Structural evolution of the northeast Asian continental margin: an example from the western Koryak fold and thrust belt (northeast Russia)

Abstract

The western Koryak fold and thrust belt consists of a set of tectonostratigraphic terranes that contain units ranging from Lower Palaeozoic to Cenozoic. Three deformational events have been identified in the study area. The first event structures are folds, domes and shear zones with related high-pressure/low-temperature metamorphism. These structures are early Carboniferous and are only recognized in the metamorphic terranes. The second event structures are imbricate fans of thrusts and folds with southeast vergence, broken formation and serpentinite mélange. These are latest Jurassic to early Cretaceous (early Albian) and occur throughout the study area. During this event, thrusting was accompanied by dextral strike-slip faulting. The second event structures are overlapped by the Upper Albian sedimentary rocks with an angular unconformity at the base. During metamorphism associated with the first and second deformational events, some of the rocks were metamorphosed to blueschist grade and were affected by strain with axial ratios of up to 15[ratio ]1. The third deformational event is characterized by significant sinistral strike-slip displacement at higher crustal levels. This resulted in a new set of structures and rotation of pre-existing structures. The age of the sinistral strike-slip faults is interpreted to be late Cretaceous to Cenozoic. The kinematics of the second and third deformational events correspond to assumed proto-Pacific plate motions based on palaeomagnetic data.