Browsing by Author "De Beer, C. H"

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    Structure of the Cape Fold Belt in the Ceres Syntaxis
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 1989-12) De Beer, C. H; Halbich, I. W.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Science. Dept. of Earth Sciences.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Ceres Syntaxis comprises that part of the Cape Fold Belt Syntaxis that lies north of the Worcester Fault. Most of the area consists of folded Cape Supergroup (primarily Witteberg Group) rocks. Fold styles of all fold trends are essentially the same. However, different multilayer rheologies led to the development of either sinusoidal or kink-like fold geometries in different parts of the cover sequence. The character of Witteberg sediments led to the development of large megakink folds and peculiar fold zones in this part of the sequence. Fold trends in the Ceres Syntaxis vary between NW-SE, NE-SW and E-W. The southern part of the area is dominated by the NE-SW trend, with the NW-SE trend being only important in the west. Interference between these two trends only exists in the Witteberg Group, where it occurs as crossing linear fold zones and conjugate, intersecting kink folds . Cross-folding relationships in the north-eastern part of the Ceres Syntaxis indicate that the area had been affected by two contemporaneous, orthogonally opposed compressions that worked simultaneously in different parts of the multilayer. Differences in the magnitude of strain, or in the local timing of fold initiation, produced local refolding or transecting relationships. The microfabric of Witteberg sandstones suggests deformation under conditions of low temperature and pressure, as well as low strain rates. Some microfabrics also indicate that substantial buckle shortening occurred while the Middle and Upper Witteberg beds were still unlithified. Isotopic dating of Cedarberg shale from both main trends did not yield unequivocal results, mainly due to the deformatio~al intensity. The positioning of the Cape low Fold Belt Syntaxis was strongly influenced by basement tectonic grain and basin floor relief. The NW and NE fold trends formed on a heterogeneous basement that resolved the stress configuration into components which external . acted simultaneously towards the north-west and north-east. Ecca and Beaufort Group sedimentation patterns in the western Karoo corroborate the above findings.