Strike-slip Shear Research Articles

The Rio Pardo salient, northern Araçuaí orogen: an example of a complex basin-controlled fold-thrust belt curve

ABSTRACT: The Rio Pardo salient, the large antitaxial curve described by the Aracuai fold-and-thrust belt along the southeastern edge of the Sao Francisco craton, is one of the most prominent and one of the least studied features of the Brasiliano Aracuai-West Congo orogenic system (AWCO). In addition to the Archean/Paleoproterozoic basement, the salient is comprised of metasedimentary rocks mainly from the Neoproterozoic Macaubas Group and the Salinas Formation. Its western limb occupies a portion of the Espinhaco ridge, where the NS-trending structures of the Aracuai belt progressively curve NE and E, thereby defining the hinge zone along the Serra Geral on the Minas-Bahia boundary. The eastern limb is NW-trending and marked by a major shear zone. In models postulated to generate the AWCO through the closure of the Neoproterozoic Macaubas basin, this large curve plays a critical kinematic role. Yet, in spite of this, its development is still not fully understood. How did this curve originate? Which factors controlled its generation? Our field study performed in the northern Aracuai orogen characterized the kinematic picture of the salient, and led to a model that addresses these questions. The results we obtained indicate that the Rio Pardo salient developed in response to four deformation phases. The contractional D1 and D2 phases are coaxial and responsible for a craton-directed tectonic transport along the salient’s outer arc, which is coupled with an overall southward motion of the inner arc, thereby giving rise to a rather complex kinematic picture. Furthermore, structures of the D1/D2 phases define a zigzag pattern with alternating NE- and NW-trending segments along the salient’s leading edge. Along the NE-trending segments, the metasedimentary rocks are thrust northwestwards on top of the craton basement, while along the NW-trending segments, the supracrustal rocks are displaced along dextral to reverse-dextral transpressional shear zones located on the basement/cover contact. Structures of the D3 phase, which are well developed in the hinge zone, record a final WSW-ENE contraction, which was responsible for rotation of the preexistent fabric elements around NNW-trending axes and the enhancement of the salient curvature. The D4 phase is extensional and is recorded by two large-scale structures, the Chapada Acaua and Tingui normal shear zones, as well as by the normal-sinistral reactivation of the Itapebi strike-slip shear zone that marks the salient eastern limb. We interpret the initiation of the Rio Pardo salient during the collisional 565-575 Ma D1/D2 phases essentially as a primary arc that is mainly controlled by the geometry of the Macaubas precursor basin. The thickened internal portion of the Rio Pardo salient was affected by extensional tectonism at c. 530 Ma, and is recorded by the D4 deformation phase, which is currently ascribed to the extensional collapse of the Aracuai-West Congo orogen.

From an ocean floor wrench zone origin to transpressional tectonic emplacement of the Sithonia ophiolite, eastern Vardar Suture Zone, northern Greece

In the Hellenides of northern Greece, the Sithonia back-arc ophiolite constitute an element of the Vardar suture zone against the Chortiatis island arc magmatic suite, the Melissochori Formation and the Serbo-Macedonian Massif further north at the Mesozoic continental margin of Eurasia. A granodiorite from the Chortiatis island arc magmatic suite crystallized at 160 Ma as derived from new U-Pb zircon geochronology and confirms the end of arc magmatic activity that started at around 173 Ma. Located southerly of the Chortiatis island arc magmatic suite, the Sithonia ophiolite had igneous life from 159 to 149 Ma, and the ophiolite interfinger with clastic-carbonate Kimmeridgian sediments. Magmatic structures (i.e., sheeted dykes) in the ophiolite witness for NE-trending rift axis, while the transform faults and fracture zones sketch NW–SE transcurrent transtension-like propagation of the rift-spreading center at Sithonia that is consistent with a dextral wrench corridor already proposed for the ophiolite origin in the eastern Vardar zone. The tectonic emplacement of the Sithonia ophiolite involved dextral ENE to SE strike-slip sense of shear and SW and NE reverse thrust sense of shear on mostly steep foliation S1, subhorizontal lineation L1 and associated variably inclined F1 fold axes. This structural grain and kinematics are shared by adjacent Chortiatis island arc magmatic suite and the Melissochori Formation. The coexistence of strike-parallel and thrust components of displacement along discrete dextral strike-slip shear zones and internal deformation of the mentioned units is interpreted to result from a bulk dextral transpressive deformation regime developed in greenschist-facies metamorphic conditions. The back-arc ocean floor previous structural architecture with faults and fracture zones where Kimmeridgian sediments deposited in troughs was used by discrete strike-slip shear zones in which these sediments involved, and the shear zones become the sites for strain partitioning of transpressional deformation. Available biostratigraphic and radiometric age constraints define latest Jurassic-earliest Cretaceous (Tithonian-Berriasian to early Valanginian) time frame for the Sithonia ophiolite northeastward tectonic emplacement accomodated by dextral transpression that led to the ophiolite accretion to the Chortiatis island arc magmatic suite and its trench-fill exposed in the Melissochori Formation and further north toward the Serbo-Macedonian margin of Eurasia.

