Sub-fabric identification by standardization of AMS: an example of inferred neotectonic structures from Cyprus

Abstract

AbstractCalcite petrofabrics are sensitive to weak strains, possibly being the most sensitive classical petrofabric indicator. Thus, calcareous sediments may reveal stress trajectories in neotectonic environments. Calcite aligns by crystal-plastic deformation and pressure solution produce corresponding alignments in accessory clay minerals and magnetite (possibly fossil-bacterial). Their alignments are rapidly and precisely detected by anisotropy of low field magnetic susceptibility (AMS) with net magnetic fabrics, which blend diamagnetic contributions from matrix calcite (diamagnetic bulk susceptibility κ ∼ −14 μSI), accessory clay minerals (κ = 100 to 500 μSI) and sometimes trace magnetite (κ > 2 SI). Their relative abundances and different anisotropies must be considered in interpreting AMS orientations, nevertheless our study reveals orientation distributions of AMS axes in sub-areas and regions that are sensibly interpreted as palaeostress trajectories in Neogene and Quaternary strata. The AMS axes may be correlated with the orientation of faults, plate-motion vectors and seismic solutions. Large samples (1090 specimens from 419 sites) are treated by different statistical approaches (‘standardization’) to emphasize or suppress the contribution of subfabrics with anomalous mean susceptibility. A sub-sample of 254 specimens from 219 sites, from different sub-areas was investigated by anisotropy of anhysteretic remanence (AARM), which isolates the orientation distributions of magnetite. Magnetic fabrics are mostly of the L-S kind with the magnetic lineations compatible with gravitational stretching of the sedimentary cover away from the Troodos massif and orthogonal to the principal faults and graben. The L-direction (kmax) shows a smooth variation in orientation, through the sub-areas, directed radially from the Troodos massif and the S-components of the magnetic fabrics are inclined gently to the bedding, compatible with vergence toward the Cyprean Arc to the S and SW of Cyprus.