Deep drilling in a Palaeoproterozoic hot orogen — potential for deciphering the orogenic accretion and physical properties of a tectonically layered crust

摘要

The Svecofennian is a large hot orogen composed of different accreted crustal units. The boundaries between these units are often characterised by major, steeply dipping shear zones with post-accretionary signatures. However, some of these shear zones have recorded an earlier and long-lived activity related to the accretionary episode, so have moderately eastward dipping shear zones identified in the eastern part of the Ljusdal Domain in the central part of the orogen. These shear zones, repeated at multiple lithostratigraphical levels, are associated with west verging asymmetric F2-folds indicating thrusting with imbricate slices in thickness comparable to those in the Caledonides. In the Ljusdal Domain these structures have been recognised in rock of significantly different metamorphic grade indicating thick-skin thrusting on the crustal scale possibly accompanied by channel flow. Information from deep drilling through these stacked units would shed light on the tectonostratigraphy and consequently the accretionary to post-accretionary evolution of hot orogens. In addition, information about groundwater circulation, geothermal energy potential and reservoir quality of tectonically layered rocks for e.g. CO 2 sequestration experiments in crystalline rocks would be gained.