Strain partitioning along the Mahanadi Shear Zone: Implications for paleo-tectonics of the Eastern Ghats Province, India

During Indo-Antarctic collision at c. 1.0 Ga, Eastern Ghats Province (EGP) granulites amalgamated with the Archean Indian craton. The northern boundary of the EGP was subsequently reworked, undergoing dextral strike-slip shearing at 0.5 Ga. This study documents a phase of dextral shearing within the EGP along WNW-ESE trending shear planes in c. 0.5 Ga mylonites of the Mahanadi Shear Zone. Regional structural trends in the EGP show a swing from NE-SW to the south of the shear zone, to WNW-ESE to its north. The mylonitic shear zone foliation has a sub-horizontal lineation associated with a prominent dextral shear sense in near-horizontal sections. Electron Back Scatter Diffraction (EBSD) studies on quartz confirm that mylonitisation was associated with dextral strike-slip movement in the greenschist facies. North of the Mahanadi Shear Zone, strain was partitioned into narrow dextral strike-slip shear zones along which the older granulite fabrics were transposed parallel to later WNW-ESE trending shear planes at lower grades of metamorphism. This regional-scale shearing at ∼ 500 Ma possibly resulted in a significant dextral shift of the northern EGP with respect to the south. The shear zone was reactivated in the Permian time during deposition of Gondwana sediments in the Mahanadi basin.

A stand-alone Co mineral deposit in northeastern Hunan Province, South China: Its timing, origin of ore fluids and metal Co, and geodynamic setting

The Hengdong cobalt (Co) deposit, located in northeastern Hunan Province of South China, is hosted by the low-grade metamorphic volcaniclastic sedimentary rocks of the early Neoproterozoic Lengjiaxi Group. The Co orebodies strictly controlled by the NE- to ENE-trending Changsha-Pingjiang deep fault zone (CPDFZ) and its secondary structures. Occurring in altered breccias and cataclasites with similar mineral assemblages, Co mineralization is characterized by zoned alteration with predominant silicification and chloritization proximal to the orebodies, and sericitization and carbonatization distal from the mineralization. The integrated field and microscope observations reveal three hydrothermal stages marked by quartz + pyrite + muscovite ± chalcopyrite of the early-stage mineralization (E-stage), quartz + polymetallic sulfides + chlorite of the middle-stage mineralization (M−stage), and quartz + chlorite + carbonate of the late-stage mineralization (L-stage). Muscovite from both the E-stage Co-bearing altered breccia and the CPDFZ mylonite yield 40Ar–39Ar plateau ages of 124.7 ± 0.6 Ma (1σ) and 130.3 ± 1.4 Ma (1σ), respectively, indicating an early Cretaceous mineralization likely associated with the last movement of CPDFZ strike-slip shearing. The δ34S values of pyrite and chalcopyrite ranging from −1.5 to −15.9% with a majority between −7.5 and −15.9%, and the lead isotope compositions of the pyrite (206Pb/204Pb = 18.156–18.761, 207Pb/204Pb = 15.645–15.662 and 208Pb/204Pb = 38.469–39.172) overlapping with those of upper crust, indicate a main crust-derived source. The chemical compositions of pyrite further indicate the ore fluids and metal Co of the Hengdong deposit are most likely linked to the meta-mafic and volcanic rocks of the Neoarchean to Paleoproterozoic Lianyunshan Group, but with a contamination by the wall rocks of Lengjiaxi Group and Lianyunshan granitoids. Fluid inclusion investigations from Hengdong deposit reveal the decreasing homogenization temperatures from 250 to 320 °C (peak of 280–300 °C) at the E stage, through ∼220–320 °C (peak of 270–300 °C) at the M stage, and to ∼150–230 °C at the L stage without obviously salinity (7.0–15 wt% NaCl equiv.) changed. In the M−stage, the presence of coexisting LV inclusions and V-rich inclusions with the similar homogenization temperature, consistent with the chlorite geothermometry data, is interpreted to be the result of fluid immiscibility, which was caused by cyclic pressure release during fault-zone movement. Combined with the Late Mesozoic tectonism of South China, the present data support the Hengdong deposit formed under an extension-associated tectonic regime most likely induced by slab roll-back of the subducted Paleo-Pacific Plate during the early Cretaceous. This extensional event not only caused the reactivation of the pre-existing structures as manifested by the CPDFZ characteristic of stress transformation from compression to extension but also likely resulted in the release of large amounts of Co-bearing ore fluids from the Proterozoic or older volcanogenic rocks. When the ore fluids migrated along the CPDFZ and its secondary faults, the decompression (adiabatic cooling) of the hydrothermal fluids shifted the ore fluid to the immiscibility field, significantly reduced the degree of cobalt undersaturation, and caused cobalt to precipitate, which finally formed the Hengdong Co mineral deposit.

