Salt Tectonics on the Eastern Side of the Transylvanian Basin, Romania

The Transylvanian Basin is unique in its tectonic make up. The main particularity of the basin consists of the salt deposits that can be found all around the basin, but on the Eastern side of it they appear in large scale diapirs right next to a major volcanic area. Compression has had a very important effect on the general geometry of the basin. The main arguments that can stand behind the idea that the diapirs are generated due to compression are the large scale folds that can be interpreted across the basin with their wavelength becoming smaller once they get closer to the diapirs. Another important issue is that the main tectonic setting of the area could have been modified by the salt tectonics, either by reactivating old Badenian faults or for the salt deposits to act as decolment levels. The syn-kinematic sedimentary wedges were easy to interpret throughout the basin and they are the main factor that can be used when it comes to building a comprehensive chronology of the timing between the formation of the main salt diapirs in the area.