Burial Impact on the Tatra Mountains From a Rock Magnetic and Magnetic Fabric Perspective

Abstract Mountain belts are affected by various processes during their tectonic origin and evolution. One of the most common processes is burial. We investigated the Tatra Mountains in central Europe, as previous works have shown that they are an ideal case study for the impact of burial on the magnetic properties of various rock types. The burial history is elucidated using an interdisciplinary approach that employs analysis of rock magnetic properties and magnetic fabrics, thermal maturity indicators, such as vitrinite reflectance, and biomarker distribution. The paleotemperatures documented by vitrinite reflectance and biomarker ratios show an increasing trend to higher temperature toward the east, with the highest temperature 230°C reached in the eastern Tatra. Similarly, there is a change in both ferromagnetic and paramagnetic mineralogy toward the east, with an increase in the concentration of the ferrimagnetic minerals. The domain size also changes with an increase in the concentration of superparamagnetic grain size. The recorded magnetic fabrics document the main stages of Tatra evolution: Turonian nappe thrusting and the Oligocene‐Miocene uplift of the Tatra massif. In conclusion, the maximum burial of the youngest parts of the Tatra nappes and their cover are interpreted to have occurred during the Oligocene‐Miocene.