Tectonostratigraphic and structural imprints from balanced sections across the north-western Zagros fold-thrust belt, Kurdistan region, NE Iraq

Omar, Abdalla A.; Lawa, Fadhil A.; Sulaiman, Suraya

doi:10.1007/s12517-014-1682-6

Cited by 25 publications

(25 citation statements)

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“…Furthermore, recent evidences suggest that suturing of Arabia with Eurasia was followed by the initiation of a new subduction zone south of the Greater Caucasus (Cowgill et al, ) in association with oroclinal bending in the Eastern Pontides‐Lesser Caucasus and the closure of a supposed 200‐ to 280‐km wide oceanic basin (Table ; Van der Boon et al, ), which was in continuity with the Black and Caspian seas back‐arc basins (Greater Caucasus Basin; Cowgill et al, ). Therefore, over the last 40 Myr, 860 to 1,040 km (Table ) of plate convergence must have been accommodated in front of the Arabian indenter via different mechanisms (Table ) such as (1) 80 to 230 km of upper plate shortening in the Bitlis, Taurides‐Anatolides, Pontides, and Lesser Caucasus, for a crustal thickening of 10 to 16 km, respectively (from 34 to 44 and 32 to 48 km, where both estimates include a ~2‐km gain in elevation; Vanacore et al, ), and a current width (strike perpendicular) of the deformed collision zone in front of Arabia of 270 to 460 km, by assuming conservation of mass and in‐plane pure shear deformation (with no erosion); (2) at least 130 km of upper plate shortening in the western Greater Caucasus (Cowgill et al, ); (3) 50 to 80 km of lower plate shortening as proposed for the Zagros Fold and Thrust Belt from NW Iran and Iraq (e.g., Omar et al, , and references therein), which may be a lower limit, because if include shortening in the basement that so far has been documented only in Iran, we would have 150–180 km of lower plate shortening (Vergés et al, ); (4) 50 to 70 km from the extrusion of Anatolia, for a cumulative offset along the North Anatolian Fault of 85 ± 5 km (Şengör et al, ); and (5) 200 to 280 km of oroclinal bending in the Eastern Pontides‐Lesser Caucasus and subduction below the Greater Caucasus (Van der Boon et al, ). These mechanisms would account for 510 to 790 km of plate convergence, while the remaining 70 to 530 km should have been accommodated through the subduction of the Arabian passive margin (Table ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multiple Exhumation Phases in the Central Pontides (N Turkey): New Temporal Constraints on Major Geodynamic Changes Associated With the Closure of the Neo‐Tethys Ocean

et al. 2018

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The Central Pontides of N Turkey represents a mobile orogenic belt of the southern Eurasian margin that experienced several phases of exhumation associated with the consumption of different branches of the Neo-Tethys Ocean and the amalgamation of continental domains. Our new low-temperature thermochronology data help to constrain the timing of these episodes, providing new insights into associated geodynamic processes. In particular, our data suggest that exhumation occurred at (1)~110 to 90 Ma, most likely during tectonic accretion and exhumation of metamorphic rocks from the subduction zone; (2) from~60 to 40 Ma, during the collision of the Kirşehir and Anatolide-Tauride microcontinental domains with the Eurasian margin; (3) from~40 to 25 Ma, either during the early stages of the Arabia-Eurasia collision (soft collision) when the Arabian passive margin reached the trench, implying 70 to 530 km of subduction of the Arabian passive margin, or during a phase of trench advance predating hard collision at 20 Ma; and (4)~11 Ma to the present, during transpression associated with the westward motion of Anatolia. Our findings document the punctuated nature of fault-related exhumation, with episodes of fast cooling followed by periods of slow cooling or subsidence, the role of inverted normal faults in controlling the Paleogene exhumation pattern, and of the North Anatolian Fault in dictating the most recent pattern of exhumation.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multiple Exhumation Phases in the Central Pontides (N Turkey): New Temporal Constraints on Major Geodynamic Changes Associated With the Closure of the Neo‐Tethys Ocean

et al. 2018

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“…Generally, most shortening structures in the NW Zagros High Folded Zone are SW-verging, with fold wavelengths of 5-10 km (median = 7.4 km) and amplitudes <2.5 km, showing linear to curvilinear hinge lines generated by lateral fold propagation (Fouad, 2014;Le Garzic et al, 2019;Reif et al, 2012;Zebari & Burberry, 2015). In contrast, structures near Mosul and Duhok area of the northwestern-most Zagros, exhibit both SW and NE vergence (Numan and Al-Azzawi, 1993 Tectonics fault-related folds (e.g., Awdal et al, 2013;Balaki & Omar, 2019;Fouad, 2014;László et al, 2012;Omar et al, 2015;Omar & Othman, 2018;Omar & Syan, 2016;Reif et al, 2012;Sapin et al, 2017;Zebari & Burberry, 2015).…”

