Middle to Late Devonian–Carboniferous collapse basins on the Finnmark Platform and in the southwesternmost Nordkapp basin, SW Barents Sea

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J.-B. P. Koehl

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The SW Barents Sea margin experienced a pulse of extensional deformation in the Middle–Late Devonian through the Carboniferous, after the Caledonian Orogeny terminated. These events marked the initial stages of formation of major offshore basins such as the Hammerfest and Nordkapp basins. We mapped and analyzed three major fault complexes, (i the Måsøy Fault Complex, (ii the Rolvsøya fault, and (iii the Troms–Finnmark Fault Complex. We discuss the formation of the Måsøy Fault Complex as a possible extensional splay of an overall NE–SW-trending, NW-dipping, basement-seated Caledonian shear zone, the Sørøya–Ingøya shear zone, which was partly inverted during the collapse of the Caledonides and accommodated top–NW normal displacement in Middle to Late Devonian–Carboniferous times. The Troms–Finnmark Fault Complex displays a zigzag-shaped pattern of NNE–SSW- and ENE–WSW-trending extensional faults before it terminates to the north as a WNW–ESE-trending, NE-dipping normal fault that separates the southwesternmost Nordkapp basin in the northeast from the western Finnmark Platform and the Gjesvær Low in the southwest. The WNW–ESE-trending, margin-oblique segment of the Troms–Finnmark Fault Complex is considered to represent the offshore prolongation of a major Neoproterozoic fault complex, the Trollfjorden–Komagelva Fault Zone, which is made of WNW–ESE-trending, subvertical faults that crop out on the island of Magerøya in NW Finnmark. Our results suggest that the Trollfjorden–Komagelva Fault Zone dies out to the northwest before reaching the western Finnmark Platform. We propose an alternative model for the origin of the WNW–ESE-trending segment of the Troms–Finnmark Fault Complex as a possible hard-linked, accommodation cross fault that developed along the Sørøy–Ingøya shear zone. This brittle fault decoupled the western Finnmark Platform from the southwesternmost Nordkapp basin and merged with the

The large 1956 earthquake in the South Aegean: Macroseismic field configuration, faulting, and neotectonics of Amorgos Island

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Papadopoulos, Gerassimos A.; Pavlides, Spyros B.

1992-10-01

New field observations of the seismic intensity distribution of the large (M s = 7.4) South Aegean (Amorgos) earthquake of 9 July 1956 are presented. Interpretations based on local ground conditions, structural properties of buildings and peculiarities of the rupture process lead to a re-evaluation of the macroseismic field configuration. This, together with the aftershock epicentral distribution, quite well defines the earthquake rupture zone, which trends NE-SW and coincides with the Amorgos Astypalea trough. The lateral extent of the rupture zone, however, is about 40% smaller than that predicted for Aegean earthquakes of M s = 7.4. This discrepancy could be attributed to sea-bottom topography changes, which seem to control the rupture terminations, and to relatively high stressdrop with respect to other Aegean earthquakes. Fault plane solutions obtained by several authors indicate either mainly normal faulting with a significant right-lateral strike-slip component or predominantly strike-slip motion. The neotectonism of Amorgos Island, based on new field observations, aerial photograph analysis and fault mechanisms, is consistent with the dip-slip interpretation. The neotectonic master fault of Amorgos and the 1956 seismic faulting appear to belong to the same tectonic phase (NE-SW strike and a southeasterly dip). However, the significant right-lateral strike-slip component supports the idea that the Amorgos region deviates from the simple description for pure extension in back-arc conditions.

Miocene Tectonics at the Pannonian - Carpathian Transition: The Bogdan Voda - Dragos Voda fault system, northern Romania

Science.gov (United States)

Tischler, M.; Gröger, H.; Marin, M.; Schmid, S. M.; Fügenschuh, B.

2003-04-01

Tertiary tectonics in the Pannonian-Carpathian transition zone was dominated by opposed rotations of Alcapa and Tisza-Dacia, separated by the Mid-Hungarian lineament (MHL). While in the Pannonian basin the MHL is well known from geophysical and borehole data, its northeastern continuation remains a matter of discussion. Our field based study, located in the Maramures mountains of northern Romania, provides new kinematic data from the Bogdan Voda fault, a first order candidate for the prolongation of the MHL to the northeast. In the Burdigalian, the Pienides (unmetamorphic flysch nappes) were emplaced onto the autochthonous Paleogene flysch units. Kinematic data consistently indicate top to the SE-directed thrusting of the Pienides and selected imbrications in the autochthonous units. Between Langhian and Tortonian these thrust contacts were offset by the E-W trending Bogdan Voda fault and its eastern continuation, the Dragos-Voda fault. These two faults share a common polyphase history, at least since the Burdigalian. Kinematic data derived from mesoscale faults indicate sinistral strike-slip displacement, in good agreement with kinematics inferred from map view. The NE-SW trending Greben fault, another fault of regional importance, was coevally active as a normal fault. From stratigraphic arguments major activity of this fault system is constrained to the time interval between 16.4-10 Ma. While deformation is strongly concentrated in the sedimentary units, the easterly located basement units are affected by abundant minor faults of similar kinematics covering a wide area. These SW-NE trending strike slip faults feature a normal component and resemble an imbricate fan geometry. Since Burdigalian thrusting is consistently SE-directed on either side of the Bogdan-Dragos Voda fault, major post-Burdigalian differential rotations can be excluded for the northern and southern block respectively. Hydrothermal veins within Pannonian volcanic units are aligned along the

Estimation of vertical slip rate in an active fault-propagation fold from the analysis of a progressive unconformity at the NE segment of the Carrascoy Fault (SE Iberia)

Science.gov (United States)

Martin-Banda, Raquel; Insua-Arevalo, Juan Miguel; Garcia-Mayordomo, Julian

2017-04-01

Many studies have dealt with the calculation of fault-propagation fold growth rates considering a variety of kinematics models, from limb rotation to hinge migration models. In most cases, the different geometrical and numeric growth models are based on horizontal pre-growth strata architecture and a constant known slip rate. Here, we present the estimation of the vertical slip rate of the NE Segment of the Carrascoy Fault (SE Iberian Peninsula) from the geometrical modeling of a progressive unconformity developed on alluvial fan sediments with a high depositional slope. The NE Segment of the Carrascoy Fault is a left-lateral strike slip fault with reverse component belonging to the Eastern Betic Shear Zone, a major structure that accommodates most of the convergence between Iberian and Nubian tectonics plates in Southern Spain. The proximity of this major fault to the city of Murcia encourages the importance of carrying out paleosismological studies in order to determinate the Quaternary slip rate of the fault, a key geological parameter for seismic hazard calculations. This segment is formed by a narrow fault zone that articulates abruptly the northern edge of the Carrascoy Range with the Guadalentin Depression through high slope, short alluvial fans Upper-Middle Pleistocene in age. An outcrop in a quarry at the foot of this front reveals a progressive unconformity developed on these alluvial fan deposits, showing the important reverse component of the fault. The architecture of this unconformity is marked by well-developed calcretes on the top some of the alluvial deposits. We have determined the age of several of these calcretes by the Uranium-series disequilibrium dating method. The results obtained are consistent with recent published studies on the SW segment of the Carrascoy Fault that together with offset canals observed at a few locations suggest a net slip rate close to 1 m/ka.

Fault rocks and veins formation in the crystalline Palaeozoic basement of the N margin of the Littoral Chain (Catalan Coastal Ranges, NE Spain)

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Alías, Gemma; Belmonte, Alba; Cantarero, Irene; Inglés, Montserrat; Travé, Anna

2013-04-01

The Littoral Chain corresponds to a horst of NE-SW direction formed during the Neogene extension which in the studied area (Collserola-Montnegre massif) is mainly composed by Paleozoic materials. At the northern margin the horst limits with the Vallès basin which is infilled by Miocene detrital materials. In the Forques Hill, two km to the est of Martorell, an excellent outcrop of Ordovician phyllites summarise an spread tectonic evolution from Hercynian to Neogene deformation. This work evaluates the behaviour of phyllites during the Hercynian ductile deformation and later during the fragile Mesozoic and Neogene tectonics. The weakness of these rocks together with the situation very close to the Vallès Fault favour that this area concentrates many deformation structures related to extensional tectonics, such as veins, cataclasites and gouges. Phyllites present a pervasive regional hercynian foliation oriented WNW-ESE and dipping moderately to the NNE; a huge amount of quartz veins, up to 20% of the rock volume, were injected during and immediately after the main foliation development. Two groups of fractures cutting the phyllites can be distinguished in the field according to the fault rock products, the vein infilling, the orientation and the geometry. The first one corresponds to Mesozoic fractures that have a NE-SW trend and dip indistinctly to the NW or SE, in a conjugate system. They are characterized by the formation of a broad zone of 0,2 m up to 1,5 m formed either by cataclasites or en echelon veins that indicate a normal movement. The cataclasites are cohesive greenish rocks, with 50% of clasts of wall rock from mm to dm in size. Neoformed minerals in the matrix are chlorite - albite - barite ± titanite and rutile. Veins are white to pinkish in colour and two types of infill have been identified: albite - chlorite - iron oxides± rutile and dolomite - chlorite. The second group belongs to Neogene fractures which although similar orientation than those

Structural and metamorphic evolution of the Orocopia Schist and related rocks, southern California: Evidence for late movement on the Orocopia fault

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobson, Carl E.; Dawson, M. Robert

1995-08-01

The Pelona, Orocopia, and Rand Schists (POR schists) of southern California and southwesternmost Arizona are late Mesozoic or early Tertiary subduction complexes that underlie Precambrian to Mesozoic continental basement along the low-angle Vincent-Chocolate Mountains (VCM) fault system. The VCM faults are often considered to be remnants of the original subduction zone, but recent work indicates that many have undergone substantial postsubduction reactivation. In the Orocopia Mountains, for example, the Orocopia Schist exhibits an exceptionally complex structural and metamorphic history due to multiple periods of movement along the Orocopia fault. Structures in the schist include isoclinal folds with axial-planar schistosity, open-to-tight folds that fold schistosity, penetrative stretching lineations, and crenulation lineations, all of which show a nearly 360° range in trend. Folds and lineations that trend approximately NE-SW occur throughout the schist and are thought to be part of an early phase of deformation related to subduction. Folds of this orientation show no consistent vergence. Folds and lineations that trend approximately NW-SE are concentrated near the Orocopia fault and are interpreted to have formed during exhumation of the schist. The NW-SE trending folds, and shear indicators in late-stage mylonite at the top of the schist, consistently verge NE. The exhumation event culminated in emplacement of the schist against brittlely deformed upper plate. Exhumation of the Orocopia Schist was accompanied by retrograde replacement of garnet, biotite, epidote, and calcic amphibole by chlorite, calcite, and sericite. Matrix amphibole has a lower Na/Al ratio than amphibole inclusions in albite, consistent with a late-stage decrease in pressure. As NE vergence in the Orocopia Mountains is associated with exhumation of the schist, the NE movement along other segments of the VCM fault may also be late and therefore have no bearing on the facing direction of the

Synthesis of gravity, magnetic and thermal studies at the Las Tres Virgenes geothermal zone, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Sintesis de los estudios de gravimetria, magnetometria y termometria en la zona geotermica de Las Tres Virgenes, Baja California Sur, Mexico

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garcia Estrada, Gerardo (Departamento de Exploracion, Gerencia de Proyectos Geotermoelectricos de la Comision Federal de Electricidad, Morelia (Mexico)); Gonzalez Lopez, Macario (Residencia General de Cerro Prieto, Mexicali (Mexico))

1998-01-15

Las Tres Virgenes geothermal zone is located in the NE-SW central sector of a sigmoidal basin that regionally has a NW-SE trend. In the local deepest zone there is a NE-SE granodioritic basement horst acting as hydrologic barrier, that makes the fluids flow up. After moving in a direction parallel to the local horst, waters continue its regional SE-NW movement controlled by regional tectonics. The flanks of the granodioritic basement horst, and local N-S faulting act as fluid paths in the hydrothermal zone, but regional NW-SE regional faults determine the general flow direction. Both regional and local tectonics show magnetic evidences of the emplacement of magmatic bodies of intermediate to basic composition. Those along NW-SE trends are more noticeable but we consider they are not the present day heat source. Intermediate magmatism along NE-SW local trend seems to be less extensive but it is younger, so, we consider it constitutes the heat source of the hydrothermal system. Thermal data suggest that the heat source is located below the volcanic chain toward the S or SW of the wells, phenomena related with the general displacement of magmatism from NE to SW along the volcanic chain. However, recent intensive faulting permits a higher permeability in the northern sector in which there are slightly smaller temperatures but at shallower depths and with higher flow rates.

An integrated study of aerospace data for uranium exploration in the Magajhi-Kotapali shear zone, Surguja district, Madhya Pradesh, India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chaturvedi, A.K.; Kak, S.N.

