Document Type
Thesis
Abstract
The central Virginia Blue Ridge and Valley & Ridge are part of the Appalachian fold and thrust belt. While many fold and thrust belts involve out-of-sequence faulting, in which faults form opposite to the direction of stress, it was unclear whether out-of-sequence faulting occurred in the Arnold Valley region, along the Blue Ridge-Valley & Ridge boundary. This study investigates the deformation style in the Arnold Valley region through a series of cross sectional models that are analyzed based on structural characteristics. A comparison of in-sequence and out-of-sequence models allows us to find the best interpretation of the geology in the Arnold Valley region. The Blue Ridge province is characterized by thick-skinned deformation, while the Valley & Ridge is characterized by thin-skinned deformation. The Blue Ridge Fault and Glasgow Fault create the boundary between the Blue Ridge and Valley & Ridge provinces, with the Blue Ridge lying to the east and the Valley & Ridge lying to the west of these faults. Knowing this, we can assume that deformation along and to the east of the Blue Ridge and Glasgow Faults will be thick-skinned, while deformation to the west of these faults will be thick skinned. In the in-sequence models created, thick-skinned deformation appeared along faults in the Valley & Ridge, discrediting this model and allowing us to conclude that the Arnold Valley region is characterized by out-of-sequence faulting.
Date Awarded
2014
Department
Geology
Recommended Citation
Trott, Eleanor M., "Thrust faulting and fault sequence in the James River Gorge and Arnold Valley region, Blue Ridge and Valley & Ridge provinces, Virginia" (2014). Geology Senior Theses. William & Mary. Paper 329.
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/geologyseniors/329