Subduction and vertical coastal motions in the eastern Mediterranean

Convergence in the eastern Mediterranean of oceanic Nubia with Anatolia and the Aegean is complex and poorly understood. Large volumes of sediment obscure the shallow structure of the subduction zone, and since much of the convergence is accommodated aseismically, there are limited earthquake data to constrain its kinematics. We present new source models for recent earthquakes, combining these with field observations, published GPS velocities and reflection-seismic data to investigate faulting in three areas: the Florence Rise, SW Turkey and the Pliny and Strabo Trenches. The depths and locations of earthquakes reveal the geometry of the subducting Nubian plate NE of the Florence Rise, a bathymetric high that is probably formed by deformation of sediment at the surface projection of the Anatolia–Nubia subduction interface. In SW Turkey, the presence of a strike-slip shear zone has often been inferred despite an absence of strike-slip earthquakes. We show that the GPS-derived strain-rate field is consistent with extension on the orthogonal systems of normal faults observed in the region and that strike-slip faulting is not required to explain observed GPS velocities. Further SW, the Pliny and Strabo Trenches are also often interpreted as strike-slip shear zones, but almost all nearby earthquakes have either reverse-faulting or normal-faulting focal mechanisms. Oblique convergence across the trenches may be accommodated either by a partitioned system of strike-slip and reverse faults or by oblique slip on the Aegean–Nubia subduction interface. The observed late-Quaternary vertical motions of coastlines close to the subduction zone are influenced by the interplay between: (1) thickening of the material overriding the subduction interface associated with convergence, which promotes coastal uplift; and (2) subsidence due to extension and associated crustal thinning. Long-wavelength gravity data suggest that some of the observed topographic contrasts in the eastern Mediterranean are supported by mantle convection. However, whether the convection is time dependent and whether its pattern moves relative to Nubia are uncertain, and its contribution to present-day rates of vertical coastal motions is therefore hard to constrain. The observed extension of the overriding material in the subduction system is probably partly related to buoyancy forces arising from topographic contrasts between the Aegean, Anatolia and the Mediterranean seafloor, but the reasons for regional variations are less clear.

E–W strike slip shearing of Kinwat granitoid at South East Deccan Volcanic Province, Kinwat, Maharashtra, India

We study the margin of South East Deccan Volcanic Province around Kinwat lineament, Maharashtra, India, which is NW extension of the Kaddam Fault. Structural field studies document \(\sim \)E–W strike-slip mostly brittle faults from the basement granite. We designate this as ‘Western boundary East Dharwar Craton Strike-slip Zone’ (WBEDCSZ). At local level, the deformation regime from Kinwat, Kaddam Fault, micro-seismically active Nanded and seismically active Killari corroborate with the nearby lineaments. Morphometric analyses suggest that the region is moderately tectonically active. The region of intense strike-slip deformation lies between seismically active fault along Tapi in NW and Bhadrachalam in the SE part of the Kaddam Fault/lineament. The WBEDCSZ with the surface evidences of faulting, presence of a major lineaments and intersection of faults could be a zone of intraplate earthquake.

