No description available.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The northeast-trending south Central Zone (sCZ) of the Pan-African Damara belt in central Namibia is structurally characterized by kilometer-scale, northeast-trending dome structures developed in Neoproterozoic rocks of the Damara Sequence. A number of different structural models have been proposed for the formation of these domes in the literature. This study describes the structural geology of the Usakos dome. The study discusses the structural evolution of the dome within the regional framework of the cSZ that represents the high-grade metamorphic axis of the Damara Belt, characterized by voluminous Pan-African granitoids. The northeastern part of the Usakos dome is developed as an upright- to northwestverging anticlinorium containing a steep southeasterly-dipping axial planar foliation. The northeast fold trend persists into the southwestern parts of the Usakos dome. However, this southwestern core of the dome is inundated by synkinematic granitic sheets. Distinct marker horizons of the Damara Sequence outcrop as screens within the granite, preserving a ghost stratigraphy. These screens illustrate the position and orientation of second-order folds. Significantly, most of the stratigraphy of the Damara Sequence is overturned in these folds. For example, some second-order anticlines developed in the northeastern parts of the Usakos dome can be followed along their axial traces into the southwestern hinge of the dome, where they appear as synformal anticlines, i.e. synformal structures cored by older strata, plunging towards the northeast. The inverted stratigraphy and northeasterly fold plunges suggest the northeast-trending folds are refolded by second-generation, northwest-trending folds, thus, forming kilometer-scale Type-2 interference folds. The resulting fold geometries are strongly non-cylindrical, approaching southwest-closing sheath folds indicating a top-to-the-southwest material transport. Lower-order folds in this overturned domain show radial fold plunges, plunging away from the centre of the dome core, as well as a shallowly-dipping schistosity. The close spatial and temporal relationship between granite intrusion and the formation of the southwest-vergent, sheath-type folds, radial distribution of fold plunges and the subhorizontal foliation confined to the southwestern hinge of the Usakos dome are interpreted to signify the rheological weakening and ensuing collapse of the developing first-order Usakos dome immediately above the synkinematic granite intrusions. Orogenparallel, southwest-vergent sheath folds and top-to-the southwest extrusion of the southwestern parts of the Usakos dome and northwest-vergent folding and thrusting characterizing the northeastern extent of the Usakos dome are both responses to the northwest-southeast- directed contractional tectonics recorded during the main collisional phase in the Damara belt. On a regional scale, the Usakos dome represents the link between the foreland-vergent northeastern part of the sCZ and the southwest-vergent, high-grade southwestern parts of the sCZ. The results of this study illustrate how dramatic variations in structural styles may be caused by the localized and transient rheological weakening of the crust during plutonic activity. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die noordoos-strekkende, suidelike Sentrale Sone (sSS) van die Pan-Afrikaanse Damara gordel in sentraal Namibië word karakteriseer deur kilometer-skaal, noordoosstrekkende koepel strukture, ontwikkel in die Neoproterozoïkum gesteentes van die Damara Opeenvolging. 'n Aantal verskillende struktuur modelle is voorgestel in die literatuur vir die vorming van hierdie koepels. Hierdie ondersoek beskryf die struktuur geologie van die Usakos koepel. Die ondersoek bespreek die strukturele ontwikkeling van die koepel in die regionale konteks van die sSS, wat die hoë graadse metamorfe magmatiese as van die Damara Gordel verteenwoordig, en karakteriseer word deur omvangryke Pan-Afrikaanse granitoïede. Die noordoostelike gedeelte van die Usakos koepel is ontwikkel as 'n antiklinorium met 'n vertikale- tot noordwestelike kantelrigting. wat 'n steil hellende, suidoostelike asvlak planêre foliasie bevat. Die noordoos-strekkende plooiing kom voor tot in die suidwestelike kern van die Usakos wat ingedring is deur sinkinematiese granitiese plate. Die posisie en oriëntasie van tweede-orde plooie is afgebeeld in die graniete deur 'n skimstratigrafie wat preserveer is deur duidelike merker horisonne van die Damara Opeenvolging. Die stratigrafie van die