Sub-Himalayan Mesozoic-Cenozoic tectonic-stratigraphic properties and deformation features in the western limb of Hazara Kashmir syntaxis, Pakistan

• Published in: Arabian journal of geosciences 2024, Vol.17 (1), Article 16
• Main Authors: Hussain, Irshad, Li, Zuo-Chen, Fida, Misbah, Hussain, Jabir, Hussain, Wakeel, Pei, Xian-Zhi, Yang, Ya-Jie, Wang, Meng, Li, Rui-Bao, Pei, Lei, Lin, Hao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alluvial deposits; Alluvium; Anticlines; Cenozoic; Deformation; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth science; Earth Sciences; Fault lines; Faults; Geological faults; Jurassic; Mesozoic; Original Paper; Quaternary; Sedimentary rocks; Stratigraphy; Structural analysis; Synclines; Tectonics
• ISSN: 1866-7511; 1866-7538
• DOI: 10.1007/s12517-023-11817-z

This study has documented the structural and stratigraphic investigations of the Darwaza, Tajwal, Masot, Bhurban, Dewal, and Malkot areas of Murree and KPK, Pakistan. The proposed territory is positioned along the western limb of the Hazara Kashmir syntaxis (HKS). The HKS is an anti-formal hairpin-like architecture, which is seismically an active folded-and-thrust belt in the sub-Himalayas of Pakistan. It was studied using the Kink method (stratigraphic and structural analysis) combined with detailed field observations. The results reveal that the sedimentary rock sequence is fully exposed to the area from the Middle Jurassic (Samana Suk Formation) to date (Quaternary alluvium). Structurally, the study area is highly deformed. Two main deformational episodes (D 1 and D 2 ) were recognized. D 1 deformation is characterized by tight to isoclinal folds with penetrative axial plane cleavage, axes plunging N43°E/80°NW, and interlimb angle 03–05°, whereas D 2 deformation is categorized by open to gentle-style folds with an axial plane ranging from N28°E/68° SE to N50°E/86°NW and an interlimb angle of 95–122°. Moreover, faults and folds are present in the area. Sandh overturned syncline, Sandh anticline, Sandh syncline, Daryagali anticline, Tandoi syncline, Bhurban anticline, and Potha syncline are the major folds. These folds are northwest verging and southeast or southwest plunging. These are isoclinal to gentle folds. The Darwaza fault, Masot fault, and Main Boundary Thrust (MBT) are the major faults in the study area. These faults are northeast–southwest trending and dip to the northwest, thus forming thrust-fault–related folds.