Macrostructures vs microstructures in evaporite detachments: An example from the Salt Range, Pakistan

作者:Richards L*; King R C; Collins A S; Sayab M; Khan M A; Haneef M; Morley C K; Warren J
来源:Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 2015, 113: 922-934.
DOI:10.1016/j.jseaes.2015.04.015

摘要

The Salt Range, Pakistan is the surface expression of an evaporite detachment over which the Potwar Plateau fold-thrust belt has moved. Whilst previous publications regarding this region have focused on the petroleum prospectivity, deformation, and large-scale processes, this paper characterises the Salt Range detachment at the meso-(10 cm to 10s of metres) and micro-scale (cm to mu m) and examines correlations to the macro-scale (105 of metres to kms). Two detailed scaled cross sections are analysed alongside structural measurements to characterise the detachment at the mesa-scale with optical analysis of microstructures that formed during deformation characterising the micro-scale. Both ductile and brittle features observed in cross section indicate composite deformation processes acting simultaneously; this contrasts with models of salt detachments behaving homogeneously. Microstructural analysis indicates processes of grain boundary migration and crystal lattice distortions. The microstructurally revealed competition between intra-crystalline deformation and recrystallization at shallow depths and low temperatures links passes up-scale to mesoscale evaporite mylonites and progressively in the weaker units, whereas more brittle processes operate in the stronger lithologies in this near-unique outcrop of a the emergent toe of a major salt-bearing detachment fault.

  • 出版日期2015-12-1