Tectonic control of tufa occurrences in the Podhale Synclinorium (Central Western Carpathians, southern Poland)

Abstract

Tufas in the Podhale Synclinorium (southern Poland) occur as encrustations on moss and plant remains, crusts, porous, clastic and massive tufas. The tufas are almost entirely composed of calcite with small admixture of quartz, illite and chlorite. These deposits indicate the biotic and/or abiotic origin of calcium carbonate. The tufas occur in the vicinity of map-scale and minor fault zones. They precipitate near fissure springs linked with small faults and fault rocks or seepages along them. Exposures with tufas occur along several oblique and lateral zones. The oblique zones are related to Białka and Biały Dunajec faults that have normal components. The lateral zones of tufa occurrences are connected with lateral faults limiting the “zone of beds with gentle dips” and extensional brittle structures within the hinge of the synclinorium. The relationship of the tufa with brittle extensional structures suggests Quaternary tectonic activity of the Podhale Synclinorium that can be explained by continued uplift in the area studied.