Palaeomagnetic evidence for clockwise rotations related to dextral shear along the Southern Troodos Transform Fault, Cyprus

A. Morris*, K. M. Creer, A. H.F. Robertson

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The Southern Troodos (Arakapas) fault represents a Late Cretaceous oceanic fracture zone which was locally disrupted during Late Cretaceous-Eocene palaeorotation of the Troodos microplate. Opinions are divided as to the sense of displacement along the transform fault and the exact timing of initiation of palaeorotation. Palaeomagnetic studies of Turonian zeolite facies lavas and sediments exposed within the transform domain have revealed considerable variations in the declination of remanent magnetisation between sites along the Arakapas fault belt, the western margin of the Limassol Forest Complex and the eastern flank of the Troodos ophiolite. At seven sites clockwise rotation of fault blocks has occurred about steeply inclined axes. One fault block at the western end of the Arakapas fault belt has experienced a net anticlockwise rotation, while at six other sites only simple tilting about sub-horizontal axes is indicated. The overall clockwise sense of block rotation and initial dyke strikes calculated at three sites are consistent with right-lateral slip along the transform. Cross-cutting relationships revealed by the analysis of one site demonstrate that these rotations took place during crustal genesis and are not a product of post-spreading disruption of the fracture zone. Sites located further south, in the Eastern Limassol Forest Complex, show no relative rotation with respect to the main Troodos ophiolite to the north and have experienced only simple tilting. However, if our results are considered in conjunction with existing palaeomagnetic data from the area, it appears that the entire area lay within a complicated zone of localised and predominantly clockwise block rotations produced by dextral slip along the transform. Some areas were rotated by over 100° about steeply inclined axes, whereas others experienced only simple tilting. The whole area was later subjected to a bulk 90° anticlockwise rotation along with the Troodos microplate. Data obtained from the umbers and radiolarites (Perapedhi Fm.) exposed on the eastern flank of the Limassol Forest block indicate that at least 30°, and possibly up to 45°, of this 90° rotation took place over a maximum of 15 Ma.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)250-262
Number of pages13
JournalEarth and Planetary Science Letters
Volume99
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Aug 1990
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geophysics
  • Geochemistry and Petrology
  • Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous)
  • Space and Planetary Science

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