1993-01-01

Lower Proterozoic granite gneiss and associated cataclastic rocks of Surguja crystalline complex record uranium mineralisation along the WNW-ESE trending Magajhi-Kotapali shear zone. Extension of the shear zone and cross faults trending NE-SW were established using enhanced satellite data. On integrating it with aeroradiometric data, it has been found that uranium mineralisation is shear controlled and occur around the zone of intersection between the WNW-ESE trending shear and the NE-SW faults. The study has narrowed down the target area for detailed ground investigations and finally resulted in locating promising areas such as Chathila Pahar, Haskepi, Jarhakhar-Semarkhar, and Tilti forest with good extensions along the shear zone. (author). 18 refs., 5 figs

Structural evolution of Cenozoic basins in northeastern Tunisia, in response to sinistral strike-slip movement on the El Alia-Teboursouk Fault

Science.gov (United States)

Bejaoui, Hamida; Aïfa, Tahar; Melki, Fetheddine; Zargouni, Fouad

2017-10-01

This paper resolves the structural complexity of Cenozoic sedimentary basins in northeastern Tunisia. These basins trend NE-SW to ∼ E-W, and are bordered by old fracture networks. Detailed descriptions of the structural features in outcrop and in subsurface data suggest that the El Alia-Teboursouk Fault zone in the Bizerte area evolved through a series of tectonic events. Cross sections, lithostratigraphic correlations, and interpretation of seismic profiles through the basins show evidence for: (i) a Triassic until Jurassic-Early Cretaceous rifting phase that induced lateral variations of facies and strata thicknesses; (ii) a set of faults oriented NE-SW, NW-SE, N-S, and E-W that guided sediment accumulation in pull-apart basins, which were subject to compressive and transpressive deformation during Eocene (Lutetian-Priabonian), Miocene (Tortonian), and Pliocene-Quaternary; and (iii) NNW-SSE to NS contractional events that occurred during the Late Pliocene. Part of the latest phase has been the formation of different synsedimentary folded structures with significant subsidence inversion. Such events have been responsible for the reactivation of inherited faults, and the intrusion of Triassic evaporites, ensuring the role of a slip layer. The combined effects of the different paleoconstraints and halokinetic movements are at the origin of the evolution of these pull-apart basins. The subsurface data suggest that an important fault displacement occurred during the Mesozoic-Cenozoic. The patterns of sediment accumulation in the different basins reflect a high activity of deep ancient faults.

a Study of Electrical Structures of Shanchiao Fault in Taiwan Using Audio-Frequency Magnetotelluric (amt) Method

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Yang, C.; Liu, H.

2007-12-01

The Shanchiao normal fault is located in the western edge of Taipei basin in an N-E to S-W direction. Since the fault crosses through the Tertiary basement of Taipei basin, it is classified as an active fault. The overburden of the fault is sediments with a thickness around few tenth meters to several hundred meters. No detailed studies related to the Shanchiao fault in the western side of Taipei Basin are reported. In addition, there are no outcrops which have been found on the surface. This part of fault seems to be a potential source of disaster for the development of western Taipei basin. The audio-frequency magnetotelluric (AMT) method is a technique used to find the vertical resistivity distribution of formation and to characterize a fault structure through the ground surface based measurement. Based on the geological investigation and lithogic information from wells, the AMT data from six soundings at Wugu site, nine soundings at XinZhuang site and eight sounding at GuanDu site were collected on a NE-SW profile, approximately perpendicular to the prospective strike of the Shanchiao fault. AMT data were then inverted for two- dimension resistivity models (sections). The features of all resistivity sections are similar; an apparent drop in resistivity was observed at the position correlates to the western edge of Taipei basin. The predicted location of Shanchiao fault matches was verified by the lithologic sections of boreholes nearby. It indicates that the Shanchiao normal fault may associate with the subsidence of Taipei basin. The basement is clearly detected as a geoelectrical unit having resistivity less than 250 . It has a trend of increasing its depth toward S-E. The uplift of layers in the east of resistivity sections may affect by the XinZhuang thrust fault from the east. As with each site, the calculated resistivity may affect by cultural interference. However, the AMT survey still successfully delineates the positions and features of the Shanchiao

Structural characteristics and collapse mechanism of the late Cretaceous Geumseongsan Caldera, SE Korea

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Lee, S.; Cheon, Y.; Lee, Y.; Son, M.

2017-12-01

The Geumseongsan caldera provides an opportunity to understand the structural evolution of volcanic collapse and the role of paleostress. We focus on structural elements of the exhumed caldera floor to interpret the collapse mechanism. The caldera shows an NNW-trending elliptical shape (8×12 km). Basaltic and rhyolitic rocks are situated in the central high of the caldera, while pre-volcanic sedimentary rocks in the perimetric lowland of the volcanic rocks. Stratal attitudes change sharply from the outside to the inside of caldera bounded with a sub-vertical ring fault. The outside strata show a homocline toward SE about 15°, whereas the inside is divided into four structural domains (NE-, NW-, SE-, and SW-domains) based on the changing attitudes. The strata in NW- and SE-domains dip toward SE and NW, respectively, making an overall synclinal fold. While NE- and SW-domains comprise re-oriented, folded strata, which generally have NE- and SW-trending axes plunging toward the center. In addition, extensional and contractional structures occur distinctively in NW- and SE-domains and in NE- and SW-domains, respectively, indicating an axisymmetric deformation around NE-SW axis. The results indicate that higher horizontal mass movement toward the center occurred in NW- and SE-domains than in NE- and SW-domains while vertical mass movement was more active in the latter. This axisymmetric deformation could be produced by regional stress during the volcanic activity, which affected the collapse pattern of caldera floor. The regional stress field during the late Cretaceous is known as NW-SE horizontal maximum and NE-SW horizontal minimum stresses due to the oblique subduction of proto-Pacific Plate underneath Eurasian Plate. NNW-trending elliptical shape of the caldera is interpreted to have formed under the influence of this stresses, like a tension gash. The NW-SE maximum stress possibly acted to resist vertical displacement along the marginal fault of NW- and SE

The Padul normal fault activity constrained by GPS data: Brittle extension orthogonal to folding in the central Betic Cordillera

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Gil, Antonio J.; Galindo-Zaldívar, Jesús; Sanz de Galdeano, Carlos; Borque, Maria Jesús; Sánchez-Alzola, Alberto; Martinez-Martos, Manuel; Alfaro, Pedro

2017-08-01

The Padul Fault is located in the Central Betic Cordillera, formed in the framework of the NW-SE Eurasian-African plate convergence. In the Internal Zone, large E-W to NE-SW folds of western Sierra Nevada accommodated the greatest NW-SE shortening and uplift of the cordillera. However, GPS networks reveal a present-day dominant E-W to NE-SW extensional setting at surface. The Padul Fault is the most relevant and best exposed active normal fault that accommodates most of the NE-SW extension of the Central Betics. This WSW-wards dipping fault, formed by several segments of up to 7 km maximum length, favored the uplift of the Sierra Nevada footwall away from the Padul graben hanging wall. A non-permanent GPS network installed in 1999 constrains an average horizontal extensional rate of 0.5 mm/yr in N66°E direction. The fault length suggests that a (maximum) 6 magnitude earthquake may be expected, but the absence of instrumental or historical seismic events would indicate that fault activity occurs at least partially by creep. Striae on fault surfaces evidence normal-sinistral kinematics, suggesting that the Padul Fault may have been a main transfer fault of the westernmost end of the Sierra Nevada antiform. Nevertheless, GPS results evidence: (1) shortening in the Sierra Nevada antiform is in its latest stages, and (2) the present-day fault shows normal with minor oblique dextral displacements. The recent change in Padul fault kinematics will be related to the present-day dominance of the ENE-WSW regional extension versus NNW-SSE shortening that produced the uplift and northwestwards displacement of Sierra Nevada antiform. This region illustrates the importance of heterogeneous brittle extensional tectonics in the latest uplift stages of compressional orogens, as well as the interaction of folding during the development of faults at shallow crustal levels.

Implications of new 40Ar/39Ar age of Mallapur Intrusives on the ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

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subvertical axial planes trend in the WNW - ESE direction; co-axial with a series of WNW-ESE trending shear zones/ faults (see Fig. 1). The folds are transected by NNW-SSE to NE-SW trending transverse faults resulting in cross-folding; adding to the structural complexity of the deformation in the central sector of the basin.

Interaction of the Zagros Fold-Thrust Belt and the Arabian-type, deep-seated folds in the Abadan Plain and the Dezful Embayment, SW Iran

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fard, Iraj Abdollahie [National Iranian Oil Co., Exploration Directorate, Tehran (Iran); Braathen, Alvar [Bergen Univ., Centre for Integrated Petroleum Research, Bergen (Norway); Mokhtari, Mohamad [International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology, Tehran (Iran); Alavi, Seyed Ahmad [Shahid Beheshti Univ., Earth Sciences Faculty, Tehran (Iran)

2006-07-01

The Dezful Embayment and Abadan Plain (SW Iran) contain major parts of the remaining Iranian oil reserves. These oil provinces are characterized by two types of structural closure: very gentle N-S- to NE-SW-trending basement-cored anticlines (Arabian-type highs) in the SE; and open to tight, NW-SE-trending thrust-related folds in the NE (Zagros Fold-Thrust Belt; ZFTB). Most deep-seated anticlines are upright and symmetrical in Cretaceous and older units. In some cases they reveal steep faults in their core which, in the light of regional observations, suggest that the basement is involved in the faulting. Untested plays around these anticlines include reefal build-ups, debris flows, truncated sedimentary sections and onlapping clastic units. The ZFTB shows a classic structural style, with overall shortening reflected in thrust displacement declining from the Dezful Embayment towards the frontal zone in the Abadan Plain. The Early Cambrian Hormuz Salt represents the fundamental sole for the fold-thrust belt and locates major fault-propagation folds in the southwestern Dezful Embayment. These folds represent the main petroleum target of the area. Another important unit is the Mid-Miocene Gachsaran Formation. This detachment reveals both in-sequence and out-of-sequence thrusting. Interaction of deep-seated anticlines and fold-thrust structures results in thrust imbrications and formation of duplexes within the Gachsaran Formation when thrusts abut deep-seated anticlines. Above the crest of the anticlines, thrusts are forced up-section into syn-tectonic deposits, whereas the forelimb reveals out-of-the-syncline thrusts. Several petroleum plays are identified in such zones of structural interaction, including anticlines above buttress-related duplexes, out-of-sequence imbricate thrust fans with associated folds above major anticlines, truncation of footwall layers below potentially sealing thrusts, and sub-thrust anticlines. (Author)

A contribution to better understanding of structural characteristics and tectonic phases of the Boč region, Periadriatic Fault Zone

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Lea Žibret

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to determine properties of the tectonic contact between Permian/Mesozoic limestones and less competent Miocene clastites on the northeastern foothill of the Boč Mt. Because fault planes signifiantly mark the relief, this contact was studied by a detailed structural mapping, which showed that the Boč Mt. is limited by subvertical faults in its northeastern part. To ensure that mapped subvertical contact is compatible with regional geodynamics of the area, additionally paleostress analysis of fault-slip data was performed. Four individual paleostress tensor groups were documented in a wider Boč area and compared by published structural data from the border zone between Alps, Dinarides and Pannonian Basin. The oldest paleostress tensor group (Phase 1 is likely of Lower and Middle Miocene age and indicates SW-NE extension accommodated by W-E to WNW-ESE striking normal faults. Phase 2 can be correlated with Middle to Late Miocene NW-SE to WNWESE directed extension accommodated by NNE-SSW striking normal faults. Phase 3 is correlated with Late Miocene W-E directed contraction accommodated by N-S striking sinistral faults and NNE-SSW to NE-SW striking dextral faults. The youngest paleostress tensor group (Phase 4 fis well with Pliocene to Quaternary NNW-SSE to N-S directed contraction accommodated by NW-SE to W-E striking dextral faults and NE-SW striking reverse faults. Since the documented paleostress phases fis well with the geodynamic processes of the Alps-Dinarides-Carpathians territory the subvertical border in the northeastern part of Boč Mt. seems to be an acceptable structural solution. The study is important because the study area is located at interaction zone between two major Alpine fault systems: the Periadriatic and the Lavanttal faults.

Acoustic and seismic imaging of the Adra Fault (NE Alboran Sea: in search of the source of the 1910 Adra earthquake

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E. Gràcia

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Recently acquired swath-bathymetry data and high-resolution seismic reflection profiles offshore Adra (Almería, Spain reveal the surficial expression of a NW–SE trending 20 km-long fault, which we termed the Adra Fault. Seismic imaging across the structure depicts a sub-vertical fault reaching the seafloor surface and slightly dipping to the NE showing an along-axis structural variability. Our new data suggest normal displacement of the uppermost units with probably a lateral component. Radiocarbon dating of a gravity core located in the area indicates that seafloor sediments are of Holocene age, suggesting present-day tectonic activity. The NE Alboran Sea area is characterized by significant low-magnitude earthquakes and by historical records of moderate magnitude, such as the M_w = 6.1 1910 Adra Earthquake. The location, dimension and kinematics of the Adra Fault agree with the fault solution and magnitude of the 1910 Adra Earthquake, whose moment tensor analysis indicates normal-dextral motion. The fault seismic parameters indicate that the Adra Fault is a potential source of large magnitude (M_w ≤ 6.5 earthquakes, which represents an unreported seismic hazard for the neighbouring coastal areas.

Correlations between radon in soil gas and the activity of seismogenic faults in the Tangshan area, North China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Xin; Li, Ying; Du, Jianguo; Zhou, Xiaocheng

2014-01-01

The spatial variation of soil gas radon values were correlated with the seismogenic faults and earthquakes in the Tangshan area (north China). Radon concentrations were measured at 756 sites in an area about 2500 km 2 from April to May 2010. The background and anomaly threshold values calculated were 4730.4 Bq/m 3 and 8294.1 Bq/m 3 , respectively. Radon concentrations highlight a decreasing gradient from NE to SW in the area. Higher values mostly distributed in the NE sector of the Tangshan fault and the Luanxian fault where the Tangshan (Ms 7.8), and Luanxian (MS 7.1) earthquakes occurred in 1976 and 17 earthquakes with MS = 3.0 occurred in this area since 2005. Radon values illustrated a close relation with the shallow fault trace and earthquake activity in the area. The active fault zones and the associated fractures formed by the larger earthquakes, act as paths for radon migration. - Highlights: • Radon concentrations at 756 sites were attained in the Tangshan area. • The background value and anomaly threshold of Rn were calculated out. • Radon concentration decreasing from NE to SW in the study area. • Rn value has a close relation with the fault and earthquake activity

Structural evolution and tectonic style of the Tunisian central Atlas; role of inherited faults in compressive tectonics (Ghoualguia anticline)

Science.gov (United States)

Briki, Haithem; Ahmadi, Riadh; Smida, Rabiaa; Rekhiss, Farhat

2018-04-01

Geological mapping, field cross sections, structural analyses and new subsurface data were used to characterize the geometry and tectonic setting of the Ghoualguia structure, which is an E-W-trending anticline located between the Kalaa Khasba and Rouhia troughs of the central Tunisian Atlas. The results show an important NE-SW extensional phase during the Mesozoic, as demonstrated by synsedimentary normal faults (NW-SE and E-W) and thickness variations. In the Aouled Mdoua area, the absence of Paleocene-Eocene rocks indicates that the eastern and western parts of the Ghoualguia structure were separated by high topography. In addition, the angular unconformity observed between the Upper Cretaceous unit (Abiod Fm.) and the upper Eocene series (Souar Fm.) provide evidence of a tilted-block structure delineated by North-South faults. A major compressional phase during the middle to late Miocene created various detachment levels that originated mainly in the Triassic and Cretaceous deposits. Faults were reactivated as thrust and strike-slip faults, creating fault-related fold structures. In the core of the Ghoualguia fold, an original S-dipping normal fault underwent reverse movement as a back thrust. Fault-slip data indicate that the area records a major NE-SW extensional phase that took place during the late Miocene and Pliocene. A balanced cross section provides insight into the existence of two main detachment levels rooted in the Triassic (depth ± 6 km) and the lower Cretaceous (depth ± 2.5 km). The balanced cross section highlights a shortening of about 2.5 km along cross section and 1.5 km in the central part of the Ghoualguia anticline. This work underlines the predominant role of the inherited Mesozoic structures during the evolution of the Atlassic range and their influence on the geometry of the central Tunisian atlas.

