title of the thesis - Department of Geology - Queen's University

These questions are addressed through the following approaches: field mapping,
structural, microstructural, and chronological analyses.
Field mapping and sampling took place over two field seasons (Spring 2010, 2011), and
focused on detailed transects across and along high strain zones of the upper Karnali valley (a
short film of the expedition can be seen at: http://vimeo.com/47755261). Structurally-oriented
mapping provided an initial framework upon which additional data were incorporated.
Representative samples were taken throughout the field area. Most samples were oriented, and
optimized for microstructural and chronological analyses.
Microstructural analyses, including petrographic analyses, traditional and modern quartz
crystallographic preferred orientation analyses, and vorticity analysis, provide qualitative to
quantitative assessments of the temperatures and kinematics of deformation. Muscovite 40 Ar/ 39 Ar
thermochronology and monazite U-Th-Pb geochronology provide constraints on the absolute
timing of crystallization and cooling ages across and along the high-strain zone. Results,
interpretations, and consequences of this study are presented in Chapters 2, 3, 4, and Appendices
A through D.
Chapter 2 presents and synthesizes all meaningful data and is written as a stand-alone
manuscript to be submitted for publication in Geological Society of America Bulletin. Chapter 3
incorporates conclusions of this study with previously published models to generate orogen-wide
tectonic conclusions. Conclusions drawn in this chapter involve a degree of interpretation not yet
suitable for publication and thus are not fully incorporated into Chapter 2. Additionally, this
chapter provides suggestions on further work necessary to validate the proposed tectonic models.
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