Interpretation of tectonic setting in the Phetchabun Volcanic Terrane, Northern Thailand: Evidence from enhanced airborne geophysical data

• Airborne magnetic data interpretation with RTP enhancement method was used for defining magnetic domains in Phetchabun area, northern Thailand.
• Four contrasting magnetic domains and several magnetic units and lineaments were encountered.
• Field and petrographic data together with the previous studies were used for assisting our interpretation.
• The study area is dominated by eastward subduction in collisional tectonics.
• Fault – controlled mineralization occurred associated with Permo-Triassic arc magmatism.
• The result also indicates potential target areas for further detailed exploration.

Re-processed aeromagnetic data with enhancement approaches of reduction to the pole, high pass filtering and shaded relief have been used to interpret complex subsurface structures of the Carboniferous to Triassic Phetchabun Volcanic Terrane (PVT) which is largely covered by thick Cenozoic sediment deposits. Interpretation of the enhanced aeromagnetic data reveals four distinct structural domains in the PVT, viz. Northern, Eastern, Central, and Western domains. Within these domains, high magnetic units are recognized, namely elongate, ring, circular, and dipolar spot units. The elongate unit in the Central domain is characterized by a deformation zone with northwest–southeast trending, sinistral shearing. East–west trending and the northeast–southwest trending faults cross-cut several magnetic units in the Central domain, with sinistral and dextral movements, respectively. Three major fault directions have been identified, including the northeast–southwest trending sinistral faults, north–south trending dextral faults, and northwest–southeast trending dextral faults. The younger spot units are small intrusive bodies largely situated along these latest fault segments.The aeromagnetic interpretation results, together with relevant current field verification, as well as previous geochronological and petrochemical investigations, have lead to the clarification of structural development in the PVT. The elongate units are interpreted to represent Late Carboniferous intrusive bodies. They occurred as a result of an eastward subduction of the Nakhonthai oceanic plate beneath the Indochina continental plate, along the Loei suture. The elongate units are also reflected in a north–south trending deformation zone formed by the east–west compressional tectonics. The ring units are considered to have formed in a Permo-Triassic volcanic arc, whereas the circular units represent equigranular intrusive bodies which formed in a response to the second phase of eastward subduction. East–west extensional tectonics formed during the Late Triassic period is inferred to overlapp with subsidence along the Permo-Triassic volcanic arc. The magnetic spot units represent shallow, porphyritic intrusive bodies occurring along downthrown fault zones during this stage.