Anatomy of a terrane boundary: an integrated structural, geographic information system, and remote sensing study of the late Paleozoic Avalon-Meguma terrane boundary, mainland Nova Scotia, Canada

Remote sensing and geographic information system analysis complimented by g eological mapping have resulted in a new interpretation of the Late Carboni ferous evolution of the Avalon-Meguma terrane boundary (known as the Mines Fault Zone) in the Canadian Appalachian Orogen. Various images, including o ptical, radar, and shaded-relief elevation, have been integrated with magne tic and gravity data to compliment mapping in the vicinity of the exposed t errane boundary in mainland Nova Scotia. Throughout much of the region, the style of deformation is typical of dextral motion along the east-west Ched abucto Fault, the most prominent structure in the Minas Fault Zone. Lineame nt analysis of the shaded-relief elevation and radar images has identified an important lineament trending east-northeast which corresponds to the axi al trace of fords that rotate clockwise into parallelism with the Chedabuct o Fault. However, in eastern mainland Nova Scotia, the shaded-relief and ge ophysical images, together with field data, suggest that the Chedabucto Fau lt was offset by sinistral motion along the north-northwest-trending Countr y Harbour Fault. Following this event, the region in the vicinity of this o ffset became a restraining bend during renewed dextral motion along the Che dabucto Fault, resulting in the formation of a positive flower structure re presented by the exposure of Early Devonian volcanic and sedimentary rocks in the Guysborough block. The processes described are probably typical of r ecurrent motions along terrane boundaries.