Geography, Geology and the Environment

I undertook my undergraduate degree at Keele University from 2005 – 2008 achieving a first class dual honours degree in Geology and Physical Geography. I received several major awards during this period including; the 2007 Ian Harmer Memorial Prize, the 2008 Exley Prize, and the 2008 North Staffordshire Group of the Geologists Association (NSGGA) John Myers Medal runner-up. These successes also led to my nomination for the Neil and Gina Smith Keele University Student of the Year 2008.

Upon taking up my PhD in Sept 2009 looking at “Lateral variations and linkages in thrust geometries in fold-and-thrust belts”, I have undertaken considerable fieldwork within the Moine Thrust Zone, NW Highlands, Scotland, the Cantabrian Arc, northern Spain and the Appalachians Thrust Belt in Alabama, U.S.A. Several awards have been achieved both on a regional and international scale, including the award of the prestigious 2011 Raymond D. Woods Memorial Grant awarded by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG). Recently I received the 2012 Mike Coward Prize and the 2012 Shell Award. These were awarded by the Tectonic Studies Group (TSG) for best postgraduate presentation and best postgraduate overall presenter at their 2012 conference in Edinburgh.

Academic Achievements / Prizes:

• 2012: Shell Prize Winner for Best Overall Postgraduate Presentation – ‘Cross-strike Discontinuities: The development of the Loch Maree Transverse Zone, NW Highlands, Scotland’ (Awarded by the Tectonic Studies Group (TSG) at their 2012 conference in Edinburgh)
• 2012: Mike Coward Prize Winner for Best Postgraduate Oral Presentation – ‘Cross-strike Discontinuities: The development of the Loch Maree Transverse Zone, NW Highlands, Scotland’ (Awarded by the Tectonic Studies Group (TSG) at their 2012 conference in Edinburgh)
• 2011:   Recipient of the 2011 Raymond D. Woods Memorial Grant – ‘Comparing and contrasting classic transverse structures within the Anniston / Bessemer Transverse Zones to structures within the Moine Thrust Belt, NW Highlands, Scotland and the Cantabrian Thrust Belt, Northern Spain’ (Awarded by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG))
• 2011:   Effective Communication Prize Winner for Poster Presentation – ‘Lateral Variations and Linkages in Thrust Geometries – The Cantabrian Thrust Belt, Northern Spain and the Moine Thrust Zone, NW Scotland (Updated)’ (Awarded by the Keele University Graduate School, Graduate Research Symposium, Keele University)
• 2011:   Peer Prize Winner for Poster Presentation – ‘Lateral Variations and Linkages in Thrust Geometries – The Cantabrian Thrust Belt, Northern Spain and the Moine Thrust Zone, NW Scotland’: (Awarded by the British Geological Survey Funding Initiative (BUFI) Science Festival, British Geological Survey, Keyworth)
• 2008: Exley Prize Recipient for the Best Independent Geological Field Map for a Final Year Undergraduate: (Awarded by Keele University)
• 2008: John Mayer’s Medal Runner Up: Excellence in Geology: (Awarded by the North Staffordshire Group of Geologists Association – NSGGA)
• 2008: Neil and Gina Smith Student of the Year Nominee: (selected by Keele University)
• 2008: School Second and Third Year Prize for Excellence within Physical Geography: (Awarded for Final Year Dissertation Thesis by Keele University)
• 2007: Palaeontological Association Prize for Excellence in Palaeontology: (Awarded by the Palaeontological Association)
• 2007: Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland Society Prize for Excellence in Petrology: (Awarded by the Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland)
• 2007: Ian Harber Memorial Prize: Excellence in Geology and Physical Geography: (Awarded by Keele University)

Affiliations:

• Geological Society of London (GSL): Fellow
• Geological Society of America (GSA)
• American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
• Tectonic Studies Group (TSG): Postgraduate Representative (2011–2014)
• North Staffordshire Group of the Geological Association (NSGGA): Co-Opted Executive Committee Member: Keele University GeoSociety
• Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland (MinSoc)
• Palaeontological Association (PalAss)

