About This Item

Share This Item

The AAPG/Datapages Combined Publications Database

Oklahoma City Geological Society

Abstract


Technical Proceedings of the 1981 AAPG Mid-Continent Regional Meeting, 1984
Pages 68-80

Washita Valley Fault System — A New Look at an Old Fault

W. G. Brown

Abstract

With the application of plate tectonic concepts to southern Oklahoma, the structural style has recently been characterized as a wrench fault system. The Washita Valley fault (WVF) is generally considered to be a major left-lateral strike-slip fault with an offset of approximately 40 miles. The map most commonly used to demonstrate this magnitude of lateral offset is the basal Oil Creek sand distribution map. However, the published basal Oil Creek maps depict the present day distribution of the sand, which is the result of cumulative movements since the deposition of the sand.

In order to unravel these various orogenic episodes, a palinspastic restoration must be made. In this paper the observable folds along the WVF have been unfolded and the known dip-slip reverse faults have been restored to a pre-fault position. The resulting restoration indicates that the commonly quoted figure of 40 miles of left-lateral off-set is too great. Structural shortening represented by overturned folds and reverse faults can account for the present distribution of the basal Oil Creek sand map, with little or no strike-slip needed along the Washita Valley fault.


Pay-Per-View Purchase Options

The article is available through a document delivery service. Explain these Purchase Options.

Watermarked PDF Document: $14
Open PDF Document: $24