The 11 May 2011 earthquake at Lorca (SE Spain) viewed in a structural-tectonic context

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vissers, R.L.M.; Meijninger, B.M.L.

2011-01-01

The Lorca earthquake of 11 May 2011 in the Betic Cordillera of SE Spain occurred almost exactly on the Alhama de Murcia fault, a marked fault that forms part of a NE-SW trending belt of faults and thrusts. The fault belt is reminiscent of a strike-slip corridor, but recent structural studies have

Fault zone architecture within Miocene–Pliocene syn-rift sediments ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The present study focusses on field description of small normal fault zones in Upper Miocene–Pliocene sedimentary rocks on the northwestern side of the Red Sea, Egypt. The trend of these fault zones is mainly NW–SE. Paleostress analysis of 17 fault planes and slickenlines indicate that the tension direction is NE–SW.

Evidence for hydrothermal activity in the Andaman Backarc Basin

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Rao, P.S.; KameshRaju, K.A.; Ramprasad, T.; Nath, B.N.; Rao, B.R.; Rao, Ch.M.; Nair, R.R.

Multibeam bathymetric, magnetic, gravity and seismic surveys revealed a complex morphotectonic fabric of the Andaman Backare Basin with a spreading ridge, several seamounts and faults. The ridge trending SW-NE direction is segmented and shows...

Seismic Imaging of the West Napa Fault in Napa, California

Science.gov (United States)

Goldman, M.; Catchings, R.; Chan, J. H.; Sickler, R. R.; Nevitt, J. M.; Criley, C.

2017-12-01

In October 2016, we acquired high-resolution P- and S-wave seismic data along a 120-m-long, SW-NE-trending profile in Napa, California. Our seismic survey was designed to image a strand of the West Napa Fault Zone (WNFZ), which ruptured during the 24 August 2014 Mw 6.0 South Napa Earthquake. We separately acquired P- and S-wave data at every station using multiple hammer hits, which were edited and stacked into individual shot gathers in the lab. Each shot was co-located with and recorded by 118 P-wave (40-Hz) geophones, spaced at 1 m, and by 180 S-wave (4.5-Hz) geophones, spaced at 1 m. We developed both P- and S-wave tomographic velocity models, as well as Poisson's ratio and a Vp/Vs ratio models. We observed a well-defined zone of elevated Vp/Vs ratios below about 10 m depth, centered beneath the observed surface rupture. P-wave reflection images show that the fault forms a flower-structure in the upper few tens of meters. This method has been shown to delineate fault structures even in areas of rough terrain.

The Intersection between the Gloria Transform Fault and the Tore-Madeira Rise in the NE Atlantic: New Tectonic Insights from Analog Modeling Results

Science.gov (United States)

Rosas, F. M.; Tomas, R.; Duarte, J. C.; Schellart, W. P.; Terrinha, P.

2014-12-01

The intersection between the Gloria Fault (GF) and the Tore-Madeira rise (TMR) in NE Atlantic marks a transition from a discrete to a diffuse nature along a critical segment of the Eurasia/Africa plate boundary. To the West of such intersection, approximately since the Azores triple junction, this plate boundary is mostly characterized by a set of closely aligned and continuous strike-slip faults that make up the narrow active dextral transcurrent system of the GF (with high magnitude M>7 historical earthquakes). While intersecting the TMR the closely E-W trending trace of the GF system is slightly deflected (changing to WNW-ESE), and splays into several fault branches that often coincide with aligned (TMR related?) active volcanic plugs. The segment of the plate boundary between the TMR and the Gorringe Bank (further to the East) corresponds to a more complex (less discrete) tectonic configuration, within which the tectonic connection between the Gloria Fault and another major dextral transcurrent system (the so called SWIM system) occurs. This SWIM fault system has been described to extend even further to the East (almost until the Straits of Gibraltar) across the Gulf of Cadiz domain. In this domain the relative movement between the Eurasian and the African plates is thought to be accommodated through a diffuse manner, involving large scale strain partition between a dextral transcurrent fault-system (the SWIM system), and a set of active west-directed én-échelon major thrusts extending to the North along the SW Iberian margin. We present new analog modeling results, in which we employed different experimental settings to address (namely) the following main questions (as a first step to gain new insight on the tectonic evolution of the TRM-GF critical intersection area): Could the observed morphotectonic configuration of such intersection be simply caused by a bathymetric anomaly determined by a postulated thickened oceanic crust, or is it more compatible with

Structural control on gold mineralization in the Satulinmäki and Riukka prospects, Häme Schist Belt, southern Finland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kerstin Saalmann

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The Satulinmäki and Riukka prospects located in the Häme Schist Belt in southern Finland are dominated by mafic and intermediate to felsic metavolcanic rocks of the Forssa Group formed in a continental arc setting. This magmatic belt formed some 1890–1880 Ma ago and has been deformed during the Svecofennian orogeny. The dominant penetrative foliation is represented by Sn+1, which is axial planar to cm- to dm-scale iscolinal Fn+1 folds and thus parallel to the layering Sn. Associated ductile shearing might reflect early thrusting. Dn+2 post-dating peak metamorphism is characterized by small-scale to regional-scale refolding of Fn+1 folds around ~SW-NE fold axes. This phase is transitional to development of SW-NE to WSW-ENE and NW-SE striking shear zones and faults formed due to dextral transpressionduring Dn+3 at retrograde conditions crossing the brittle-ductile transition. Many mineralized quartz veins have formed during this event. Later faults and quartz veins and reactivation of pre-existing structures during Dn+4 indicate rotation of the stress field to ~NESWoriented compression. A clear ~SW-NE trend of sulphide mineralization and elevated gold contents and the spatial association to Dn+3 quartz veins, shear zones and faults suggest a strong structural control, typical of orogenic gold deposits, and that mineralization took place during Dn+3. The controlling structures, (i WSW-ENE to SW-NE shear zones and faults and (ii NW-SE oriented fault, are second and third order structures to major regional-scale shear zones. The fault zones and their intersection points impart a directional permeability so that the mineralising fluids were channelled along dilatant zones. Approximately (WNW-(ESE trending faults being (reactivated as extensional faults or dilatant shear planes during Dn+3 transpression with WNW-ESE to NW-SE oriented compression direction could have acted as conduits for fluids during upward flow from deeper crustal level. Future

Slip Potential of Faults in the Fort Worth Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Hennings, P.; Osmond, J.; Lund Snee, J. E.; Zoback, M. D.

2017-12-01

Similar to other areas of the southcentral United States, the Fort Worth Basin of NE Texas has experienced an increase in the rate of seismicity which has been attributed to injection of waste water in deep saline aquifers. To assess the hazard of induced seismicity in the basin we have integrated new data on location and character of previously known and unknown faults, stress state, and pore pressure to produce an assessment of fault slip potential which can be used to investigate prior and ongoing earthquake sequences and for development of mitigation strategies. We have assembled data on faults in the basin from published sources, 2D and 3D seismic data, and interpretations provided from petroleum operators to yield a 3D fault model with 292 faults ranging in strike-length from 116 to 0.4 km. The faults have mostly normal geometries, all cut the disposal intervals, and most are presumed to cut into the underlying crystalline and metamorphic basement. Analysis of outcrops along the SW flank of the basin assist with geometric characterization of the fault systems. The interpretation of stress state comes from integration of wellbore image and sonic data, reservoir stimulation data, and earthquake focal mechanisms. The orientation of SHmax is generally uniform across the basin but stress style changes from being more strike-slip in the NE part of the basin to normal faulting in the SW part. Estimates of pore pressure come from a basin-scale hydrogeologic model as history-matched to injection test data. With these deterministic inputs and appropriate ranges of uncertainty we assess the conditional probability that faults in our 3D model might slip via Mohr-Coulomb reactivation in response to increases in injected-related pore pressure. A key component of the analysis is constraining the uncertainties associated with each of the principal parameters. Many of the faults in the model are interpreted to be critically-stressed within reasonable ranges of uncertainty.

Ams Fabric and Deformation of The Jawornik Granitoids In The Zloty Stok - Skrzynka Deformation Zone (sudetes, SW Poland)- Preliminary Interpretations.

Science.gov (United States)

Werner, T.; Bialek, D.

Jawornik granitoids comprise the NE-SW trending sequences of the 1cm up to 1 km thick granitoid veins surrounded by schists and gneisses of the Zloty Stok - Skrzynka deformation zone in Eastern Sudetes (SW Poland). According to conflicting theories granitoids are of magmatic origin or were formed from blastomylonitic rocks that underwent multiphase deformation. AMS studies were performed for the 53 sites lo- calized within granitoid veins and within the surrounding gneisses. AMS foliations for granitoid veins of various thickness as well as for gneisses dip at moderate to steep an- gles to N-NW. AMS lineations in the surrounding gneisses plunge subhorizontally to NE-SW that reflects the regional NE-SW shearing components. Magnetic lineations for sites within wider veins of granitoids plunge at low angles (mostly from S to W) but with more varying trends between sites. Mezoscopic tectonic foliations are record- able only in 50% of sites. They show good correlation with AMS planar fabric on the site scale. The uniformity of AMS fabric on the site scale and high AMS anisotropy within all sites (P of 1.05-1.30, T of 0.3-0.6 on average) suggest syntectonic gener- ation of granitoids. Further interpretations of the AMS and tectonic fabrics will be performed when microtectonic studies and chemical analyses results are available.

Nature of the Campano-Maastrichtian Sub-Basins in the Gongola ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The main structural features of the western part of Gongola Basin from E-W, are the N-S, NE-SW and NW-SE trending faults. These series of faults controll the basin subsidence and deposition of the Campano-Maastrichtian succession in the Dukku, Akko and Bashar sub-basins.The lateral and vertical facies variation within ...

Strike-slip faults offshore southern Taiwan: implications for the oblique arc-continent collision processes

Science.gov (United States)

Fuh, Shi-Chie; Liu, Char-Shine; Lundberg, Neil; Reed, Donald L.

1997-06-01

Taiwan is the site of present-day oblique arc-continent collision between the Luzon arc of the Philippine Sea plate and the Chinese continental margin. The major structural pattern revealed from marine geophysical studies in the area offshore southern Taiwan is that of a doubly-vergent orogenic belt, bounded by significant zones of thrusting on the west and east of the submarine accretionary wedge. Due to the oblique collision process, strike-slip faults could play an important role in this convergent domain. Topographic lineaments revealed from new digital bathymetry data and seismic reflection profiles confirm the existence of three sets of strike-slip faults in the collision-subduction zone offshore southern Taiwan: the N-S-trending left-lateral strike-slip faults within the Luzon volcanic arc, the NE-SW-trending right-lateral strike-slip faults across the accretionary wedge, and the NNE-SSW-trending left-lateral strike-slip faults lie in the frontal portion of the accretionary wedge. These strike-slip faults overprint pre-existing folds and thrusts and may convert into oblique thrusts or thrusts as the forearc blocks accrete to the mountain belt. A bookshelf rotation model is used to explain the observed geometrical relationships of these strike-slip fault systems. Based on this model, the counter-clockwise rotation of the forearc blocks in the area offshore southern Taiwan could have caused extrusion of the accretionary wedge material into the forearc basin. The originally continuous forearc basin is thus deformed into several closed and separate proto-collisional basins such as the Southern Longitudinal Trough and Taitung Trough. A tectonic evolution model which emphasizes on the development of various structures at different stages of the oblique arc-continent collision for the Taiwan mountain belt is proposed.

Constraining fault activity by investigating tectonically-deformed Quaternary palaeoshorelines using a synchronous correlation method: the Capo D'Orlando Fault as a case study (NE Sicily, Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Meschis, Marco; Roberts, Gerald P.; Robertson, Jennifer

2016-04-01

Long-term curstal extension rates, accommodated by active normal faults, can be constrained by investigating Late Quaternary vertical movements. Sequences of marine terraces tectonically deformed by active faults mark the interaction between tectonic activity, sea-level changes and active faulting throughout the Quaternary (e.g. Armijo et al., 1996, Giunta et al, 2011, Roberts et al., 2013). Crustal deformation can be calculated over multiple seismic cycles by mapping Quaternary tectonically-deformed palaeoshorelines, both in the hangingwall and footwall of active normal faults (Roberts et al., 2013). Here we use a synchronous correlation method between palaeoshorelines elevations and the ages of sea-level highstands (see Roberts et al., 2013 for further details) which takes advantage of the facts that (i) sea-level highstands are not evenly-spaced in time, yet must correlate with palaeoshorelines that are commonly not evenly-spaced in elevation, and (ii) that older terraces may be destroyed and/or overprinted by younger highstands, so that the next higher or lower paleoshoreline does not necessarily correlate with the next older or younger sea-level highstand. We investigated a flight of Late Quaternary marine terraces deformed by normal faulting as a result of the Capo D'Orlando Fault in NE Sicily (e.g. Giunta et al., 2011). This fault lies within the Calabrian Arc which has experienced damaging seismic events such as the 1908 Messina Straits earthquake ~ Mw 7. Our mapping and previous mapping (Giunta et al. (2011) demonstrate that the elevations of marine terraces inner edges change along the strike the NE - SW oriented normal fault. This confirms active deformation on the Capo D'Orlando Fault, strongly suggesting that it should be added into the Database of Individual Seismogenic Sources (DISS, Basili et al., 2008). Giunta et al. (2011) suggested that uplift rates and hence faults lip-rates vary through time for this examples. We update the ages assigned to

Late Quaternary faulting in the Vallo di Diano basin (southern Apennines, Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Villani, F.; Pierdominici, S.; Cinti, F. R.

