The formation and inversion of the Western Greater Caucasus basin and the uplift of the western greater Caucacus: implications for the wider black sea region

Vincent, S. J. and Braham, W. and Lavrishchev, V. A. and Maynard, J. and Harland, Melise (2016) The formation and inversion of the Western Greater Caucasus basin and the uplift of the western greater Caucacus: implications for the wider black sea region. Tectonics, 35 (12). pp. 2948-2962. ISSN 0278-7407, ESSN: 1944-9194 DOI https://doi.org/10.1002/2016TC004204

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Abstract

The western Greater Caucasus formed by the tectonic inversion of the western strand of the Greater Caucasus Basin, a Mesozoic rift that opened at the southern margin of Laurasia. Subsidence analysis indicates that the main phase of rifting occurred during the Aalenian to Bajocian synchronous with that in the eastern Alborz and, possibly, the South Caspian Basin. Secondary episodes of subsidence during the late Tithonian to Berriasian and Hauterivian to early Aptian are tentatively linked to initial rifting within the western, and possibly eastern, Black Sea and during the late Campanian to Danian to the opening of the eastern Black Sea. Initial uplift, subaerial exposure, and sediment derivation from the western Greater Caucasus occurred at the Eocene-Oligocene transition. Oligocene and younger sediments on the southern margin of the former basin were derived from the inverting basin and uplifted parts of its northern margin, indicating that the western Greater Caucasus Basin had closed by this time. A predominance of pollen representing a montane forest environment (dominated by Pinacean pollen) within these sediments suggests that the uplifting Caucasian hinterland had a paleoaltitude of around 2 km from early Oligocene time. The closure of the western Greater Caucasus Basin and significant uplift of the range at approximately 34 Ma is earlier than stated in many studies and needs to be incorporated into geodynamic models for the Arabia-Eurasia region.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	2016AREP; IA70; cml; weekly list
Subjects:	02 - Geodynamics, Geophysics and Tectonics
Divisions:	02 - Geodynamics, Geophysics and Tectonics 08 - Green Open Access
Journal or Publication Title:	Tectonics
Volume:	35
Page Range:	pp. 2948-2962
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1002/2016TC004204
Depositing User:	Sarah Humbert
Date Deposited:	06 Apr 2016 10:59
Last Modified:	12 Sep 2019 09:38
URI:	http://eprints.esc.cam.ac.uk/id/eprint/3603

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