Strain geometry, microstructure and metamorphism in the dextral transpressional Mubarak Shear Belt, Central Eastern Desert, Egypt

Mubarak shear belt provides an opportunity to investigate quantitative finite strain (Rs), proportions of pure shear and simple shear components, sense of shear indicators, subhorizontal to steeply plunging mineral lineations, in a dextral transpressional zone. The structural style of the Mubarak shear belt is consistent with dextral transpression within the Central Eastern Desert where dextral and reverse shear have developed simultaneously with the regional foliation. The high strain zone of the Mubarak shear belt is characterized by steeply dipping foliation with sub-horizontal stretching lineation (simple shear) surrounded by thrust imbrications with slightly plunging stretching lineations. Strain estimates from the Mubarak shear belt are used to determine how pure and simple shear components of deformation are partitioned. The axial ratios in XZ sections range from 1.16 to 2.33 with the maximum stretch, S X , ranges from 1.06 to 1.48. The minimum stretch, S Z , ranges from 0.65 to 0.92 indicating a moderate variation in vertical shortening. Volcaniclastic metasediments and metagabbros were subjected to prograde low-grade regional metamorphism in the range of greenschist to lower amphibolite facies (450–650°C at 2–4 kbar). Medium pressure (6–8 kbar at 530°C) was estimated from the high strain zone within the dextral strike-slip shear zones. Retrograde metamorphism occurred at a temperature range of 250–280°C. There is a trend towards decreasing the ratio of 100Mg/(Mg + Fetot + Mn) away from the high strain zone of the Mubarak shear belt. Integrated strain and temperature estimates indicate that the simple shear (non-coaxial) components of deformation played a significant role in formation and exhumation of the Mubarak shear belt during the accumulation of finite strain and consequently during progressive transpression and thrusting.

Strike-slip shear zones of the Iberian Massif: Are they coeval?

Strike-slip shear zones of the Iberian Massif: Are they coeval?

Growth of lithosphere-scale fault system in NE Tibet: Numerical modeling constrained by high-resolution seismic reflection data

The east Kunlun fault is an important strike-slip shear zone to understand continental deformation in NE Tibet. The recent high-resolution deep seismic reflection profiling across the Kunlun fault reveals a thrust fault system and two decollements in the crust, along with another thrust fault system which reaches to the depth of upper mantle and cuts off the Moho. The mechanism of the growth of these shear zones at lithosphere-scale, which reveals the type of deep deformation, is investigated using the finite-element method with an elastic-plastic constitutive relationship. The results show that the thrust fault system in the crust may be explained by the conjugated plastic deformation belts under compression from the Indian plate. The pre-existing fault in the depth may develop to cut the Moho toward two new directions rather than along the original direction. The vertical and lateral heterogeneity of material, frictional property and geometry of the models all affect the feature of the fault growth. The growth of the thrust fault system on both sides of the Kunlun fault is only located in the crust, it means that the Kunlun fault does not reach to the Moho depth.

Contrasting Pan-African structural styles at the NW margin of the Congo Shield in Cameroon

Field, microstructural, and anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS, magnetic fabrics) studies assessed the Pan-African deformational history and strain geometry at the southern margin of the Central African Fold Belt (CAFB) against the older, cratonic basement of the Congo Shield (CS). Reflected light microscopy and thermomagnetic studies supported the identification of magnetic minerals. Data cover a low angle thrust margin (Mbengis-Sangmelima area) in the east and high angle shear zones cutting the margin (Kribi area) in the west, at the Atlantic coast. In the CS basement units, magnetic anisotropy is generally higher than in the low grade Pan-African units. In the latter, early D1/D2 shortening produced a flat-lying magnetic foliation parallel with the regional trend of the belt, a shallow magnetic lineation, and mostly oblate fabrics. Subsequent D3 deformation is only of local importance in the Mbengis-Sangmelima area. The magnetic lineation shows distinct maxima in NNE-SSW direction, parallel with the low angle tectonic transport direction.In the Kribi area, the NNE-SSW trending Kribi-Campo shear zone (KCSZ) affected both older rocks and Pan-African high grade metapelites of the Yaoundé unit together with their basal thrust. The early planar fabric (S1) was overprinted during D2 folding under relatively high T conditions, and subsequent D3 wrenching. Magnetic fabrics document a progressive change from oblate towards prolate ellipsoids towards the KCSZ. Magnetic foliations with medium to steep dips curve into the N-S to NE-SW orientation of the KCSZ, lineations follow the same trend with shallow to medium plunges. This fabric implies that the KCSZ is a Pan-African strike-slip shear zone with a subordinate component of compression.Strike-slip tectonics in the west (KCSZ) and thrusting in the east imply N-S to NE-SW convergence during Pan-African terrane assembly against the present northern margin of the CS. In addition, the KCSZ may separate the CS from the São Francisco Craton in Brazil and thus be the northern part of a link connecting the CAFB to the West Congo Belt in the south. This putative Pan-African link separated the São Francisco Craton from the Congo Shield prior to Mesozoic Gondwana break-up.

