Main differences between thrust belts

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Abstract
It is useful to differentiate between thrust belts that are related to east(E)‐dipping or west(W)‐dipping subduction. More precisely, these either follow or resist the overall ‘eastward’ mantle flow detected by the hot‐spot reference frame. Because of the overall ‘westward’ drift of the lithosphere we find in E‐dipping subduction that the basal decollement underlying the eastern plate reaches the surface and involves deep crustal rocks. With W‐dipping subduction, however, we find that the basal decollement of the eastern plate is warped as well as subducted. Consequently thrust belts related to E‐ (or NE‐) dipping subduction show conspicuous structural and morphologic relief, involve deep crustal rocks, and are associated with shallow foredeeps. On the other hand, thrust belts related to W‐ (or SW‐) dipping subduction show relatively low structural and morphological relief, involve only shallow upper crustal rocks and are associated with deep foredeeps as well as back‐arc extension. The accretionary wedge‐foredeep‐back‐arc basin association is visualized as an overall eastward propagating tectonic wave. The accretionary wedge forms in the frontal parts and generally below sea‐level. This is followed by forward migrating extension that cuts the earlier accretionary wedge. Typically such a system occurs in the context of overall W‐dipping subduction and is characterized by an arcuate shape (e.g. Carpathians, Apennines, Barbados, etc.). Along the branches of the arc external transpression and internal transtension co‐exist but with different sense (i.e. sinistral transpression contrasting with dextral transtension).We also observe that with W‐dipping subduction the tangent to a pre‐ deformation marker is descending into the foredeep at an angle in the range of 1–10° while with E‐(or NE‐)dipping subduction the same marker would rise towards the hinterland with typical angles of about 5–10°.Foredeep subsidence is mainly controlled by the load of the thrust sheets in thrust belts due to E‐(or NE‐)dipping subduction and by the roll‐back of the subduction hinge in accretionary wedges due to W‐dipping subduction. Subsidence or uplift rates in the foredeeps and accretionary wedges related to the two different types of subduction are very different, providing different P‐T‐t paths in the two geodynamic realms. The present shape and structure of the thrust belts belonging to one of these two general types may help us in reconstructing the location of thinned lithosphere and basin evolution in the past.