TY - JOUR
T1 - Quantifying frictional variations and erosion in the Mexican fold-thrust belt
AU - Cruz, Leonardo
AU - Vásquez Serrano, Alberto
AU - Fitz-Díaz, Elisa
AU - Hudleston, Peter
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2019/3
Y1 - 2019/3
N2 - The impact of frictional crustal heterogeneities and surface processes on the evolution of the ancient thin-skinned Mexican fold-and-thrust belt (MFTB) is investigated and quantified using numerical finite-element simulations. These simulations explore the evolution, total shortening, and structural styles of deforming orogenic wedges. The models include spatial lateral variations in the internal friction, and the topographic erodibility (K), using the power law incision rule. The MFTB exhibits paleogeographical elements manifested as lateral facies changes across two platforms units and two sedimentary basins that show different degrees of deformation. The observed kinematics of the MFTB requires, based on the parameters considered in this study, a rheologically heterogeneous crust, with at least laterally varying internal friction. Yet only limited syntectonic and post-tectonic erosion are necessary to explain the geometries and internal total shortening constrained by field observations and interpretations. Application of the analytical and homogeneous critical Coulomb wedge (CCW) theory to the MFTB closely predicts the external wedge geometry but fails to predict the observed shortening of the individual litho-tectonic units and structural styles.
AB - The impact of frictional crustal heterogeneities and surface processes on the evolution of the ancient thin-skinned Mexican fold-and-thrust belt (MFTB) is investigated and quantified using numerical finite-element simulations. These simulations explore the evolution, total shortening, and structural styles of deforming orogenic wedges. The models include spatial lateral variations in the internal friction, and the topographic erodibility (K), using the power law incision rule. The MFTB exhibits paleogeographical elements manifested as lateral facies changes across two platforms units and two sedimentary basins that show different degrees of deformation. The observed kinematics of the MFTB requires, based on the parameters considered in this study, a rheologically heterogeneous crust, with at least laterally varying internal friction. Yet only limited syntectonic and post-tectonic erosion are necessary to explain the geometries and internal total shortening constrained by field observations and interpretations. Application of the analytical and homogeneous critical Coulomb wedge (CCW) theory to the MFTB closely predicts the external wedge geometry but fails to predict the observed shortening of the individual litho-tectonic units and structural styles.
KW - Crustal heterogeneities
KW - Fold-and-thrust belt
KW - Frictional variations
KW - Numerical modeling
KW - Surface erosion
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jsg.2018.12.002
DO - 10.1016/j.jsg.2018.12.002
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85059543119
SN - 0191-8141
VL - 120
SP - 1
EP - 13
JO - Journal of Structural Geology
JF - Journal of Structural Geology
ER -