Dissertation
INTEGRATING METAMORPHIC AND STRUCTURAL DATASETS TO EVALUATE THE THERMAL, KINEMATIC, AND GEOMETRIC FRAMEWORK OF THE HIMALAYAN THRUST BELT IN BHUTAN
Washington State University
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
01/2021
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7273/000006438
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/119348
Abstract
The construction of orogenic systems involves a complex interaction between numerous factors, including, but not limited to, the lithology and rheology of the rocks involved in deformation, the pressure and temperature conditions that they were buried to and exhumed from, and the structural style of their deformation and emplacement. Therefore, the relative influence and interplay of each of these factors provides critical information for analysis of how an orogenic belt has evolved through time. It follows that to fully understand the complex deformation mechanisms that contribute to strain accommodation in orogenic systems, no single data set is sufficient. Instead, an integrated series of complementary data sets, such as those that describe metamorphic (i.e., peak and deformation temperatures, peak pressure, and mineral assemblage) and structural conditions (i.e., structural mapping, finite strain data, fabric analysis, shear sense data) are necessary. In addition, to understand the lateral variability within an orogenic system, data sets distributed along-strike must be compared to provide a more complete picture of how a mountain belt evolves in space and time. As a classic locality for understanding the dynamics of continental convergence, the Himalayan-Tibetan orogen provides a naturallaboratory to evaluate the interplay between metamorphic and structural processes, and how they affect the overall thermal and structural architecture of a mountain belt.
The Himalayan-Tibetan orogenic system has formed from the collision and continued convergence of the Indian and Asian continental plates. Initial collision occurred at ~50-55 Ma, and the Himalayan thrust belt, which makes up the southern portion of the orogen (Fig. 1), began accommodating shortening at ~25 Ma (e.g., Yin and Harrison, 2000; Yin, 2006; Najman et al., 2006, Najman et al., 2012). Despite being studied for decades, several key debates exist regarding the basic geometric framework and kinematic development of the Himalayan thrust belt. Additionally, the >2,000 km length of the thrust belt suggests that lateral variability is inevitable. This work will utilize a suite of complementary analytical and structural techniques in order to evaluate the geometric, kinematic, and thermal framework of important segments of the Himalayan thrust belt in the kingdom of Bhutan.
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- Title
- INTEGRATING METAMORPHIC AND STRUCTURAL DATASETS TO EVALUATE THE THERMAL, KINEMATIC, AND GEOMETRIC FRAMEWORK OF THE HIMALAYAN THRUST BELT IN BHUTAN
- Creators
- Jesslyn K Starnes
- Contributors
- Sean P Long (Advisor)Catherine Cooper (Committee Member)Jeffrey Vervoort (Committee Member)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Environment, School of the (CAHNRS)
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University
- Number of pages
- 213
- Identifiers
- 99900591956401842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Dissertation