Exhumation of a migmatite complex along a transpressive shear zone: inferences from the Variscan Juzbado–Penalva do Castelo Shear Zone (Central Iberian Zone)

High-grade metamorphic rocks associated with S-type granites are recorded in the Central Iberian Zone, Iberian Variscides. Though most of these occur as inferred metamorphic core complexes affiliated with detachment faults, others, such as the Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo–Lumbrales Anatectic Complex, crop out between low-grade metamorphic rocks separated by steeply-dipping strike-slip shear zones, such as the Juzbado–Penalva do Castelo Shear Zone. Our structural analysis has been able to constrain two major deformation stages during the Variscan D 3 : (a) D 3a ductile deformation event, with clear sinistral kinematic criteria; and (b) D 3b thrusting ductile–brittle deformation event. The petrological investigation confirmed the jump in metamorphic grade between the host rocks and the anatectic complex. P–T estimates on calc-silicate rocks interlayered with the metapelites of the anatectic complex provided minimum metamorphic peak conditions of T = 761 ± 50°C and P = 5.0 ± 1.0 kbar. However, petrological modelling results show that P–T conditions must have exceeded T > 800°C. Both structural and geothermobarometric data support a two-step model for the exhumation of the Anatectic Complex, including a 5 – 8 km vertical exhumation along a 65 – 100 km horizontal displacement due to a simple shear-dominated transpression mechanism during the Variscan D 3 events. Supplementary material: The petrology data, mineral chemistry analyses of the calc-silicate units and EPMA analytical conditions, and the P–T modelling methodology can be found at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.3785648

Size distribution and roundness of clasts within pseudotachylytes of the Gangavalli Shear Zone, Salem, Tamil Nadu: An insight into its origin and tectonic significance

Gangavalli (Brittle) Shear Zone (Fault) near Attur, Tamil Nadu exposes nearly 50 km long and 1–3 km wide NNE–SSW trending linear belt of cataclasites and pseudotachylyte produced on charnockites of the Southern Granulite Terrane. Pseudotachylytes, as well as the country rock, bear the evidence of conjugate strike slip shearing along NNE–SSW and NW–SE directions, suggesting an N–S compression. The Gangavalli Shear Zone represents the NNE–SSW fault of the conjugate system along which a right lateral shear has produced seismic slip motion giving rise to cataclasites and pseudotachylytes. Pseudotachylytes occur as veins of varying width extending from hairline fracture fills to tens of meters in length. They carry quartz as well as feldspar clasts with sizes of few mm in diameter; the clast sizes show a modified Power law distribution with finer ones (<1000 \({\upmu }\)m\(^{2})\) deviating from linearity. The shape of the clasts shows a high degree of roundness (>0.4) due to thermal decrepitation. In a large instance, devitrification has occurred producing albitic microlites that suggest the temperature of the pseudotachylyte melt was >1000\(^{\circ }\hbox {C}\). Thus, pseudotachylyte veins act as a proxy to understand the genetic process involved in the evolution of the shear zone and its tectonic settings.

Deformation correlations, stress field switches and evolution of an orogenic intersection: The Pan-African Kaoko-Damara orogenic junction, Namibia

Age calibrated deformation histories established by detailed mapping and dating of key magmatic time markers are correlated across all tectono-metamorphic provinces in the Damara Orogenic System. Correlations across structural belts result in an internally consistent deformation framework with evidence of stress field rotations with similar timing, and switches between different deformation events. Horizontal principle compressive stress rotated clockwise ∼180° in total during Kaoko Belt evolution, and ∼135° during Damara Belt evolution. At most stages, stress field variation is progressive and can be attributed to events within the Damara Orogenic System, caused by changes in relative trajectories of the interacting Rio De La Plata, Congo, and Kalahari Cratons. Kaokoan orogenesis occurred earliest and evolved from collision and obduction at ∼590 Ma, involving E–W directed shortening, progressing through different transpressional states with ∼45° rotation of the stress field to strike-slip shear under NW–SE shortening at ∼550–530 Ma. Damaran orogenesis evolved from collision at ∼555–550 Ma with NW–SE directed shortening in common with the Kaoko Belt, and subsequently evolved through ∼90° rotation of the stress field to NE–SW shortening at ∼512–508 Ma. Both Kaoko and Damara orogenic fronts were operating at the same time, with all three cratons being coaxially convergent during the 550–530 Ma period; Rio De La Plata directed SE against the Congo Craton margin, and both together over-riding the Kalahari Craton margin also towards the SE. Progressive stress field rotation was punctuated by rapid and significant switches at ∼530–525 Ma, ∼508 Ma and ∼505 Ma. These three events included: (1) Culmination of main phase orogenesis in the Damara Belt, coinciding with maximum burial and peak metamorphism at 530–525 Ma. This occurred at the same time as termination of transpression and initiation of transtensional reactivation of shear zones in the Kaoko Belt. Principle compressive stress switched from NW–SE to NNW–SSE shortening in both Kaoko and Damara Belts at this time. This marks the start of Congo-Kalahari stress field overwhelming the waning Rio De La Plata-Congo stress field, and from this time forward contraction across the Damara Belt generated the stress field governing subsequent low-strain events in the Kaoko Belt. (2) A sudden switch to E–W directed shortening at ∼508 Ma is interpreted as a far-field effect imposed on the Damara Orogenic System, most plausibly from arc obduction along the orogenic margin of Gondwana (Ross-Delamerian Orogen). (3) This imposed stress field established a N–S extension direction exploited by decompression melts, switch to vertical shortening, and triggered gravitational collapse and extension of the thermally weakened hot orogen core at ∼505 Ma, producing an extensional metamorphic core complex across the Central Zone.

