Marine and Petroleum Geology 18 (2001) 149±159

www.elsevier.com/locate/marpetgeo

Neogene kinematic development of the East Carpathian bend area,

central Romania
R.G. Gibson
BP-Amoco, 501 Westlake Park Blvd., Houston, TX, 77079, USA
Received 4 October 1997; received in revised form 17 November 1999; accepted 14 January 2000

Abstract
Kinematic analysis of fault slip data from the junction of the eastern and southern Carpathian fold-thrust belt documents distinct movement
patterns associated with successive phases of Neogene deformation. Early to Middle Miocene deformation achieved ESE to SE shortening
accommodated by nearly orthogonal to oblique (sinistral) thrusting in the eastern Carpathians and oblique (dextral) thrusting in the southern
Carpathians. Following Late Miocene burial of the thrust front beneath foreland sediments, the kinematic framework changed to one of
sinistral escape of material from the eastern Carpathians, which drove minor NNE±SSW shortening in the southern Carpathians. The
kinematic data indicate progressive clockwise rotation of the shortening direction until ,11 Ma, which is consistent with clockwise rotation
of the Tisza±Dacia block as it converged with the European/Moesian platform. q 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Carpathians; Romania; Wallachian phase; Fault-kinematics

1. Introduction
The Carpathian orogen is an arcuate, 1800 1 km-long
belt of contractionally deformed rocks extending from
northeastern Austria, through Eastern Europe into central
and southern Romania. It de®nes a broad, asymmetric arc
that partially encloses the Pannonian and associated sedi-
mentary basins (Fig. 1a). Shortening in the Carpathians was
driven by the advance of crustal blocks escaping laterally
from the eastern Alps into an oceanic basin bounded on the
north and east by the European plate and south by the
Moesian plate (Csontos, Nagymarosy, Horvath, & Kovac,
1992; Linzer et al., 1998; Ratschbacher, Frisch, Linzer, &
Merle, 1991; Royden & Baldi, 1988). The eastern and
southern Carpathians formed adjacent to the eastward
moving Tisza±Dacia block. Paleomagnetic data (Patrascu,
Panaiotu, Seclaman, & Paniotu, 1994) shows large clock-
wise rotation of the Tisza±Dacia block between late Creta-
ceous and Upper±Middle Miocene (9±15 Ma), probably in
response to its interaction with the northwest corner of the
Moesian plate (Ratschbacher et al., 1993). The southeast-
ward retreat of a subducting oceanic slab is also thought to
be an important driving force for the Carpathian deforma-
tion since the Middle Miocene (Linzer, 1996; Linzer et al.,
1998; Royden, Horvath, & Burch®el, 1982).
E-mail address: gibsonrg@bp.com (R.G. Gibson).
0264-8172/01/$ - see front matter q 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
PII: S 0264-817 2(00)00042-8
The area of interest for this study is the east Carpathian
bend, where the orogen changes orientation by 808 from the
nearly N±S striking eastern Carpathians into the E±W strik-
ing southern Carpathians (Fig. 1a). Previous kinematic
studies in this area have documented the existence of super-
imposed Cretaceous±Paleogene, Miocene, and post-
Miocene deformation events with contrasting displacement
patterns (Hippolyte & Sandulescu, 1996; Linzer et al., 1998;
Matenco, Bertotti, Dinu, & Cloetingh, 1997; Ratschbacher,
Horvath, & Rumpler, 1993; Zwiegel, Ratschbacher, &
Frisch, 1998). The main phases of thrust translation
occurred during the Miocene and older deformations,
which can be correlated for long distances around the
Carpathian arc (Sandulescu, 1975, 1988). In contrast, post-
Miocene deformation is localized to the bend area and is the
youngest deformation observed in the Carpathian orogen
(Burch®el, 1980; Sandulescu, 1975, 1988). This young defor-
mation has been interpreted as the ®nal stage of Carpathian
shortening (Burch®el, 1980; Hippolyte & Sandulescu, 1996;
Ratschbacher et al., 1993), a product of subduction roll-back
(Linzer et al., 1998), or due to movement of a foreland block
toward the thrust belt (Sandulescu, 1988).
The purpose of this paper is to utilize fault-kinematic data
to de®ne regional movement patterns within the east
Carpathian bend area during the Miocene and younger
deformation periods. The data presented here were
collected in support of a petroleum exploration effort
150 R.G. Gibson / Marine and Petroleum Geology 18 (2001) 149±159

Fig. 1. Geology of the Carpathian bend area. (a) Regional map of Carpathian±Pannonian region showing the Outer Carpathian ¯ysch zone (gray), Pieniny
klippen belt (black), Inner Carpathians and other mountain belts (ruled), Tertiary volcanics (inverted ªvºs), Mio-Pliocene sedimentary basins (white),
Intramoesian fault (IMF), and Peceneaga±Camena fault (PCF). The study area is outlined. (b) Geologic map of the study area modi®ed and simpli®ed
from Geological Institute of Romania (1968); contacts between units shown are either faults (thick lines) or unconformities (thin lines) discussed in text.
WNW-trending dashed line is boundary between NE and SW domains used in kinematic analysis. Observation stations are indicated by black dots. Locations
referred to in the text and other ®gures are indicated: L Ð Lopatari village; BA Ð Berca-Arbanasi anticline. (c) Simpli®ed geologic cross section of the area
along dashed line indicated in (b) Black unit in cross section is lower Burdigalian evaporite.

