Miocene tectonics of the Maramures area (Northern Romania): implications for the Mid-Hungarian fault zone

The interplay between the emplacement of crustal blocks (e.g. “ALCAPA”, “Tisza”, “Dacia”) and subduction retreat is a key issue for understanding the Miocene tectonic history of the Carpathians. Coeval thrusting and basin formation is linked by transfer zones, such as the Mid-Hungarian fault zone, which seperates ALCAPA from Tisza-Dacia. The presented study provides new kinematic data from this transfer zone. Early Burdigalian (20.5 to ∼18.5 Ma) SE-directed thrusting of the easternmost tip of ALCAPA (Pienides), over Tisza-Dacia is linked to movements along the Mid-Hungarian fault zone and the Periadriatic line, accommodating the lateral extrusion of ALCAPA. Minor Late Burdigalian (∼18.5 to 16 Ma) NE-SW extension is interpreted as related to back-arc extension. Post Burdigalian (post-16 Ma) NE–SW shortening and NW–SE extension correlate with “soft collision” of Tisza-Dacia with the European foreland coupled with southward migration of active subduction. During this stage the Bogdan-Voda and Dragos-Voda faults were kinematically linked to the Mid-Hungarian fault zone. Sinistral transpression (16 to 12 Ma) at the Bogdan-Voda fault was followed by sinistral transtension (12–10 Ma) along the coupled Bogdan-Dragos-Voda fault system. During the transtensional stage left-lateral offset was reduced eastwards by SW trending normal faults, the fault system finally terminating in an extensional horse-tail splay.