Interior cratonic basins: A record of regional tectonic influences

Abstract

Plate tectonic interactions apparently have had a profound influence on the evo lution of basins in the supposedly stable interiors of cratons. Evidence for significant tectonic control of these deceptively simple basins and their stratigraphic successions has been steadily growing, but their evolution remains poorly understood and the mechanisms controlling their development remain conjectural.Data collected from a number of interior cratonic basins suggest that basin form ing, filling, and modifying processes take place under stress fields of far-reaching extent that appear to be directly related to plate tectonics. Some stress fields appear to be propagated from collision fronts, as suggested by contractional foreland defor mation features in interior cratonic basin settings. Such features have been observed in Europe, Asia, and the midcontinent of North America, in some cases more than 1,300 km beyond any readily recognized deformation front. Other supporting evi dence has been found in the regional strain fabric of calcite in Paleozoic rocks of the midcontinent. It thus appears likely that plate collisions have transmitted intraplate stresses well into the interior of continental plates.Unconformity-bounded sequences also provide clues about the impact of regional tectonics and directed stress fields. In North American interior cratonic basins, as well as those of other continents, sequence-bounding unconformities that represent impor tant lacunae are accompanied by structural deformation, including tilting, that indi cates the directionality of stress fields. The geometries of sequences change above and below unconformity surfaces. In many instances, the direction or dip of a sequence and its three-dimensional orientation differs from that of an underlying or overlying sequence on a basin-wide scale.Within a basin, nonlinear, intermittent subsidence curves appear to be the rule. The long history of interior cratonic basins is characterized by recurrent subsidence and uplift. Basins and their sequences appear to respond to pulsating forces that change direction episodically. The stress fields appear to have effective "reaches" that control basin evolution for periods of time and then disappear.Overall, cratonic basins and the continental plates on which they are situated appear to respond to changing stress fields related to divergence, convergence, and collision of plates. The manner in which they respond appears to be a function of inhomogeneities in the crust. Epeirogeny has also played a role, for reasons that are not entirely clear, but possibly the epeirogenic responses are related to the nature of the Earth as a heat engine that induces physical-chemical changes in the Earth's crust and mantle.

Upper mantle S velocity structure of North America

“…We Table I and the great circle ray path coverage is shown in [Leighton, 1996], there is no evidence for such permanent subsidence. Except for Hudson Bay, which is still subject to postglacial rebound, we find Precambrian rock uplifted above sea level.…”

Interpreting the Earthquake Source of the Wabash Valley Seismic Zone (Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky) from Seismic-reflection, Gravity, and Magnetic-intensity Data

“…The implication of a possible correlation of the reverse fault focus with a coherent planar reflector pattern in the middle crust would be that contemporary stress is being released by the reactivation of ancient (i.e., Precambrian and/or Paleozoic) structures. This reactivation Although the Illinois basin is one of the world's most intensively studied sedimentary basins (Leighton, 1996), little is known about deeply buried structures that influence earthquake location. An extensive series of moderately dipping crustal reflectors appears below the western flank of the WVFS and locally following the CGL, part of which was apparently reactivated by the 1968 mbLg 5.5 event.…”

Effects of late Paleozoic foreland deformation on underground coal mine ground instability, Illinois and Appalachian Basins

“…Some stress fields appear to be propagated from collision fronts, as suggested by contractional foreland deformation features in interior cratonic basin settings (Leighton, 1996). Such features have been observed in Europe, Asia, and the mid-continent of North America, in some cases more than 1300 km beyond any readily recognized deformation front (Leighton, 1996). The compressional stress induced by continental collision beginning in Chesterian time continued through late Pennsylvanian and early Permian time as the supercontinent Pangea assembled, although intense and repeated tectonic deformation took place in southern Illinois and western Kentucky during latest Pennsylvanian to late Cretaceous time (Kolata and Nelson, 1990).…”

“…Drag folds at Mine #27 are parallel with the LaSalle Anticlinal Belt, and the Salem, Louden and Du Quoin Anticlines, as well as other drag folds at Mines #16 and #25. plate tectonics (Leighton, 1996). Some stress fields appear to be propagated from collision fronts, as suggested by contractional foreland deformation features in interior cratonic basin settings (Leighton, 1996). Such features have been observed in Europe, Asia, and the mid-continent of North America, in some cases more than 1300 km beyond any readily recognized deformation front (Leighton, 1996).…”

“…Note that drag folds at Mines #16 and #25 are parallel with and along the trend of the La Salle Anticlinal Belt. Drag folds at Mine #27 are parallel with the LaSalle Anticlinal Belt, and the Salem, Louden and Du Quoin Anticlines, as well as other drag folds at Mines #16 and #25. plate tectonics (Leighton, 1996). Some stress fields appear to be propagated from collision fronts, as suggested by contractional foreland deformation features in interior cratonic basin settings (Leighton, 1996).…”