in order to understand better the spatial and temporal 2. Geologic setting

relationships between structures of the eastern and
southern Carpathians. In this paper, the kinematic
results are integrated with stratigraphic constraints on
deformation timing to reconstruct the Neogene kine-
matic history of this region.
The study area is situated at the southern limit of the
Outer Carpathian Flysch zone (Fig. 1a), a 50±100 km-
wide belt of Cretaceous±Miocene ¯ysch deposits that are
deformed into a series of east-verging thrust and fold nappes
 R.G. Gibson / Marine and Petroleum Geology 18 (2001) 149±159
Fig. 2. Stratigraphic and tectonic summary of the study area. Correlation
between the central Paratethys and global time scales from Steininger,
Muller, & Rogi (1988). Local age names used on old Romanian geologic
maps are indicated in italics.
(Burch®el, 1976; Sandulescu, 1975; Sandulescu, Stefa-
nescu, Butac, Patrut, & Zaharescu, 1981). In the east
Carpathian bend area, lower Miocene evaporites cap the
¯ysch sequence and are overlain by middle Miocene±Plio-
cene siliciclastic rocks that extend out into the foreland
basin and are deformed along the eastern and southern
margins of the fold-thrust belt (Paraschiv & Olteanu,
1968; Sandulescu et al., 1981). Existing geologic maps
(Geological Institute of Romania, 1968) illustrate uncon-
formable relationships between various stratigraphic units
and tectonic contacts that record a general foreland young-
ing of the deformation from late Cretaceous through
Pleistocene (Burch®el, 1976 and references therein).
A stratigraphic and structural overview of the study area
can be found in Paraschiv and Olteanu (1968) and is
summarized in Fig. 2. The rocks cropping out in this area
comprise three tectonic domains: the Tarcau nappe, Subcar-
151
pathian nappe, and foreland zone (Fig. 1b,c). Structural and
stratigraphic interrelationships between these domains
record a complex temporal overlap between sedimentation
and deformation. The Tarcau nappe consists predominantly
of Cretaceous through lower Burdigalian ¯ysch deformed
into an imbricate thrust system overlying the folded, low-
angle Tarcau thrust. At the present erosional level, portions
of the Tarcau nappe, including its SE edge, are onlapped by
upper Burdigalian siliciclastic rocks along the intra-Burdi-
galian unconformity (18±20 Ma). Where they overlie the
Tarcau nappe, upper Burdigalian±Badenian strata are
folded and imbricated with their substrate. In front (SE) of
the Tarcau nappe, the upper Burdigalian and younger rocks
occupy the hangingwall of the deeper Subcarpathian thrust
and comprise the Subcarpathian nappe. Along its buried
frontal edge, the Subcarpathian thrust and rocks of the
Subcarpathian nappe are overlain along the late-Miocene
unconformity (,11 Ma) by folded, upper Sarmatian through
Pliocene sediments that constitute the foreland zone (Stefa-
nescu, 1985±1988). Where exposed at outcrop, this uncon-
formity is typically overlain by Meotian sands and shales,
sometimes with an intervening unit of upper Sarmatian
limestones and calcareous sandstones.
The intra-Burdigalian and late-Miocene unconformities
help delineate successive deformation phases in the region,
as outlined by Sandulescu (1988) and Sandulescu, Krautner,
Balintoni, Russo-Sandulescu, and Micu (1981). Since lower
Miocene rocks are involved in the Tarcau nappe and the
front of the nappe is partially pinned by the intra-Burdiga-
lian unconformity (south of Lopatari village, Fig. 1b),
emplacement of this thrust sheet began in the Burdigalian
(Old Styrian deformation phase). Emplacement of the
Subcarpathian nappe, along with macroscopic folding and
internal imbrication of the Tarcau nappe, occurred synchro-
nous with deposition of Badenian±Sarmation strata
during the New Styrian and Moldavian deformation
phases (Sandulescu et al., 1981). The late-Miocene
unconformity marks the termination of the Moldavian
event. Subsequent folding in the foreland zone is a
manifestation of the Wallachian phase (Sandulescu,
1975), the only deformation to effect post-Sarmatian
strata. Although originally considered a Pleistocene
event (Sandulescu, 1975), the Wallachian phase defor-
mation is now thought to have been a protracted event
that lasted from late Miocene (Meotian) into the Pleis-
tocene (Hippolyte & Sandulescu, 1996).
Structural trends in the study area change from 020±040
to 080±0908 in the vicinity of the Teleajen River (Fig.
1b). Several NNE-striking, steeply dipping faults cut
rocks of the Subcarpathian nappe and foreland zone
on the NE side of the bend and terminate southward
in the vicinity of NE-trending anticlines (Fig. 1b). On
the southwest side of the bend, the most prominent
faults strike either NE to ENE, slightly oblique to the
macroscopic fold axes, or N±S, approximately orthogo-
nal to fold axes.
Table 1

152
Summary of sample stations including location, rock type (ss-sandstone, mds-mudstone, cgl-conglomerate, Is-limestone, gyp-gypsum), stratigraphic age, number of observations, and calculated kinematic axes

