Plate-boundary kinematics in the Alps: Motion in the Arosa suture zone

Research Article| August 01, 1988 Plate-boundary kinematics in the Alps: Motion in the Arosa suture zone Uwe Ring; Uwe Ring 1Institut für Geologie, Universität Tübingen, D-7400, Federal Republic of Germany Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Lothar Ratschbacher; Lothar Ratschbacher 1Institut für Geologie, Universität Tübingen, D-7400, Federal Republic of Germany Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Wolfgang Frisch Wolfgang Frisch 1Institut für Geologie, Universität Tübingen, D-7400, Federal Republic of Germany Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Uwe Ring 1Institut für Geologie, Universität Tübingen, D-7400, Federal Republic of Germany Lothar Ratschbacher 1Institut für Geologie, Universität Tübingen, D-7400, Federal Republic of Germany Wolfgang Frisch 1Institut für Geologie, Universität Tübingen, D-7400, Federal Republic of Germany Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1988) 16 (8): 696–698. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1988)016<0696:PBKITA>2.3.CO;2 Article history First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Uwe Ring, Lothar Ratschbacher, Wolfgang Frisch; Plate-boundary kinematics in the Alps: Motion in the Arosa suture zone. Geology 1988;; 16 (8): 696–698. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1988)016<0696:PBKITA>2.3.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract The Arosa zone forms a melange complex along the Penninic/Austroalpine boundary and belongs to the main Alpine suture zone. Accretion and plate collision occurred during Cretaceous and lower Tertiary time. A mixture of ophiolitic rocks and pelagic sediments is imbricated with flysch and blocks of Austroalpine (continental) derivation. We present a description of deformation structures, an analysis of strain, and a kinematic interpretation based on structural work. Deformation histories of imbricates show a translation path that was west-directed between ca. 110 and 50 Ma and north-directed thereafter. The kinematics of the Arosa zone agrees with the recently deduced displacement history of the Austroalpine units in the Eastern Alps during the Cretaceous orogeny. This calls for a predominantly top-to-the-west imbrication of Austroalpine and Penninic units and is in contradiction to what is inferred in most models of the Eastern Alps. A direct relation between the deformation along the Austroalpine margin and relative plate motion existed. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.