Doctoral Dissertations

Keywords and Phrases

Break-thrust fold; Fold-thrust; Fold-thrust belt leading edge; Mountain belt; Sevier fold-thrust belt; Utah

Abstract

“The Jurassic to Eocene Sevier fold-thrust belt is the subject of continued scientific curiosity in tectonics, stratigraphy, and industry. Understanding its development in southwest Utah is hindered in part due to the multiple origins proposed for the Kanarra anticline, a major leading edge structure -- a drag fold along the Hurricane fault, Laramide monocline, Sevier fault propagation fold, or a combination of these -- which have confused its tectonic significance and regional context. This confusion results from the structural complexity of its exposed eastern limb, as well as displacement and burial of its crest and western limb beneath Neogene sediments and volcanics along the Hurricane fault. New, detailed bedrock geologic mapping of the central portion of the fold near Kanarraville, Utah and geologic cross sections restored to Cretaceous time (i.e., pre-Basin and Range extension) demonstrate the formation of a composite anticline- syncline pair and fold accommodation thrust faulting are linked in the development of this Sevier structure. A previously unrecognized thrust, the Red Rock Trail thrust, formed due to fold tightening as a “break thrust” in a favorable position to link with the basal detachment. The traditional “Kanarra anticline” is more appropriately termed the “Kanarra fold-thrust system” considering the formation of the Red Rock Trail thrust and other thrusts on the fold. The east verging Red Rock Trail thrust locally presents as a distinctive cataclasite zone in the Navajo Sandstone, which is thrust over the Jurassic Carmel and younger Cretaceous strata. Traceable from Kanarraville to Parowan Gap, this thrust is the leading edge of the Sevier fold-thrust belt in southwest Utah. Stratigraphic relationships constrain the development of the Kanarra fold-thrust system to the Late Cretaceous to Early Eocene (~80 to 50 Ma). Thus the Red Rock Trail thrust records eastward advancement of the Sevier deformation front from the Iron Springs thrust (~100 Ma, coinciding with magmatic flare-ups in the Cordilleran arc and indicating close correspondence between arc-related processes and foreland deformation”--Abstract, page iv.

Advisor(s)

Hogan, John Patrick

Committee Member(s)

Eckert, Andreas
Obrist-Farner, Jonathan
Woelk, Klaus
Yang, Wan

Department(s)

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering

Degree Name

Ph. D. in Geology and Geophysics

Comments

The format has been revised for the document downloaded by the button above: landscape-oriented tables, graphs and/or illustrations have been rotated to allow easier online reading. The supplemental file below is the original report format, for printing.

Publisher

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Publication Date

Spring 2022

Journal article titles appearing in thesis/dissertation

The Kanarra fold-thrust-system: The leading edge of the Sevier fold-and-thrust belt, southwestern Utah

Pagination

xi, 121 pages

Note about bibliography

Includes bibliographic references.

Rights

© 2022 William Joseph Michael Chandonia, All rights reserved.

Document Type

Dissertation - Open Access

File Type

text

Language

English

Thesis Number

T 12105

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