Budowa geologiczna doliny Białego Dunajca

The Biały Dunajec Valley is one of the large, meridionally oriented valleys cutting the Podhale Synclinorium. The tectonic origin of this valley has been suggested since the beginning of the 20th century. A large fault zone with an azimuth of about 20° has been recognized here. This zone extends to the north and cuts the Pieniny Klippen Belt, which is significantly lowered in its eastern side. The southern part of the Biały Dunajec fault zone (SBD) extends probably into the Tatra Massif (into the Mała Łąka Valley area and far to the south into the border of the Koszysta elevation and the Goryczkowa depression). The majority of faults constituting the SBD were formed during the initial phase as strike-slip faults; they were reactivated later as dip-slip faults with a prevailing dip-slip, mainly normal component. As a whole, the SBD is a scissor-like fault: in the northern part, near the Szaflary village, downfaulted is its eastern block, whereas in the southern part - its western block.