2009-12-01

The Vallo di Diano is the largest Quaternary extensional basin in the southern Apennines thrust-belt axis (Italy). This portion of the chain is highly seismic and is currently subject to NE-extension, which triggers large (M> 6) normal-faulting earthquakes along NW-trending faults. The eastern edge of the Vallo di Diano basin is bounded by an extensional fault system featuring three main NW-trending, SW-dipping, right-stepping, ~15-17 km long segments (from north to south: Polla, Atena Lucana-Sala Consilina and Padula faults). Holocene activity has been documented so far only for the Polla segment. We have therefore focused our geomorphological and paleoseismological study on the southern portion of the system, particularly along the ~ 4 km long Atena Lucana-Sala Consilina and Padula faults overlap zone. The latter is characterized by a complex system of coalescent alluvial fans, Middle Pleistocene to Holocene in age. Here we recognized a > 4 km long and 0.5-1.4 km wide set of scarps (ranging in height between 1 m and 2.5 m) affecting Late Pleistocene - Holocene alluvial fans. In the same area, two Late Pleistocene volcanoclastic layers at the top of an alluvial fan exposed in a quarry are affected by ~ 1 m normal displacements. Moreover, a trench excavated across a 2 m high scarp affecting a Holocene fan revealed warping of Late Holocene debris flow deposits, with a total vertical throw of about 0.3 m. We therefore infer the overlap zone of the Atena Lucana-Sala Consilina and Padula faults is a breached relay ramp, generated by hard-linkage of the two fault segments since Late Pleistocene. This ~ 32 km long fault system is active and is capable of generating Mw ≥6.5 earthquakes.

Extensional Tectonics of SW Anatolia In relation to Slab Edge Processes in the Eastern Mediterranean

Science.gov (United States)

Kaymakci, N.; Özacar, A.; Langereis, C. G.; Ozkaptan, M.; Koç, A.; Uzel, B.; Gulyuz, E.; Sözbilir, H.

2017-12-01

The tectonics of SW Anatolia is expressed in terms of emplacement of Lycian Nappes during the Eocene to Middle Miocene and synconvergent extension as part of the Aegean-West Anatolian extensional tectonic regime. Recent studies identified that there is a tear in the northwards subducting African Oceanic lithosphere along the Pliny-Strabo Trenches (PST). Such tears are coined as Subduction Transform-Edge Propagator (STEP) faults developed high angle to trenches. Hypothetically, the evolution of a STEP fault is somewhat similar to strike-slip fault zones and resultant asymmetric role-back of the subducting slab leads to differential block rotations and back arc type extension on the overriding plate. Recent studies claimed that the tear along the PST propagated NE on-land and developed Fethiye-Burdur Fault/Shear Zone (FBFZ) in SW Turkey. We have conducted a rigorous paleomagnetic study containing more than 3000 samples collected from 88 locations and 11700 fault slip data sets from 198 locations distributed evenly all over SW Anatolia spanning from Middle Miocene to Late Pliocene to test if FBFZ ever existed. The results show that there is slight (20°) counter-clockwise rotation distributed uniformly almost whole SW Anatolia and there is no change in the rotation senses and amounts on either side of the FBFZ implying no differential rotation within the zone. Additionally, constructed paleostress configurations, along the so-called FBFZ and within the 300 km diameter of the proposed fault zone, indicated that almost all the faults that are parallel to subparallel to the zone are almost pure normal faults similar to earthquake focal mechanisms suggesting active extension in the region. It is important to note that we have not encountered any significant strike-slip motion parallel to so-called "FBFZ" to support presence and transcurrent nature of it. On the contrary, the region is dominated by extensional deformation and strike-slip components are observed only on the

The geology of uranium mineralization at Mika, N.E. Nigeria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Funtua, I.I.; Okujeni, C.P.; Elegba, S.B.

1995-01-01

The Uranium mineralization at Mike is located near Zing in Taraba State, N.E., Nigeria. The host rock consist of a sheared Pan-African medium-grained granite which is in places intruded by rhyolite and siliceous veins. Numerous joints, faults and fractures criss-cut the area. Some of the fractures are filled with secondary quartz. The ore occurs in two parallel N-S trending shear Zones with the western limb hosting a rhyolite body. Drill section reveals a subsurface extension of the mineralization. In the upper limb, mineralization consisting of metal autunite and coffinite occurs associated with the rhyolite body. In lower ore limb meta-autunite, coffinite and pitchblende occur along a set of two parallel shear surface. The pitchblende occurs massive and as vein lets in association with sulphides. The ore body is marked by distinct hydrothermal alteration zones which feature sericitization, silicification, hematization and kaolination. Reactivated regional structures of NE-SW and the N140oE and N170E played an important role in the formation of Mika mineralization. These acted as channel and as mechanical barrier for the mineralization fluid. The bimodal magmatism of the Burashika group is postulated to be related to the process of mineralization in view of the ubiquitous rhyolite in the mineralized bodies

GIS based 3D visualization of subsurface and surface lineaments / faults and their geological significance, northern tamil nadu, India

Science.gov (United States)

Saravanavel, J.; Ramasamy, S. M.

2014-11-01

The study area falls in the southern part of the Indian Peninsular comprising hard crystalline rocks of Archaeozoic and Proterozoic Era. In the present study, the GIS based 3D visualizations of gravity, magnetic, resistivity and topographic datasets were made and therefrom the basement lineaments, shallow subsurface lineaments and surface lineaments/faults were interpreted. These lineaments were classified as category-1 i.e. exclusively surface lineaments, category-2 i.e. surface lineaments having connectivity with shallow subsurface lineaments and category-3 i.e. surface lineaments having connectivity with shallow subsurface lineaments and basement lineaments. These three classified lineaments were analyzed in conjunction with known mineral occurrences and historical seismicity of the study area in GIS environment. The study revealed that the category-3 NNE-SSW to NE-SW lineaments have greater control over the mineral occurrences and the N-S, NNE-SSW and NE-SW, faults/lineaments control the seismicities in the study area.

Near N-S paleo-extension in the western Deccan region, India: Does it link strike-slip tectonics with India-Seychelles rifting?

Science.gov (United States)

Misra, Achyuta Ayan; Bhattacharya, Gourab; Mukherjee, Soumyajit; Bose, Narayan

2014-09-01

This is the first detailed report and analyses of deformation from the W part of the Deccan large igneous province (DLIP), Maharashtra, India. This deformation, related to the India-Seychelles rifting during Late Cretaceous-Early Paleocene, was studied, and the paleostress tensors were deduced. Near N-S trending shear zones, lineaments, and faults were already reported without significant detail. An E-W extension was envisaged by the previous workers to explain the India-Seychelles rift at ~64 Ma. The direction of extension, however, does not match with their N-S brittle shear zones and also those faults (sub-vertical, ~NE-SW/~NW-SE, and few ~N-S) we report and emphasize in this work. Slickenside-bearing fault planes, brittle shear zones, and extension fractures in meso-scale enabled us to estimate the paleostress tensors (directions and relative magnitudes). The field study was complemented by remote sensing lineament analyses to map dykes and shear zones. Dykes emplaced along pre-existing ~N-S to ~NE-SW/~NW-SE shears/fractures. This information was used to derive regional paleostress trends. A ~NW-SE/NE-SW minimum compressive stress in the oldest Kalsubai Subgroup and a ~N-S direction for the younger Lonavala, Wai, and Salsette Subgroups were deciphered. Thus, a ~NW/NE to ~N-S extension is put forward that refutes the popular view of E-W India-Seychelles extension. Paleostress analyses indicate that this is an oblique rifted margin. Field criteria suggest only ~NE-SW and ~NW-SE, with some ~N-S strike-slip faults/brittle shear zones. We refer this deformation zone as the "Western Deccan Strike-slip Zone" (WDSZ). The observed deformation was matched with offshore tectonics deciphered mainly from faults interpreted on seismic profiles and from magnetic seafloor spreading anomalies. These geophysical findings too indicate oblique rifting in this part of the W Indian passive margin. We argue that the Seychelles microcontinent separated from India only after much of

Fault plane solutions of the January 26th, 2001 Bhuj earthquake ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Fault-plane solutions of the best- located and selected cluster of events that occurred along the NE trend, at a depth of 15-38 km, show reverse faulting with a large left-lateral strike-slip motion, which are comparable with the main-shock solution. The NW trending upper crustal aftershocks at depth < 10 km, on the other hand ...

Graben structure in the Las Cañadas edifice (Tenerife, Canary Islands): implications for active degassing and insights on the caldera formation

Science.gov (United States)

Galindo, Inés; Soriano, Carles; Martí, Joan; Pérez, Nemesio

2005-06-01

A graben structure has been identified at the western area of the Las Cañadas caldera wall, here referred as the Los Azulejos Graben. This graben is 1 km wide and is bounded by two major normal faults trending NE-SW, the Los Azulejos Fault and the Ucanca Fault. The graben was active for at least 0.5 Ma, from the end of the Ucanca Fm to the end of the Guajara Fm, and before the collapse of the Las Cañadas edifice that formed the western caldera. A right-lateral transtension regime operated in the graben as suggested by small fault orientations and kinematics. The prolongation of the NE rift zone of Tenerife to the Cañadas edifice is the most likely volcano-tectonic scenario for the graben. In this context, inflation of phonolitic shallow magma chambers may have produced reverse faults and reactivation of normal faults. An intense and widespread hydrothermal alteration, here called Azulejos-type, occurred mainly before the graben formation, while a fault-related hydrothermal alteration occurred during and after the graben. Diffuse carbon dioxide and hydrogen degassing in and around the Las Cañadas caldera show relatively enriched values along a NE-SW trend suggesting that faults in the Los Azulejos Graben act as a pathway for deep-seated gases to the surface. Diffuse degassing and hydrothermalism indicate that the graben area has been a zone of intense fluid circulation during the evolution of the Las Cañadas edifice.

Structural observations from the Canavese Fault west of Valle d'Ossola (Piemonte) and some time constraints

Science.gov (United States)

Pleuger, Jan; Mancktelow, Neil

2010-05-01

The Canavese Fault (CF) is the SW part of the most important fault system in the Alps, the Periadriatic Fault. The CF has a complex kinematic history involving an older stage of NW-side-up faulting and a younger stage of SE-side-up plus dextral faulting in the area of Valle d'Ossola (Schmid et al. 1987). There, shearing occurred under greenschist-facies conditions and the fault is a c. 1 km thick mylonite zone. Toward SW, faulting took place under progressively lower temperatures and the volume of rocks affected by S-side-up plus dextral shearing becomes larger at the expense of the N-side-up mylonites. S of Valle Sesia, brittle fault rocks dominate over mylonites. Still further SW, close to the Serra d'Ivrea, the CF splits into two branches, the Internal Canavese Fault (ICF) and the External Canavese Fault (ECF). S-side-up plus dextral faulting is localised along the ICF while the observed displacement senses at the ECF are mostly, though not always, N-side-up and sinistral. Age constraints for faulting along the CF are mostly derived from absolute ages of magmatic rocks exposed alongside or within the fault. In the section around Biella, NW-side-up faulting cannot have lasted longer than until 31±2 Ma (Scheuring et al. 1974) because this is the age of andesites overlying the basement of the Penninic Sesia Zone. However, some additional uplift of the Sesia Zone with respect to the South Alpine Ivrea Zone was accommodated by down-to-the-SE tilting of the Sesia zone around a roughly NNE-SSW-trending subhorizontal axis which is evidenced by palaeomagnetic data (Lanza 1977). As a result of that, the Early Oligocene Biella Pluton (c. 31 Ma, Romer et al. 1996) today occupies a similar altitude level as the andesites of the same age. Post-31-Ma uplift of the Ivrea Zone with respect to the andesites is evidenced by the Early Oligocene (29-33 Ma, Carraro & Ferrara 1968) Miagliano Pluton which is hosted by the Ivrea Zone rocks and exposed at the present topographic surface

Study of the epicentral trends and depth sections for aftershocks of ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

R. Narasimhan (Krishtel eMaging) 1461 1996 Oct 15 13:05:22

2001-01-26

Jan 26, 2001 ... war trend and ENE-WSW Satpura trend as shown in figure 1. The NE-SW ... and terminates in the Gulf of Kutch. A few more lineaments along this ..... mitting us to present this paper in the international seminar at New Delhi.

Structural development and stress evolution of an arcuate fold-and-thrust system, southwestern Greater Caucasus, Republic of Georgia

Science.gov (United States)

Tibaldi, A.; Bonali, F. L.; Russo, E.; Pasquarè Mariotto, F. A.

2018-05-01

The southern front of the Greater Caucasus is quite rectilinear in plan view, with the exception of part of the Rioni Basin, where marine and continental deposits of Cretaceous-Neogene age were locally folded and uplifted; this resulted in the formation of an arcuate fold-and-thrust system that extends 45 km into the foreland. Although previous studies suggested that this system has developed only since Miocene times, our new detailed and systematic field measurements of brittle and ductile structures show a very complex history, consisting in four main phases of brittle deformation and folding, dated from Eocene to Quaternary times. We collected microtectonic data at 248 faults, and calculated the related paleostress tensors. The first two phases which we document here, predated folding and were characterised by dominant transcurrent faulting and subordinate reverse motions; the greatest principal stress σ1 was perpendicular and later parallel to the mountain belt. Afterwards, NW-SE, E-W and NE-SW trending, south-vergent asymmetrical folds started to form. In the western sector of the study area, folds are sinuous in plan view, whereas to the east they show a left-stepping, en-échelon geometry. Another two, brittle deformation phases took place after the folding, due to the activity of a set of right-lateral, strike-slip faults that strike NW-SE and NE-SW, respectively, as well as by left-lateral strike-slip faults, mostly striking NW-SE, NE-SW and NNE-SSW. These two additional phases were produced by a NE-SW to N-S trending σ1. The arcuate belt is marked by along-strike variations in the tectonic regime and deformation geometry, plus belt-parallel stretching. Based on our field data, integrated with published analogue models, we suggest a possible explanation for the Rioni structure, in terms of the oblique, asymmetric indentation of an upper crustal blocks moving to the SSW.

