Tectonic interpretation of orogenic belts - Introducing Tectonics, Rock Structures and Mountain Belts - page 86

producing strike-slip faults that are
also parallel to the boundary (Figure
10.6). This process is termed partition-
ing ; the compressive stresses are said
to be partitioned into the two sets.
Major strike-slip movements may
thus take place along any conveni-
ent steep fault near the margins of an
orogenic belt subjected to oblique con-
vergence, or on any suitably oriented

terrane boundaries within the belt. Such
a process has the unfortunate result that
adjacent fault blocks or terranes may
not exhibit the same geological history,
which may cause confusion in the inter-
pretation of the evolution of the oro-
genic belt as a whole. Examples of this
are discussed in the following chapter.

oceanic
crust

plate B

plate A

subduction
zone

1

major
strike-slip
fault

Figure 10.6 Oblique collision. (1) Plate A approaches plate B obliquely with respect to the plate
B margin; in (2), the oblique convergence is partitioned into a compression acting across the
margin, producing margin-parallel folds and/or thrusts, and a major dextral strike-slip fault
parallel to the margin. 2