Lateral variations and linkages in thrust geometry in fold and thrust belts

Supervisors: Professor Graham Williams (Keele), Dr Stuart Clarke (Keele) and Dr Graham Leslie (British Geological Survey)

Project Rationale:

Fold-and-thrust belts are intensely studied features of mountain belts around the world, with numerous papers reporting on geometry, kinematics, mechanics and hydrocarbon potential (Mackay et al., 1994). While many have dealt with palinspastic reconstructions and balanced cross-sections parallel to the transport direction; far fewer have focussed on three-dimensional (3D) architecture of fold-and-thrust belts, and how lateral variations in thrust architecture in different segments of a thrust belt are linked via so-called ‘transverse zones’ (e.g. Drahovzal and Thomas 1976; Mitra 1988; Thomas 1990; Brown et al., 1997).

Causative structures for lateral changes are often concealed and not fully studied, however, systematic alignment of these lateral structures have been suggested to include sub-décollement basement faults, pre-thrusting deformation of cover strata above basement faults, the development of duplex structures and antiformal stacks, and/or along strike variations in mechanical stratigraphy (i.e., Harris 1970; Wheeler 1980; Woodward 1987; Thomas 1990; Álvarez-Marrón 1995; Pérez-Estaún et al., 1997; Kollmeier et al., 2000; Thomas and Bayona 2002).

Oblique ramps and transverse zones in thrust belts have been modelled using sand boxes (e.g. Calassou et al., 1993) and numerically (Wilkerson et al., 1991), whilst 3D visualisations and interpretations of thrust geometries have also been computed (e.g. Hinsch et al., 2002; Gorney et al., 2007), but not fully interpreted over transverse zones.

In this work the detailed three-dimensional topology, geometry and kinematics of selected thrust systems will be studied in order to fully analyse their evolution and to examine the cause and effect of lateral changes in thrust belts. The project methodology will incorporate new studies of two well-understood and comprehensively mapped thrust belts; the Achnashellach Culmination / Loch Maree region of the Moine Thrust Belt and the Somiedo-Correcillas Unit of the southern Cantabrian Arc. These will also be compared against classic Appalachian transverse structures within the Anniston, Bessemer and Harpersville Transverse Zones in Alabama, U.S.A.

Aims and Objectives:

This project will study; detailed geometry of thrust systems in three-dimensions (3D) (geometry); how thrust units and thrusts link together and relate to each other; what these linkages (topology) mean in terms of lateral changes in thrust sheets; how, thrust systems evolve over time (kinematics) – in each case integrating the field and 3D model interpretations.

Three-dimensional models of complex thrust belts are rare, and have not in general been restored to analyse the kinematics of the thrust system. Full, sequential restoration of 3D thrust models will characterise the pre-thrusting template and will assess that template capacity to control subsequent lateral thrust geometries.

This will incorporate field based studies within the Achnashellach Culmination / Loch Maree Fault in the Moine Thrust Belt, NW Scotland and the Somiedo-Correcillas unit in Cantabria, Northern Spain and classic Appalachian transverse structures within the Anniston, Bessemer and Harpersville Transverse Zones in Alabama, U.S.A.

2012

• 2012: Kelly, M.J., Clarke, S.M., Leslie, A.G., and Williams, G.D. ‘Cross-Strike Discontinuities (Transverse Zones): Lateral Variations within the Moine Thrust Zone, NW Scotland; the Cantabrian Arc, Northern Spain and Comparisons with Appalachian Transverse Structures’ American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) Annual International Convention and Exhibition, Long Beach, California, U.S.A.:  Abstract
• Kelly, M.J., Leslie, A.G., Clarke, S.M., and Williams, G.D. ‘Displacement Vector Analysis: A new method for analysing cross-strike discontinuities and transverse zones’ Tectonic Studies Group Annual Conference (TSG), Edinburgh, United Kingdom; poster ; Abstract
• Kelly, M.J., Leslie, A.G., Clarke, S.M., and Williams, G.D. ‘Cross-strike Discontinuities: The development of the Loch Maree Transverse Zone’ Tectonic Studies Group Annual Conference (TSG), Edinburgh, United Kingdom. poster ; Abstract .

