Evidence for a pre-Eocene proto-Alpine Fault through Zealandia.

For many decades, there has been speculation about when the Alpine Fault first became a major regional structure. This paper presents a summary of recently published data, especially U-Pb ages, that supports the existence of a Late Cretaceous to Paleogene proto-Alpine Fault in the form of a thermotectonic corridor between North and South Zealandia. The evidence takes the form of fault-controlled sedimentary basins, ductile shear zones, Alpine Schist regional metamorphism and igneous rocks. Much critical evidence has been removed or strongly modified by Neogene shortening and the total lateral displacement history of the proto-Alpine Fault cannot yet be unambiguously determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]