Geometry of thrust systems

As argued elsewhere, probably the most important early study on thrust system geometry is included in the publications of the Scottish Geological Survey (Peach and Horne) through the early 20th century. The subject was famously re-invigorated by studies of the Canadian Rock Mountain foothills in the 1960s, especially by Bert Bally. This in turn led directly to the truly influential studies of Dave Elliott who applied Rocky Mountain approaches first to the Moine Thrust Belt and then, with Steve Boyer, more generally. Some of the important issues have related to the ideas of the sequence of thrust activity, the range of geometries that can be produced, especially in prospective areas like mountain fronts. Many of these debates remain unresolved…

Some references:

(pdfs available where live)

Butler, R.W.H. 1982. A structural analysis of the Moine Thrust Zone between Loch Eriboll and Foinaven, NW Scotland.J. Struct. Geol. 4, 19-29.

Butler, R.W.H.1982. The terminology of structures in thrust belts. J. Struct. Geol. 4, 239-245.

Butler, R.W.H. 1984. Structural evolution of the Moine thrust belt between Loch More and Glendhu, Sutherland. Scott. J. Geol. 20, 161-179.

Butler, R.W.H. 1986. Structural evolution in the Moine of NW Scotland: a Caledonian linked thrust system? Geol. Mag. 123, 1-11.

Butler, R.W.H. 1985. Thrust tectonics: a personal view. Geol. Mag. 122, 223-232.

Butler, R.W.H. 1987. Thrust sequences. J. Geol. Soc. London 144, 619-634.

Butler, R.W.H., Coward, M.P., Harwood, G.M. & Knipe, R.J. 1987. Salt control on thrust geometry, structural style and gravitational collapse along the Himalayan mountain front in the Salt Range of northern Pakistan . In: Dynamical geology of salt and related structures (ed. I. Lerche & J.J. O'Brien) pp. 339-418. Academic Press, Orlando.

Butler, R.W.H. 1992. Hydrocarbon maturation, migration and thrust sheet loading in the Western Alpine foreland thrust belt. In: Petroleum Migration (ed. A. Fleet & W. England ) Spec. Publs. Geol. Soc. London 59, 227-244.

Butler, R.W.H. 1992. Thrusting patterns in the NW French Subalpine chains.Ann. Tect. 6, 150-172.

Lickorish , W.H., Grasso, M., Butler, R.W.H., Argnani, A. & Maniscalco, R. 1999. Structural styles and regional tectonic setting of the ' Gela Nappe' and frontal part of the Maghrebian thrust belt in Sicily . Tectonics, 18, 655-668.

Butler, R.W.H. 2004. The nature of 'roof thrusts' in the Moine Thrust Belt, NW Scotland: implications for the structural evolution of thrust belts. J. Geol. Soc. London, 161, 849-859.

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