Station Latitude Longitude Rock types Rock age No. of faults P axis T axis Population (Fig. 5)
0 00 0 00
921010-2 45829 56 26815 15 ss, mds L. Eoc. 22 75, 144 0, 052 a
921010-3 45830 0 50 00 26813 0 11 00 ss, mds L. Eoc. 5 27, 072 44, 192 a
921010-4 45829 0 19 00 26815 0 35 00 mds, ss L. Eoc.-Olig. 5 2, 105 86, 227 b
921012-1 45824 0 12 00 26828 0 07 00 mds, ss U. Burd. 15 13, 302 51, 195 b near intra-Burd unconformity
921013-1 45829 0 19 00 26838 0 52 00 mds, ss M. Sarm. 11 47, 095 43, 289 b pre-folding?
921013-1 45829 0 19 00 26838 0 52 00 mds, ss M. Sarm. 8 12, 287 56, 159 d post folding?
921013-2 45829 0 05 00 26835 0 20 00 mds, ss, cgl L.-U. Burd. 16 3, 148 69, 245 b
921013-4 45829 0 09 00 26831 0 43 00 mds U. Eoc.-L. Burd. 7 60, 136 29, 336 a Tarcau thrust zone, pre-folding
921014-5 45811 0 23 00 26818 0 59 00 mds Badn. 7 2, 084 84, 348 b early, near Salcia fault
921014-5 45811 0 23 00 26818 0 59 00 mds Badn. 4 35, 326 36, 205 d late, near Salcia fault
45819 0 06 00 26831 0 29 00

R.G. Gibson / Marine and Petroleum Geology 18 (2001) 149±159

921015-4 ls U. Sarm. 8 10, 146 38, 049 d
921016-2 45805 0 53 00 26818 0 31 00 mds, ls Badn. 1 U. Sarm. 29 2, 246 78, 148 e
921017-1 45817 0 59 00 26829 0 27 00 mds, ss U. Burd.-Badn. 6 24, 128 24, 026 d Punga Saratel fault
921018-1 45812 0 04 00 26803 0 10 00 mds, ss U. Eoc.-Olig. 1 27, 001 30, 108 c
921018-2 45811 0 47 00 26803 0 17 00 mds, ss U. Eoc.-Olig. 2 50, 337 33, 147 c
921018-3 45809 0 00 00 26802 0 29 00 mds, ss L. Burd. 1 Pontian 18 10, 013 78, 159 e
930424-2 45823 0 24 00 26838 0 33 00 mds, ss U. Burd.-Badn. 25 51, 154 10, 257 d
930425-1 45825 0 19 00 26838 0 01 00 mds, ss, tuff U. Burd.-Badn. 11 24, 196 63, 144 d
930426-1 45820 0 23 00 26821 0 22 00 mds L. Burd. 2 37, 542 53, 184 b
930426-2 45821 0 00 00 26820 0 06 00 mds, ss Olig.-L. Burd. 1 19, 153 62, 024 b Colti fault
930427-6 45817 0 18 00 26810 0 06 00 mds, ss Badn. 3 39, 292 43, 154 b
930428-1 45822 0 15 00 26837 0 13 00 mds, ss Pontian 1 Meotian 3 5, 019 64, 120 d Plopeasa fault
930428-2 45823 0 41 00 26836 0 46 00 mds, ss U. Burd.-Badn. 12 3, 273 66, 175 b early generation
930428-2 45823 0 41 00 26836 0 46 00 mds, ss, ls Badn.-U. Sarn. 18 22, 138 11, 044 d late generation
930429-1 45822 0 49 00 26823 0 49 00 ss, mds Olig.-L. Burd. 6 56, 066 14, 314 a Sibiciu fault (rotated)
930429-3 45824 0 05 00 26825 0 07 00 ss, mds U. Eoc., Olig. 6 79, 172 9, 319 b
930429-3 45824 0 05 00 26825 0 07 00 ss, mds U. Eoc., Olig. 2 4, 111 50, 016 a
930429-5a 45827 0 00 00 26818 0 07 00 mds Olig.-L. Burd. 3 37, 146 48, 287 a
930429-5b 45827 0 00 00 26817 0 44 00 mds, ss U. Eoc. 3 58, 014 16, 131 a
930501-4 45815 0 03 00 25854 0 36 00 mds, ss Cret. 1 L.U. Burd. 3 3, 015 29, 107 a Maca fault
930503-2 45817 0 10 00 26823 0 57 00 mds, ss U. Burd.-Badn. 1 Meotian 7 31, 315 58, 151 d Tega fault
930503-3 45817 0 53 00 26827 0 49 00 mds, ss U. Burd.-Badn. 1 Meotian 5 14, 340 36, 080 d
930504-2 45824 0 17 00 26829 0 31 00 mds, ss U. Burd.-Badn. 2 19, 282 35, 179 b
930505-1 45823 0 11 00 26820 0 29 00 ss, mds L. Eoc.-Olig. 1 11, 137 77, 281 b
930506-1 45812 0 03 00 26819 0 34 00 ss, mds U. Burd.-Badn. 1 Meotian 4 15, 158 70, 292 d Salcia fault
930506-2 45811 0 03 00 26818 0 51 00 mds, ss M. Sarm. 1 Meotian 5 63, 133 27, 302 d
930508-2 45829 0 01 00 26834 0 35 00 ss, mds L. Burd. 5 18, 338 12, 244 b
930508-4 45830 0 17 00 26835 0 55 00 ss, mds, cgl L. Burd. 7 13, 341 24, 077 b
930509-3 45827 0 51 00 26832 0 19 00 mds, ss U. Eoc. 7 33, 345 42, 119 a
930510-2 45806 0 07 00 26830 0 05 00 mds, ss, ls U. Burd., Badn., U. Sarm. 6 69, 255 16, 116 e
930510-3 45805 0 33 00 26827 0 40 00 ss, mds U. Burd.-Badn. 1 Meotian 5 17, 195 59, 316 e
930510-4 45806 0 24 00 26826 0 19 00 ss, mds, ls Badn., Sarm., Meotian 2 27, 162 62, 325 e
930511-6 45807 0 54 00 26816 0 52 00 mds, gyp U. Burd.-Badn. 1 14, 174 48, 280 c Near Cricov fault
930512-1 45833 0 05 00 26816 0 43 00 ss, mds Eoc., Olig.-L. Burd. 9 37, 080 43, 305 a Monteoru fault
930512-2 45832 0 41 00 26817 0 37 00 ss, mds Eoc. 2 46, 325 42, 164 a
Table 1 (continued)