2011

• Kelly, M.J. ‘Cross-strike discontinuities…One Small Step: The Development of the Loch Maree Transverse Zone, NW Highlands, Scotland’ North Staffordshire Group of the Geologists Association (NSGGA) Winter Lecture Series, Keele University
• Kelly, M.J. ‘Lateral Variations within the Moine Thrust Zone, NW Scotland and Somiedo-Correcillas Unit, Cantabria, northern Spain: Comparison with Appalachian transverse structures’ American Association of Petroleum Geologists Explorer Magazine and Bulletin
• Kelly, M.J. ‘An Excursion Guide to the Moine Geology of the Northern Highlands of Scotland’ Book Review – Geology Today, Vol. 27, No. 3
• Kelly, M.J., Clarke, S.M., Leslie, A.G., and Williams, G.D. ‘Lateral Variations and Linkages in Thrust Geometries – The Cantabrian Thrust Belt, Northern Spain and the Moine Thrust Zone, NW Scotland (Updated)’ Vitae Regional Hub PhD Poster Competition, Nottingham: Abstract 
• Clarke, S.M., Findlay, R.L., Kelly, M.J., and Randles, T.A., ‘Outcrop studies in the Barmer Basin, Rajasthan, India. Commissioned report on behalf of Cairn India PTY. Structural analysis of fractures in the Barmer Basin: Contributions
• Kelly, M.J., Clarke, S.M., Leslie, A.G., and Williams, G.D. ‘Lateral Variations and Linkages in Thrust Geometries – The Cantabrian Thrust Belt, Northern Spain and the Moine Thrust Zone, NW Scotland (Updated)’ Keele University Graduate Research Symposium
• Kelly, M.J. ‘Inherited Structures – A step too far? Development of the Loch Maree Fault / Achnashellach Culmination, NW Highlands, Scotland’ Earth Sciences and Geography (ES&G) Research Seminar, Keele University
• Kelly, M.J., Clarke, S.M., Leslie, A.G., and Williams, G.D. ‘Lateral Variations and Linkages in Thrust Geometries – The Cantabrian Thrust Belt, Northern Spain and the Moine Thrust Zone, NW Scotland’ British Geological Survey Funding Initiative (BUFI) Science Festival, British Geological Survey, Keyworth, United Kingdom: BUFI Poster  
• Kelly, M.J., Clarke, S.M., Leslie, A.G., and Williams, G.D. ‘The Cantabrian Thrust Belt: Pyrenean Folding of Variscan Thrusts – Refolding and Reorientation?’ Tectonic Studies Group Annual Conference (TSG), University of Durham, United Kingdom: TSG 2011_Abstract; TSG 2011 Poster

2010

• Kelly, M.J., and Williams, G.D. ‘Thrust Lateral Variations in Cantabria, Northern Spain’ Keele University Graduate Research Symposium: Poster ; Abstract
• Doherty, H., Ferriday, T., Kelly, M., Montenari, M., Rodgers, S., and Williams, G. ‘The Cantabrian Thrust Belt: Basin History of the North Gondwana Passive Margin – Rifting, Glaciation? More Rifting and Collision ’Tectonic Studies Group Annual Conference (TSG), University of Birmingham, United Kingdom: TSG 2010 Abstract; TSG 2010 Poster

2008

• Kelly, M., Charbonnier, S., and Gertisser, R. ‘Volume and Extent of Lahar Reworking of the 2006 Pyroclastic Flow Deposits at Merapi Volcano, Java, Indonesia’ Volcanic and Magmatic Studies Group Annual Conference (VMSG) Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland: VMSG 2008 Abstract; VMSG 2008 Poster.