Damara Opeenvolging is opmerklik meestal omgekeer in hierdie plooie. Byvoorbeeld, tweede-orde antikliene ontwikkel in die noordoostelike gedeelte van die Usakos koepel kan gevolg word langs hul asvlakspore tot in die suidwestelike skarnier van die koepel, waar dit voorkom as sinforme antikliene, d.w.s. sinforme strukture met ouer strata in die kern wat na die noordooste duik. Die omgekeerde stratigrafie en noordoostelike plooi duiking impliseer dat die noordoosstrekkende plooie weer geplooi is deur tweede-generasie, noordwes-strekkende plooie, wat dus aanleiding gegee het tot die vorming van kilometer-skaal, tipe-2 interferensie plooie. Die gevolglike plooi geometrieë is uitdruklik nie-silindries, en toon 'n oorgang na skede plooie met 'n sluiting na die suidweste, wat dui op 'n bokant-na-die-suidweste materiaal vervoer. Laer-orde plooie in die omgekeerde domein vertoon radiale duiking van die plooie, weg van die middelpunt van die koepel kern, sowel as 'n vlak hellende skistositeit. Die noue ruimtelike en temporele verwantskap tussen graniet intrusie en die vorming van skede-tipe plooie met 'n kantelrigting na die suidweste, die radiale verspreiding van plooi duiking, en die subhorisontale foliasie wat beperk is tot die suidwestelike skarnier van die Usakos koepel, word interpreteer as 'n aanduiding van die reologiese verswakking en die gevolglike ineenstorting van die ontwikkelende eerste-orde Usakos koepel, onmiddellik aan die bokant van die sinkinematiese graniet intrusies. Die orogeenparalleie skede plooie met kantelrigting na die suidweste en bokant-na-die-suidweste ekstrusie van die suidwestelike gedeelte van die Usakos koepel, en plooiing met kantelrigting na die noordweste en stootverskuiwing wat kenmerkend is van die noordoostelike gedeelte van die Usakos koepel, is beide 'n reaksie op die noordwessuidoos- gerigte vernouings tektoniek opgeteken gedurende die hoof botsings fase in die Damara gordel. Op 'n regionale skaal verteenwoordig die Usakos koepel die verbinding tussen die noordoostelike gedeelte van die sSS met 'n voorland kantelrigting. en die hoë graad suidwestelike gedeelte van die sSS met 'n kantelrigting na die suidweste. Die resultate van hierdie ondersoek toon aan hoe dramatiese variasies in struktuur style veroorsaak kan word deur die gelokaliseerde en kortstondige reologiese verswakking van die kors gedurende plutoniese aktiwiteit.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 1989. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Ceres Syntaxis comprises that part of the Cape Fold Belt Syntaxis that lies north of the Worcester Fault. Most of the area consists of folded Cape Supergroup (primarily Witteberg Group) rocks. Fold styles of all fold trends are essentially the same. However, different multilayer rheologies led to the development of either sinusoidal or kink-like fold geometries in different parts of the cover sequence. The character of Witteberg sediments led to the development of large megakink folds and peculiar fold zones in this part of the sequence. Fold trends in the Ceres Syntaxis vary between NW-SE, NE-SW and E-W. The southern part of the area is dominated by the NE-SW trend, with the NW-SE trend being only important in the west. Interference between these two trends only exists in the Witteberg Group, where it occurs as crossing linear fold zones and conjugate, intersecting kink folds . Cross-folding relationships in the north-eastern part of the Ceres Syntaxis indicate that the area had been affected by two contemporaneous, orthogonally opposed compressions that worked simultaneously in different parts of the multilayer. Differences in the magnitude of strain, or in the local timing of fold initiation, produced local refolding or transecting relationships. The microfabric of Witteberg sandstones suggests deformation under conditions of low temperature and pressure, as well as low strain rates. Some microfabrics also indicate that substantial buckle shortening occurred while the Middle and Upper Witteberg beds were still unlithified. Isotopic dating of Cedarberg shale from both main trends did not yield unequivocal results, mainly due to the deformatio~al intensity. The positioning of the Cape low Fold Belt Syntaxis was strongly influenced by basement tectonic grain and basin floor relief. The NW and NE fold trends formed on a heterogeneous basement that resolved the stress configuration into components which external . acted simultaneously towards the north-west and north-east. Ecca and Beaufort Group sedimentation patterns in the western Karoo corroborate the above findings. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Ceres-sintaks beslaan daardie deel van die sintaks van die Kaapse Plooigordel wat noord van die Worcesterverskuiwing Ie. Die gebied bestaan grotendeels uit geplooide gesteentes van die Supergroep Kaap (hoofsaaklik Groep Witteberg). AIle plooirigtings openbaar dieselfde plooistyl. Reologiese verskille in'die rnultilaehet egter gelei tot die ontwikkeling van of sinusoidale ~f knikvorrnigeplooie in verskillende dele van die dekgesteentes. Die Wittebergsedirnente se aard het veroorsaak dat rnegaknikkeen eienaardige plooisones in hierdie deel van die opeenvolging ontstaan het. Plooirigtings in die Ceres-sintaks wissel tussen NW-SO, NO-SW en O-W. Die NO-SW plooirigting oorheers in die suidelike deel van die gebied, terwyl die NW-SO plooirigting eintlik net in. die weste belangrik is. Interferensie van hierdie twee.hoofrigtings korn slegs voor in die Groep Witteberg, waar dit as dwarssnydende lineere plooisones en snydende, konjugerende knikke aanwesig is. Onderlinge verhoudings tussen kruisplooie in die noordoostelike Ceres-sintaks, toon dat die gebied beinvloed is deur twee gelyktydige drukspannings wat reghoekig op rnekaar ingewerk het, sorntyds in effens verskillende dele van die rnultilaag.Verskille in die spanningsbedrag en tydsberekening het lokale herplooiing of dwarssnydende strukture veroorsaak. Die mikrornaaksel van die Wittebergsandsteen toon dat die vervorming onder lae temperatuur- en druktoestande, tesame met 'n lae vervorrningsternpo, plaasgevind het. Die rnaaksel toon ook aan dat heelwat buigplooiing plaasgevind het terwyl die Middel- en Bo-Witteberglae nog ongekonsolideer was. Isotopiese datering van Sederbergskalie afkornstigvan die twee hoofplooirigtings, het weens die lae vervormingsintensiteit swak resultate gelewer. Die posisie van die sintaks van die Kaapse Plooigordel, insluitende die van die Ceres-sintaks, is sterk' belnvioed deur die tektoniese grein en re~i~f van die vloergesteentes. Die heterogene vloer waarop die NW en NO plooie gevorrn het, het daartoe gelei dat die eksterne spanningsopset verdeel is in kornponentewat gelyktydig na die noordweste en noordooste gewerk het. Sedirnentasiepatrone in die Groepe Ecca en Beaufort ondersteun bostaande afleidings.

abstract / Earth Sciences / Master / Master of Philosophy

This dissertation research assesses the behavior of young faults in central Nevada through analyses of landforms associated with these faults. Four large earthquakes have occurred since 1915 in a striking N-S belt in central Nevada; no comparable earthquakes have occurred elsewhere in the Great Basin. The frequency of large-earthquake occurrence, and temporal and spatial patterns and rates of faulting in central Nevada during the Holocene were assessed through geomorphic and geologic studies of young fault scarps. Ages of paleoseismic events were estimated primarily through analyses of fault scarp morphologies and characterization and quantification of soil development associated with alluvial surfaces. Rates of fault scarp degradation were explored through diffusion-based modeling of latest Pleistocene pluvial shoreline scarps. Morphologic scarp age depends strongly on scarp size; modest variations in local climate, particle size, and aspect are less important. Incorporating a factor that depends on scarp size almost always decreases the scatter in scarp age estimates, and is critical if only small scarps exist along a fault zone. An average of ±30% uncertainty about the mean scarp age estimate remains after these analyses. Soil development indices were calibrated using 14 Holocene to latest Pleistocene soil profiles in central Nevada whose maximum ages are constrained. Soil development indices were used to estimate ages of faulted and unfaulted alluvial surfaces along fault scarps. Soils and morphologic fault scarp age estimates for paleoseismic events are generally consistent. Temporal and spatial patterns and rates of faulting during the Holocene were evaluated using age estimates for paleoseismic events. The long-term rate of faulting is about 10 times lower than the historical rate. There were no other N-S belts of faulting during the Holocene, although scarp ages suggest that there may have been other temporal clusters of faulting. There have been spatial clusters of faulting during portions of the Holocene. The extensional deformation rate across central Nevada during the Holocene is about 0.5-0.75 mm/yr. Integrating this rate with fault-slip data from other portions of the northern Great Basin, the Holocene extensional deformation rate is 3.5-6.5 mm/yr, substantially lower than the historical deformation rate.

