The structural position and tectonosedimentary evolution of the Polish Outer Carpathians

The structural position and tectonosedimentary evolution of the Polish Outer CarpathiansNestor Oszczypko* A b s t r a ct.The sedimentary basins of the Outer Carpathians are regarded as the remnant oceanic basins that were transformed into the foreland basin.These basins developed between the colliding European continent and the intra-oceanic arcs.In the pre-orogenic and syn-orogenic evolution of the Carpathian basins the following prominent periods can be established: Middle Jurassic -Early Cretaceous opening of basins and post-rift subsidence, Late Cretaceous -Palaeocene inversion, Palaeocene to Middle Eocene subsidence, Late Eocene-Early Miocene synorogenic closing of the basins.In the Outer Carpathian sedimentary area the important driving forces of the tectonic subsidence were syn-and post-rift thermal processes as well as the emplacement of the nappe loads related to the subduction processes.Similar to the other orogenic belts, the Outer Carpathians were progressively folded towards the continental margin.This process was initiated at the end of the Palaeocene at the Pieniny Klippen Belt Magura Basin boundary and completed during Early Burdigalian in the northern part of the Krosno flysch basin.