Syntectonic sedimentation effects on the growth of fold-and-thrust belts

Charlotte Fillon (1) , Ritske Huismans (2) , Pieter van Der Beek (1)

1 ISTerre - Institut des Sciences de la Terre
2 UiB - Department of Earth Science [Bergen]

We use two-dimensional mechanical models to investigate the effects of syntectonic sedimentation on fold-and-thrust belt development, testing variable syntectonic (wedge-top and foredeep) sediment thicknesses and flexural rigidities. Model results indicate a first-order control of syntectonic sedimentation on thrust-sheet length and thrust spacing. Thrust sheets are longer when syntectonic sediment thickness and/or flexural rigidity increase. Comparison with observations from several fold-and-thrust belts confirms this first-order control of syntectonic sedimentation.

Mots clés: syntectonic sedimentation; fold-and-thrust belts; dynamic modeling

Domaines: Tectonique; Milieux et Changements globaux

Charlotte Fillon, Ritske Huismans, Pieter van Der Beek. Syntectonic sedimentation effects on the growth of fold-and-thrust belts. Geology, 2013, 41 (1), pp.83-86. ⟨10.1130/G33531.1⟩. ⟨hal-00772611⟩