Influence of oligo-miocene extension on the formation of the Bjelasica klippe

Abstract

The Bjelasica Klippe belongs to the Internal Dinarides domain in northern Montenegro. The area includes a contact zone of the Drina-Ivanjica and the East Bosnian- Durmitor tectonic units, where the basement of klippe itself consists of rocks from the Drina Ivanjica unit. The structural characteristics and general evolution of the klippe have not been adequately studied, therefore the primary goal of this research is to provide a broader insight into the tectonic evolution of the Bjelasica Klippe and the surrounding area. The location of the klippe in the transition zone between the Internal Dinarides and the External Dinarides and Hellenides contributes to its structural complexity and the importance of understanding its evolution. In this paper, we conducted a kinematic analysis, based on which the regimes of paleostress and deformation phases that led to the formation of the klippe were obtained. Deformations related to the formation of the Drina-Ivanjica unit klippe are represented by Oligo-Miocene bidirectional extension, manifested parallel and perpendicular to the Dinaric orogen. Extension in these areas results from the activity of the Skadar-Peć fault, especially its dextral shear domain. This led to the formation of a system of normal, oblique normal faults, and strike-slip faults that accommodate different amounts of extension.