beds and are filled by shale, quartz, calcite and bitumen. Folds also formed, at a time when siltstone and sandstone were at least partially lithified. Mélange matrix shows abundant shear and extension fractures in a variety of orientations. Coaxial extension responsible for disruption of bedding can be explained by a brittle accretionary wedge model in which high fluid pressures resulted from tectonic dewatering of shales. Surface slope decreased as fluid pressure rose beneath the ophiolite, causing horizontal extension of the wedge. After escape of excess water the surface slope steepened again as renewed stacking occurred.