Seismic images of the Grenville Orogen in Ontario

1994 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 293-307 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. J. White ◽  
R. M. Easton ◽  
N. G. Culshaw ◽  
B. Milkereit ◽  
D. A. Forsyth ◽  
...  

In 1990, Lithoprobe acquired 240 km of seismic-reflection data across parts of the Central Gneiss Belt (CGB) and the Central Metasedimentary Belt (CMB) within the western Grenville Province of southern Ontario. Interpretation of these data in conjunction with geological constraints provided by bedrock mapping supports a model of northwest-directed thrusting and crustal shortening for the Grenville Orogen. Within the CGB, the Parry Sound shear zone is imaged as a 3 km wide zone of reflections dipping southeastward at 20–25° and soling at depths < 7 km in the north and < 3 km in the south beneath Parry Sound domain. Parry Sound domain and the immediately adjacent domains are underlain by a gently southeast-dipping reflective zone at 4.5–12.0 km depth interpreted as a detachment surface, likely associated with the central Britt shear zone. This zone may have accommodated northwesterly transport of Parry Sound, southern Britt, and northwestern Rosseau domains over Britt domain during Grenvillian thrusting.Within the CMB, the seismic data indicate that crustal shortening and imbrication have not been confined to domain and terrane boundaries, as presently defined. A 6 km wide band of reflections dips south at ~20° from the surface within Bancroft terrane, soling into a mid-crustal décollement beneath Elzevir terrane. Beneath and to the north of this planar reflective zone is a complex pattern of strong, south-dipping (10–40°) reflections that extends from the near surface to the lower crust above a less reflective wedge-shaped zone. The zone of complex reflectivity projects updip to the CMB boundary zone and into the CGB; together with the linear band of reflections affiliated with Bancroft terrane, they form the tectonized boundary between the CGB and the CMB. To the south of the linear reflective zone, prominent reflective packages are restricted to the middle and upper crust. The generally nonreflective uppermost crust beneath Elzevir terrane is underlain by a series of gently southeast-dipping, antiformal reflections that appear to sole into the mid-crustal décollement beneath Mazinaw terrane. These observations suggest that the collision between the CMB and the CGB resulted in a sequence of relatively thin (15–20 km thick) allochthonous terranes within the CMB being transported along a regional décollement and thrust northwestward over footwall rocks of the CGB along a penetratively deformed tectonic zone, while a lower crustal wedge may have delaminated the CMB lower crust. Crustal thickness where defined by the seismic data is 42.0–43.5 km in both the CGB and the CMB.

1996 ◽  
Vol 33 (9) ◽  
pp. 1343-1362 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guy Sénéchal ◽  
Marianne Mareschal ◽  
Andrew J. Calvert ◽  
Gilles Grandjean ◽  
Claude Hubert ◽  
...  

We present a processing sequence that attempts to balance geometrical and amplitude analyses in order to recover the maximum information from deep seismic reflection data. The approach, which is guided by the interpretation of other deep geophysical data sets (magnetotellurics, refraction), is applied to Lithoprobe seismic reflection line 28 across the central and northern Abitibi belt. We show, in particular, how amplitude analyses help to quantify the depth of penetration of seismic energy as well as the crustal reflectivity. Apparent lateral variations of deep structures (e.g., the Moho) can be directly related to the high levels of noise that limit the signal penetration depth. We propose a geological model that satisfies all deep geophysical constraints. In this model, the mid crust south of Casa-Berardi tectonic zone consists of imbricated volcanic–plutonic and sedimentary lithologies, which are probably comparable to the mid-crustal section of the Kapuskasing structural zone, and in this paper are referred to as "the Abitibi plate." The lithologies are characterized by high reflectivity, while north of Casa-Berardi tectonic zone the mid crust is dominantly Opatica plutonic lithologies, of lower reflectivity. In this scenario, supracrustal rocks of the Abitibi belt overlie the Opatica plutonic belt, whereas the Abitibi plate extends beneath the Opatica plutonic belt. The boundary between the Opatica plutonic belt and the Abitibi plate is a northward-dipping décollement extending from mid crust in the south to lower crust in the north. The Casa-Berardi tectonic zone appears to be a crustal boundary affecting upper and middle crust down to 20 km, between northern polycyclic terranes and southern monocyclic ones. The uniformity of the lower crust suggests that its formation was decoupled from that of the intermediate to upper crust.


