The structure of the southern Appalachian Orogen is dominated by large, continent-directed thrust fauults that formed during at least two and possibly three Paleozoic orogenies. One of the earliest faults, the Hayesville, may be part of a major early Paleozoic suture that extends from Newfoundland to Alabama. The fault is pre-metamorphism and may be due to the early stages of tectonic accretion and crustal contradiction following Late Pre Cambrian crustal extension and passive margin development. This project will map the fault in southwestern North Carolina, determine the movement history and develop a structural chronology. Results will contribute to general understanding of orogenic processes in addition to that of Appalachian structure and tectonics.
