Abstract. Dating syntectonic sedimentary sequences is often seen as the unique way to constrain the initiation, kinematics and rate of folding and the sequence of deformation in the shallow crust. Beyond fold growth however, deformation mesostructures accommodate the internal shortening of pre-folding strata before, during and after strata tilting. Absolute dating of mesostructures developed during extension at fold hinge may help constrain the duration of fold growth in the absence of preserved growth strata, while dating of mesostructures related to layer-parallel shortening and late fold tightening provide a valuable access to the timing and duration of the entire folding event. We compile existing ages in the literature and provide new U-Pb ages of calcite cements from veins and faults from four folds (Apennines, Pyrenees, Rocky Mountains). Our results not only better constrain the timing of fold growth but also reveal a contraction preceding and following folding, the duration of which might be function of the tectonic style and regional sequence of deformation. This study paves the way for a better appraisal of folding lifetime and processes and of stress evolution in folded domains.

中文翻译：

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超越折叠的约会折叠，从平行层缩短到折叠收紧，使用细观结构：来自亚平宁山脉、比利牛斯山脉和落基山脉的教训

摘要。定年同构造沉积序列通常被视为限制浅层地壳中的起始、运动学和折叠速率以及变形序列的独特方式。然而，除了褶皱生长之外，变形细观结构在地层倾斜之前、之中和之后适应预折叠地层的内部缩短。在折叠铰链延伸期间形成的细观结构的绝对年代测定可能有助于在没有保存的生长层的情况下限制褶皱生长的持续时间，而与层平行缩短和晚期折叠收紧相关的细观结构的年代测定提供了宝贵的时间和持续时间整个折叠事件。我们汇编了文献中的现有年龄，并提供了来自四个褶皱（亚平宁山脉、比利牛斯山脉、落基山脉）的脉和断层的方解石胶结物的新 U-Pb 年龄。我们的结果不仅更好地限制了褶皱生长的时间，而且揭示了褶皱前后的收缩，其持续时间可能是构造样式和区域变形序列的函数。这项研究为更好地评估折叠寿命和过程以及折叠域中的应力演变铺平了道路。