Station Latitude Longitude Rock types Rock age No. of faults P axis T axis Population (Fig. 5)

930512-3 45832 0 17 00 26817 0 55 00 ss, mds Eoc. 3 17, 165 33, 267 a Bontu fault
930513-2 45823 0 26 00 26824 0 51 00 ss, mds Olig.-L. Burd. 2 49, 286 41, 105 b
930514-4 45809 0 15 00 26818 0 26 00 ss, mds, cgl, ls Badn., Sarm., Meotian 5 53, 135 1, 044 d Rudari fault
930515-1 45822 0 10 00 26815 0 39 00 mds, ss, gyp U. Eoc. 1 U. Burd.-Badn. 5 3, 357 87, 214 b Drajna fault
930515-3 45818 0 02 00 26812 0 08 00 mds, ss Olig.-L. Burd 6 32, 343 48, 117 b Creminis fault
930516-3 45808 0 41 00 26814 0 03 00 mds, cgl, ss Badn.(?) 1 Meotian 7 26, 046 55, 180 e Cricov fault

R.G. Gibson / Marine and Petroleum Geology 18 (2001) 149±159

930517-1 45811 0 42 00 26808 0 33 00 ss, sh Olig.-L. Burd. 1 U. Burd.- 7 72, 093 15, 238 e Vitioara fault
Badn.
930518-2 45823 0 50 00 26834 0 41 00 mds, ss U. Burd.-Badn. 7 31, 171 33, 285 d Toporasu±Glodu fault
930518-4 45827 0 08 00 26838 0 10 00 mds, ss U. Burd.-Badn. 1 U. 3 52, 266 38, 078 d Casin±Bisoca fault
Sarm.
930518-5 45826 0 47 00 26836 0 47 00 mds, ss U. Burd.-Badn. 26 28, 147 53, 282 d Toporasu±Glodu fault
931004-2 45804 0 49 00 25824 0 53 00 mds, gyp U. Burd.-Badn. 3 2, 000 82, 256 c
931004-4 45802 0 09 00 25828 0 54 00 cgl, mds, ss U. Burd. 1 Meotian 5 0, 029 57, 120 e Lagulete fault
931005-3 45808 0 43 00 25833 0 38 00 mds Eoc. 5 5, 157 42, 251 c Breaza fault
931005-4 45808 0 01 00 25843 0 08 00 mds, ss U. Burd.-Badn. 7 32, 173 25, 066 c
931006-1 45809 0 29 00 25839 0 24 00 cgl, mds L. Burd. 1 16, 215 17, 120 c
931006-4 45810 0 00 00 25841 0 24 00 mds, ss Olig.-L. Burd. 18 39, 139 45, 282 c
931006-5 45809 0 24 00 25841 0 48 00 mds, ss Eoc.-Olig. 3 20, 334 69, 172 c
931007-2 45811 0 25 00 26800 0 21 00 mds, ss Eoc. 4 6, 346 27, 079 c Drajna fault
931007-4 45814 0 06 00 25851 0 27 00 mds Cret. 1 Olig. 5 10, 347 44, 187 c Audia±Macla fault zone
931008-1 45809 0 50 00 25846 0 07 00 mds, ss Olig.-L. Burd. 1 U. Burd. 11 2, 113 5, 204 c Cornu fault
931008-2a 45812 0 54 00 25845 0 37 00 mds Cret. 8 21, 149 67, 302 c
931008- 45812 0 47 00 25845 0 34 00 mds Olig. 12 22, 001 62, 220 c
2bc
931008-2d 45812 0 40 00 25845 0 32 00 ss, mds L. Burd. 8 11, 122 60, 231 c
931008- 45812 0 29 00 25845 0 30 00 cgl, mds, ss U. Burd. 6 42, 033 2, 125 c
2efg
931008-3 45808 0 28 00 25851 0 10 00 ss, mds Olig.-L. Burd. 1 Meotian 2 7, 181 6, 091 c Bustenari fault
931009-2 45809 0 05 00 25841 0 40 00 mds, ss Olig.-L. Burd. 1 U. Burd.- 9 2, 153 63, 247 c Cornu fault
Badn.
931010-3 45809 0 53 00 26802 0 11 00 ss, mds Olig.-L. Burd. 7 4, 341 37, 074 c Pietreii fault
931010-4 45806 0 19 00 26832 0 25 00 ls U. Sarm. 12 5, 035 26, 127 e
931011-1 45829 0 03 00 26836 0 33 00 ss U. Burd. 6 0, 316 85, 050
931012-1 45834 0 57 00 26845 0 53 00 mds, ss Badn., Sarm., Meotian 4 13, 134 35, 233 Near Casin±Bisoca fault
931012-2 45835 0 16 00 26844 0 53 00 mds, ss, gyp U. Burd.-Badn. 5 10, 176 19, 270 Baltagari fault

