The thin-skinned fold-and-thrust belt of Irecê Basin, São Francisco Craton: main structural setting and physical analog modeling

Abstract

Located in the central portion of Bahia state, Irecê Basin displays the best exposures of neoproterozoic sedimentary cover at Northern São Francisco Craton. Despite of the large amount of geological studies performed there, some questions remain unsolved, especially concerning the tectonic evolution of the thin-skinned fold-and-thrust belt that involves the rocks of the basin. In order to contribute to the understanding of such evolution, the present study reviews the main structural elements of the basin and surroundings, and present new data acquired through sandbox physical analog modeling. The Thin-skinned Fold-and-thrust Belt of Irecê Basin is a great curved feature, confined in the homonymous syncline, whose genesis is related to the development of orogenic belts north of São Francisco Craton. Its evolution was conditioned by a N-S tectonic vector, responsible by the nucleation of E-W folds and thrusts. At basin boundaries, the deformation is accommodated by strike-slip faults, which locally rotated early structures. Towards south, the belt gradually loses its expression, only remaining structures related to the Chapada Diamantina thrust-and-fold system. The sandbox analog model successfully simulated the development of the Thin-skinned Fold-and-thrust Belt of Irecê Basin, and indicates that its map-view curve results from the interaction with the syncline borders, as well as substrate geometry of the foreland belt. The propagation was made through a low-friction detachment, probably conditioned by the rheological contrast between the Una Group carbonates and the underlying Espinhaço Supergroup siliciclastic rocks.