GEOLOGA ESTRUCTURAL

Francisco A. Velandia P.

Escuela de Geologa - UIS

CUENCAS SEDIMENTARIAS TECTNICA

ESTILOS ESTRUCTURALES

University of Illinois, Chicago, USA Principios de Geologa Fsica de Holmes

Principle of Isostasy:
Fg on iceberg =
upward
buoyancy
force.

Ice melts faster at top & root approaches surface.

Analogous to erosion of mountain belt.

larger icebergs higher elevation & deeper roots

Transtensin
 Plate Tectonics and Sedimentary Basin Types

SB = Suture Belt
RMP = Rifted margin prism
SC = Subduction complex
FTB = Fold and thrust belt
RA = Remnant arc
AMBIENTES DIVERGENTES

CUENCAS EXTENSIONALES
 Pure shear rifting

Simple shear rifting

But two basic models prevail for crustal extension.

Many more exist for driving forces.
 Fig. 14.3
Evolution of
Passive
Continental
Margin
Basin
 Passive Continental Margin Basin

Thermal and Isostatic (sediment loading) Subsidence

North American Paleozoic-Cenozoic Atlantic Coast
AULACOGEN
BASIN
 Causes of Orogenesis
Continental rifting.
Continental crust is uplifted in rift settings.
Thinned crust is less heavy; mantle responds isostatically.
Decompressional melting adds asthenospheric magma.
Increased heat flow from magma expands and uplifts rocks.
Rifting creates linear fault block mountains and linear basins.
AMBIENTES CONVERGENTES

CUENCAS COMPRESIONALES
LMITES CONVERGENTES
 Causes of Orogenesis
Convergent tectonic boundaries create mountains.
Subduction-related volcanic arcs grow on overriding plate.
Accretionary prisms (off-scraped sediment) grow upward.
Compression stacks thrust faults on the
far side of mountain belt.
Causes of Orogenesis
Island fragments of continental lithosphere may be carried into
trenches but they wont subduct.
These blocks are added to the overriding plate.
These exotic terranes have geologic histories unlike surrounding
rocks.
 Causes of Orogenesis
Continental collisions.
Oceanic lithosphere can completely subduct.
This closes the pre-existing ocean basin.
Brings two blocks of continental crust together.
Buoyant continental crust will not subduct.
Instead, subduction is extinguished.
 Causes of Orogenesis
Continent continent collision
Creates a broad welt of crustal thickening.
Thickening due to thrust faulting and flow folding.
Center of belt consists of high-grade metamorphic rocks.
Fold and thrust belts extend outward on either side.
The resulting high mountains may eventually collapse.
 BASIN TYPES ALONG CONVERGENT
(COMPRESSIONAL) MARGINS

Subduction related
trench basins (oceanic)
forearc basins (ocean- or continent-related)
backarc basins (oceanic) - form on the overriding plate, behind the
volcanic arc
retroarc foreland basins (continental)

Collision related
peripheral foreland basins (continental)
 FORELAND BASINS

- Are convergent (compressional) basins in continental settings.

- Retroarc & peripheral types

Foreland System Model

 Forearc & Retroarc Foreland Basins
Develop in ocean/continent collisional orogens.
Forearc basins
Great Valley Sequence, Mesozoic California; Neogene Puget Trough,
Oregon/Washington
Retroarc foreland basins
Rocky Mountain Western interior; Appalachian basin (Devonian & Miss-
Penn)
AMBIENTES TRANSCURRENTES
(Transformantes)

CUENCAS TRANSTENSIONALES
 Transtensional basins
Strike-slip basins form in transtensional regimes and are
usually relatively small but also deep; they are commonly filled
with coarse facies (e.g., alluvial fans) adjacent to lacustrine or
marine deposits
TRANSPRESSION
RELATED
PULL APART
BASIN
 Composicin mineral de
los terrgenos en las cuencas
y su relacin con el ambiente
tectnico
 CLAST
CRATON &
COMPOSITION STABLE SHELF
(w/out tect margin)

RIFT
FORELAND
AULACOGEN
BASINS
TRANSTEN-
SIONAL

FOREARC &
TRENCH
FOREARC &
TRENCH
WILSON CYCLE & BASIN EVOLUTION