Intraplate tectonics in stable Europe as related to plate tectonics in the Alpine system

Abstract

ZusammenfassungWesteuropa ist von einem Schwarra k~,inozoiseher Griiben durehzogen. Die Stadien der Grabenbildung ereigneten sich gleichzeitig mit den Episoden verst~rkter Faltung in den Alpen. Das Aufreil3en des Rheingrabens wurde dureh einen Manteldiapirismus ausgelSst, die alpine Orogenese dagegen durch Subduktion yon Lithosphtire. Es wird angenommen, dab der Subduktionsvorgang im Alpenbereich den Mantelaufstieg im Vorland bedingt hat.Die mitteleoz~ine bis oligoz~ine Zerrungstektonik des Rheingrabens setzt eine Kompression parallel zur Grabenachse in ca. 20~voraus. Im selben Gebiet betr~igt die rezente Richtung maximaler Kompressionsspannung ca 820 ~ (NW), wie in situ stress-Messungen, Herdfl:,iehenlSsungen yon Erdbeben sowie rezente Krustenbewegungen erkennen lassen. Die sinistrale Rotation des Beansprnchungsplans relativ zur Kruste des stabilen Europa hat sich im Anschlul3 an eine entspreehende Rotation yon Mikroplatten im Mittelmeerraum vollzogen. Diese Rotationen werden alternierenden Scherbewegungen zugesehrieben, welche sich zwischen dem stabilen Europa und den Afro-Arabischen Platten im Laufe des K~inozoikums ereignet haben. Hierdurch wurden die zwischengelagerten Mikroplatten einem Kugellager-Effekt ausgesetzt. Die postulierten Scherbewegungen entsprechen der alternierenden Gesehwindigkeitsverteilung des ocean floor spreading beiderseits der afrikanischen Platte. Die Stadien alpiner Plattenkollision hatten entsprechende Umorientierungen des intraplate stress-Feldes in den kratonisierten Bereichen des mitteleurop~iischen Vorlandes im Gefolge. AbstractWestern Europe is traversed by the Rhinegraben rift system. The stages of graben formation evolved coineidentally with the culminations of compressional folding in the Alps, Rhinegraben rifting has been controlled by mantle diapirism, but the Alpine orogeny by subduction of lithosphere. Presumably, Alpine subduction forced compensating mantle uplift in the foreland.The Middle Eocene to Oligocene crustal spreading of the Rhinegraben implies a state of stress with a maximum horizontal component parallel to the graben axis (about 20~ In the same area, the Recent average direction of maximum compressive stress is of about 820 ~ (NW), as calculated by in-situ stress measurements, fault-plane solutions of earthquakes and Recent crustal movements. The rotation of the stress components relative to the ernst of stable Europo evolved subsequent to counterclockwise rotations of microplates in the Mediterranean. A model is proposed which ascribes these rotations to alterating shear motions of the Afro-Arabian macroplates relative to stable Europe exerting a ball-bearing effect to the intervenient microplates. The 05JIaCTH nMeeT HanpaBJieHHe npHMepHo 320 ~ r.e. ceBepo-3ana~Hoe, Kai~ BI~ITe-EaeT It3 n3MepeHHffI cTpeeea in situ, HCcJIe~0BaHH~ O~tal"OB 3aMJIaTpHCeHHI~ H CoBpeMeHHI~IX ~BHYEeHHI:I I~0pl, I. I][OBOpOT IIJIaHa HanpYl~eHHffI OTHOCHTeJIbHO Kop~I CTaSHJIbHO~ EBpOUbI BJIeBO np0H3Orn~JI O~HOBpeMeHHO C COOTBeTCTByI~II~HM HOBO-pOTOM cpe~(H3eMHoM0pCEOffI MHEpoFJI~I6bI...

Structural inheritance and cenozoic stress fields in the Jura fold-and-thrust belt (France)

“…Faults and fractures indicating a similar N -S strike-slip compression have been related by some authors to the west-European Oligocene rifting (Illies, 1975;Buchner, 1981). The N -S strike-slip tectonics in the Jura Mountains is very unlikely the product of the Rhine -Bresse rifting for two reasons.…”

“…Early deformation in the Jura Mountains has been locally identified (e.g., Mathis, 1974;Laubscher, 1972Laubscher, , 1986Chauve et al, 1988), but the detailed fracture pattern and corresponding stress fields have not been considered for the whole Jura Mountains. In addition, origin of pre-orogenic deformation in the Jura and in neighboring areas is controversial (Sopena and Soulas, 1973;Illies, 1975;Buchner, 1981;Bergerat and Geyssant, 1987;Homberg et al, 1994).…”

Active Structures in Central Upper Rhine Graben, SW Germany: New Data from Landau Area using Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR) Technique and Cerescope

“…The graben structure opened and sedimentation occurred across the entire graben. The Early to Late Miocene time (second phase) was marked by a major reorientation of the regional stress field, which is responsible for the main subsidence phase of the northern parts of the URG and a reactivation of the URG system by left-lateral shearing, persisting until present [25,37,42,43]. A NW-SE oriented compression and a NE-SW oriented extension were prevailing during such phase.…”

Active tectonics, earthquakes and palaeoseismicity in slowly deforming continents

“…Cenozoic intraplate deformation in Central Europe has been attributed to far-field stresses from the continent-continent collision in the Alps and Pyrenees and the opening of the Atlantic Ocean (Illies 1975;Ş engör et al 1978;Ziegler 1992;Reicherter et al 2008), and to effects of rising mantle plumes (Hoernle et al 1995;Goes et al 1999;Ritter et al 2001;Cloetingh et al 2005).…”

“…During the Late Eocene to Oligocene, ESE -WNW-directed extension led to the formation of the ECRS, which extends more than 1100 km from the North Sea to the western Mediterranean (Ahorner 1975;Illies 1975;Ziegler 1992;Reicherter et al 2008). It includes the Rhine and Rhône Valley Rift Systems, which are linked by the Burgundy and the eastern Paris Basin transfer zones with the grabens of the Massif Central.…”