ESR dating of the fault rocks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Hee Kwon

2005-01-01

We carried out ESR dating of fault rocks collected near the nuclear reactor. The Upcheon fault zone is exposed close to the Ulzin nuclear reactor. The space-time pattern of fault activity on the Upcheon fault deduced from ESR dating of fault gouge can be summarised as follows : this fault zone was reactivated between fault breccia derived from Cretaceous sandstone and tertiary volcanic sedimentary rocks about 2 Ma, 1.5 Ma and 1 Ma ago. After those movements, the Upcheon fault was reactivated between Cretaceous sandstone and fault breccia zone about 800 ka ago. This fault zone was reactivated again between fault breccia derived form Cretaceous sandstone and Tertiary volcanic sedimentary rocks about 650 ka and after 125 ka ago. These data suggest that the long-term(200-500 k.y.) cyclic fault activity of the Upcheon fault zone continued into the Pleistocene. In the Ulzin area, ESR dates from the NW and EW trend faults range from 800 ka to 600 ka NE and EW trend faults were reactivated about between 200 ka and 300 ka ago. On the other hand, ESR date of the NS trend fault is about 400 ka and 50 ka. Results of this research suggest the fault activity near the Ulzin nuclear reactor fault activity continued into the Pleistocene. One ESR date near the Youngkwang nuclear reactor is 200 ka

Strike-Slip Fault Deformation and Its Control in Hydrocarbon Trapping in Ketaling Area, Jambi Subbasin, Indonesia

Science.gov (United States)

Ramadhan, Aldis; Badai Samudra, Alexis; Jaenudin; Puji Lestari, Enik; Saputro, Julian; Sugiono; Hirosiadi, Yosi; Amrullah, Indi

2018-03-01

Geologically, Ketaling area consists of a local high considered as flexure margin of Tempino-Kenali Asam Deep in west part and graben in east part also known as East Ketaling Deep. Numerous proven plays were established in Ketaling area with reservoir in early Miocene carbonate and middle Miocene sand. This area underwent several major deformations. Faults are developed widely, yet their geometrical features and mechanisms of formation remained so far indistinct, which limited exploration activities. With new three-dimensional seismic data acquired in 2014, this area evidently interpreted as having strike-slip mechanism. The objective of this study is to examine characteristic of strike slip fault and its affect to hydrocarbon trapping in Ketaling Area. Structural pattern and characteristic of strike slip fault deformation was examined with integration of normal seismic with variance seismic attribute analysis and the mapping of Syn-rift to Post-rift horizon. Seismic flattening on 2D seismic cross section with NW-SE direction is done to see the structural pattern related to horst (paleohigh) and graben. Typical flower structure, branching strike-slip fault system and normal fault in synrift sediment clearly showed in section. An echelon pattern identified from map view as the result of strike slip mechanism. Detail structural geology analysis show the normal fault development which has main border fault in the southern of Ketaling area dipping to the Southeast-East with NE-SW lineament. These faults related to rift system in Ketaling area. NW-SE folds with reactive NE-SW fault which act as hydrocarbon trapping in the shallow zone. This polyphase tectonic formed local graben, horst and inverted structure developed a good kitchen area (graben) and traps (horst, inverted structure). Subsequently, hydrocarbon accumulation potentials such as basement fractures, inverted syn-rift deposit and shallow zone are very interesting to explore in this area.

A deep crustal fluid channel into the San Andreas Fault system near Parkfield, California

Science.gov (United States)

Becken, M.; Ritter, O.; Park, S.K.; Bedrosian, P.A.; Weckmann, U.; Weber, M.

2008-01-01

basement to the SW of the SAFOD represents an isolated body, being 5-8km wide and reaching to depths >7km, in agreement with aeromagnetic data. This body is separated from a massive block of Salinian crust farther to the SW. The NE terminus of resistive Salinian crust has a spatial relationship with a near-vertical zone of increased seismic reflectivity ???15km SW of the SAF and likely represents a deep-reaching fault zone. ?? 2008 The Authors Journal compilation ?? 2008 RAS.

Investigation of Regional Fractures and Cu Mineralization Relationships in the Khezrabad and Shahr-e-Babak Area: Using Fry and Fractal analysis

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Alireza Zarasvandi

2015-10-01

such linear trends occur at a characteristic spacing. There is 37 and 42 copper point's index in the Khezr-Abad and Shar-B-Babak areas. The Fry patterns of copper index for two areas were determined with application of Dot Proc software. Fractal analysis is another technique for determination of regional distribution of faults. In this research the fractal dimension of joints and faults was determined in different locations using box-counting fractal method and drawing the logarithmic graphs. Results - The major faults show NW/SE trends in the Khezr-Abad area. They have a similar trend with Dehshir-Baft fault. Other sets of faults show NE/SW trend. These faults are younger than the Dehshir-Baft and release sinistral sense of shear. - Intrusion of two intrusive bodies leads to the accumulation of strike-slip faults in the vicinity of intrusive rocks. In this region faults and joints mainly show NW/SE and NE/SW trends. - The results of Fry analysis show that the mineralization in the Khezr-Abad occurred in the Cretaceous (and younger rocks with NE/SW and NW/SE orientations. In the other words, these areas of mineralization are mainly related to the secondary faults or (P faults in the pull basins and cross cutting points of these faults which have similar strike with the Dehshir-Baft fault. NE/SW mineralization is probably related to the tensional stress direction or faults having the general trends of central Iran structures. - The calculations of fractal dimension show that the southeastern parts of the Khezr Abad have higher amounts of fractal dimension (Db= 1.7002. Also there is a relatively higher copper index in this part, indicating a logical relation between fault structures and mineralization. -The generated maps indicate that the mineralization in the Shahr-e-Babak area occurred at the intersection of faults and volcanic system and the Fry analysis shows a NE/SW and NW/SE trend of ore concentration. - Northwestern parts of the Share-e-Babak show higher fractal

Fault fluid evolution at the outermost edges of the southern Apennines fold-and-thrust belt, Italy

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Agosta, Fabrizio; Belviso, Claudia; Cavalcante, Francesco; Vita Petrullo, Angela

2017-04-01

This work focuses on the structural architecture and mineralization of a high-angle, extensional fault zone that crosscuts the Middle Pleistocene tuffs and pyroclastites of the Vulture Volcano, southern Italy. This fault zone is topped by a few m-thick travertine deposit formed by precipitation, in a typical lacustrine depositional environment, from a fault fluid that included a mixed, biogenic- and mantle-derived CO2. The detailed analysis of its different mineralization can shed new lights into the shallow crustal fluid flow that took place during deformation of the outer edge of the southern Apennines fold-and-thrust belt. In fact, the study fault zone is interpreted as a shallow-seated, tear fault associated with a shallow thrust fault displacing the most inner portion of the Bradano foredeep basin infill, and was thus active during the latest stages of contractional deformation. Far from the fault zone, the fracture network is made up of three high-angle joint sets striking N-S, E-W and NW-SE, respectively. The former two sets can be interpreted as the older structural elements that pre-dated the latter one, which is likely due to the current stress state that affects the whole Italian peninsula. In the vicinity of the fault zone, a fourth joint high-angle set striking NE-SW is also present, which becomes the most dominant fracture set within the study footwall fault damage zone. Detailed X-ray diffraction analysis of the powder obtained from hand specimens representative of the multiple mineralization present within the fault zone, and in the surrounding volcanites, are consistent with circulation of a fault fluid that modified its composition with time during the latest stages of volcanic activity and contractional deformation. Specifically, veins infilled with and slickenside coated by jarosite, Opal A and/or goethite are found in the footwall fault damage zone. Based upon the relative timing of formation of the aforementioned joint sets, deciphered after

Variations of soil radon and thoron concentrations in a fault zone and prospective earthquakes in SW Taiwan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, T.F.; Walia, V.; Chyi, L.L.; Fu, C.C.; Chen, C.-H.; Liu, T.K.; Song, S.R.; Lee, C.Y.; Lee, M.

2005-01-01

An automatic station for soil gas monitoring was set up on an active fault zone of SW Taiwan. After more than one year of continuous measurements, some spike-like anomalous high radon and thoron concentrations could be observed. A similar soil radon spectrum was also obtained from an independent monitoring station, which was only 100m away. These anomalous peaks usually occurred a few days or weeks before the earthquakes (M L >=4.5). This indicates that variations of both soil radon and thoron can serve as useful tools for earthquake surveillance, esp. at fault zones

Seismicity and Seismotectonic Properties of The Sultandağı Fault Zone (Afyonkarahisar-Konya): Western Anatolia,Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

Kalafat, D.; Gunes, Y.; Kekovali, K.; Kara, M.; Gorgun, E.

2017-12-01

n this study we investigated seismicity and source characteristics of the Sultandağı Fault Zone (SFZ). As known Western Anatolia is one of the most important seismically active region in Turkey. The relative movement of the African-Arabian plates, it causes the Anatolian Plate to movement to the west-Southwest direction 2.5 cm per year and this result provides N-S direction with extensional regime in the recent tectonic. In this study, especially with the assessment of seismic activity occurring in Afyon and around between 200-2002 years, we have been evaluated to date with seismic activity as well as fault mechanism solution. We analyzed recent seismicity and distribution of earthquakes in this region. In the last century, 3 important earthquakes occurred in the Sultandağı Fault zone (Afyon-Akşehir Graben), this result shown it was seismic active and broken fault segments caused stress balance in the region and it caused to occur with short intervals of earthquakes in 2000 and 2002, triggering each other. The scope of this tudy, we installed new BB stations in the region and we have been done of the fault plane solutions for important earthquakes. The focal mechanisms clearly exhibit the activation of a NE-SW trending normal faulting system along the SFZ region. The results of stress analysis showed that the effective current tectonic evolution of normal faulting in this region. This study is supported by Bogazici University Research Projects Commission under SRP/BAP project No. 12280. Key Words: Sultandağı fault zone, normal faulting, seismicity, fault mechanism

Seismicity and Tectonics of the West Kaibab Fault Zone, AZ

Science.gov (United States)

Wilgus, J. T.; Brumbaugh, D. S.

2014-12-01

The West Kaibab Fault Zone (WKFZ) is the westernmost bounding structure of the Kaibab Plateau of northern Arizona. The WKFZ is a branching complex of high angle, normal faults downthrown to the west. There are three main faults within the WKFZ, the Big Springs fault with a maximum of 165 m offset, the Muav fault with 350 m of displacement, and the North Road fault having a maximum throw of approximately 90 m. Mapping of geologically recent surface deposits at or crossing the fault contacts indicates that the faults are likely Quaternary with the most recent offsets occurring one of the most seismically active areas in Arizona and lies within the Northern Arizona Seismic Belt (NASB), which stretches across northern Arizona trending NW-SE. The data set for this study includes 156 well documented events with the largest being a M5.75 in 1959 and including a swarm of seven earthquakes in 2012. The seismic data set (1934-2014) reveals that seismic activity clusters in two regions within the study area, the Fredonia cluster located in the NW corner of the study area and the Kaibab cluster located in the south central portion of the study area. The fault plane solutions to date indicate NE-SW to EW extension is occurring in the study area. Source relationships between earthquakes and faults within the WKFZ have not previously been studied in detail. The goal of this study is to use the seismic data set, the available data on faults, and the regional physiography to search for source relationships for the seismicity. Analysis includes source parameters of the earthquake data (location, depth, and fault plane solutions), and comparison of this output to the known faults and areal physiographic framework to indicate any active faults of the WKFZ, or suggested active unmapped faults. This research contributes to a better understanding of the present nature of the WKFZ and the NASB as well.

