The effect of basement step/topography on the geometry of the Zagros fold and thrust belt (SW Iran): An analog modeling approach

A. Farzipour-Saein, F. Nilfouroushan, H. Koyi

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

34 Scopus citations

Abstract

Systematic analog models are run to study the variation in deformation across basement steps in the Zagros fold-thrust belt. Our model results demonstrate that basement configuration/topography influences the sedimentation thickness and, hence, the kinematics and geometric evolution of the fold and thrust belt. The greater the difference in thickness between the adjacent cover units across a basement step, the sharper and clearer will be the offset of the deformation front. Based on model results, we conclude that in a fold-thrust belt, where basement step/topography is covered by a layer of ductile salt acting as a decollement, the effect of the salt decollement on the evolution of the belt is far greater than the effect of thickness variation of the cover units.

Original languageBritish English
Pages (from-to)2117-2135
Number of pages19
JournalInternational Journal of Earth Sciences
Volume102
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2013

Keywords

  • Analog modeling
  • Cover thickness
  • Deformation front
  • Zagros

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