Variable structural styles and tectonic evolution of an ancient backstop boundary: the Pieniny Klippen Belt of the Western Carpathians

The Pieniny Klippen Belt (PKB) and adjoining zones form a narrow, but lengthy belt that separates the Cretaceous nappe stack of the Central (Austroalpine) and the Cenozoic accretionary wedge of the External Western Carpathians (Flysch Belt). The PKB shares units and structures of both, in addition t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of earth sciences : Geologische Rundschau 2020-06, Vol.109 (4), p.1355-1376
Main Authors: Plašienka, Dušan, Bučová, Jana, Šimonová, Viera
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accretion
Belts
Cenozoic
Convergence
Cretaceous
Deformation
Deposition
Earth and Environmental Science
Earth Sciences
Eocene
Flysch
Geochemistry
Geology
Geophysics/Geodesy
Mineral Resources
Miocene
Oligocene
Original Paper
Plates (tectonics)
Sedimentology
Sediments
Structural Geology
Tectonics
Wedges
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Summary:The Pieniny Klippen Belt (PKB) and adjoining zones form a narrow, but lengthy belt that separates the Cretaceous nappe stack of the Central (Austroalpine) and the Cenozoic accretionary wedge of the External Western Carpathians (Flysch Belt). The PKB shares units and structures of both, in addition to the distinctive Oravic units, derived from a continental fragment in the Middle Penninic position. In map view, the northward-convex PKB consists of two branches—the western one striking roughly SW–NE and the eastern one oriented in the NW–SE direction. The western branch experienced a continuous NW–SE convergence and forward accretion of units derived from the foreland plate during the Late Cretaceous up to Oligocene. The developing accretionary wedge was supported by the backstop of the Central Carpathians. In contrast, the eastern branch originated by separation of PKB units and their dextral translation along the NE margin of the Central Carpathian block in the Late Eocene. During the Miocene reorganization of plate movements in the Carpathian area, the situation reversed. The eastern, formerly dextral transform margin was converted to the frontal backstop of the eastern part of the accretionary wedge. In contrast, the western, previously orthogonally convergent branch was affected by along-strike sinistral movements. Despite these considerable kinematic changes, the PKB remained fixed to both backstop edges and records deformation structures and associated sediments differentiated into several evolutionary stages.
ISSN:1437-3254
1437-3262
DOI:10.1007/s00531-019-01789-5