Integrated geophysical studies on the area east of Abu Gharadig basin, southern Cairo, Egypt, using potential field data

Science.gov (United States)

El-Awady, Mohammed Mohamed; El-Badrawy, Hussein Tawfek; Abuo El-Ela, Amin Mohamed; Solimaan, Mohamed Refaat; Alrefaee, Hamed Abdelhamid; Elbowab, Mostafa

2016-12-01

Potential field data of the area east of Abu Gharadig basin were used to delineate the tectonic framework of probable economic interest and for future development plans for the area. To achieve this goal, the RTP and Bouguer gravity maps of the study area were subjected to several filtering and processing techniques. The regional magnetic map shows NE-SW high regional magnetic trends at the northwestern and southeastern parts as well as low magnetic trends at the central part reflecting thick non-magnetized sediments and/or deep highly magnetized basement rocks. Similarly, the regional gravity map shows NE-SW diagonal high and low gravity trends across the entire area of study as well as a distinct increase of gravity values toward the northwest corner reflecting thickening of sedimentary cover and/or deepening of denser basement rock at the central part. The residual maps reveal many anomalies of shallow sources with different polarities, amplitudes and extensions in the form of alternating high and low gravity and magnetic indicating that the basement rocks are dissected by faults forming uplifted and downthrown blocks. Edge detection techniques outlined effectively the boarders and extensions of the structural highs and lows through showing gravity and magnetic maxima over the edges of these tectonic features. Moreover, the River Nile course is controlled by shallow normal faults affecting the recent Nile sediments and is clearly shown by edge detection maps of gravity data. Euler deconvolution of magnetic and gravity data reveals clustering of solution along fault trends or causative bodies centers. The Euler depth estimate to the basement surface shows a good correlation with the depth determined by the power spectrum method where its value ranges around 4 km. The interpreted basement tectonic map of the study area is dominated by ENE-WSW Syrian Arc, NW-SE Gulf of Suez and Red Sea, NE-SW Aqaba, E-W Mediterranean and N-S East Africa tectonic trends. The older

Novel Coupled Thermochronometric and Geochemical Investigation of Blind Geothermal Resources in Fault-Controlled Dilational Corners

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stockli, Daniel [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)

2017-02-17

Geothermal plays in extensional and transtensional tectonic environments have long been a major target in the exploration of geothermal resources and the Dixie Valley area has served as a classic natural laboratory for this type of geothermal plays. In recent years, the interactions between normal faults and strike-slip faults, acting either as strain relay zones have attracted significant interest in geothermal exploration as they commonly result in fault-controlled dilational corners with enhanced fracture permeability and thus have the potential to host blind geothermal prospects. Structural ambiguity, complications in fault linkage, etc. often make the selection for geothermal exploration drilling targets complicated and risky. Though simplistic, the three main ingredients of a viable utility-grade geothermal resource are heat, fluids, and permeability. Our new geological mapping and fault kinematic analysis derived a structural model suggest a two-stage structural evolution with (a) middle Miocene N -S trending normal faults (faults cutting across the modern range), - and tiling Olio-Miocene volcanic and sedimentary sequences (similar in style to East Range and S Stillwater Range). NE-trending range-front normal faulting initiated during the Pliocene and are both truncating N-S trending normal faults and reactivating some former normal faults in a right-lateral fashion. Thus the two main fundamental differences to previous structural models are (1) N-S trending faults are pre-existing middle Miocene normal faults and (2) these faults are reactivated in a right-later fashion (NOT left-lateral) and kinematically linked to the younger NE-trending range-bounding normal faults (Pliocene in age). More importantly, this study provides the first constraints on transient fluid flow through the novel application of apatite (U-Th)/He (AHe) and ⁴He/³He thermochronometry in the geothermally active Dixie Valley area in Nevada.

Fault trend prediction of device based on support vector regression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song Meicun; Cai Qi

2011-01-01

The research condition of fault trend prediction and the basic theory of support vector regression (SVR) were introduced. SVR was applied to the fault trend prediction of roller bearing, and compared with other methods (BP neural network, gray model, and gray-AR model). The results show that BP network tends to overlearn and gets into local minimum so that the predictive result is unstable. It also shows that the predictive result of SVR is stabilization, and SVR is superior to BP neural network, gray model and gray-AR model in predictive precision. SVR is a kind of effective method of fault trend prediction. (authors)

From Extension to Shortening: Tectonic Inversion Distributed in Time and Space in the Alboran Sea, Western Mediterranean

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-García, Pedro; Comas, Menchu; Lonergan, Lidia; Watts, Anthony B.

2017-12-01

2D seismic reflection data tied to biostratigraphical and log information from wells in the central and southeastern Alboran Sea have allowed us to constrain the spatial and temporal distribution of rifting and inversion. Normal faults, tilted basement blocks, and growth wedges reveal a thinned continental crust that formed in response to NW-SE extension. To the east, a secondary SW-NE trend of extension affects the transitional crust adjacent to the oceanic Algerian Basin. The maximum thickness of syn-rift sediments is 3.5 km, and the oldest recorded deposits are Serravallian. The WNW-ESE Yusuf fault formed a buttress separating and accommodating variable extension between two different tectonic domains: the thinned continental crust of Alboran and the oceanic spreading of the Algerian Basin. Late Tortonian to present-day NW-SE Africa/Eurasia plate convergence drove shortening and reactivation of some of the earlier extensional structures as reverse and strike-slip faults, forming complex, compartmentalised subbasins. Tectonic inversion coexisted with the formation of new faults and folds. Inversion was partial along the Habibas Basin and Al-Idrisi fault, but complete along the Alboran Ridge, where some SW-NE trending faults were perpendicular to the recent NW-SE plate convergence and were reactivated as thrusts. The WNW-ESE Yusuf fault is oblique to the convergence vector, and therefore, reactivation is mainly expressed as transpressional deformation. Volcanic rocks intruded along the Alboran Ridge and Yusuf faults during the latest stages of extension formed rheological anisotropies that localised the later inversion.

Extension parallel to the rift zone during segmented fault growth: application to the evolution of the NE Atlantic

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A. Bubeck

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The mechanical interaction of propagating normal faults is known to influence the linkage geometry of first-order faults, and the development of second-order faults and fractures, which transfer displacement within relay zones. Here we use natural examples of growth faults from two active volcanic rift zones (Koa`e, island of Hawai`i, and Krafla, northern Iceland to illustrate the importance of horizontal-plane extension (heave gradients, and associated vertical axis rotations, in evolving continental rift systems. Second-order extension and extensional-shear faults within the relay zones variably resolve components of regional extension, and components of extension and/or shortening parallel to the rift zone, to accommodate the inherently three-dimensional (3-D strains associated with relay zone development and rotation. Such a configuration involves volume increase, which is accommodated at the surface by open fractures; in the subsurface this may be accommodated by veins or dikes oriented obliquely and normal to the rift axis. To consider the scalability of the effects of relay zone rotations, we compare the geometry and kinematics of fault and fracture sets in the Koa`e and Krafla rift zones with data from exhumed contemporaneous fault and dike systems developed within a > 5×104 km2 relay system that developed during formation of the NE Atlantic margins. Based on the findings presented here we propose a new conceptual model for the evolution of segmented continental rift basins on the NE Atlantic margins.

Seismogenic faulting in the Meruoca granite, NE Brazil, consistent with a local weak fracture zone

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ANA CATARINA A. MOURA

2014-12-01

Full Text Available A sequence of earthquakes occurred in 2008 in the Meruoca granitic pluton, located in the northwestern part of the Borborema Province, NE Brazil. A seismological study defined the seismic activity occurring along the seismically-defined Riacho Fundo fault, a 081° striking, 8 km deep structure. The objective of this study was to analyze the correlation between this seismic activity and geological structures in the Meruoca granite. We carried out geological mapping in the epicentral area, analyzed the mineralogy of fault rocks, and compared the seismically-defined Riacho Fundo fault with geological data. We concluded that the seismically-defined fault coincides with ∼E–W-striking faults observed at outcrop scale and a swarm of Mesozoic basalt dikes. We propose that seismicity reactivated brittle structures in the Meruoca granite. Our study highlights the importance of geological mapping and mineralogical analysis in order to establish the relationships between geological structures and seismicity at a given area.

Seismogenic faulting in the Meruoca granite, NE Brazil, consistent with a local weak fracture zone.

Science.gov (United States)

Moura, Ana Catarina A; De Oliveira, Paulo H S; Ferreira, Joaquim M; Bezerra, Francisco H R; Fuck, Reinhardt A; Do Nascimento, Aderson F

2014-12-01

A sequence of earthquakes occurred in 2008 in the Meruoca granitic pluton, located in the northwestern part of the Borborema Province, NE Brazil. A seismological study defined the seismic activity occurring along the seismically-defined Riacho Fundo fault, a 081° striking, 8 km deep structure. The objective of this study was to analyze the correlation between this seismic activity and geological structures in the Meruoca granite. We carried out geological mapping in the epicentral area, analyzed the mineralogy of fault rocks, and compared the seismically-defined Riacho Fundo fault with geological data. We concluded that the seismically-defined fault coincides with ∼E-W-striking faults observed at outcrop scale and a swarm of Mesozoic basalt dikes. We propose that seismicity reactivated brittle structures in the Meruoca granite. Our study highlights the importance of geological mapping and mineralogical analysis in order to establish the relationships between geological structures and seismicity at a given area.

The 1998-1999 Pollino (Southern Apennines, Italy seismic crisis: tomography of a sequence

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A. B. Rosa

2005-06-01

Full Text Available In 1998-1999 a seismic sequence occurred in the Southern Apennines, after the moderate size (mb=5.0 9th September 1998 Pollino earthquake. It lasted about 14 months and was clearly localized to the sole north-west area of the main shock epicenter. Its peculiarity consisted in sudden changes of activity from a series of normal faults with Apenninic (NW-SE trend and transfer, presumably strike slip, faults with Antiapenninic (NE-SW and E-W trend. The complexity of the behavior and the different orientations of the activated systems suggest that the area acts as a hinge between the NW-SE trending Southern Apennines and the locally N-S trending Calabrian Arc.

Distributed power-law seismicity changes and crustal deformation in the SW Hellenic ARC

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A. Tzanis

2003-01-01

Full Text Available A region of definite accelerating seismic release rates has been identified at the SW Hellenic Arc and Trench system, of Peloponnesus, and to the south-west of the island of Kythera (Greece. The identification was made after detailed, parametric time-to-failure modelling on a 0.1° square grid over the area 20° E – 27° E and 34° N–38° N. The observations are strongly suggestive of terminal-stage critical point behaviour (critical exponent of the order of 0.25, leading to a large earthquake with magnitude 7.1 ± 0.4, to occur at time 2003.6 ± 0.6. In addition to the region of accelerating seismic release rates, an adjacent region of decelerating seismicity was also observed. The acceleration/deceleration pattern appears in such a well structured and organised manner, which is strongly suggestive of a causal relationship. An explanation may be that the observed characteristics of distributed power-law seismicity changes may be produced by stress transfer from a fault, to a region already subjected to stress inhomogeneities, i.e. a region defined by the stress field required to rupture a fault with a specified size, orientation and rake. Around a fault that is going to rupture, there are bright spots (regions of increasing stress and stress shadows (regions relaxing stress; whereas acceleration may be observed in bright spots, deceleration may be expected in the shadows. We concluded that the observed seismic release patterns can possibly be explained with a family of NE-SW oriented, left-lateral, strike-slip to oblique-slip faults, located to the SW of Kythera and Antikythera and capable of producing earthquakes with magnitudes MS ~ 7. Time-to-failure modelling and empirical analysis of earthquakes in the stress bright spots yield a critical exponent of the order 0.25 as expected from theory, and a predicted magnitude and critical time perfectly consistent with the figures given above. Although we have determined an approximate location

Dynamics of uranium ore formation in the basement and frame of the Streltsovskaya Caldera

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petrov, V.; Schukin, S.

2014-01-01

The analysis of geological-geophysical, paleo-geodynamics, mineralogical, geochemical, isotope, geochronological, and thermo-baro-geochemical data allow us to offer a model of uranium ore formation dynamics in the basement and frame of the Streltsovskaya Caldera connected to activity of the fluid-conducting fault zones network with the aim to identify prospective areas The most ancient fluid-conducting structures are inter-block NE-SW, NNE-submeridional, NW-SE and, probably, WNW-sub-latitudinal faults. The oldest NE-SW faults and schistosity zones were formed during Proterozoic tectonic cycle (TC) with reactivation in T3-J2 time due to global reorganization of stress field and reactivation of tectonic movements. The NNE-submeridional and NW-SE faults were extended with increased fluid permeability during Caledonian and Variscan TCs. They also were reactivated in the process of Late Mesozoic tectonic and magmatic activation (TMA). Thus already at early stages of geotectonic evolution within the intersection of NE-SW (N-Urulyunguyevskiy fault) and NNE-submeridional (Chindachinskaya zone) faults the areas of increased fluid and magmatic activity were formed. The dynamics of fault formation in the basement and frame of the Streltsovskaya caldera and its volcano-sedimentary cover differs. In the basement and granite framework NE-SW, NNEsubmeridional and NW-SE faults are interblock structures of the I rank. Their intersection formed areas of long-term circulation of hydrothermal solutions and telescopic appearance of multi-age metasomatites that created conditions for localizing of vein-stockwork mineralization. In volcanosedimentary cover the NE-SW and NNE-submeridional faults should be considered as interblock structures of the I rank where intersections provided inflow of ore-bearing solutions and their redistribution within the cover. Here the main ore distributing role belongs to NW-SE shears. They are intrablock II rank structures which were formed due to dextral

Late Quaternary paleoseismicity and seismic potential of the Yilan-Yitong Fault Zone in NE China

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Zhongyuan; Yin, Na; Shu, Peng; Li, Jincheng; Wei, Qinghai; Min, Wei; Zhang, Peizhen

2018-01-01

The Yilan-Yitong Fault Zone (YYFZ), which is composed of two nearly parallel branches with a spacing of 5-30 km and a length of ∼1100 km, is considered to be the key branch of the Tancheng-Lujiang Fault Zone (TLFZ) in NE China. It was traditionally believed that the YYFZ experienced weak activity or was inactive during the Late Quaternary, without the capability to generate strong earthquakes (M ≥ 7), based on the absence of typical outcrops and large historical or instrumental earthquakes (M > 6). However, our paleoseismic study shows that the YYFZ is the primary seismotectonic structure (M ≥ 7) that poses significant earthquake threats to NE China. The synthesis of data collected from geologic investigations, geomorphic mapping, trench logging and the dating of samples indicates that the YYFZ is an active structure that has undergone segmented strong tectonic deformation since the Late Quaternary with a characteristic assemblage of landforms, including linear scarps and troughs, offset or deflected streams, linear sag ponds, small horsts and grabens. The latest ruptures of the YYFZ migrated from previous boundary faults into the basin interior, forming a left-stepping en echelon pattern in plain view, and the kinematics of these events in the Late Quaternary were dominated by reverse dextral slipping. Multi-segment cluster faulting might have occurred during three cluster periods, i.e., ∼34750-35812 a BP, ∼21700-22640 a BP, and ∼4000 a BP-present, which implies that the recurrence interval of large earthquakes along the YYFZ may be as long as tens of thousands of years.

