Authors
1
Graduate of the Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
2
Faculty member in Tectonics, Department of Geology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
3
Faculty member in Geology Department, Payam Noor University, Tabas Center, Director of Tabas Global Geopark, Tabas, Iran
4
Expert in charge of geological heritage, studies, geosites and geological protection of Tabas Global Geopark, Tabas, Iran
Abstract
The Binalud mountain range with WNW-ESE extension in northeastern Iran is a place that has well preserved all the structural evidences of the Paleotethys collision. Numerous previous studies have investigated paleostress and its relationship with the tectonics and sedimentation of the Paleotethys. The distinction of this research, however, lies in correlating the orientations of the principal stresses obtained with global-scale stress directions.In this study, after separating the paleostress phases, analyzing the paleogeography, studying the lithic and sedimentary units, and attributing them to the convergence that occurred in the Paleotethys, the forland basin was identified. After field studies in Torqabeh region, three phases were separated in metamorphic units of Permutrias age, granite of Upper Triassic-early Jurassic age and conglomerate of Jurassic age. The first phase of tension with azimuth 32/335 is related to Cimerian and the closure of Palotethys, the second phase with azimuth 25/047 is related to the Middle Alps and coincides with the convergence of Neotethys at the location of Urmia-Dokhtar arc, and the third phase with azimuth 31/032 is related to the late Alps it happened with the opening of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden and the north-northeast movement of the Arabian Plate towards Iran. Also, the study of Jurassic conglomerate deposits led to the identification of Gcm, Gh, and Gt rock facies, which, based on previous studies, were formed in an alluvial fan sedimentary system and incised rivers under the erosion and sedimentation system in the forland basin.
Keywords
)