Fabric evolution of polydeformed orthogneisses and quartzites along the Curitiba Shear Zone, Curitiba Domain, Southern Brazil

In Southern Brazil there is a series of strike-slip shear zones that represent the late-collisional event of Western Gondwana in the Neoproterozoic-Eopaleozoic transition. The Curitiba Shear Zone (CSZ) is a part of this strike-slip regime separating two different domains: the supracrustal metasedimentary rocks and the basement composed of orthogneiss, migmatite and quartzite. The absence of detailed structural data for this discontinuity has motivated us to study this important part of the geology of southern of Brazil. The main purpose of this work is the characterization of meso and microstructures and determination of crystallographic fabric of quartz in orthogneisses and quartzites along the CSZ southern block. Structural data suggest that the CSZ consists of one ductile-brittle strike-slip deformation phase leading to the deformation of orthogneiss and quartzites of the Atuba Complex. The ductile regime was responsible for the formation of low-grade mylonite in greenschist facies. Crystallographic texture indicate a restricted recrystallization of quartz mainy via dislocation creep through activation ob basal <a> slip system. The brittle regime led to the formation of cataclasites, faults and joints, with a mean orientation of N50E/75SE and N33E/80SE, respectively. Extensive dissolution-precipitation creep affected the rocks and infilled veins with carbonate and quartz.

Structure and development of the Changliangshan ductile shear zone, North Tibet: implications for the initial closure of the Paleo-Tethys Ocean in the central Qiangtang region

The Changliangshan ductile shear zone extends ~80 km in an east–west direction in central Qiangtang, Tibetan Plateau. Structural and kinematic analyses show that the shear zone comprises mainly protomylonite, mylonite, and phyllite with dextral-dominated strike–slip motion in the northern branch of the shear zone and sinistral strike–slip shear in the southern branch. Concordant U–Pb ages on the metamorphic rims of zircons from mylonite indicate that deformation along the shear zone started at 249.1 ± 6.7 Ma during the initial collision between the North and South Qiangtang terranes. The 40Ar/39Ar ages of sericite (221–215 Ma), combined with available kinematic and structural data, indicate that the metamorphic rocks of the shear zone experienced transpressional exhumation and uplift during the Late Triassic. In addition, the E–W-trending Changliangshan ductile shear zone marks the contact between Yangtze-type (warm-water) and Gondwana-type (cold-water) deposits. The initial NE–SW-directed collision gave rise to shearing along the Changliangshan ductile shear zone under lower- to middle-greenschist facies conditions during the Early–Middle Triassic. Subsequently, the Yangtze-type sediments passively pierced the Gondwana-type deposits as a wedge-shaped unit along the shear zone. Furthermore, the data reveal that the Changliangshan shear zone formed during oblique convergence between the North and South Qiangtang terranes during initial closure of the Paleo-Tethys.