The Guerrero terrane of western Mexico is characterized by an Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous volcanic-sedimentary sequence of arc affinity. The arc assemblage rests unconformably on partially metamorphosed rocks of possible Triassic-Jurassic age. These "basement units," the Arteaga and Placeres Complexes and the Zacatecas Formation, are composed of deformed turbidites, basalts, volcanic-derived graywackes, and blocks of chert and limestone. Sandstones from the basement units are mostly quartzitic and have a recycled orogen-subduction complex provenance. They have negative ᵋNdi (-5 to -7), model Nd ages of 1.3 Ga., and enrichment in light REE, indicating that they were supplied from an evolved continental crust. The volcanic graywackes are derived from juvenile sources (depleted in LREE and ᵋNd = +6), though they represent a small volume of sediments. Primary sources for these turbidites might be the Grenville belt or NW South America. Basement rocks in western North America are not suitable sources because they are more isotopically evolved. Igneous rocks from the basement units are of MORB affinity (depleted LREE and ᵋNdi = +10 to +6). The Jurassic(?)-Cretaceous arc volcanic rocks have ᵋNdi (+7.9 to +3.9) and REE patterns similar to those of evolved intraoceanic island arcs. Sandstones related to the arc assemblage are predominantly volcaniclastic. These sediments have positive ᵋNdi values (+3 to +6) and REE with IAV-affinity. The Guerrero terrane seems to be characterized by two major tectonic assemblages. The Triassic-Middle Jurassic "basement assemblage" that corresponds to an ocean-floor assemblage with sediments derived from continental sources, and the Late Jurassic-Cretaceous arc assemblage formed in an oceanic island arc setting. During the Laramide orogeny the arc was placed against nuclear Mexico. Then, the polarity of the sedimentation changed from westward to eastward, and sediments derived from the arc-assemblage flooded nuclear Mexico. This process marks the "continentalization" of the Guerrero terrane, which on average represents a large addition of juvenile crust to the western North American Cordillera during Mesozoic time.

The Late Cretaceous foreland basin in central Utah developed adjacent to the Cordilleran fold and thrust belt between Albian and latest Campanian time. Subsidence resulted from the lithospheric 'oad of coeval thrust sheets to the west. Compositional trends of foreland-basin sandstones record unroofing of stratigraphic sequences above ramp-style detachment thrusts until the middle Campanian, when folding above a frontal blind thrust system caused recycling of previously deposited foreland basin detritus. Basement uplifts within the foreland basin terminated subsidence in latest Campanian time. Thrust loading created a westward-thickening basin in which the sedimentary wedge fines eastward. Coarse-grained synorogenic strata along the western edge of the basin are included in the Indianola Group, which consists of a lower marine-dominated sequence and an upper fluvial sequence. The marine sequence correlates with the marine Mancos Shale farther east, while the upper fluvial sequence is equivalent to the Mesaverde Group. Individual lithostratigraphic units are time-transgressive, becoming younger eastward. Eight distinct depositional facies are recognized in the Indianola Group: alluvial fan conglomerate, braided fluvial conglomerate, braided fluvial pebbly sandstone, meanderbelt fluvial sandstone and siltstone, delta distributary sandstone, lagoonal sandstone, siltstone, and mudstone, nearshore marine sandstone, and open marine mudstone and siltstone. The Mesaverde Group was deposited mostly by sandy to pebbly braided and meandering rivers which transported detritus eastward from the thrust belt. Facies in the basin combine to form an offlapping sequence of eastward-fining clastic wedges. Sandstones of the basin are quartzarenites, sublitharenites, and litharenites derived from the sedimentary source terrane of the thrust belt. Detrital carbonate grains are an important fraction of the sedimentary rock fragments that dominate the lithic population of the sandstones. Feldspathic litharenites high in eastern exposures of the Mesaverde Group were derived from an arc terrane lying beyond the thrust belt. Linear petrographic trends shown by triangular QtFL and QpLsLv plots resulted from mixing of detritus from multiple sources. The age of synorogenic deposits and their succession by a Maastrichtian to Paleocene overlap assemblage indicate that foreland basin subsidence and major thrust faulting were continuous from late Albian through late Campanian time in central Utah.