153
154 R.G. Gibson / Marine and Petroleum Geology 18 (2001) 149±159
Fig. 3. Stereoplots of fault-kinematic data for selected stations discussed in
text (locations shown in Fig. 1b): solid great circles Ð fault planes; dashed
great circle Ð bedding; dots with arrows Ð lineations with hangingwall
movement directions; black squares Ð calculated maximum shortening (P)
axes; black circles Ð calculated intermediate strain axes; bold crosses Ð
calculated extension (T) axes.
3. Kinematic analysis of fault data
3.1. Methodology
Geologic maps (1:25 000 and 1:10 000), supplied by
Prospectiuni S.A., were used as the basis for the ®eld inves-
tigations conducted in this study. Outcrops at approximately
200 localities along most of the mapped fault and strati-
graphic contacts were examined, and fault-slip data were
collected at 76 of these stations for kinematic analysis.
Key data for each of the measurement stations are summar-
ized in Table 1. Where possible, observations were made
within the deformation zone associated with the mapped
faults. With the exception of a few slickensided fault
surfaces measured in the upper Sarmatian limestones, nearly
all of the fault zones examined are zones of tectonized
shales and marls with or without disrupted sandstone
beds. The style of deformation in these fault zones is similar
to that described by Rutter, Maddock, Hall, and White
(1986), consisting of well-lineated, anastomosing slip
surfaces that cut across bedding and dissect the rock into
lenticular phacoids. The phacoids contain a well-developed
internal foliation (P-foliation of Rutter et al., 1986) that is
oblique to and merges asymptotically with the slip surfaces.
The resulting S-C fabric geometry can be used as a reliable
sense of movement indicator (see Rutter et al., 1986), even
in the absence of offset stratigraphic markers. Measure-
ments taken within these fault zones included: (1) strike
and dip of slip surfaces; (2) trend and plunge of lineations
(movement directions) on these surfaces; and (3) the sense
of movement along each surface as indicated by offset stra-
tigraphic markers and/or internal fabrics. Measurements
were taken on as many slip surfaces as possible within a
given outcrop as dictated by the quality of exposure, result-
ing in data sets of 1 to .25 slip surfaces per outcrop (see
Table 1). Sense-of-movement determinations were gener-
ally made in the ®eld and veri®ed in thin-section where
necessary to eliminate uncertainty.
Fault-slip data were analyzed with the approach of
Marrett and Allmendinger (1990). Axes of principal incre-
mental shortening and extension accommodated by each
fault were calculated from ®eld measurements. These axes
are distinguished on the basis of movement sense and are
located 458 on either side of the slip direction in the plane
containing both the slip vector and the normal to the slip
surface. Average shortening (P) and extension (T) axes for
each fault data set were calculated using Bingham statistical
analysis (Marrett & Allmendinger, 1990) and are listed in
Table 1. In only a few instances (see Table 1) was it possible
to distinguish multiple fault populations at a single station
using either fault morphology or subpopulations with
distinct kinematic axes.
3.2. Field examples
In this section, several examples of speci®c fault data sets
are discussed in order to illustrate some of the important
relationships and logic used in the kinematic interpretation.
Fig. 3a,b shows fault data from two stations located just
north of the Buzau River within Eocene±Oligocene rocks of
the internal Tarcau nappe (see Fig. 1b for station locations).
In this area, the Tarcau nappe consists of a series of back-
thrusts and associated macroscopic folds that involve strata
as young as Badenian and, therefore, formed during Bade-
nian or younger deformation. Station 921010-2 is located in
SE-dipping Eocene rocks and contains a population of
strike-slip faults that intersect along a line normal to
bedding and typically have slip directions that lie near the
bedding plane (Fig. 3a). This geometric relationship is inter-
preted to indicate that faulting pre-dated large-scale folding
at this location. Analysis of the raw fault data yields a
steeply dipping P axis and NE±SW T axis, but rotation of
the data to a pre-folding orientation implies subhorizontal
NW±SE shortening and NE±SW extension (Fig. 3a). The
layer-parallel shortening observed at this location probably
occurred during initial Tarcau nappe emplacement (Middle
Burdigalian, Old Styrian phase), but could also have been
produced early in the Badenian (New Styrian) deformation
phase. At nearby station 921010-4 (see Fig. 1b for location),
overturned NW-dipping Upper Eocene strata are juxtaposed
against subvertical Oligocene shales along a NW-dipping
fault. Slip surfaces measured in the vicinity of this fault
yield ESE shortening and subvertical extension (Fig. 3b).
The geometric relationships at this outcrop imply that the
 R.G. Gibson / Marine and Petroleum Geology 18 (2001) 149±159
Fig. 4. Map and fault kinematic data from small area near village of Canesti in the eastern Carpathians (location shown in Fig. 1b). Map is based on
unpublished 1:10 000 map provided by Prospectiuni S.A. Symbols for stereoplots are the same as in Fig. 3.
fault population formed after bedding was rotated to its
steeply dipping orientation during or after the Badenian.
The second outcrop example (station 921018-3, Fig. 3c)
occurs on the southwest side of the Carpathian bend along a
faulted contact (Copaceni fault) between Oligocene±Lower
Burdigalian black shales with thin sands and green, fossili-
ferous, Pontian marls exposed on the west bank of the
Teleajen River (see Fig. 1b for location). Both stratigraphic
units deep steeply and young toward the south. A population
of small faults offsetting the contact consists dominantly of
E±W striking thrusts with slip directions toward either the
north or south. Kinematic analyses of these data indicate
NNE shortening and near-vertical extension. Since these
faults cut Pontian as well as older strata, these kinematic
axes can be con®dently attributed to Wallachian phase
deformation.
Fig. 4 contains a detailed map of an area near the eastern
edge of the deformed belt on the northeast side of the bend.
Rocks in this area include folded Upper Burdigalian±Bade-
nian rocks bounded on the east side by an E-dipping homo-
cline comprised of Upper Sarmation through Pontian strata.
A system of N±S striking faults occurs within and along the
eastern margin of the Upper Burdigalian±Badenian outcrop
belt. Fault populations from several locations in this area are
shown in Fig. 4. Station 930428-2d, situated in the Upper
Burdigalian±Badenian section between the N±S faults,
contains a dominantly dip-slip fault population that yields
a nearly E±W shortening direction, consistent with the
occurrence of N±S trending folds in this outcrop belt. In
contrast, faults measured in Upper Burdigalian, Badenian
and Upper Sarmation strata at stations situated along the
N±S faults (930428-2ab, e) contain fault populations domi-
nated by N to NNE striking faults with gently plunging,
sinistral slip; these fault systems yield NW±SE shortening
and NE±SW extension axes. Farther south, a small number
of faults measured in Meotian rocks at station 930428-1
155
indicate NNE±SSW shortening. The data from this small
area can be interpreted to record two superimposed defor-
mation events. The later event is post Upper Sarmation±
Meotian (Wallachian) and produced both the NNE±SSW
shortening (station 930428-1) and sinistral strike-slip
along the N±S faults (stations 930428-2ab,e). The kine-
matic record of an earlier event involving E±W shortening
is preserved in pre-Upper Sarmatian strata between the
mapped strike-slip faults (station 930428-2d).
3.3. Regional kinematic summaries
Due to the large number of stations with a small number
of measured faults (see Table 1), it was decided to group the
kinematic data according to geographic distribution and
probable fault age in order to derive the most robust regional
shortening and extension directions. Two geographic
domains are de®ned (Fig. 1b), one NE of the bend where
the regional structural trend is 020±0408 and a second
toward the SE where the structural trend is nearly east±
west. Age distinction is based on the age of the strata in
which the faults were measured, as illustrated in the exam-
ples discussed in the previous section. Using this approach,
fault populations attributed to Wallachian-phase deformation
were measured either (1) in Upper Sarmatian or younger
rocks or (2) in pre-Upper Sarmatian strata along faults
that, based on map relationships, underwent Wallachian
displacement (cut Upper Sarmatian or younger rocks
along trend). Other fault populations measured in pre-
Upper Sarmatian rocks represent the combined effects of
Miocene (Old Styrian through Moldavian) deformation,
along with some overprint of the Wallachian event. It is
hoped that the amount of Wallachian ªcontaminationº in
this older fault population is kept to a minimum by ®rst
screening out those fault populations that are geographically
associated with Wallachian faults (see above). The Miocene
156 R.G. Gibson / Marine and Petroleum Geology 18 (2001) 149±159