Granulite-facies metamorphism at ca. 570-580 Ma in the Porangatu Granulite Complex, central Brazil: implications for the evolution of the Transbrasiliano Lineament

The Porangatu Granulite Complex is exposed in the central part of the Neoproterozoic Tocantins province in central Brazil, along the boundary between the Brasilia Belt to the east and the Araguaia Belt to the west. This is part of the transcontinental Transbrasiliano-Kandi shear system. The complex includes garnet-rich enderbite and charnockite, high-grade gneisses as well as lenses of garnet-bearing mafic granulite or amphibolites, and in situ anatectic charnockite, elongated in the NNE-SSW direction along the Talisma Shear Zone (TSZ). These rocks represent suites of ortho-derived rocks of calc-alkaline affinity and small contributions of tholeiitic basalts and aluminous paragneisses. The structural framework records thrust components probably related to the early stages of an oblique collision during the evolution of Neoproterozoic Brasiliano orogens, and can be understood as involving a collisional system of two crustal blocks, initially with thrust components which in its final stage evolved to a transcurrent system with dextral movement. This led to intense imbrication, generation of mylonitic foliation, stretching lineation, tectonic banding and rotation of structures and minerals. The heterogeneous and progressive ductile deformation was accompanied by metamorphic re-equilibrium in late Neoproterozoic time. Granulite facies conditions reached a metamorphic maximum at temperature and pressure above 850°C and 10 kbar, in an almost anhydrous environment, with or without anatexis. Zircon U-Pb SHRIMP analyses for two selected rock samples indicated the combined age of 580 ± 7 Ma for a charnockite and 548 ± 48 Ma for a mafic granulite from which the charnockite is throught to have been derived. The mafic granulite contains zircon grains of ca. 2.1 Ga, indicating Paleoproterozoic igneous protoliths involved in Neoproterozoic high-grade metamorphism. In addition, older inherited zircon grains of ca. 3.1 and 2.0 Ga ( 207 Pb/ 206 Pb ages) in charnockite also confirm the existence of older Archaean and Paleoproterozoic material in this region, possibly derived from the Goias Massif. A 0.88 Ga inherited zircon grain is suggestive of derivation from the Goias Magmatic Arc. This Neoproterozoic age for the high-grade metamorphism is substantially younger than those reported for other granulites in the Brasilia Belt (ca. 0.65 Ga), suggesting that the Porangatu Granulite Complex is more probably associated with the evolution of the younger Araguaia Belt. The new field, structural, petrographic and geochronological data suggest that the Porangatu Granulite Complex was involved in a high-temperature ductile strike-slip shear zone juxtaposing terrains of different ages (Archaean, Paleoproterozoic, Neoproterozoic), crustal nature and level (lower and middle continental crust), strongly reworked during the final stages of the Brasiliano orogeny, and represents the exposed roots of the Tocantins orogen.

New structural data on Late Paleozoic tectonics in the Kyrgyz Tien Shan (Central Asian Orogenic Belt)

The tectonic evolution of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) is characterized by the successive accretion of lithospheric blocks, leading to different interpretations about the polarity of subductions during the Paleozoic, the number of microplates and oceanic basins and the timing of tectonic events. This is especially the case in the Tien Shan area.In this paper, we propose new structural maps and cross-sections of Middle and South Kyrgyz Tien Shan (MTS and STS respectively). These cross-sections highlight an overall dextral strike-slip shear zone in the MTS at the crustal scale and a North verging structure in the STS. These structures are Carboniferous in age and sealed by a late Carboniferous conglomerate, later overlain by Mesozoic and Cenozoic deposits. The STS exhibits two deformation phases: (1) a top-to-the-South normal shearing that can be related to subduction or exhumation dynamics and (2) a top to the North nappe stacking that we link to the late Paleozoic collisional events between the MTS and the Tarim block.We propose a new interpretation of the tectonic evolution of the Kyrgyz Tien Shan during the Late Paleozoic collision. This model involves a partitioned collisional deformation in Late Carboniferous times, with an orthogonal collision to the south, between the Tarim and MTS, and a strike-slip regime to the north along a dextral E-W zone located between the MTS and the North Tien-Shan/Kazakh platform, the so-called Nikolaev Line. The docking of the large Tarim Craton against the CAOB corresponds to a collision phase, which ended the long-lived Paleozoic subduction history in the CAOB and was followed in the TS region by intense strike-slip deformation during the Permian.