2021 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maren Vormann ◽  
Wilfried Jokat

AbstractThe East African margin between the Somali Basin in the north and the Natal Basin in the south formed as a result of the Jurassic/Cretaceous dispersal of Gondwana. While the initial movements between East and West Gondwana left (oblique) rifted margins behind, the subsequent southward drift of East Gondwana from 157 Ma onwards created a major shear zone, the Davie Fracture Zone (DFZ), along East Africa. To document the structural variability of the DFZ, several deep seismic lines were acquired off northern Mozambique. The profiles clearly indicate the structural changes along the shear zone from an elevated continental block in the south (14°–20°S) to non-elevated basement covered by up to 6-km-thick sediments in the north (9°–13°S). Here, we compile the geological/geophysical knowledge of five profiles along East Africa and interpret them in the context of one of the latest kinematic reconstructions. A pre-rift position of the detached continental sliver of the Davie Ridge between Tanzania/Kenya and southeastern Madagascar fits to this kinematic reconstruction without general changes of the rotation poles.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Quanlin Hou ◽  
Hongyuan Zhang ◽  
Qing Liu ◽  
Jun Li ◽  
Yudong Wu

A previous study of the Dabie area has been supposed that a strong extensional event happened between the Yangtze and North China blocks. The entire extensional system is divided into the Northern Dabie metamorphic complex belt and the south extensional tectonic System according to geological and geochemical characteristics in our study. The Xiaotian-Mozitan shear zone in the north boundary of the north system is a thrust detachment, showing upper block sliding to the NNE, with a displacement of more than 56 km. However, in the south system, the shearing direction along the Shuihou-Wuhe and Taihu-Mamiao shear zones is tending towards SSE, whereas that along the Susong-Qingshuihe shear zone tending towards SW, with a displacement of about 12 km. Flinn index results of both the north and south extensional systems indicate that there is a shear mechanism transition from pure to simple, implying that the extensional event in the south tectonic system could be related to a magma intrusion in the Northern Dabie metamorphic complex belt. Two 40Ar-39Ar ages of mylonite rocks in the above mentioned shear zones yielded, separately, ~190 Ma and ~124 Ma, referring to a cooling age of ultrahigh-pressure rocks and an extensional era later.


2009 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 273-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. D. Sokolov ◽  
G. Ye. Bondarenko ◽  
A. K. Khudoley ◽  
O. L. Morozov ◽  
M. V. Luchitskaya ◽  
...  

Abstract. A long tectonic zone composed of Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous volcanic and sedimentary rocks is recognized along the Asian continent margin from the Mongol-Okhotsk fold and thrust belt on the south to the Chukotka Peninsula on the north. This belt represents the Uda-Murgal arc, which was developed along the convergent margin between Northeast Asia and Northwest Meso-Pacific. Several segments are identified in this arc based upon the volcanic and sedimentary rock assemblages, their respective compositions and basement structures. The southern and central parts of the Uda-Murgal arc were a continental margin belt with heterogeneous basement represented by metamorphic rocks of the Siberian craton, the Verkhoyansk terrigenous complex of Siberian passive margin and the Koni-Taigonos Late Paleozoic to Early Mesozoic island arc with accreted oceanic terranes. At the present day latitude of the Pekulney and Chukotka segments there was an ensimatic island arc with relicts of the South Anyui oceanic basin in a backarc basin. Accretionary prisms of the Uda-Murgal arc and accreted terranes contain fragments of Permian, Triassic to Jurassic and Jurassic to Cretaceous (Tithonian–Valanginian) oceanic crust and Jurassic ensimatic island arcs. Paleomagnetic and faunal data show significant displacement of these oceanic complexes and the terranes of the Taigonos Peninsula were originally parts of the Izanagi oceanic plate.