Seismic images of an extensional basin, generated at the hangingwall of a low-angle normal fault: The case of the Sansepolcro basin (Central Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Barchi, Massimiliano R.; Ciaccio, Maria Grazia

2009-12-01

The study of syntectonic basins, generated at the hangingwall of regional low-angle detachments, can help to gain a better knowledge of these important and mechanically controversial extensional structures, constraining their kinematics and timing of activity. Seismic reflection images constrain the geometry and internal structure of the Sansepolcro Basin (the northernmost portion of the High Tiber Valley). This basin was generated at the hangingwall of the Altotiberina Fault (AtF), an E-dipping low-angle normal fault, active at least since Late Pliocene, affecting the upper crust of this portion of the Northern Apennines. The dataset analysed consists of 5 seismic reflection lines acquired in the 80s' by ENI-Agip for oil exploration and a portion of the NVR deep CROP03 profile. The interpretation of the seismic profiles provides a 3-D reconstruction of the basin's shape and of the sedimentary succession infilling the basin. This consisting of up to 1200 m of fluvial and lacustrine sediments: this succession is much thicker and possibly older than previously hypothesised. The seismic data also image the geometry at depth of the faults driving the basin onset and evolution. The western flank is bordered by a set of E-dipping normal faults, producing the uplifting and tilting of Early to Middle Pleistocene succession along the Anghiari ridge. Along the eastern flank, the sediments are markedly dragged along the SW-dipping Sansepolcro fault. Both NE- and SW-dipping faults splay out from the NE-dipping, low-angle Altotiberina fault. Both AtF and its high-angle splays are still active, as suggested by combined geological and geomorphological evidences: the historical seismicity of the area can be reasonably associated to these faults, however the available data do not constrain an unambiguous association between the single structural elements and the major earthquakes.

Multiple faulting events revealed by trench analysis of the seismogenic structure of the 1976 Ms7.1 Luanxian earthquake, Tangshan Region, China

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Hui; Jiang, Wali; Xie, Xinsheng

2017-10-01

The Ms7.8 Tangshan earthquake occurred on 28 July 1976 at 03:42 CST. Approximately 15 h later, the Ms7.1 Luanxian earthquake occurred approximately 40 km northeast of the main shock. The two earthquakes formed different surface rupture zones. The surface rupture of the Tangshan earthquake was NNE-trending and more than 47 km long. The surface rupture of the Luanxian earthquake was more than 6 km long and consisted of two sections, forming a protruding arc to the west. The north and south sections were NE- and NW-trending and 2 km and 4 km long, respectively. A trench was excavated in Sanshanyuan Village across the NE-trending rupture of the Luanxian earthquake, at the macroscopic epicenter of the Luanxian earthquake. Analysis of this trench revealed that the surface rupture is connected to the underground active fault. The following major conclusions regarding Late Quaternary fault activity have been reached. (1) The Sanshanyuan trench indicated that its fault planes trend NE30° and dip SE or NW at angles of approximately 69-82°. (2) The fault experienced four faulting events prior to the Luanxian earthquake at 27.98 ka with an average recurrence interval of approximately 7.5 ka. (3) The Ms7.1 Luanxian earthquake resulted from the activity of the Luanxian Western fault and was triggered by the Ms7.8 Tangshan earthquake. The seismogenic faults of the 1976 Ms7.1 Luanxian earthquake and the 1976 Ms7.8 Tangshan earthquake are not the same fault. This example of an M7 earthquake triggered by a nearly M8 earthquake after more than 10 h on a nearby fault is a worthy topic of research for the future prediction of strong earthquakes.

Structural trends and spectral depth analysis of the residual field of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... latitude 8.63N the trend changes again to approximately NE-SW particularly at the southwest fringe of the map. A major lineament depicting the Romanche paleofracture zone was found in the area. The Pategi area has complex magnetic signature. Short to moderately long discontinuities were found in the magnetic map.

Active faults paragenesis and the state of crustal stresses in the Late Cenozoic in Central Mongolia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. A. Sankov

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Active faults of the Hangay-Hentiy tectonic saddle region in Central Mongolia are studied by space images interpretation, relief analysis, structural methods and tectonic stress reconstruction. The study results show that faults activation during the Late Cenozoic stage was selective, and a cluster pattern of active faults is typical for the study region. Morphological and genetic types and the kinematics of faults in the Hangay-Hentiy saddle region are related the direction of the ancient inherited structural heterogeneities. Latitudinal and WNW trending faults are left lateral strike-slips with reverse or thrust component (Dzhargalantgol and North Burd faults. NW trending faults are reverse faults or thrusts with left lateral horizontal component. NNW trending faults have right lateral horizontal component. The horizontal component of the displacements, as a rule, exceeds the vertical one. Brittle deformations in fault zones do not conform with the Pliocene and, for the most part, Pleistocene topography. With some caution it may be concluded that the last phase of revitalization of strike slip and reverse movements along the faults commenced in the Late Pleistocene. NE trending disjunctives are normal faults distributed mainly within the Hangay uplift. Their features are more early activation within the Late Cenozoic and the lack of relation to large linear structures of the previous tectonic stages. According to the stress tensor reconstructions of the last phase of deformation in zones of active faults of the Hangay-Hentiy saddle using data on tectonic fractures and fault displacements, it is revealed that conditions of compression and strike-slip with NNE direction of the axis of maximum compression were dominant. Stress tensors of extensional type with NNW direction of minimum compression are reconstructed for the Orkhon graben. It is concluded that the activation of faults in Central Mongolia in the Pleistocene-Holocene, as well as

Comparative study of uranium concentration in water samples of SW and NE Punjab, India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saini, Komal; Bajwa, B.S.

2014-01-01

Since the commencement of the earth, radiations and natural radioactivity has always been a part of environment. Uranium is heaviest naturally occurring element which is widespread in nature, mainly occurs in granites mineral deposits. The natural weathering of rocks such as granite dissolves the natural uranium, which goes into groundwater by leaching and precipitation called illumination process. People are always exposed to certain amount of uranium from air, water, soil and food as it is usually present in these components. About 85% of ingested uranium enter into human body through drinking water which makes it very important to estimate uranium concentration in potable water. Uranium and some other heavy metals may increase the risk of kidney damage, cancer diseases where experimental evidence suggests that respiratory and reproductive system are also affected by uranium exposure. In the present study comparative study of uranium concentration in potable water samples of SW and NE Punjab has been analysed

Geological mapping of investigation trench OL-TK18 at the Olkiluoto study site, Eurajoki, SW Finland

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Engstroem, J. [GTK Geological Survey of Finland, Espoo (Finland)

2012-04-15

measured fracture being 7.90 m. Fracture fillings include hematite, chlorite, biotite and muscovite. A few fracture surfaces also contain calcite, clay, pyrite, quartz, and illite. The thickness of the fillings varies between 0.1 - 60 mm and the average thickness is 1.7 mm. The trench contains two big faults, one with a distinct fault core of quartz, calcite and chlorite, and having a NW-SE strike and a moderate dip towards the NE. The other one is parallel to the D{sub 4} ductile deformation domain, having a NE-SW strike and a moderate dip to the SW, showing totally altered and sheared rock. A Q-classification for the investigation trench has been made for every mapping section and the quality varies from good to exceptionally good. The average Q-quality of the rocks is exceptionally good, indicating that no major brittle deformation zone intersects the trench. (orig.)

Ground penetrating radar survey across the Bok Bak fault, Kedah, Malaysia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuniarti Ulfa; Nur Fathin Mohd Jamel; Mardiana Samsuardi

2013-01-01

A ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey was done across the Bok Bak Fault zone in Baling, Kedah in order to investigate the shallow subsurface geology of the Bok Bak fault zone, its extension and associated weak zones within the study area. GPR data acquisition was compared with visual inspection on the slope of the outcrop. Ten GPR profiles were acquired using 250 MHz GPR frequency. Basic data processing and filtering to reduce some noise and unwanted signal was done using MALA RAMAC Ground Vision software. The data penetrate around 2 meters in depth for all survey lines. In most lines shows clear images of shallowest Bok Bak Fault (NW trending) as detected at distance of 28 m horizontal marker. It also exhibits several sets of faults as a result of Bok Bak Fault deformation, including the conjugate NE trending fault (Lubok Merbau Fault). Active seismicity encompasses the Malay-Thai Peninsular trigger the changes of Bok Bak Fault dipping direction, steeper dips of conjugate faults and faults or fractures rotational movement. (author)

Structural characteristics and implication on tectonic evolution of the Daerbute strike-slip fault in West Junggar area, NW China

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Kongyou; Pei, Yangwen; Li, Tianran; Wang, Xulong; Liu, Yin; Liu, Bo; Ma, Chao; Hong, Mei

2018-03-01

The Daerbute fault zone, located in the northwestern margin of the Junggar basin, in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt, is a regional strike-slip fault with a length of 400 km. The NE-SW trending Daerbute fault zone presents a distinct linear trend in plain view, cutting through both the Zair Mountain and the Hala'alate Mountain. Because of the intense contraction and shearing, the rocks within the fault zone experienced high degree of cataclasis, schistosity, and mylonization, resulting in rocks that are easily eroded to form a valley with a width of 300-500 m and a depth of 50-100 m after weathering and erosion. The well-exposed outcrops along the Daerbute fault zone present sub-horizontal striations and sub-vertical fault steps, indicating sub-horizontal shearing along the observed fault planes. Flower structures and horizontal drag folds are also observed in both the well-exposed outcrops and high-resolution satellite images. The distribution of accommodating strike-slip splay faults, e.g., the 973-pluton fault and the Great Jurassic Trough fault, are in accordance with the Riedel model of simple shear. The seismic and time-frequency electromagnetic (TFEM) sections also demonstrate the typical strike-slip characteristics of the Daerbute fault zone. Based on detailed field observations of well-exposed outcrops and seismic sections, the Daerbute fault can be subdivided into two segments: the western segment presents multiple fault cores and damage zones, whereas the eastern segment only presents a single fault core, in which the rocks experienced a higher degree of rock cataclasis, schistosity, and mylonization. In the central overlapping portion between the two segments, the sediments within the fault zone are primarily reddish sandstones, conglomerates, and some mudstones, of which the palynological tests suggest middle Permian as the timing of deposition. The deformation timing of the Daerbute fault was estimated by integrating the depocenters' basinward

Miocene to Recent structural evolution of the Nevado de Toluca volcano region, Central Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

García-Palomo, A.; Macías, J. L.; Garduño, V. H.

2000-03-01

Based on aerial photography, satellite imagery, and detailed field work, a geological and structural model of Nevado de Toluca and its surroundings is presented. The Nevado de Toluca volcano is built upon the intersection of three complex fault systems of different age, orientation, and kinematics. These systems from the older to the younger are: (a) The Taxco-Querétaro Fault System (NNW-SSE) with clear expression south of the volcano; (b) The San Antonio Fault System (NE-SW) that runs between the San Antonio and Nevado de Toluca volcanoes; and (c) The Tenango Fault System (E-W) located to the east of Nevado de Toluca volcano. Our field data, supported by previous studies, suggest that these systems have coexisted since the late Miocene. In addition, the stratigraphy, chronology, and kinematics of fault planes point to the existence of at least three main deformation events that have affected the region since the late Miocene. During the early Miocene, an extensional phase with the same deformation style as the Basin and Range tectonics of northern Mexico caused the formation of horsts and grabens south of Nevado de Toluca and allowed the intrusion of sub-vertical dikes oriented NW-SE and NNW-SSE. During the middle Miocene, a transcurrent episode generated NE-SW faults that presented two main motions: the first movement was left-lateral with a σ3 oriented NW-SE and later turned into normal through a counter-clockwise rotation of σ3 up to a N-S position. The latest deformation phase started during the late Pliocene and produced oblique extension ( σ3 oriented NE-SW) along E-W-trending faults that later changed to pure extension by shifting of σ3 to a N-S orientation. These faults appear to control the late Pleistocene to Holocene monogenetic volcanism, the flank collapses of Nevado de Toluca volcano and the seismic activity of the region.

Meso-Cenozoic tectonic evolution of the SE Brazilian continental margin: Petrographic, kinematic and dynamic analysis of the onshore Araruama Lagoon Fault System

Science.gov (United States)

Souza, Pricilla Camões Martins de; Schmitt, Renata da Silva; Stanton, Natasha

2017-09-01

The Ararauama Lagoon Fault System composes one of the most prominent set of lineaments of the SE Brazilian continental margin. It is located onshore in a key tectonic domain, where the basement inheritance rule is not followed. This fault system is characterized by ENE-WSW silicified tectonic breccias and cataclasites showing evidences of recurrent tectonic reactivations. Based on field work, microtectonic, kinematic and dynamic analysis, we reconstructed the paleostresses in the region and propose a sequence of three brittle deformational phases accountable for these reactivations: 1) NE-SW dextral transcurrence; 2) NNW-SSE dextral oblique extension that evolved to NNW-SSE "pure" extension; 3) ENE-WSW dextral oblique extension. These phases are reasonably correlated with the tectonic events responsible for the onset and evolution of the SE onshore rift basins, between the Neocretaceous and Holocene. However, based on petrographic studies and supported by regional geological correlations, we assume that the origin of this fault system is older, related to the Early Cretaceous South Atlantic rifting. This study provides significant information about one of the main structural trends of the SE Brazilian continental margin and the tectonic events that controlled its segmentation, since the Gondwana rifting, and compartmentalization of its onshore sedimentary deposits during the Cenozoic.

Distribution of Subsurface Flexure zone caused by Uemachi Fault, Japan and its activity

Science.gov (United States)

Kitada, N.; Inoue, N.; Takemura, K.; Ito, H.; Mitamura, M.

