Tectonics of the western part of the Polish Outer Carpathians

Abstract

The western part of the Polish Outer Carpathians is built up from the thrust, imbricated Upper Jurassic-Neogene flysch deposits. The following Outer Carpathian nappes have been distinguished: Magura Nappe, Fore-Magura group of nappes, Silesian, Subsilesian and Skole nappes. Interpretation of seismic and magnetotelluric survey from the region South of Wadowice, allows observation of relationship between basement and flysch nappes in the Outer Carpathians. It also allows identification of dislocation cutting both flysch nappes and their basement. All the Outer Carpathian nappes are thrust over the southern part of the North European Platform. The platform basement is composed of older Precambrian metamorphic rocks belonging to the Bruno-Vistulicum terrane. Sedimentary cover consists of Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Neogene sequences. The characteristic features of this boundary are horsts and troughs of general direction NW-SE, turning W-E. Faults cutting only the consolidated basement and the Paleozoic cover were formed during the Hercynian Orogeny in the Carboniferous and the Early Permian. Most of the older normal faults were covered by allochtonous flysch nappes forming thus the blind faults. During the last stage of the geodynamic development the Carpathians thrust sheets moved towards their present position. Displacement of the Carpathians northwards is related to development of dextral strike-slip faults of N-S direction. The orientation of this strike-slip fault zones zone more or less coincides with the surface position of the major faults perpendicular to the strike of the Outer Carpathian thrustsheets. The huge fault cuts formations from the Paleozoic basement through the flysch allochton between the boreholes in Sucha Beskidzka area. The displacement of nappes of the Carpathian overthrust and diapiric extrusion of plastic formations of the lower flysch units occurred along this fault.

Paleocene sedimentary record of ridge geodynamics in Outer Carpathian basins (Subsilesian Unit)

“…The Paleogene paleogeography of the Outer Carpathians reflects the series of continental break-ups, rifts and collisions (e.g. Golonka et al 2009;Golonka 2011) (Fig. 12).…”

Structure and Plate Tectonic Evolution of the Northern Outer Carpathians

“…Several normal and thrust faults were also distinguished. The results of seismic surveys were interpolated, extrapolated as well as integrated with other geophysical data, geological, especially mapping data and other published information ( lączka, 1976;Ksią kiewicz, 1977;Oszczypko & Toma , 1985;Ryłko & Toma , 1995;ytko et al, 1989;Oszczypko, 1998Oszczypko, , 2000Oszczypko, , 2004Paul et al, 1996;aba, 1999;Lexa et al, 2000;Poprawa et al, 2001;Zuchiewicz et al, 2002;Czerwiński et al, 2003;Golonka et al, 2005aGolonka et al, , 2006Golonka et al, , 2009Moryc, 2005Moryc, , 2006Cieszkowski et al, 2006Cieszkowski et al, , 2009Dziadzio, 2006;Guterch & Grad, 2006;Tokarski et al, 2006;lączka et al, 2006;Pietsch et al, 2007Pietsch et al, , 2010Golonka, 2007;Zuchiewicz & Oszczypko, 2008;Ku mierek, 2010). The several cross-sections were constructed on the basis of this integration.…”

“…Geological identification of seismic boundaries was made on the basis of synthetic seismograms (seismic modeling 1D), computed with the LogM program in the GeoGraphix (Landmark Graphics Corp.) system for all boreholes where PAP measurements were made ). The seismic profiles in this area were tied to borehole data from wells (see Pietsch et al,2007;Golonka et al,2009): Głogoczów IG1, Potrójna IG1, Sucha Beskidzka IG1, Zawoja 1, Leszczyna 1, 4, and Łapanów 1 among the others (Figs. 5-7).…”

“…The platform sedimentary cover includes Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Neogene sequences (Oszczypko & Toma 1985;Moryc et al, 2005Moryc et al, , 2006Oszczypko et al, 2006;Pietsch et al, 2007;Golonka et al, 2009). Fig.…”

“…The seismic survey was conducted in the area southwest of Kraków, between Wadowice and Kraków (see Pietsch et al, 2007;Golonka et al, 2009). The seismic profiles in this area were tied to borehole data from wells: Głogoczów IG1, Potrójna IG1, Sucha Beskidzka IG1, and Zawoja 1 among the others.…”