Post-Caledonian tectonics along the Billefjorden fault zone, Svalbard, and implications for the Arctic region

Abstract

Research Article| February 01, 1994 Post-Caledonian tectonics along the Billefjorden fault zone, Svalbard, and implications for the Arctic region G. M. MANBY; G. M. MANBY 1School of Earth Sciences, University of Greenwich, Bigland Street, London E1 2NG Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar N. LYBERIS; N. LYBERIS 2Université Paris VI, DPt de Geotectonique, 4 Place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 05 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar J. CHOROWICZ; J. CHOROWICZ 2Université Paris VI, DPt de Geotectonique, 4 Place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 05 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar F. THIEDIG F. THIEDIG 3Geologisch-Palaeontologisches Institute and Museum, Universität Münster, Corrensstraβe 24 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information G. M. MANBY 1School of Earth Sciences, University of Greenwich, Bigland Street, London E1 2NG N. LYBERIS 2Université Paris VI, DPt de Geotectonique, 4 Place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 05 J. CHOROWICZ 2Université Paris VI, DPt de Geotectonique, 4 Place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 05 F. THIEDIG 3Geologisch-Palaeontologisches Institute and Museum, Universität Münster, Corrensstraβe 24 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (1994) 106 (2): 201–216. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1994)105<0201:PCTATB>2.3.CO;2 Article history First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation G. M. MANBY, N. LYBERIS, J. CHOROWICZ, F. THIEDIG; Post-Caledonian tectonics along the Billefjorden fault zone, Svalbard, and implications for the Arctic region. GSA Bulletin 1994;; 106 (2): 201–216. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1994)105<0201:PCTATB>2.3.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract The north-south Billefjorden fault zone of northern Spitsbergen in the Svalbard archipelago has been widely regarded as one of the classic areas for transpressional tectonics. The fault zone coincides with a late Caledonian shear zone and presently constitutes the eastern boundary of the main Devonian basin of northern Svalbard. Fold axial traces and thrust faults that developed in the Devonian to Permo-Carboniferous rocks parallel the strike of the fault zone. There is no evidence for the rotation of fold hinges, and nonaxial planar, transecting cleavages are lacking. Folds and thrusts with similar geometries affect the whole 60-km-wide Devonian basin fill. These observations, together with analyses of fault and fold patterns, indicate (A) pre-Devonian (Caledonian) left-lateral ductile shearing; (B) Late Silurian-Early Devonian extension; (C) Late Devonian-early Carboniferous inversion accompanied by folding of Devonian sedimentary rocks; (D) early Carboniferous extension followed by platform-wide subsidence into late Mesozoic time; (E) Late Cretaceous-Paleocene, east-west contraction, thrusting, and folding; and (E) post-Paleocene east-west extension. The Late Devonian deformation along the Billefjorden fault zone is compared with the Late Devonian to early Carboniferous Ellesmerian orogeny of the Canadian Arctic. The Late Devonian megashear model for the tectonic evolution of the North Atlantic region is not supported by the evidence from Svalbard. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.