A new study on volcanic flow in Lebanon and its relationship to the movement of seismic faults has just been published in the Arabian Journal of Geosciences by Dr. Tony Nemer from the American University of Beirut, entitled “The presence of extensional volcanic basins along a transpressive bend: a case of extension-transpression co-existence from the Lebanese Restraining Bend”.

The study documents the presence of Lebanon along what is known as the “Lebanese Restraining Bend” as part of the Dead Sea Transform Fault, which forms a boundary line between the Arabian Plate and the African Plate.

The study indicates that of particular attention about the Lebanese Restraining Bend is the presence of two basins in its southern and northern bounds that are bordered by basalts; these are the Hula basin and the Bouqayaa basin, respectively.

These two basins and the presence of basalts in their vicinities raise questions about (1) their locations in the immediate proximity to a transpressive bend, (2) the tectonic interrelation between the formation of the basins and the emplacement of the basalts, and (3) the timing of the formation of the basins relative to the prevailing regional transpression.

In this study, the author sheds light on these aspects and proposes a model of the tectonics behind the transpressive regime, the formation of the basins, and the emplacement of the basalts.

The presented model highlights the tectonic interrelation between the formation of the basins, their bordering basalts, and the deformation of the transpressive bend.

The regional movements along the faults outside and within the transpressive bend seem to have caused co-existing extensional and compressional regimes, and they suggest that the formation of the basins may be contemporaneous with the regional transpression.

The results provide additional insight into the understanding of the tectonics of transpressive bends and their interrelation with adjacent extensional basins, worldwide.

The original article is on this link https://rdcu.be/c4vWt where all figures and references are included.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon