The structural evolution of pre-Devonian basement along the Billefjorden Fault Zone in Petuniabukta, Svalbard

The Billefjorden Fault Zone (BFZ) is a N-S striking regional-scale long-lived lineament cropping out in central Spitsbergen. This lineament exposes multi-deformational evolution that initiated with ductile deformation preserved in the metamorphic basement. Following several phases of brittle deformation affected also younger sedimentary successions. This project aims to address key knowledge gaps about structural style and timing of the transition from ductile to brittle deformation of the BFZ. In summer 2024, I investigated the metamorphic basement around Nordenskiöldbreen, the south side of Ebbadalen and Svenbreen-valley for the project "The transition from ductile to brittle deformation in pre-Devonian basement of the Billefjorden Fault Zone, Svalbard (RiS: 12317)". To complete the dataset obtained during fieldwork 2024, similar methods will be applied in Hørbyebreen-valley, Ferdinandbreen-valley, Elsabreen-valley, the north side of Ebbadalen and Ragnardalen. A regional field-based dataset will allow to reconstruct the structural evolution of this fault zone and is essential for my Master thesis.