Origin of Franciscan blueschist-bearing melange at San Simeon, central California coast

摘要

Block-in-matrix melanges at San Simeon have been variously interpreted as deformed olistostromes or as subduction-channel flow melanges. Detailed examination shows that seven types can be distinguished, with transitions among them. All contain exotic clasts of greenstone, chert, and more rarely blueschist, in addition to greywacke; the same materials also occur as blocks metres to tens of metres in diameter immersed in melange. The seven types are (1) bedded conglomerate, (2) structureless conglomerate, (3) mud-matrix conglomerate, (4) sandy block melange, (5) broken formation, (6) mud-matrix melange without deformational fabric, and (7) sheared melange. Types (1)-(3) are clearly sedimentary in origin. Types (4) and (5) were formed from unconsolidated sediment, most likely by down-slope sliding, and transitional types suggest that the mud-matrix melange (6) formed in the same way. Sheared melange (7) was formed by low-temperature post-consolidational deformation of all other types, which produced shear bands and a crude scaly fabric. Kinematic indicators of shear direction are rare, but assuming the fabric and shear bands are coeval, the shear direction and sense can be determined from the angular relationship between the two planar fabrics. Most shear planes are gently dipping, with normal-sense displacements of a few centimetres to tens of centimetres. Shear directions are highly variable, with the highest concentrations between WNW and S. This suggests that the main phase of shearing took place during a phase of approximately vertical shortening and horizontal extension, rather than during accretion. Post-accretionary dextral shearing on NNW-trending vertical planes, and sinistral shear on a variety of trends, are likely related to Neogene transform tectonics. The simplest interpretation of these relationships is that the disrupted character of the melanges formed primarily by sliding down the trench inner slope of unconsolidated sediment, including clasts and blocks of previously accreted and exhumed greenstone, chert, and blueschist. The deformational fabric is largely unrelated to the disruption, and was formed during late-stage extension in the accretionary wedge.