Hans Stille's Contributions to Geotectonics

Global Tectonics and Metallogeny, Vol. 10/2-4, p. 127–131 Research Paper Stuttgart, May 2018

Hans Stille’s contributions to geotectonics – a discussion

Reinhard O. Greiling

With 2 tables

Abstract: According to recent usage, geotectonics refers mainly to the “architecture” of lithospheric plates, which include cratons and orogens, and aims at studying processes, which led to the structural grain and the overall struc- ture of the lithosphere. Stille’s contributions to geotectonics comprise the geosynclinal concept of orogen evolution with geotectonic and geomagmatic cycles and the distinction between pervasive, orogenic deformation and epeiro- genic deformation/faulting in a consolidated lithosphere. At present, this is considered obsolete and incompatible with plate tectonics concepts. However, some of his definitions of and contributions on orogenic phases may still be relevant. Some of these “phases” are still being used either to characterize orogenic episodes (e.g. Caledonian, Her- cynian) or particular unconformities. Stille may be an example of a founder of a mainstream with an early stage of progress and success and a subsequent decline.

Keywords: geotectonics, geosyncline, orogenesis, Hans Stille

Introduction earth, or, as it may be called today, the earth’s lithospheric plates (e.g. Lotze 1956; Sengör 1982; Wagenbreth 1999). The present discussion on Stille’s contributions to geotec- Accordingly, orogenesis comprises both a Geomagmatic tonics is divided into three sections, which deal with (a.) cycle and a Geotectonic cycle and a pervasive deforma- Geotectonics, (b.) Comments and discussions on Stille‘s tion of the lithospheric rocks. Orogenesis terminates with geotectonic work in an international context from 1939 the consolidation of the lithosphere. This lithosphere is to1955, and (c.) Stille’s possible relevance today. This pa- relatively stable and subjected only to weak, mostly brit- per is intended as a complement to the other papers on tle deformation: epeirogenesis. Table 1 shows an over- Stille and his work published in this volume, and based on view and tries to relate Stille’s stages in these cycles to a personal selection of published views on Stille. modern aspects of a plate tectonic evolution and orogeny. As is clear from Table 1, a direct correlation of a Wilson cycle evolution (Wilson 1966) with Stille’s geotectonic Geotectonics and Stille stages is hardly possible. As we know now, the plate tectonic evolution is more or less continuous, though plate In databases, the expression geotectonics in publication movements may vary in time and space, and the related titles appears shortly after the beginning of the 20th cen- processes vary accordingly. In contrast, Stille assumes tury. However, the name of Stille does not appear until he distinct stages. In particular his orogenic phases should be founded the publication series Geotektonische Forschung, synchronous at a global scale with quiet intervals in be- which he edited together with one of his former students tween. Accordingly, he formulated a “law” of synchrone- since 1937. Around this time, he began to publish his ity of orogenic movements. An integral part of orogeny is ideas on general geotectonic cycles, which shaped the the formation and subsequent deformation of orogen-

Address of the author: Institute for Applied Geosciences, Structural Geology & Tectonophysics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Adenauerring 20A, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany; [email protected]