Fig. 5. Contour plots of shortening and extension axes for faults of speci®ed age (see text for criteria) in NE (top row) and SW (bottom row) domains (contour
interval ˆ 2). Fault-plane solutions (extension quadrants black) constructed from best-®t shortening and extension directions are also shown.

fault population from the NE domain is further subdivided
on the basis of the timing of faulting relative to macroscopic
folding.
Fig. 5 shows the data for each geographic domain and
deformation phase presented as contour plots of shortening
and extension axes and fault-plane solutions constructed
from the mean shortening and extension axes. Kinematic
data for pre-folding, Miocene faults in the NE domain
(Fig. 5a) are shown after rotation to their pre-folding orien-
tations (bedding restored to horizontal). These data de®ne a
shortening direction of 3, 1188 and a mean extension direc-
tion of 85, 2468. Post-folding, Miocene faults in the same
area, record a shortening direction of 13, 3148 and a steeply
south-plunging extension direction (Fig. 5b). These data
indicate that Miocene deformation in the NE domain was
thrust-dominated with a slight clockwise rotation of short-
ening direction from the early to later stages. In contrast,
Miocene fault data from the SW domain de®ne a signi®-
cantly different pattern indicating NNW±SSE (6, 1658)
shortening and WSW (42, 2618) extension (Fig. 5c). As
illustrated by the calculated fault-plane solution (Fig. 5c),
this result implies dextral strike-slip motion along the E±W
trending southern Carpathians during the Miocene deforma-
tional phases.
Data for Wallachian faults record a different kinematic
pattern from the older faults. In the NE domain, shortening
axes cluster quite well, de®ning a mean NNW±SSE (16,
1478) orientation (Fig. 5d). Extension axes de®ne an
ENE±WSW girdle distribution with both gently and steeply
plunging submaxima. The fault-plane solution calculated
from the mean axes is of a strike-slip type with its sinistral
nodal plane parallel to the NNE-trending macroscopic faults