Magma‐facilitated transpressional strain partitioning within the Sawtooth metamorphic complex, Idaho: A zone accommodating Cretaceous orogen‐parallel translation in the Idaho batholith

Structural data from metasedimentary rocks and geochronologic data from intrusive rocks in the Idaho batholith provide evidence for the relationship between deformation and magmatism in the northern U.S. Cordillera. The Sawtooth metamorphic complex (SMC), Idaho, is exposed as an inlier in the central Idaho batholith and contains strongly deformed metasedimentary and intrusive rocks. Geologic mapping reveals north-south-striking, alternating contraction- and shear-dominated domains across strike. The contraction-dominated domains consist of centimeter- to tens of meter-scale, shallowly to steeply plunging upright folds with subhorizontal lineations. The shear-dominated domains are characterized by highly strained subvertical foliations, subhorizontal lineations, and syntectonic intrusive sheets. Pervasive S-C structures, winged porphyroclasts, and asymmetric folds indicate dextral strike-slip shearing. The fabrics in the two types of domains are structurally compatible and are interpreted to be broadly synchronous. This work suggests that the SMC structures represent a wrench-dominated transpressional zone, in which the regional strain partitioned into the contraction- and shear-dominated domains and the partitioning was facilitated by emplacement of syntectonic magmas. Zircon U-Pb data of the syntectonic intrusions indicate that the SMC transpressional deformation occurred mainly between ca. 95-92 Ma and ca. 84 Ma, and had ended by ca. 77 Ma. The transpressional deformation in the SMC and the western Idaho shear zone (WISZ) were kinematically compatible and partially coeval. This suggests that the SMC and WISZ represent a regional transpression system and that crustal deformation inboard of the continental margin may have contributed to the northward orogen-parallel translation of accreted terranes during the Late Cretaceous.

Carpathian Shear Corridor – A strike-slip boundary of an extruded crustal segment

The Carpathian Shear Corridor (CSC), a morphostructurally distinctive ENE-WSW brittle shear zone, is a prominent dynamic interface of crustal fragments shifted during an oblique collision process combined with lateral extrusions in the Late stages of the Western Carpathians tectonic evolution. This tectonics was due to convection in the upper mantle, driven mainly by slab-pull forces related to a subductional process in front of prograding Carpathians. The CSC separates the marginal segment of the Western Carpathians, already firmly attached to the European plate, from the southern still eastwardly moving block. This process led to structural transpositions, anomalous rotation of small blocks and tilting and uplift/subsidence events, resulting in a tectonic style of horst and intramountaine basin alternations within the corridor. Preliminary paleomagnetic data indicate anomalous CCW block rotations within this corridor, and AFT ages indicate Early and Late Miocene (ca 24–22Ma and ca 10–7Ma) fault controlled exhumation events triggered by increased shear zone activity. Deep seismic sections, magnetotelluric and gravity data show that CSC follows a frontal ramp of the Western Carpathians thrust over the foreland. The CSC remains an active strike-slip shear zone, and therefore the most important earthquake risk-zone in the Slovakian portion of the Western Carpathians. It presents a lateral ramp transform boundary of eastwardly extruding crustal segment during the Miocene and up to the recent time.

Intra-continental transpression and gneiss doming in an obliquely convergent regime in SE Asia

The Tengchong terrane comprises a sequence of linear dome-like zones, cored by granite and migmatitic layers. These cores are mantled by predominantly gneiss and subordinate schist sequences, decreasing in deformation intensity outward from extensive mylonitization to weak mylonitization. The pre-doming deformation was characterized by the formation of large-scale top-to-the-east shearing (D1) in the gneiss terrane, locally preserved flat-lying foliation (S1), weak folding (F1) and emplacement of the Mangbang granite during the Cretaceous (114-104 Ma). The second stage of deformation (D2) consisted of map-scale east-verging folds (F2, dome amplification) and minor lateral strike-slip shear zones between the anticlines in the gneiss and migmatitic sequences. Extensive partial melting and emplacement of 67-30 Ma synkinematic granitoid bodies/veins occurred, leading to the emplacement of wedges of granite into the easterly directed F2 fold cores. These wedges formed kilometer-scale granitoid domes. The post-doming D3 deformation with transpression recorded strain partitioning with simple shear-dominated high-strain zones along the Gaoligong and Nabang dextral lateral strike-slip shear zones (active during 30-11 Ma). Late transtensional deformation (D4) during cooling of the entire terrane involved the localized low-temperature Gaoligong west and east detachment faults that controlled the late exhumation of the Gaoligong metamorphic zone (since 10 Ma). Our structural observations, combined with previous studies, suggest that this style of doming is a representative type of intra-continental deformation in the Cenozoic during the oblique India-Asia collision. The actual dome shapes reflect formation of antiforms during compression-dominated transpression, prior to localized strike-slip shearing, in the accommodation belt around the Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis. Vertical exhumation of crustal material by contractional doming played an important role in absorbing the vast majority of the internal deformation of crustal fragments during oblique collision.