Geophysics ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 56 (10) ◽  
pp. 1553-1570 ◽  
Author(s):  
John A. Andrew ◽  
Duncan M. Edwards ◽  
Robert J. Graf ◽  
Richard J. Wold

Our empirical synergistic correlations of aeromagnetic and seismic data and a Landsat lineament interpretation revealed lineations on the magnetic map that have expression on seismic sections. We observed a conjugate set of northwest‐southeast and northeast‐southwest trending magnetic lineaments (zones which offset and truncate near‐surface magnetic anomalies). We believe these OZs (offset zones) represent lateral faults in a wrench‐fault system. Lateral offsets appear to be 100s of meters to a few kilometers (fractions of a mile to a few miles). We observed a direct correlation between OZs and vertical faults in seismic data. Faults on seismic sections extend from near the surface to near the seismic basement. The faults are most pronounced in the Upper Cretaceous reflectors and seem to disappear with depth. Fault throws are inconsistent (reversing throw across faults). OZs trend northeast‐southwest in the north half of the study area and both northeast‐southwest and northwest‐southeast in the south half. The OZ direction of northeast‐southwest in the north half of the survey is confirmed with seismic data. The northwest‐southeast seismic line contains numerous faults and the northeast‐southwest seismic line contains few faults. Most northeast‐southwest faults do not appear to reach seismic basement and are not seen in an interpretation of the magnetic basement. In two cases, northwest‐southeast OZs and correlative Landsat lineaments coincide with mapped magnetic basement faults. These magnetic basement faults can be seen in seismic data too. Faults trending northwest‐southeast may represent Precambrian faults reactivated during the Laramide Orogeny. Movement along these faults possibly generated the northeast‐southwest faults. Most oil fields have an associated near‐surface magnetic anomaly. Other near‐surface magnetic anomalies occur over obvious, untested (in 1985), seismic character or amplitude anomalies in seismic events which correlate with producing intervals in the oil fields. This synergistic correlation is the most important single observation from our study. Different data types and interpretation techniques identified the same geologic trends and prospective geographical areas. This fundamentally important information is often lost in bickering over which filter or processing technique to use or in arguments over which data type is “more important” than others. Further, if the synergistic correlation of data types were not done, the importance of the anomalous features in each individual data type may not have been recognized.


2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (5) ◽  
pp. 485-495
Author(s):  
A. K. Ambrosimov

The experimental data presented in the article show that in the North-Eastern sector of the Middle Caspian sea in the area of Peschanomyssky uplift there is a disturbance of currents caused by the interaction of the cyclonic cycle with the southern slope of the uplift. As a result of this interaction, the waters of the cyclonic cycle are divided into branches – the lower and upper. The lower bottom branch is thrown by the uplift in the South-Western direction, where at the Cape of the uplift it collides with the waters flowing down the bottom of the South-Buzachinsky deflection in the South-Eastern direction, and the upper branch, consisting of near-surface and intermediate cold waters, is pushed up and passes through the uplift. As a result of the rise of cold water in the surface layer formed upwelling, which extends to the entire North-Eastern region of the sea.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Sanjay Paul Samuel

<p>The Paleocene interval within the Canterbury Basin has been relatively understudied with respect to the Neogene and Cretaceous intervals. Within the Paleocene interval is the Tartan Formation and the Charteris Bay Sandstone, which are potential source and reservoir rocks respectively. These two formations have not been previously mapped in the offshore Canterbury Basin and their limits have not been defined. This study utilises a database of nearly 12,000km of 2D seismic data together with data from four open–file wells and sidewall core samples from three wells and newly availiable biostratigraphic information to better constrain the chronostratigraphical interpretation of seismic data. Seismic mapping together with corroboration from well correlation and core lithofacies analysis revealed new insights into the development of the offshore Canterbury Basin through the Paleocene. These include the delineation of the lateral extents and thicknesses of the Tartan Formation and Charteris Bay Sandstone and location of the palaeo shelf–slope break and also the development of a new well correlation panel that incorporates the Tartan Formation for the first time.  This study presents four new paleogeographic maps for the offshore Canterbury Basin that significantly improves our understanding of the development of the basin during the Paleocene. These maps show that during the Earliest Paleocene, the mudstones of the Katiki Formation were being deposited in the south of the study area, with the siltier sediments of the Conway Formation being deposited in the north. The coarser grained Charteris Bay Sandstone was deposited from Early to possibly Middle Paleocene in the northeast. The mudstones of the Moeraki Formation were being deposited in the south at this time. From Middle to Late Paleocene, the mudstones of the Moeraki Formation were deposited in the south and these mudstones onlapped against the Charteris Bay Sandstone which remained as a high in the north. The Tartan Formation was deposited during the Late Paleocene in the central and southern areas of the offshore Canterbury Basin, during a relative fall in sea–level. Deposition had ceased in the north of the study area or erosion possibly removed Late Paleocene sediments from there. During the Latest Paleocene, the mudstones of the Moeraki Formation were deposited over the Tartan Formation in the central and southern parts of the offshore Canterbury Basin with the northern area undergoing erosion, sediment bypass or both.</p>


