Verres

Looking north across the Aosta valley onto the western edge of the Sesia Zone.  The fabric visible on the valley side is a shape fabric in the "gneiss minuti" of the Sesia Zone, dipping moderate-steeply eastwards.  The glaciated peaks in the distance (N) are the Monte Rosa Massif.

Away from the Dent Blanche klippe, the main outcrop of upper plate (Austro-alpine) units is represented by the Sesia Zone. Exposures include granitic gneiss ("gneiss minuti") with aplitic veins and sheets. These rocks are strongly deformed - the aplites originally are believed to have formed a cross-cutting latticework of branches and arms at high angles to each other. Explore these relationships now, estimating the angular shear strains (assuming the side-branches of the aplites were originally at 90 degrees to the main trunks) and discuss the relationships between shape and location fabrics.