Section: Structural Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In contrast, structures near Mosul and Duhok area of the northwestern‐most Zagros, exhibit both SW and NE vergence (Numan and Al‐Azzawi, 1993). Studies of High Folded Zone structures suggest that most folds are concentric, upright box folds that represent detachment‐folds and minor/occasional fault‐related folds (e.g., Awdal et al, 2013; Balaki & Omar, 2019; Fouad, 2014; László et al, 2012; Omar et al, 2015; Omar & Othman, 2018; Omar & Syan, 2016; Reif et al, 2012; Sapin et al, 2017; Zebari & Burberry, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…; 1:1000,000,Sissakian, 2000; 1:250,000, Sissakian & Fouad, 2014;Omar et al, 2015, Figure 1), published and proprietary seismic profiles where available(Shamaran Petroleum Group, 2009 Garland et al, 2010, Figure 6; Kent, 2010, Figure 15; Fouad, 2012, Figure 5; Min et al, 2012, Figure 3; Oil Search, 2012;Hayward, 2014; Allouche et al, 2015, Figure 3), and field measurements and observations from this study in combination with bed attitudes calculated from publicly available remote sensing image and digital elevation models (ArcGIS webscene and Google Earth Pro). The length of the restored top Cretaceous is~280 km for the Erbil cross section and~232 km for the Sulaimani cross section.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Late Miocene Deformation Kinematics Along the NW Zagros Fold‐Thrust Belt, Kurdistan Region of Iraq: Constraints From Apatite (U‐Th)/He Thermochronometry and Balanced Cross Sections

et al. 2020

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Apatite (U-Th)/He (AHe) thermochronometric results are integrated with geologic cross sections, structural relationships, and stratigraphic data to reconstruct the growth of the NW Zagros orogenic belt in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. Prolonged exhumation is documented across the belt with deformation advances and retreats from~14 Ma onward. After in-sequence propagation of deformation during middle to late Miocene times, preserved growth strata and AHe data show a deformation retreat by latest Miocene time (~5 Ma). In the NW Zagros, the Phanerozoic succession contains two principal décollements in Lower Triassic and middle Miocene units. The Triassic strata are interpreted as the main décollement for a thinskinned system that was dominant during most of the Cenozoic. By~8-5 Ma, the fold-thrust belt shifted to basement-involved deformation in association with growth of the mountain front flexure and reactivation of frontal structures. The shift from thinskinned to a hybrid thin-and thickskinned mode of shortening may reflect variations in the mechanical behavior of the upper crust and the presence of inherited basement discontinuities. On the basis of two NE-SW balanced cross sections spanning the NW Zagros, the estimated total minimum horizontal shortening is~18.2 km (6%) in the central and~16 km (7%) in the southern sectors of the Kurdistan region of Iraq. These findings suggest that the evolution of the NW Zagros orogenic belt was likely driven by the mechanical stratigraphy of the sedimentary cover, inherited basement discontinuities, and the dynamic and thermomechanical effects of potential slab breakoff and lithospheric mantle delamination events.

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“…Marouf (1999) calculated the shortening amount within the High Folded Zone, south east of the current study area to range between 8 and 27%. Omer et al (2015) estimated the partial shortening percentages of four anticlines northeast of the current study area within the High Folded Zone to range between 9.8 and 73.2%. Al-Shali (1992) estimated the regional shortening in parts of the High Folded Zone and Low Folded Zone to be 15%.…”

Section: Geological Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of the drainage system of Zagros Basin (Greater Zab River, northern Iraq) and insights into tectonic geomorphology

2020

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Geomorphological evaluation was carried out for three drainage basins named Hareer, Dwaine, and Hijran, which are tributaries of the Greater Zab River in the northern part of Erbil Governorate, the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, north Iraq. The exposed rocks in the three basins are mainly clastic rocks (sandstone, claystone, and conglomerate, with subordinate gypsum and limestone beds). However, in the uppermost parts of the basins, thick and massive carbonate rocks are exposed. Tectonically, the three basins are located in the Low Folded and High Folded Zones, which belong to the Zagros Fold–Thrust Belt. The main aim of the current study is to deduce the tectonic activity of the area occupied by the studied three basins. We have used and interpreted Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) data to perform the geomorphological evaluation. Different geomorphological indices and forms were used to deduce the tectonic activity of the area occupied by the three basins. Accordingly, seven orders of streams were identified in the three basins. The number of the streams with low order (i.e., 1) joining with higher order (i.e., 6 and 7) is considerably higher in the three basins. The Hat values of the three basins are 12,971, 10,479, and 7014 in Hareer, Dwaine, and Hijran basins, respectively. The values of hierarchical anomaly index (Δa) of the three basins are 1.87, 1.35, and 2.37 in Hareer, Hijran, and Dwaine basins, respectively. It was observed that the shape of Hareer and Shakrook anticlines has a significant impact on the main trunk of the channel. Therefore, when an anticline and syncline are close to each other (due to thrust faulting), then the hierarchical anomaly increases because the river trunk receives a lot of first-order streams, e.g., in Dwaine and Hijran basins. The lateral growth in the eastern part of Safin anticline had caused increasing of the Δa. The increased hierarchical anomaly index is attributed to the existence of faults and lineaments, which represent weakness zones. The hypsometric curves of the three basins have a typical shape of old stage with rejuvenation in their central and terminal portions which is changed into mature stage, most probably due to the local uplift which is caused by normal, thrust, and strike–slip (oblique) faults which exist in the study area and the near surroundings. The Bs and Hat values in Hareer, Dwaine, and Hijran basins indicate that the basins exhibit low, medium, and high tectonic activity, respectively.

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Tectonostratigraphic and structural imprints from balanced sections across the north-western Zagros fold-thrust belt, Kurdistan region, NE Iraq

Cited by 25 publications

References 31 publications

Multiple Exhumation Phases in the Central Pontides (N Turkey): New Temporal Constraints on Major Geodynamic Changes Associated With the Closure of the Neo‐Tethys Ocean

Multiple Exhumation Phases in the Central Pontides (N Turkey): New Temporal Constraints on Major Geodynamic Changes Associated With the Closure of the Neo‐Tethys Ocean

Late Miocene Deformation Kinematics Along the NW Zagros Fold‐Thrust Belt, Kurdistan Region of Iraq: Constraints From Apatite (U‐Th)/He Thermochronometry and Balanced Cross Sections

Evaluation of the drainage system of Zagros Basin (Greater Zab River, northern Iraq) and insights into tectonic geomorphology

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