Role
of pre-existing structures – inversion in mountain belts Role
of pre-existing structures – inversion in mountain belts In the mid 1980s many geologists, led by Mike Coward, recognised that simple Rocky Mountain approaches to understanding mountain belts failed to account for pre-existing structures and associated stratigraphic variations – especially in places like the Western Alps. It is clear that the more mountain belts are examined, the clearer become the earlier structures. These have commonly influenced the later compressional mountain building. As Mike Coward repeatedly pointed out, building these concepts into an investigation is essential on all scales. Inversion of old normal faults promotes "thick-skinned" deformation over detachment-dominated "thin-skinned" styles. And thick-skinned interpretations generally involve far less organic strain than their thin-skinned counterparts. So quite apart from getting a better understanding of local structural geometries and geological histories, being aware of inversion approaches can change the ways we view crustal deformations.
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(pdfs available where live).
Butler, R.W.H.1987. Thrust system evolution within previously rifted areas: an example from the Vercors, French subalpine chains. Mem. Geol. Soc. Italia 38, 5-18.
Butler, R.W.H. 1989. The influence of pre-existing basin structure on thrust system evolution in the western Alps . In: Inversion Tectonics (ed. M.A. Cooper & G.D. Williams) Spec. Publs. Geol. Soc. London 44, 105-122.
Welbon , A.I. & Butler, R.W.H.1992. Structural styles in thrust belts developed through rift basins: a view from the western Alps . In: Structural and Tectonic Modelling and its Application to Petroleum Geology (ed. R.M. Larsen) Norwegian Petroleum Society Spec. Publ. 1 , 469-479.
Butler, R.W.H.1997. Late Proterozoic rift faults and basement-cover relationships wihin the Ben More Thrust Sheet, NW Scotland.J. Geol. Soc. London 154, 761-764
Mazzoli , S., Corrado, S., De Donatis, M., Scrocca, D., Butler, R.W.H., Di Bucci, D., Naso, G., Nicolai, C. & Zucconi, V. 2000. Time and space variability of "thin-skinned" and "thick-skinned" thrust tectonics in the Apennines ( Italy ). Rendiconti Lincei Scienze Fisiche e Naturali 11, 5-39.
Tozer , R.S.J, Butler, R.W.H. & Corrado, S. 2002. Comparing thin- and thick-skinned thrust tectonic models of the Central Apennines, Italy. EGU Stephan Mueller Special Publications Series, 1, 181-194.
Tavarnelli , E., Butler, R.W.H., Decandia, F.A., Calamita, F., Grasso, M., Alvarez, W. & Renda, P. 2004. Implications of fault reactivation and structural inheritance in the Cenozoic tectonic evolution of Italy . In: The Geology of Italy ( eds U. Crescenti, S. D’Offizi, S. Merlini & R. Sacchi) Societa Geologica Italiana Special Volume, 209-222.
Butler, R.W.H., Mazzoli, S., Corrado, S., De Donatis, M., Di Bucci, D., Gambini, R., Naso, G., Nicoli, C., Scrocca, D., Shiner, P. & Zucconi, V. 2004. Applying thick-skinned tectonic models to the Apennine thrust belt of Italy : limitations and implications. In: Thrust tectonics and hydrocarbon systems (ed. K. McClay) Mem. Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. 82, 647-667.
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