Early jointing in coal and black shale: Evidence for an Appalachian-wide stress field as a prelude to the Alleghanian orogeny

Research Article| July 01, 2006 Early jointing in coal and black shale: Evidence for an Appalachian-wide stress field as a prelude to the Alleghanian orogeny Terry Engelder; Terry Engelder 1Department of Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Amy Whitaker Amy Whitaker 1Department of Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Terry Engelder 1Department of Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA Amy Whitaker 1Department of Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 26 Oct 2005 Revision Received: 21 Feb 2006 Accepted: 01 Mar 2006 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 The Geological Society of America, Inc. Geology (2006) 34 (7): 581–584. https://doi.org/10.1130/G22367.1 Article history Received: 26 Oct 2005 Revision Received: 21 Feb 2006 Accepted: 01 Mar 2006 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Terry Engelder, Amy Whitaker; Early jointing in coal and black shale: Evidence for an Appalachian-wide stress field as a prelude to the Alleghanian orogeny. Geology 2006;; 34 (7): 581–584. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G22367.1 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 Early ENE-striking joints (present coordinates) within both Pennsylvanian coal and Devonian black shale of the Central and Southern Appalachians reflect an approximately rectilinear stress field with a dimension >1500 km. This Appalachian-wide stress field (AWSF) dates from the time of joint propagation, when both the coal and shale were buried to the oil window during the 10–15 m.y. period straddling the Pennsylvanian-Permian boundary. The AWSF was generated during the final assembly of Pangea as a consequence of plate-boundary tractions arising from late-stage oblique convergence, where maximum horizontal stress, SH, of the AWSF was parallel to the direction of closure between Gondwana and Laurentia. After closure, the AWSF persisted during dextral slip of peri-Gondwanan microcontinents, when SH appears to have crosscut plate-scale transcurrent faults at ∼30°. Following >10 m.y. of dextral slip during tightening of Gondwana against Laurentia, the AWSF was disrupted by local stress fields associated with thrusting on master basement decollements to produce the local orocline-shaped Alleghanian map pattern seen today. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.