Structural and stratigraphic fabric of the Ouachita thrustbelt, Oklahoma and Arkansas: a Paleozoic accretionary complex

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1985 · Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States)

OSTI ID:6032101

Welland, M J; Cambray, F W; Voight, D S

The Ouachita thrustbelt of Oklahoma and Arkansas demonstrates many of the stratigraphic and structural relationships typical of heavily-sedimented modern accretionary complexes. The Ouachita accretionary complex initially developed in Dev.-Miss. time above a south-dipping subduction zone exotic to the then southern margin of N. America. Emplacement onto the N. American margin took place, with associated development and deformation of the Arkoma foreland basin, in the Pennsylvanian. The highly-deformed L. Paleozoic units (through the Arkansas Novaculite) may be interpreted as accreted material, the overlying less-deformed turbidities as trench and trench-slope deposits. Regional structural fabric, sequential deformational history, surface and subsurface stratigraphic relationships, sedimentary provenance, and limited paleontological affinity data are all consistent with this tectonic setting as demonstrated in active equivalents. A comparison is made with the Tertiary to recent accretionary complex of the Makran, where internal tectonostratigraphic fabric, as revealed by surface geology and offshore seismic data, is directly analogous to aspects of the internal fabric of the Ouachita thrustbelt. Application of this concept can provide a powerful means of refining our view of the tectonic history of the Ouachitas. For example, domains of true reverse structural vergence may not be accounted for by rotation alone but can be interpreted as resulting from the effects of a strong seaward-dipping anisotropy typically developed in some modern complexes (e.g. Oregon-Washington).

• Research Organization: ARCO Exploration Company, Denver, CO (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6032101
• Report Number(s): CONF-8510489-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States) Journal Volume: 17
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
580201* -- Geophysics-- Seismology & Tectonics-- (1980-1989)
ARKANSAS
FEDERAL REGION VI
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC FAULTS
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
GEOLOGIC STRATA
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGY
NORTH AMERICA
OKLAHOMA
ORIENTATION
PALEONTOLOGY
PALEOZOIC ERA
PLATE TECTONICS
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
STRATIGRAPHY
SUBDUCTION ZONES
TECTONICS
USA