Central Zagros fold‐thrust belt (Iran): New insights from seismic data, field observation, and sandbox modeling

We present five generalized cross sections across the central Zagros fold‐and‐thrust belt (Iran). These sections show that the fold geometry varies significantly both horizontally and vertically. The style is closely related to the changes in the mechanical behavior of the lithostratigraphic horizons and, in particular, to the presence of intermediate décollements within the sedimentary pile. Restoration of the sections shows amounts of shortening of the same order from one section to the other. However, it appears to be unequally distributed, suggesting variations in basal décollement shear strength. Analogue modeling has been performed to systematically investigate the effect of an intermediate décollement level at different depths on the style of folding. The models demonstrate that the position of intermediate décollements is an important factor controlling both structural style and fold wavelength. Models with shallow intermediate décollement show regularly and widely spaced anticlines. In these models, the fold wavelength depends directly on the thickness of the dominant competent layer and short‐wavelength superficial structures mask broad anticlines at depth. Models with deep intermediate décollement are characterized by the rapid propagation of deformation (with small rate of shortening) along this décollement influencing localization of forthcoming anticlines in the upper levels. Such propagation favors the development of duplexes and multiwavelength folds. On this basis, fold kinematics in central Zagros is discussed using the variation of structural style along different folds as an indicator of the sequence of deformation. Detachment folding is the main folding style at least for the initial stages of deformation and thrust faults developed only at later stages. Some of these faults, branched on décollement levels, express the progression of folding, whereas others are linked to late basement faults cutting through early structures. In general, the décollement levels are activated sequentially from deeper horizons to shallower ones. However, in one case (Gachsaran décollement) a shallow décollement is activated during the early stages of folding and then abandoned during the subsequent evolution.