--> ABSTRACT: Cimmeride (Middle and Late Triassic) Structures Beneath the Moesian Platform of Romania and Bulgaria, by Gabor Tari, Georgi Georgiev, Mihai Stefanescu, and Gary Weir; #91019 (1996)

Datapages, Inc.Print this page

Cimmeride (Middle and Late Triassic) Structures Beneath the Moesian Platform of Romania and Bulgaria

Gabor Tari, Georgi Georgiev, Mihai Stefanescu, and Gary Weir

Numerous structures within the pre-Jurassic sequence underneath the Moesian Platform of Romania and Bulgaria are traditionally attributed to the loosely defined Triassic "Old Cimmeride" phase. Widespread Anisian-Carnian volcanism indicates an aborted rifting period also marked by locally very thick (>2000 m) evaporites. Based on isopach maps and the subcrop of the overlying Jurassic passive margin sequence we interpret a large-scale (150×60 km) subsurface feature (North Bulgarian Arch) as the northern rift flank of a failed, E-trending branch of the Paleotethys.

The extensional period was replaced by the Norian-Rhaetian by a compressional regime in the whole Moesian Platform. Although the Cimmeride folds were undoubtedly formed due to compression, detailed structural analysis permitted a more specific interpretation of the deformation in terms of fault-bend folding in a northvergent thin-skinned thrust-fold belt. Structural modeling of the anticlines suggests relatively minor shortening (5-20%). In a wider paleotectonic scenario the north-vergent anticlines beneath the Moesian Platform are interpreted as the frontal, foreland thrust-fold belt of the Mediterranean Cimmerides propagating into the foreland. The recognition of a Cimmeride foreland thrust-fold belt in the Moesian Platform area has an important impact for the reconstruction of the estern Paleo-Tethys.

AAPG Search and Discover Article #91019©1996 AAPG Convention and Exhibition 19-22 May 1996, San Diego, California