Structural style, shortening estimates and the thrust front of the Irish Variscides

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Abstract
Summary: Previous work in the Irish Variscan orogen has emphasized the significance of the major folds in the overall structure. A series of three balanced sections through the orogen reveals that thrusts are an equally important element of the orogenic structure. The ‘thrust front’ is not a fundamental structural line delimiting different deformational zones as previously proposed. Major thrusts occur along the ‘thrust front’ between Killarney and Mallow, but are absent east of Mallow. This change in character of the ‘thrust front’ is a function of a change in the stratigraphic level of the sole thrust to the orogen and the current erosion level. The deeper level of the sole thrust produces the numerous Silurian cored inliers to the NE of Mallow. The balanced sections show that the overall bulk shortening in the orogen increases from 33% in the east, to 42% in the central areas. This increase may be related to the arcuate nature of the orogen.