Tectonic development of the Alpine fault zone, New Zealand: a fission-track study
Journal Article
·
· Geology; (United States)
Fission-track dating of zircons from the Alpine fault zone in New Zealand and associated granites and gneisses reveals at least three stages in the development of the present fault zone. Mylonites northwest of the Fraser fault give ages of ca 80 Ma. Zircons from the Fraser Formation, bounded by the Fraser and Alpine faults, give ages of ca 9 Ma. Samples east of the Alpine fault give ages below 5 Ma. These youngest ages result from the currently active uplift of the Alpine schists against the Alpine fault. The 9 ma ages record a rapid uplift of the Fraser Formation owing to the onset of compression across the plate boundary. Mylonites to the west of the mapped Fraser fault that give zircon fission-track ages of ca 80 Ma indicate a third, much earlier phase of fault movement. Structural and other geologic evidence supports these conclusions. The observation that the present plate boundary was located along a preexisting zone of weakness suggests that mylonite zones may merit greater attention as possible sites for initiation of rifting and/or continental transform faults. 26 references.
- Research Organization:
- Imperial College, London, England
- OSTI ID:
- 6846296
- Journal Information:
- Geology; (United States), Journal Name: Geology; (United States) Vol. 14:2; ISSN GLGYB
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Lamprophyre dike intrusion and the age of the Alpine fault, New Zealand
Timing and sources of late Archean magmatism, Kolar area, south India: Implications for Archean tectonics
The Grenville orogeny in the Llano Uplift, Texas: A record of collision and contraction along the southern margin of North America
Journal Article
·
Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1987
· Geology; (United States)
·
OSTI ID:5237620
Timing and sources of late Archean magmatism, Kolar area, south India: Implications for Archean tectonics
Thesis/Dissertation
·
Thu Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1987
·
OSTI ID:7164484
The Grenville orogeny in the Llano Uplift, Texas: A record of collision and contraction along the southern margin of North America
Conference
·
Sun Jan 31 23:00:00 EST 1993
· Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States)
·
OSTI ID:5933122
Related Subjects
58 GEOSCIENCES
580100* -- Geology & Hydrology-- (-1989)
AGE ESTIMATION
AUSTRALASIA
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FAULTS
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GNEISSES
GRANITES
IGNEOUS ROCKS
ISOTOPE DATING
METAMORPHIC ROCKS
MINERALS
NEW ZEALAND
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIC ROCKS
ROCKS
SILICATE MINERALS
SILICATES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
TECTONICS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
ZIRCON
ZIRCONIUM COMPOUNDS
ZIRCONIUM SILICATES
580100* -- Geology & Hydrology-- (-1989)
AGE ESTIMATION
AUSTRALASIA
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FAULTS
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GNEISSES
GRANITES
IGNEOUS ROCKS
ISOTOPE DATING
METAMORPHIC ROCKS
MINERALS
NEW ZEALAND
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIC ROCKS
ROCKS
SILICATE MINERALS
SILICATES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
TECTONICS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
ZIRCON
ZIRCONIUM COMPOUNDS
ZIRCONIUM SILICATES