Non-coaxial deformation of foreland basement involved in a fold-and-thrust belt: a strain partitioning approach to the Eastern Variscan orogen

The general SW-NE course of the Variscan orogen in Europe is abruptly bent to the N-S course at its eastern margin, where an oblique convergence occurred. The main suture in this part of the Variscan orogenic belt is called the Moldanubian Thrust, characterized by a dominant dextral strike-slip kinematics and a minor thrust component. The deep level of erosion and the good exposure of this structure allowed us to study the mechanisms of oblique convergence and the incorporation of the foreland basement into the orogenic belt. The combination of small-scale structures with the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility studies allowed the recognition of two deformations in the studied rocks: dextral simple shearing and drag folding. Due to oblique convergence, the deformations induced by this mechanism were non-coaxial; therefore, their contributions can be easily distinguished. Finally, an overturned, almost recumbent large-scale synformal fold structure in the footwall and an antiformal structure in the hanging wall of the Moldanubian Thrust were formed. These two folds can be interpreted as structures formed by dragging along the Moldanubian Thrust. The previously described sinistral simple shearing in the upper limb of the synform resulted from the original dextral strike-slip shearing, which was overturned during progressive deformation.

Automated summary

The Variscan orogen in Europe abruptly changes its course from SW-NE to N-S at its eastern margin due to oblique convergence. The Moldanubian Thrust, a major suture in this area, is characterized by dominant dextral strike-slip kinematics and a minor thrust component. Through the study of small-scale structures and the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility, two deformations were identified: dextral simple shearing and drag folding. The oblique convergence led to non-coaxial deformations, resulting in the formation of an overturned large-scale synformal fold structure in the footwall and an antiformal structure in the hanging wall of the Moldanubian Thrust.