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Sanjay Paul Samuel

<p>The Paleocene interval within the Canterbury Basin has been relatively understudied with respect to the Neogene and Cretaceous intervals. Within the Paleocene interval is the Tartan Formation and the Charteris Bay Sandstone, which are potential source and reservoir rocks respectively. These two formations have not been previously mapped in the offshore Canterbury Basin and their limits have not been defined. This study utilises a database of nearly 12,000km of 2D seismic data together with data from four open–file wells and sidewall core samples from three wells and newly availiable biostratigraphic information to better constrain the chronostratigraphical interpretation of seismic data. Seismic mapping together with corroboration from well correlation and core lithofacies analysis revealed new insights into the development of the offshore Canterbury Basin through the Paleocene. These include the delineation of the lateral extents and thicknesses of the Tartan Formation and Charteris Bay Sandstone and location of the palaeo shelf–slope break and also the development of a new well correlation panel that incorporates the Tartan Formation for the first time.  This study presents four new paleogeographic maps for the offshore Canterbury Basin that significantly improves our understanding of the development of the basin during the Paleocene. These maps show that during the Earliest Paleocene, the mudstones of the Katiki Formation were being deposited in the south of the study area, with the siltier sediments of the Conway Formation being deposited in the north. The coarser grained Charteris Bay Sandstone was deposited from Early to possibly Middle Paleocene in the northeast. The mudstones of the Moeraki Formation were being deposited in the south at this time. From Middle to Late Paleocene, the mudstones of the Moeraki Formation were deposited in the south and these mudstones onlapped against the Charteris Bay Sandstone which remained as a high in the north. The Tartan Formation was deposited during the Late Paleocene in the central and southern areas of the offshore Canterbury Basin, during a relative fall in sea–level. Deposition had ceased in the north of the study area or erosion possibly removed Late Paleocene sediments from there. During the Latest Paleocene, the mudstones of the Moeraki Formation were deposited over the Tartan Formation in the central and southern parts of the offshore Canterbury Basin with the northern area undergoing erosion, sediment bypass or both.</p>


2020 ◽  
Vol 157 (2) ◽  
pp. 340-350
Author(s):  
Tanzil Deshmukh ◽  
N. Prabhakar

AbstractThe Central Indian Tectonic Zone demarcates the zone of amalgamation between the North Indian Craton and the South Indian Craton. Presently, the major controversies in the existing tectonic models of the Central Indian Tectonic Zone revolve around the direction of subduction and the precise timing of accretion between the North Indian Craton and the South Indian Craton. A new model for the tectonic evolution of the Central Indian Tectonic Zone is postulated in this contribution, based on recent geological and geophysical evidence, combined with previously documented tectonic configurations. The present study employs the slab break-off hypothesis and subsequent polarity reversal to explain the tectonic processes involved in the evolution of the Central Indian Tectonic Zone. We propose that the subduction initiated (c. 2.5 Ga) in a S-directed system producing island-arc sequences on the South Indian Craton. The southward subduction regime culminated with slab break-off underneath the South Indian Craton between c. 1.65 Ga and 1.55 Ga, which subsequently induced subduction polarity reversal and set the course for N-directed subduction (<1.55 Ga). The final closure along the Central Indian Tectonic Zone is governed by the collisional regime during the Sausar Orogeny (1.0–0.9 Ga).


1969 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 136
Author(s):  
D. D. Taylor

The surface Coastal Limestone in the Perth basin extends from Cape Leeuwin in the South to Geraldton in the north forming a strip along the coast up to 15 miles wide. Over a great portion of this area the reflection seismic results are unreliable. Seismic studies on the limestone disclose some aspects of the problem and indicate ways to improve the quality of the data.


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