In northern British Columbia, the Sylvester Allochthon of the Slide Mountain terrane is the most inboard of Cordilleran suspect terranes, resting as a vast klippe upon miogeoclinal strata of the Cassiar Platform. The Sylvester is oceanic; it comprises gabbro, pillowed and massive basalt, banded chert, carbonate, argillite, ultramafics and minor arenite, which range in age from Late Devonian to Late Triassic. Internal structure in the Sylvester Allochthon is characterized as a stack of innumerable interleaved tectonic slices, bounded by subhorizontal, layer-parallel faults. These lithotectonic units are an order of magnitude smaller than the terrane itself and may consist of only a single or a few repeated rock types. The internal structure of the Sylvester is complex but not chaotic; small numbers of slices occur together in larger second-order packages which are also fault-bounded and lensoidal. However, tectonic juxtaposition of unrelated lithologies and older-over-younger faults are common. The "stratigraphy" of the Sylvester assemblage is thus tectonic. Sliver-bounding faulting within the Sylvester is known to have, at least in part, predated its post-Triassic, pre-mid Cretaceous emplacement. The Sylvester was emplaced onto North America as the roof thrust to a foreland-style duplex within underlying North American strata. vii viii The Sylvester Allochthon is the most inboard of accreted terranes, however it does not represent a simple marginal basin. New microfossil dating demonstrates that most rock types occur through the complete range of Sylvester ages. Coeval but depositionally incompatable lithologies must have accumulated in separate ocean floor paleoenvironments. Lithologies of the allochthon derive almost exclusively from layer 1, only the surface of oceanic crust. Thus, Sylvester slices are telescoped remnants detached from a vast area of ocean crust which ranged in age and width through the upper Paleozoic but which is now otherwise entirely consumed. Similarities of rock type, internal structure, age range, and regional tectonic setting have identified the Sylvester Allochthon as broadly correlative with a discontinuous series of terranes extending the length of the Cordillera. Together, these terranes may represent the remnants of what was once the late Paleozoic proto-Pacific ocean floor.

No description available.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science of the University of the Witwatersrand for the degree of Master of Science / Detailed high precision geochronological studies have been performed on the 2054 Ma old Bushveld Complex, in an attempt to unravel its tectonic and thermal evolution in the period immediately following intrusion and crystallisation. The geochronological techniques used have been specifically chosen to sample specific temperature episodes in the cooling of the Complex, rather than to necessarily provide an accurate emplacement age, The Bushveld Complex is seen in this study as part of the Bushveld Magmatic Province, rather than as an isolated intrusion, The geochronological data are therefore interpreted in the context of the current understanding of the Proterozoic tectonic and thermal history of the Kaapvaal Craton. The development of clean chemical methods and accurate geochronological methods are essential to this type of study. The reduction of laboratory blanks, especially for lead and the development of laboratory techniques for the analysis of small samples therefore played an important part in this study. It has been possible to lower analytical blanks, especially lead blanks to levels where the analysis of small samples is possible. In addition, the zircon evaporation technique was attempted. Phlogopite micas from the Critical Zone of the Bushveld Complex give a wlde range of Rb-Sr model ages, some almost 100Ma older than the preferred age. This indicates a period of hydrothermal alteration of considerable duration at the same time as the intrusion. The slightly young Rb-Sr age recorded for all the mica and whole rock data collected for this study indicates the alteration of the micas which is evident from petrographic and electron microprobe studies. U-Pb and Pb-Pb zircon ages are also Significantly younger than the preferred age, indicating a degree of alteration. This is also seen in the discordance of the zircons seen in the U-Pb data. / AC2017