Fracture Pattern Analysis of the Upper Cretaceous-Eocene Carbonates along with the Ghumawan Dome, Hazara Basin

Abstract

Deformational history of the Hazara basin indicates a primitive collision of the two landmasses that undergoes an episodic deformation with NE-SW structural trend. Panjal Thrust (PT) and Main Boundary Thrust (MBT) demarcate the northern and southern extremities of the basin, respectively. The area bounded between these two thrusts is the core consideration of the present research. Different stratigraphic units juxtapose along the Hazara Kashmir Syntaxes (HKS), while the strike-slip component is indicated by imbrication due to thrusts. The study is amied to analyze the paleo-stresses along with developed fracture patterns. Field data were collected via Circle Inventory Method from various localities of the Ghumawan dome, Hazara basin. The zones of upper Cretaceous to Eocene carbonates were mainly targeted during the data collection. Win-Tensor was the key software that helps to analyze the paleo-stresses and fracture pattern of the study area. NW-trending fracture pattern was observed with a highly non-symmetric to dense fracture pattern. The local thrust system lead to severely de-shape the study area. N-S oriented σ1 indicated the compressional tectonic condition that prevailed during deformation of this area. Some segments also show extensional features i.e. normal faulting.