Structural Evolution of the Pulaski Thrust System, Southwestern Virginia
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Structural evolution of the Pulaski thrust system, southwestern Virginia MERVIN J. BARTHOLOMEW Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, Montana College of Mineral Science and Technology, Butte, Montana 59701 ABSTRACT clinorium. The classic, ubiquitous Max Mead- minimum shortening for the Pulaski thrust ows breccias generally are confined to the sheet is -80%, whereas that for the western The Pulaski fault system is a complex se- broken formation, which forms the basal part part of the Valley and Ridge province is only ries of Alleghanian thrusts which has juxta- of the complexly deformed plate and which is ~10%-20%. The Pulaski fault system is inter- posed rocks of the Pulaski thrust sheet over interpreted as an exhumed lower level décol- preted to have originated below the Ap- rocks as young as Early to middle Mississip- lement zone formed during an earlier Alle- palachian-wide basal décollement zone near pian (Maccrady Formation) of the Saltville ghanian stage and transported during a later the contact between the Cambrian Rome and thrust sheet The Salem branch, a later mqjor Alleghanian stage of deformation to a much Elbrook Formations. branch of the Pulaski fault system within the higher structural level. Pulaski thrust sheet, displaced the complexly Minimum displacement of the complexly INTRODUCTION deformed plate containing a broken forma- deformed plate is on the order of 100- tion (a lithotectonic assemblage of complexly 110 km, on the basis of a new palinspastic This paper is aimed at (1) elucidating rela- folded and faulted Elbrook and Rome car- reconstruction of the Pulaski thrust sheet. On tionships among major tectonic features of the bonates and shales with associated breccias) the basis of this reconstruction and of two Pulaski thrust sheet from Fincastle to Pulaski, over rocks as young as Early Mississippian balanced and restored cross sections for the Virginia (Fig. 1); (2) determining structural evo- (lower Price Formation) of the Salem syn- western portion of the Valley and Ridge, lution of the Pulaski sheet during the course of Figure 1. Index map showing location of area rela- tive to some tectonic features of the southern Appala- chians. MCW = Mountain City window, GMW = Grandfather Mountain window, SMA = Sauratown Mountain anticlinorium, SRA = Smith River alloch- thon, KMB = Kings Mountain belt, RB = Raleigh belt, ESB = eastern slate belt. Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 99, p. 491-510, 22 figs., 1 table, October 1987. 491 Downloaded from http://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/gsabulletin/article-pdf/99/4/491/3998356/i0016-7606-99-4-491.pdf by guest on 03 October 2021 Downloaded from http://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/gsabulletin/article-pdf/99/4/491/3998356/i0016-7606-99-4-491.pdf by guest on 03 October 2021 Figure 2. Generalized geologic map of the Pulaski thrust sheet at the northern end of the southern Appalachians near the Roanoke recess; modified after Bartholomew and others (1980). DDZ = ductile deformation zone, S = slice, IMW = Ingles Mountain window, BMW = Barringer Mountain window, ERW = East Radford window, CCA = Crab Creek allochthon, YSF = Yellow Sulphur fault, GRF = Green Ridge fault, GMF = Glebe Mills fault, PC = Peak Creek fault, RV = Roanoke Valley fault, RMA = Read Mountain allochthon, CMA = Coyner Mountain allochthon, BW = Bonsack window, GCW = Glade Creek window, CG = Chilhowee Group, €S = Cambrian-age Shady Formation, €R = Cambrian-age Rome Formation, €E/€R = Cambrian-age Elbrook Formation with Rome Formation, CO = Upper Cambrian/Lower Ordovi- cian carbonates, O = Middle and Upper Ordovician carbonates and calcareous shales, SD = Silurian sandstones and Devonian shales, D = Devonian sandstones and shales, M = Mississippian sandstones and shales, open teeth denote faults of the Pulaski fault system, solid teeth denote faults of the Salem branch, "T" on hanging wall of all other thrusts. Complexly deformed plate of Pulaski thrust sheet is shaded. Mapping credit: McGuire (1970)—STR (Strom), ER (Eagle Rock), ORI (Oriskany), SAL (Salisbury); Spencer (1968)—SM (Sugarloaf Mountain), BUC (Buchanan); McGuire (1976)—DAL (Daleville); all of the above quadrangles partially remapped by W. S. Henika (1977-1980), Henika (1981)—VIL (Villamont), MON (Montvale); Amato (1974)—SAL (Salem); Bartholomew and Hazlett (1981)—ROA (Roanoke); Bartholomew (1981)—STE (Stewartsville); reconnaissance mapping by Bartholomew and Lewis (1984)—IRV (Irving), HAR (Hardy), GC (Garden City), BM (Bent Mountain), CAL (Callaway), ELL (Elliston); reconnaissance mapping by Bartholomew, thesis maps by Bauerlein (1967), Broughton (1971), Edwards (1960), Eubank (1967), Murphy (1969), and detailed strip by Bartholomew and Schultz (1980), Bartholomew and others (1987b)—LOO (Looney), CAT (Catawba), GLE (Glenvar), MM (McDonalds Mill), IRO (Ironto), ELL (Elliston), PUL (Pulaski); Bartholomew and Lowry (1979)—BLA (Blacksburg); Schultz and Bartholomew (1987)—STA (Staffordsville), RN (Radford North); Schultz and others (1986)—PEA (Pearisburg), NAR (Narrows), EGG (Eggleston); Bartholomew and others (1987b) and Schultz and others (1986)—NEW (Newport), WG (White Gate); quadrangles mapped, but manuscripts not yet completed: A. P. Schultz—DUB (Dublin), partially adapted from Schultz (1983); S. E. Lewis, M. J. Bartholomew, and P. B. Kaygi—RIN (Riner), partially adapted from Lewis (1975) and Kaygi (1979); M. J. Bartholomew, P. M. Dove, and C. A. Walsh-Stovall—PIL (Pilot), CHE (Check); RS (Radford South)—northern part mapped by A. P. Schultz for city of Radford, southern half reconnaissance mapping by M. J. Bartholomew and S. E. Lewis. Figure 3. Generalized geologic map of the Pulaski thrust sheet in the Pulaski to Blacksburg area, showing age of rocks in allochthonous window duplexes derived from the footwall of the Pulaski thrust ramp; also shows distribution of Max Meadows breccias (black areas) relative to the faults of the Pulaski fault system and to the upper detachment surface of the broken formation. Other abbreviations, mapping credits, and quadrangle names are the same as those shown in Figure 2. Cs = Shady Dolomite containing siliceous breccia, B = Middle Cambrian to Middle Ordovician carbonate rocks, CI = Middle and Upper Ordovician calcareous shales, C2 = Upper Ordovician to Devonian shales and sandstones, D = Upper Devonian to Lower Mississippian sandstones. UDS = upper detachment surface of a broken formation. Downloaded from http://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/gsabulletin/article-pdf/99/4/491/3998356/i0016-7606-99-4-491.pdf by guest on 03 October 2021 494 M. J. BARTHOLOMEW Figure 4. Generalized geologic map of the Pulaski thrust sheet in the Roanoke area, showing age of rocks in allochthonous win- dow duplexes and distribution of Max Mead- ows breccias (black areas) relative to faults of the Pulaski fault system. Abbreviations, mapping credits, and quadrangle names are the same as those shown in Figure 2. Cs = Shady Dolomite; B, CI, and C2 are the same as shown in Figure 3. its emplacement across Cambrian to Mississip- pian footwall strata to an upper level glide horizon in Mississippian strata during the Alleghanian event; (3) determining minimum displacements of various plates within the Pulaski thrust sheet by utilizing a new palin- spastic reconstruction of these component plates; and (4) calculating percent shortening across this part of the Valley and Ridge province utilizing the palirispastic reconstruction for the Pulaski thrust sheet plus both balanced and restored cross sections for strata structurally beneath the Pulaski sheet. The Pulaski fault system includes all of the faults, bounding or cutting the Pulaski thrust sheet (Table 1; Fig. 1). Originally, the Pulaski fault was mapped from Marion to Blacksburg, Virginia, by Campbell and others (1925), who named it for exposures near the town of Pulaski (Fig. 2). Butts (1933) delineated much of the Pulaski fault system in southwestern Virginia; he also extended the Pulaski fault system northeast- ward. to near Purgatory Mountain (Fig. 2) and then into the central Appalachian part of the Valley and Ridge province. Cooper (1970) and Rodgers (1970) extended its trace 120 km southwestward into northeastern Tennessee, TABLE 1. FAULTS OF THE PULASKI FAULT SYSTEM IN THE TYPE REGION Pulaski fault uystem 1. Pulaski fault 2. Catawba fault 3. Max Meadows branch a. Max Meadows fault b. Roanoke Valley fault c. Back Creek fault d. M01 Creek fault e. unnuned fault northwest of Mill Creek fault 4. Salem branch a. Salem fault b. Yellow Sulphur fault Figure 5. Transverse Yellow Sulphur fault exposed at reference locality 24 of Bartholomew c. Green Ridge fault and Lowry (1979 ). The fault surface dips westward (left) at -30° and juxtaposes typical Max d Glebe Mills fault 5. Peak Creek and associated faults Meadows carbonate breccia (top left) and lower Elbrook dolomite of the broken formation 6. Slate Branch and associated faults 7. all roof, floor, and internal faults (hanging wall) over well-bedded, east-dipping dolomite of the middle Elbrook Formation of of allochthonous duplexes the Salem synclimorium. The small fold (lower center of photograph) in the footwall indicates 8. upper detachment surface and internal faults of broken formation an eastward thrust component. Photographed by T. M. Gathright II. Downloaded from http://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/gsabulletin/article-pdf/99/4/491/3998356/i0016-7606-99-4-491.pdf by guest on 03 October 2021 STRUCTURAL EVOLUTION OF PULASKI THRUST SYSTEM, VIRGINIA 495 where both Rodgers (1970) and Milici (1975) showed the Pulaski fault