Origin, Architecture, and Thermal State of the Lackawanna Synclinorium, Pennsylvania: Implications for Tectonic Evolution of the Central Appalachians

Mapping of the Pittston quadrangle in the central domain and structural analysis elsewhere in the synclinorium reveal that mesoscopic faults, folds, and cleavage throughout the synclinorium trend ∼075°; thus, these structures parallel the southern domain, but trend at high angles to the northern domain. Many of these structures are better developed in the hanging wall of a regional detachment than in the footwall. Crosscutting structures (e.g., cleavage, faults) indicate that the shortening direction rotated ∼45° clockwise during the Alleghanian orogeny. Heat-flow calculations suggest that the migration of hot (∼270°C) brines could have induced anthracitization at shallow depths (≤5 km) in the synclinorium; thus, deep burial (6--9 km) by post-Pennsylvanian strata was not required for anthracitization. Field observations, fluid-inclusion studies, and illite-crystallinity analysis suggest that Alleghanian fluid flow was stratigraphically controlled.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Geology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Harrison, Michael Joseph

Contributors dc:contributor

• Marshak, Stephen

• Geology

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI3070319

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/86522