Palaeostress analysis, a contribution to the understanding of basin tectonics and geodynamic evolution. Example of the Permian/Cenozoic tectonics of Great Britain and geodynamic implications in western Europe

• Published in: Tectonophysics Vol. 252; no. 1; pp. 103 - 136
• Main Authors: Hibsch, Christian, Jarrige, Jean-Jacques, Cushing, Edward Marc, Mercier, Jacques
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 30.12.1995
• ISSN: 0040-1951; 1879-3266
• DOI: 10.1016/0040-1951(95)00100-X

Microtectonic analysis in association with tectonic-sedimentological observations enables us not only to define palaeostress tensors but also to date each of them. Such a study, carried out in central and northeastern England and in southernmost Wales has permitted us to point out several tectonic stages during the Permian-Cenozoic period. (1) Inferred from syn-sedimentary faulting in the Late Permian series, the Permian/Early Triassic tectonic regime is characterised by a NNW-SSE-oriented extension. (2) During the Late Triassic to the early Late Jurassic, an E-W- to ENE-WSW-oriented extension was acting as suggested by syn-sedimentary normal faulting in Keuper, Lias and Middle Dogger sediments and post-sedimentary normal faulting in Oxfordian sediments. (3) The following tectonic event probably started during the Malm and was particularly active during the Early Cretaceous. It was characterised by a N-S- to NNE-SSW-oriented extension and was associated with an E-W- to WNW-ESE-oriented strike-slip tectonic regime (transtension). (4) A locally observed NW-SE-oriented transpressional strike-slip tectonic regime is thought to correspond to the ‘Laramide’ inversion phase of the Middle Paleocene. (5) The later tectonic event is characterised by a N-S-oriented transpressional strike-slip regime and affects a Paleocene tholeiitic dyke (‘Cleveland dyke’). It is supposed to be synchronous with the so-called Eocene ‘Pyrenean’ to the Early Miocene ‘Helvetic’ compressional stages. These paleostress tensors are compared with others defined in France, the Benelux countries and Germany and are also collated to the tectonic evolution of oil basins assessed from geophysical analyses. These comparisons raise discussions about the paleostress distribution within the geodynamic evolution of the West European shelf.