Quaternary faulting in the Tatra Mountains, evidence from cave morphology and fault-slip analysis

Abstract

Abstract:Tectonically deformed cave passages in the Tatra Mts (Central Western Carpathians) indicate some fault activity during the Quaternary. Displacements occur in the youngest passages of the caves indicating (based on previous U-series dating of speleothems) an Eemian or younger age for those faults, and so one tectonic stage. On the basis of stress analysis and geomorphological observations, two different mechanisms are proposed as responsible for the development of these displacements. The first mechanism concerns faults that are located above the valley bottom and at a short distance from the surface, with fault planes oriented sub-parallel to the slopes. The radial, horizontal extension and vertical σ 1 which is identical with gravity, indicate that these faults are the result of gravity sliding probably caused by relaxation after incision of valleys, and not directly from tectonic activity. The second mechanism is tilting of the Tatra Mts. The faults operated under WNW-ESE oriented extension with σ 1 plunging steeply toward the west. Such a stress field led to normal dip-slip or oblique-slip displacements. The faults are located under the valley bottom and/or opposite or oblique to the slopes. The process involved the pre-existing weakest planes in the rock complex: (i) in massive limestone mostly faults and fractures, (ii) in thin-bedded limestone mostly inter-bedding planes. Thin-bedded limestones dipping steeply to the south are of particular interest. Tilting toward the N caused the hanging walls to move under the massif and not toward the valley, proving that the cause of these movements was tectonic activity and not gravity.

Evaluation of tectonic activity using morphometric indices: case study of the Tatra Mts. (Western Carpathians, Poland)

“…was confirmed only by luminescence dating of Vikarovce fault, which is parallel to the Sub-Tatra fault (Vojtko et al 2011) and U-series datings of speleothems from tectonically deformed caves in Tatra Mts (Szczygieł 2015). Those chronological data points to the acceleration of tectonic uplift since of final phase of Riss Glaciation (Vojtko et al 2011) or younger (Szczygieł 2015). Mean river incision rates in Tatra Mts.…”

“…strongly indicate fault activity during Quaternary. U-series dating of speleothems point to Eemian or younger age of the displacements (Szczygieł 2015). Existence of calcareous tufa and travertine mounds along the northern and southern borders of Tatra Mts.…”

“…Tectonically deformed cave passages are also considered as a manifestation of young (Eemian or younger) fault activity in the Tatra Mts. (Szczygieł 2015). Late Quaternary activity of located south of Tatra Mts.…”

Cave development in an uplifting fold-and-thrust belt: case study of the Tatra Mountains, Poland

“…The impact of these phenomena on the development of caves depends on proximity to the surface (Sasowsky & White, 1994;Faulkner, 2007), whereas the directions of stress tensors depends on morphology, i.e. principal minimum compressional axis is perpendicular to the slope (Szczygieł, 2015b). Therefore, they are local processes, while complex cave systems cover much bigger range reaching a few hundred meters or even a few km.…”

The influence of the deep seated geological structures on the landscape morphology of the Dunajec River catchment area, Central Carpathians, Poland and Slovakia

“…The structural studies performed by numerous authors (e.g Mastella et al, 1996;Szczygieł, 2015) allowed to reconstruct the contemporary stress fields.…”