Influence of transverse structures on sedimentation in continental extensional basins: Examples from the eastern Great Basin
- Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT (United States). Dept. of Earth Sciences
- Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States). Dept. of Geology and Geophysics
Transverse structures are an important, commonly-overlooked control on the stratigraphy, facies distributions, and provenance of continental extensional basin fill. Transverse structures in extensional orogens comprise: transfer faults, which involve both the hanging wall and footwall of detachment faults striking perpendicular to the direction of major extension; accommodation faults, confined entirely to the detachment hanging wall and separating areas of either differing amounts of extension or opposing fault polarity; and hybrid faults, which involve components of both displacement transfer and accommodation. In the eastern Great Basin, these structures may originate as: long-lived, basement-involved structures which may control stratigraphic variations in the overlying Paleozoic section; tear faults or major lateral ramps in late Paleozoic or Mesozoic contractional belts; E-W striking normal faults active during late Paleogene N-S directed extension and accompanying volcanism; and faults formed as structure transfer or accommodation zones during subsequent Neogene E-W directed extension. Conceptual models of basin development illustrate the complex controls on facies distributions, sediment provenance, and development of intrabasinal unconformities in the basin fill. Newly recognized controls include: nature and magnitude of displacement along transverse structures; wavelength of fault spacing in detachment systems; and complex interactions between uplift induced by both displacement and accommodation in hybrid fault systems. Sedimentary basins developed in conjunction with transverse structure are characterized by: rapidly shifting loci of subsidence; closed to poorly-integrated basin drainage systems; paucity of fluvial deposits; multiple sediment source areas; complex facies architecture; intrabasinal uplift and cannibalization of older basin-fill; and extensive development of intrabasinal unconformities.
- OSTI ID:
- 5126718
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9305259--
- Journal Information:
- Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States), Journal Name: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States) Vol. 25:5; ISSN GAAPBC; ISSN 0016-7592
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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