Essentials of Geology
Essentials of Geology
4th Edition
ISBN: 9780393919394
Author: Marshak, Stephen
Publisher: W W Norton & Co Inc
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Chapter 9, Problem 1RQ
To determine

The changes that a rock undergo during the formation of an orogenic belt such as the Alps.

Expert Solution & Answer
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Answer to Problem 1RQ

The rocks at orogenic belt such as Alps undergo thrust faulting followed by the metamorphism, passive flow folding and eventual upliftment giving rise to the mountain belt.

Explanation of Solution

The Alps, is a result of collision tectonics. Here, the continental plate boundaries collide with each other resulting in the orogeny. There occurs a large number of thrust faults in which the edge of one block slips up and over the margin of the other. This boundary with separate blocks is known as a suture.

During the thrusting process at or near the suture, the rocks of footwall, goes tens of kilometers deep into the earth but, as they are less dense than the mantle, they gradually stop moving down. These rocks undergo high grade of metamorphism and initiates passive flow folds and tectonic foliation. At the same time, blocks of hanging wall goes several kilometers upwards. Due to folds and reverse faults, the rocks that are metamorphosed at the depth of Orogen are eventually brought up to the earth’s surface. The crust here is around 70km in thickness.

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Students have asked these similar questions
Draw a cross section with a tree growing out of Earth’s surface (so I know which side is the surface). Add a dipping joint and label the hanging wall and footwall blocks. Draw a second cross section (again with a tree on the surface of the Earth) that shows how Earth’s surface would be offset along this joint if it turned into a normal fault. Label the hanging wall and footwall and use arrows to indicate the motion of the hanging wall relative to the footwall. Now draw a third cross section with all the same elements as in parts A and B, but for a trust/reverse fault.  Imagine the same cross section either in three dimensions, or in a bird’s-eye view from top down. Draw what this area would look like after a right-lateral strike-slip fault. Label the strike of the fault and use arrows to show directions of movement
Examine the strike and dip of the rock units on the Devil's Fence geologic map in Figure 6.21. Draw multiple large arrows on the map, pointing in the direction of dip on several rock units. Do the rock layers located near the center of the map in Section 14 dip toward the northwest or southeast? The same rocks in Section 14 are also found in Section 18. Do the rocks in Section 18 dip toward the east or west? What is the approximate angle of dip of the units in Section 18?
1. Draw a dashed line representing the hinge line of the large geologic structure that occupies most of the map. Label the hinge line. 2. Are the rocks getting older or younger farther from the hinge line? 3. Is this geologic structure a plunging anticline or syncline? 4. Provide two lines of evidence that support your answer to Question 8.
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