Structural development of central Ellesmere
The Arctic Archipelago underwent Ellesmerian-Innuitian orogeny during the Devonian and Eurekan orogeny in the latest Cretaceous to early Tertiary. On Ellesmere Island, Eurekan folds and faults are superimposed coaxially upon Ellesmerian structures in a narrow sigmoidal belt bounded to the east by the Canadian Shield and to the west by Axel Heiberg's complex halokinetic structures. It is difficult to distinguish Eurekan from Ellesmerian structures in pre-Carboniferous strata; in this regard, previously neglected patterns of antecedent drainage merit attention. The sigmoidal swing in fold axes has previously been ascribed to left lateral wrench tectonics (Hugon 1983) coeval with Tertiary movement in Nares Strait. The authors wish to present an alternative model of near-normal compressional tectonics in zones to the southwest of Baumann Fiord and northeast of Canyon Fiord. This combination of structural regimes can be explained by east vergent thrusting against a cratonic margin of initially sigmoidal shape.
- Research Organization:
- Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6876018
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8510489-
- Journal Information:
- Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States), Journal Name: Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States) Vol. 17; ISSN GAAPB
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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