Asymmetric boudins as shear sense indicators—an assessment from field data

Asymmetric boudins are potential but problematic shear sense indicators. They can be divided into two groups, with slip on the inter-boudin surface that is either synthetic (S-slip) or antithetic (A-slip) with respect to bulk shear sense. Since both groups have mirror-image symmetry, independent geometric criteria are needed to distinguish them if they are to be used as shear sense indicators. Investigation of asymmetric boudins in trains parallel to the main foliation from the Kaoko Belt in Namibia and elsewhere indicate that the geometry of both groups is in most cases different. Shearband boudins (formed by S-slip) have a long, curved lenticular shape and large relative displacement and …

A Damara orogen perspective on the assembly of southwestern Gondwana

The Pan-African Damara orogenic system records Gondwana amalgamation involving serial suturing of the Congo-Sao Francisco and Ro ´o de la Plata cratons (North Gondwana) from 580 to 550 Ma, before amalgamation with the Kalahari - Antarctic cratons (South Gondwana) as part of the 530 Ma Kuunga-Damara orogeny. Closure of the Adamastor Ocean was diachronous from the Aracuao ´ Belt southwards, with peak sinistral transpressional deformation followed by craton overthrusting and foreland basin development at 580- 550 Ma in the Kaoko Belt and at 545-530 Ma in the Gariep Belt. Peak deformation/metamorphism in the Damara Belt was at 530-500 Ma, with thrusting onto the Kalahari Craton from 495 Ma thro…

Pseudo-boudins in Pegmatite, Arunta, Australia

Intrusion mechanisms in a turbidite sequence; the Voetspoor and Doros plutons in NW Namibia

Abstract Two syntectonic plutons of Cambrian age intruded Neoproterozoic metaturbidites in Namibia at the junction of the NS trending Kaoko and EW trending Damara belts. Sinistral transpression in the Kaoko Belt produced km-scale upright D1 folds overprinted by minor D2 folds. D3 is associated with N–S shortening in the Damara Belt. The plutons show two main pulses of intrusion: hornblende syenite intruded late during D1 or during D2 and biotite granite during D3. Each tectonic event produced a strain shadow defined by the shape of folds and the foliation trend around the plutons. The internal igneous fabric and the arrangement of wall rock xenoliths that locally make up 50% of the intrusio…

Boudinage classification: end-member boudin types and modified boudin structures

In monoclinic shear zones, there are only three ways a layer can be boudinaged, leading to three kinematic classes of boudinage. These are (1) symmetrically without slip on the inter-boudin surface (no-slip boudinage), and two classes with asymmetrical slip on the inter-boudin surface: slip being either (2) synthetic (S-slip boudinage) or (3) antithetic (A-slip boudinage) with respect to bulk shear sense. In S-slip boudinage, the boudins rotate antithetically, and in antithetic slip boudinage they rotate synthetically with respect to shear sense. We have investigated the geometry of 2100 natural boudins from a wide variety of geological contexts worldwide. Five end-member boudin block geome…