Littva J. & Hók J., 2014: Neotectonics of the Inner Western Carpathians: Liptovský Ján area, case study (northern slopes of the Nízke Tatry Mts., Slovakia). Acta Geologica Slovaca, 6, 2, 123–134.

Neotectonics of the Inner Western Carpathians: Liptovský Ján area, case study (northern slopes of the Nízke Tatry Mts., Slovakia)

Neotektonika vnútorných Západných Karpát: oblasť Liptovského Jána (severné svahy Nízkych Tatier)

Juraj Littva & Jozef Hók

Department of Geology and Palaeontology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Mlynská dolina G, 842 15 Bratislava, Slovakia; littva@gmail.sk

Abstract

The neotectonic study results of the Liptovský Ján area and its implications for neotectonic development of the Inner Western Carpathians are presented. A broad spectrum of methods was used e.g., geological mapping, structural analysis, boreholes log data, morphotectonic analyses, transverse valley profiles, and orientation of cave corridors. Three groups of normal faults active during the Quaternary were identified. The youngest faults are oriented generally in the N–S direction. The older fault groups are represented by the WNWESE and NE–SW directions as well. The successive arrangement of faults suggests change of the stress field from the N–S to the E–W oriented extensional axes under the tension condition in the study area during the Pleistocene. Comparison of obtained results with other studies revealed that stress field within the Inner Western Carpathians realm was changed during the Quaternary, from tension oriented generally in N–S direction to orogen-parallel extension i.e. parallel to the Inner Western Carpathian arc.

Key words: Inner Western Carpathians, Nízke Tatry Mts., neotectonics, stress field

Manuscript received: 2013-10-14

Revised version accepted: 2014-02-03