Fig. 6. Model for nappe emplacement based on fault kinematic data: (a) Old Styrian (Miocene pre-folding) phase: ESE translation of Tarcau nappe
accommodated by dextral strike-slip along southern termination; (b) New Styrian±Moldavian (Miocene post-folding) phases: SE translation of Subcarpathian
nappe following burial of Tarcau thrust front; (c) Wallachian (late Miocene±Pleistocene) phase: SSE convergence causes sinistral escape of material from
eastern Carpathians toward SW that, in turn, drives NNE±SSW shortening and minor sinistral strike slip in southern Carpathians. Major thrusts are shown
solid where emergent and dashed where buried by younger strata.
 R.G. Gibson / Marine and Petroleum Geology 18 (2001) 149±159
observed in the NE domain. In the SW domain, Wallachian
fault data imply NNE±SSW (8, 0348) shortening and
moderately to steeply plunging ESE extension (Fig. 5e).
This pattern implies southward thrusting accompanied by
some sinistral strike-slip along the E±W trending southern
Carpathians.
4. Kinematic model
The model shown in map view Fig. 6 is an attempt to
explain the kinematic data and observed macroscopic fault
pattern. For the purpose of this model, the pre- and post-
folding, Miocene fault populations are assumed to record
the strain state during the early and later part of the Miocene
deformation episode, respectively. Since the macroscopic
folds in the Tarcau nappe area involve strata at least as
young as Badenian, the older features are likely to be
partially of Early Miocene age (Old Styrian phase). There-
fore, post-folding Miocene faults are interpreted to be the
products of Middle Miocene (New Styrian and Moldavian)
deformation.
During the Old Styrian deformation phase (Fig. 6a), the
Tarcau nappe was emplaced toward the ESE, assuming that
the transport direction was parallel to the shortening direc-
tions derived from the fault data. New Styrian±Moldavian
emplacement of the Subcarpathian nappe and internal defor-
mation of the Tarcau nappe was driven by NW±SE short-
ening (Fig. 6b). The kinematic data (Fig. 5a,b) imply a slight
(15±208) clockwise rotation of shortening direction from
Early to Middle Miocene. Because of the obliquity between
the shortening direction and the deformation front on the
northeast side of the bend during the Middle Miocene, there
was likely some sinistral obliquity to the thrusting in this
area. Throughout the Miocene deformation, the southwes-
tern termination of the Tarcau±Subcarpathian thrust
complex is interpreted to have been a locus of oblique
(dextral) thrusting along the southern Carpathians. North±
south striking cross faults were probably active at this time
as normal faults accommodating extension parallel to
the axes of developing folds, a feature typical of folds in
obliquely convergent settings (Jamison, 1991).
Between the New Styrian±Moldavian and Wallachian
deformation phases, the overall shortening direction contin-
ued to rotate clockwise such that deformation in the NE
domain underwent a transition from high-angle conver-
gence to sinistral strike-slip along faults subparallel to the
older structural trends (Fig. 6c). Lateral, southward escape
of material along these faults drove NNE±SSW shortening
in the bend area and adjacent parts of the southern
Carpathians. The girdle pattern of extension axes in the
NE domain (Fig. 5d) may imply that the change from thrust-
ing to strike-slip occurred gradually during the Wallachian
phase. Wallachian shortening in the southern Carpathians
appears to have been resolved into the formation of E±W
trending folds and sinistral slip on ENE-striking faults.
157
Although most of the shortening within the orogen occurred
along the southern Carpathians at this time, some shortening
on the NE side of the bend is indicated by (1) development
of a steeply dipping homocline comprised of upper Sarma-
tion±Romanian strata dipping into the foreland (Roure,
Roca, & Sassi, 1993) and (2) local development of N±S
trending folds involving strata as young as Romanian (e.g.
Berca±Arbanasi anticline, Fig. 1b).
Because the Wallachian faults in the NE domain with
documented strike-slip motion terminate into anticlines of
the Subcarpathian zone before reaching the deformation
front (i.e. they do not continue into the foreland), the
strike-slip motion is inferred to have been rooted into a
low-angle detachment within or at the base of the thrust
complex (cf. Royden et al., 1983). A similar thin-skinned
interrelationship between eastern and southern Carpathian
Wallachian structures is implied by Hippolyte and Sandu-
lescu (1996). Although there are no piercing points along
these faults from which to deduce the amount of strike-slip
during the Wallachian phase, conservation of displacement
within the thrust complex should limit the maximum value
to the amount of concurrent orthogonal shortening on the
southwest side of the bend. Cross sections published by
Paraschiv and Olteanu (1968) and Stefanescu (1985±
1988) show 2±6 km of shortening within the Pliocene
section on the southwest side of the bend, which is probably
comparable to the total sinistral strike-slip farther to the
northeast.
5. Discussion and conclusions
The kinematic interpretation of the Miocene deformation
in the east Carpathian bend area is entirely consistent with
several other studies in the region. Ratschbacher et al.
(1993) documented Miocene dextral strike-slip …s 1 ˆ
1438† in the southern Carpathians, 100±300 km west of
the present study area. In essentially the same area, Matenco
et al. (1997) concluded that dextral transpression with a
NW±SE to N±S shortening direction dominated the Middle
Miocene deformation episode. In the immediate area of the
east Carpathian bend, Hippolyte and Sandulescu (1996)
presented kinematic data indicating that Sarmation and
older deformation involved NW±SE shortening. Zwiegel
et al. (1998) showed that the pattern of fold axis orienta-
tions, regional fanning of fault-derived contraction axes, and
small magnitude of along-strike extension implied that the
curved shape of the orogen in the bend area formed due to
oblique indentation by the eastward-moving Tisza±Dacia
block during the Miocene. The apparent clockwise rotation
of shortening direction recorded in the Miocene kinematic
data presented here (Fig. 5a,b) is consistent with clockwise
rotation of the indenting Tisza±Dacia block during collision
(Patrascu et al., 1994; Zwiegel et al., 1998).
The Wallachian deformation is most apparent near the
east Carpathian bend (Hippolyte & Sandulescu, 1996;
158 R.G. Gibson / Marine and Petroleum Geology 18 (2001) 149±159
Sandulescu, 1988) and also as a weak overprint farther west
in the southern Carpathians (Matenco et al., 1997; Ratsch-
bacher et al., 1993). Burch®el (1980) and Ratschbacher et al.
(1993) considered this deformation to be the ®nal stage of
Carpathian shortening prior to the transfer of convergence
into deformation zones located farther south in the Mediter-
ranean. Sandulescu (1988) noted that the geographic distri-
bution of Wallachian deformation corresponds to an area
between two NW-trending basement lineaments in the adja-
cent foreland, the Intramoesian and Peceneaga±Camena
faults (Fig. 1a). He suggested that deformation was caused
by movement of a foreland block toward the bend area
during the Plio-Pleistocene. Hippolyte and Sandulescu
(1996) concluded that the N±S shortening was due to south-
ward translation of the Carpathian nappes relative to the
foreland area since the late Miocene.
In the model presented here (Fig. 6c), Wallachian north±
south shortening in the southern Carpathians was driven by
lateral escape of material from the Eastern Carpathians
along NNE±SSW oriented, sinistral strike-slip faults.
These displacements probably served to ®ll any of the
space remaining between the Tisza±Dacia block and the
European/Moesian platform in this tightly con®ned corner
of the orogen. Based on the data in Fig. 5d, the large-scale
plate convergence that drove this deformation is interpreted
to be NW±SE (see also Linzer et al., 1998), oriented slightly
clockwise from the New Styrian±Moldavian shortening
direction. As indicated by Patrascu et al. (1994), rotation
of the colliding Tisza±Dacia plate seems to have been
completed by the start of the late Miocene. Geodedic
measurements of recent deformation in the Vrancea area
(just north of the current study area) also indicate this
NW±SE shortening direction (Schmitt, Moldoveanu, Nica,
& Jager, 1990).
The transition from NW±SE convergence accommodated
by SE-directed thrusting (Fig. 6a,b) to convergence accom-
modated by lateral escape (Fig. 6c) corresponds to the late-
Miocene unconformity. It is possible that this kinematic
change was induced by burial of the thrust front beneath
foreland sediments at this time, similar to the mechanism
proposed for inducing late-stage backthrusting and out-of-
sequence thrusting (Linzer et al., 1998). Rapid burial during
the late Miocene probably arrested the foreland advance of
thrust sheet(s) and required alternative displacement
patterns to accommodate the waning stages of plate
convergence.
Acknowledgements
Access to unpublished geologic maps and logistical
support for the ®eld work were kindly provided through
O. Dicea of Prospectiuni S.A., Bucharest, Romania. The
author appreciates the efforts of I. Olteanu, C. Dutu, and
I. Morosanu in introducing him to Carpathian geology and
participating in many stimulating discussions. R. Wessels,
C. Anderson, G. Tari and G. Weir made signi®cant contri-
butions to both the ®eld observations and subsequent data
interpretation. Fault-kinematic data analysis was done with
the computer program FAULTKIN, provided by R.W.
Allmendinger. Reviews by M. Stefanescu, R.A. Marrett,
J.P. Platt, C. Teyssier, G. Bada, R.S. Huismans, and
L. Csontos lead to signi®cant improvements in the ®nal
manuscript. Amoco Production Company and Amoco
Romania Petroleum Company funded the work and are
thanked for permission to publish this paper.
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