Deep Structure and Deformation Structural Style of the Georgian Part of Lesser Caucasus Orogen

The Lesser Caucasus double-wedge orogen accommodates the crustal shortening due to the far-field effects of the collision between the Arabian and Eurasian plates started to collide along the Bitlis thrust zone in the early Miocene. Subsequent convergence of the Arabian and Eurasian plates during the late Alpine time caused extensive intracontinental deformation in the Lesser Caucasus (LC). Here we show a new structural model for the Georgian part of the LC orogen by integrating field observations and re-interpreted published seismic data. These data are interpreted to develop structural cross-sections. We established that the dominant structural styles of the compressional structures are related to multiple detachments. The structural cross-section reveals the presence of the Khrami base- ment thrust-sheet, crustal-scale duplex, fault-related folds, triangle zones, passive- roof duplex, and passive-roof and passive-back thrusts. Pliocene–Quaternary lava flows are involved in the compressional deformation and are related to an out-of- thrust sequence of the Khrami basement thrust-sheet. According to the structural cross-section, the horizontal displacement of the basement thrust-sheet is ∼20 km.