Thin-skinned tectonics in the crystalline southern Appalachians; COCORP seismic-reflection profiling of the Blue Ridge and Piedmont

Abstract

Research Article| December 01, 1979 Thin-skinned tectonics in the crystalline southern Appalachians; COCORP seismic-reflection profiling of the Blue Ridge and Piedmont Frederick A. Cook; Frederick A. Cook 1Department of Geological Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Dennis S. Albaugh; Dennis S. Albaugh 1Department of Geological Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Larry D. Brown; Larry D. Brown 1Department of Geological Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Sidney Kaufman; Sidney Kaufman 1Department of Geological Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Jack E. Oliver; Jack E. Oliver 1Department of Geological Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Robert D. Hatcher, Jr. Robert D. Hatcher, Jr. 2Department of Geology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (1979) 7 (12): 563–567. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1979)7<563:TTITCS>2.0.CO;2 Article history first online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share MailTo Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Frederick A. Cook, Dennis S. Albaugh, Larry D. Brown, Sidney Kaufman, Jack E. Oliver, Robert D. Hatcher; Thin-skinned tectonics in the crystalline southern Appalachians; COCORP seismic-reflection profiling of the Blue Ridge and Piedmont. Geology 1979;; 7 (12): 563–567. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1979)7<563:TTITCS>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract COCORP seismic-reflection profiling in Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee and related geological data indicate that the crystalline Precambrian and Paleozoic rocks of the Blue Ridge, Inner Piedmont, Charlotte belt, and Carolina slate belt constitute an allochthonous sheet, generally 6 to 15 km thick, which overlies relatively flat-lying autochthonous lower Paleozoic sedimentary rocks, 1 to 5 km thick, of the proto-Atlantic continental margin. Thus, the crystalline rocks of the southern Appalachians appear to have been thrust at least 260 km to the west, and they overlie sedimentary rocks that cover an extensive area of the central and southern Appalachians. The hydrocarbon potential of these sedimentary rocks is unknown and untested. The data show that the Brevard fault is the surface expression of an eastward-dipping splay off the main sole thrust, and they show, or imply, that other major faults of this region have similar origins. The data support the view that large-scale, thin crystalline thrust sheets may be significant features of orogenic zones. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.