2012-12-01

In Osaka, Uemachi Fault is one of the famous active faults. It across the center of Osaka and lies in N-S direction mainly and is more than 40 km in length. The faults bound sedimentary basins, where thick sedimentary deposits of the Pliocene-Quaternary Osaka Group have accumulated. The deposits consist primarily of sand and marine and non-marine clay, and the clay layers are key markers for the interpretation of glacial and interglacial cycles. In this study, we estimate the width of the flexure zone using a geotechnical borehole database. GI database collects more than 40,000 boreholes and includes both geological information and soil properties around Osaka by the Geo-database Information Committee of Kansai Area. Our results indicate that the deformation associated with the flexure zone is distributed primarily along the splay fault (NE-SW) and not along the main fault, suggesting that the splay fault might be the primary fault at present. We first examined the borehole data along the seismic reflection line and then considered the surrounding area. An Upper Pleistocene marine clay (Ma12) is a good indicator of the flexure zone. We constructed many cross sections in and around the fault zone and classified the deformation form into three categories around the flexure zone. The results of this study allowed us to map the distribution of folding in a zone in the west of the Osaka area. Folding can be classified into three types: (1) Ma12 folding, (2) Ma12 folding that does not continue toward the hanging wall, and (3) folding or displacement of old marine clay. These folding zone trends are N-W strike however these trace are serpentine. These folding zone information are not in worth to estimate the source fault, however these zone will be more serious damaged when the earthquake occurred. Our result agrees well with the average displacement speed of about 0.4 m/ka that was derived by the Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion of the Ministry of Education

GOLD MINERAL PROSPECTING USING PHASED ARRAY TYPE L-BAND SYNTHETIC APERTURE RADAR (PALSAR SATELLITE REMOTE SENSING DATA, CENTRAL GOLD BELT, MALAYSIA

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A. Beiranvand Pour

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The Bentong-Raub Suture Zone (BRSZ of Peninsular Malaysia is one of the significant structural zones in Sundaland, Southeast Asia. It forms the boundary between the Gondwana-derived Sibumasu terrane in the west and Sukhothai arc in the east. The BRSZ is also genetically related to the sediment-hosted/orogenic gold deposits associated with the major lineaments and form-lines in the central gold belt Central Gold Belt of Peninsular Malaysia. In tropical environments, heavy tropical rainforest and intense weathering makes it impossible to map geological structures over long distances. Advances in remote sensing technology allow the application of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR data in geological structural analysis for tropical environments. In this investigation, the Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR satellite remote sensing data were used to analyse major geological structures in Peninsular Malaysia and provide detailed characterization of lineaments and form-lines in the BRSZ, as well as its implication for sediment-hosted/orogenic gold exploration in tropical environments. The major geological structure directions of the BRSZ are N-S, NNE-SSW, NE-SW and NW-SE, which derived from directional filtering analysis to PALSAR data. The pervasive array of N-S faults in the study area and surrounding terrain is mainly linked to the N-S trending of the Suture Zone. N-S striking lineaments are often cut by younger NE-SW and NW-SE-trending lineaments. Gold mineralized trends lineaments are associated with the intersection of N-S, NE-SW, NNW-SSE and ESE-WNW faults and curvilinear features in shearing and alteration zones. Lineament analysis on PALSAR satellite remote sensing data is a useful tool for detecting the boundary between the Gondwana-derived terranes and major geological features associated with suture zone especially for large inaccessible regions in tropical environments.

The 11 May 2011 earthquake at Lorca (SE Spain viewed in a structural-tectonic context

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R. L. M. Vissers

2011-10-01

Full Text Available The Lorca earthquake of 11 May 2011 in the Betic Cordillera of SE Spain occurred almost exactly on the Alhama de Murcia fault, a marked fault that forms part of a NE-SW trending belt of faults and thrusts. The fault belt is reminiscent of a strike-slip corridor, but recent structural studies have provided clear evidence for reverse motions on these faults. Focal mechanisms of the main earthquake, but also of a foreshock, are strikingly consistent with structural observations on the Alhama de Murcia fault. This strengthens the conclusion that, rather than a strike-slip fault, the fault is at present a contractional fault with an oblique reverse sense of motion, presumably in response to the NW-directed motion of Africa with respect to Europe.

Deformation style and controlling geodynamic processes at the eastern Guadalquivir foreland basin (Southern Spain)

Science.gov (United States)

Marín-Lechado, C.; Pedrera, A.; Peláez, J. A.; Ruiz-Constán, A.; González-Ramón, A.; Henares, J.

2017-06-01

The tectonic structure of the Guadalquivir foreland basin becomes complex eastward evolving from a single depocenter to a compartmented basin. The deformation pattern within the eastern Guadalquivir foreland basin has been characterized by combining seismic reflection profiles, boreholes, and structural field data to output a 3-D model. High-dipping NNE-SSW to NE-SW trending normal and reverse fault arrays deform the Variscan basement of the basin. These faults generally affect Tortonian sediments, which show syntectonic features sealed by the latest Miocene units. Curved and S-shaped fault traces are abundant and caused by the linkage of nearby fault segments during lateral fault propagation. Preexisting faults were reactivated either as normal or reverse faults depending on their position within the foreland. At Tortonian time, reverse faults deformed the basin forebulge, while normal faults predominated within the backbulge. Along-strike variation of the Betic foreland basin geometry is supported by an increasing mechanical coupling of the two plates (Alborán Domain and Variscan basement) toward the eastern part of the cordillera. Thus, subduction would have progressed in the western Betics, while it would have failed in the eastern one. There, the initially subducted Iberian paleomargin (Nevado-Filábride Complex) was incorporated into the upper plate promoting the transmission of collision-related compressional stresses into the foreland since the middle Miocene. Nowadays, compression is still active and produces low-magnitude earthquakes likely linked to NNE-SSW to NE-SW preexiting faults reactivated with reverse oblique-slip kinematics. Seismicity is mostly concentrated around fault tips that are frequently curved in overstepping zones.

Application of Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility to large-scale fault kinematics: an evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Casas, Antonio M.; Roman-Berdiel, Teresa; Marcén, Marcos; Oliva-Urcia, Belen; Soto, Ruth; Garcia-Lasanta, Cristina; Calvin, Pablo; Pocovi, Andres; Gil-Imaz, Andres; Pueyo-Anchuela, Oscar; Izquierdo-Llavall, Esther; Vernet, Eva; Santolaria, Pablo; Osacar, Cinta; Santanach, Pere; Corrado, Sveva; Invernizzi, Chiara; Aldega, Luca; Caricchi, Chiara; Villalain, Juan Jose

2017-04-01

be observed within the same fault zone, depending on the proximity to the core zone. The transition between them is usually defined by oblate fabrics, with the long and intermediate axes contained within the main foliation plane in SC-like structures. The faults studied in this work are located in Northeast Iberia; most of them were formed during the Late-Variscan fracturing stage and constitute first-order structures controlling the Mesozoic and Cenozoic evolution of the Iberian plate. They include (i) large-scale (Cameros-Demanda) and plurikilometric (Monroyo, Rastraculos), thrusts resulting from basement thrusting and Mesozoic basin inversion, and (ii) strike-slip to transpressional structures in the Iberian Chain (Río Grío and Daroca faults, Aragonian Branch) and the Catalonian Range (Vallès fault). Application of AMS in combination with structural analysis has allowed us a deeper approach into the kinematics of these fault zones and namely to (i) accurately define the transport direction of Cenozoic thrusts (NNW to NE-SW for the studied E-W segments) and the flow directions of décollements and to evaluate the representativity of small-scale structures linked to thrusting; (ii) to assess the transpressional character of deformation for the main NW-SE and NE-SW Late-Variscan faults in NE Iberia during the Cenozoic (horizontal to intermediate-plunging transport directions) and (iii) to define the strain partitioning between different thrust sheets and strike-slip faults to finally establish the pattern of displacements in this intra-plate setting.

Fault kinematics and localised inversion within the Troms-Finnmark Fault Complex, SW Barents Sea

Science.gov (United States)

Zervas, I.; Omosanya, K. O.; Lippard, S. J.; Johansen, S. E.

2018-04-01

The areas bounding the Troms-Finnmark Fault Complex are affected by complex tectonic evolution. In this work, the history of fault growth, reactivation, and inversion of major faults in the Troms-Finnmark Fault Complex and the Ringvassøy Loppa Fault Complex is interpreted from three-dimensional seismic data, structural maps and fault displacement plots. Our results reveal eight normal faults bounding rotated fault blocks in the Troms-Finnmark Fault Complex. Both the throw-depth and displacement-distance plots show that the faults exhibit complex configurations of lateral and vertical segmentation with varied profiles. Some of the faults were reactivated by dip-linkages during the Late Jurassic and exhibit polycyclic fault growth, including radial, syn-sedimentary, and hybrid propagation. Localised positive inversion is the main mechanism of fault reactivation occurring at the Troms-Finnmark Fault Complex. The observed structural styles include folds associated with extensional faults, folded growth wedges and inverted depocentres. Localised inversion was intermittent with rifting during the Middle Jurassic-Early Cretaceous at the boundaries of the Troms-Finnmark Fault Complex to the Finnmark Platform. Additionally, tectonic inversion was more intense at the boundaries of the two fault complexes, affecting Middle Triassic to Early Cretaceous strata. Our study shows that localised folding is either a product of compressional forces or of lateral movements in the Troms-Finnmark Fault Complex. Regional stresses due to the uplift in the Loppa High and halokinesis in the Tromsø Basin are likely additional causes of inversion in the Troms-Finnmark Fault Complex.

Temporal changes in stress preceding the 2004-2008 eruption of Mount St. Helens, Washington

Science.gov (United States)

Lehto, H.L.; Roman, D.C.; Moran, S.C.

2010-01-01

The 2004-2008 eruption of Mount St. Helens (MSH), Washington, was preceded by a swarm of shallow volcano-tectonic earthquakes (VTs) that began on September 23, 2004. We calculated locations and fault-plane solutions (FPS) for shallow VTs recorded during a background period (January 1999 to July 2004) and during the early vent-clearing phase (September 23 to 29, 2004) of the 2004-2008 eruption. FPS show normal and strike-slip faulting during the background period and on September 23; strike-slip and reverse faulting on September 24; and a mixture of strike-slip, reverse, and normal faulting on September 25-29. The orientation of ??1 beneath MSH, as estimated from stress tensor inversions, was found to be sub-horizontal for all periods and oriented NE-SW during the background period, NW-SE on September 24, and NE-SW on September 25-29. We suggest that the ephemeral ~90?? change in ??1 orientation was due to intrusion and inflation of a NE-SW-oriented dike in the shallow crust prior to the eruption onset. ?? 2010 Elsevier B.V.

Paleoseismological data from a new trench across the El Camp Fault(Catalan Coastal Ranges, NE Iberian Peninsula

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K. Boydell

2003-06-01

Full Text Available The El Camp Fault (Catalan Coastal Ranges, NE Iberian Peninsula is a slow slipping normal fault whose seismic potential has only recently been recognised. New geomorphic and trench investigations were carried out during a training course across the El Camp Fault at the La Porquerola alluvial fan site. A new trench (trench 8 was dug close to a trench made previously at this site (trench 4. With the aid of two long topographic profiles across the fault scarp we obtained a vertical slip rate ranging between 0.05 and 0.08 mm/yr. At the trench site, two main faults, which can be correlated between trenches 8 and 4, make up the fault zone. Using trench analysis three paleoseismic events were identified, two between 34.000 and 125.000 years BP (events 3 and 2 and another event younger than 13 500 years BP (event 1, which can be correlated, respectively, with events X (50.000- 125.000 years BP, Y (35.000-50.000 years BP and Z (3000-25.000 years BP. The last seismic event at the La Porquerola alluvial fan site is described for the first time, but with some uncertainties.

Structural analysis and implicit 3D modelling of Jwaneng Mine: Insights into deformation of the Transvaal Supergroup in SE Botswana

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Creus, P. K.; Basson, I. J.; Stoch, B.; Mogorosi, O.; Gabanakgosi, K.; Ramsden, F.; Gaegopolwe, P.

2018-01-01

Country rock at Jwaneng Diamond Mine provides a rare insight into the deformational history of the Transvaal Supergroup in southern Botswana. The ca. 235 Ma kimberlite diatremes intruded into late Archaean to Early Proterozoic, mixed, siliciclastic-carbonate sediments, that were subjected to at least three deformational events. The first deformational event (D1), caused by NW-SE directed compression, is responsible for NE-trending, open folds (F1) with associated diverging, fanning, axial planar cleavage. The second deformational event (D2) is probably progressive, involving a clockwise rotation of the principal stress to NE-SW trends. Early D2, which was N-S directed, involved left-lateral, oblique shearing along cleavage planes that developed around F1 folds, along with the development of antithetic structures. Progressive clockwise rotation of far-field forces saw the development of NW-trending folds (F2) and its associated, weak, axial planar cleavage. D3 is an extensional event in which normal faulting, along pre-existing cleavage planes, created a series of rhomboid-shaped, fault-bounded blocks. Normal faults, which bound these blocks, are the dominant structures at Jwaneng Mine. Combined with block rotation and NW-dipping bedding, a horst-like structure on the northwestern limb of a broad, gentle, NE-trending anticline is indicated. The early compressional and subsequent extensional events are consistent throughout the Jwaneng-Ramotswa-Lobatse-Thabazimbi area, suggesting that a large area records the same fault geometry and, consequently, deformational history. It is proposed that Jwaneng Mine is at or near the northernmost limit of the initial, northwards-directed compressional event.

Fault-Slip Data Analysis and Cover Versus Basement Fracture Patterns - Implications for Subsurface Technical Processes in Thuringia, Germany

Science.gov (United States)

Kasch, N.; Kley, J.; Navabpour, P.; Siegburg, M.; Malz, A.

2014-12-01

Recent investigations in Thuringia, Central Germany, focus on the potential for carbon sequestration, groundwater supply and geothermal energy. We report on the results of an integrated fault-slip data analysis to characterize the geometries and kinematics of systematic fractures in contrasting basement and cover rock lithologies. The lithostratigraphy of the area comprises locally exposed crystalline rocks and intermittently overlying Permian volcanic and clastic sedimentary rocks, together referred to as basement. A Late Permian sequence of evaporites, carbonates and shale constitutes the transition to the continuous sedimentary cover of Triassic age. Major NW-SE-striking fault zones and minor NNE-SSW-striking faults affect this stratigraphic succession. These characteristic narrow deforming areas ( 15 km) non-deforming areas suggesting localized zones of mechanical weakness, which can be confirmed by the frequent reactivation of single fault strands. Along the major fault zones, the basement and cover contain dominant inclined to sub-vertical NW-SE-striking fractures. These fractures indicate successive normal, dextral strike-slip and reverse senses of slip, evidencing events of NNE-SSW extension and contraction. Another system of mostly sub-vertical NNW-SSE- and NE-SW-striking conjugate strike-slip faults mainly developed within the cover implies NNE-SSW contraction and WNW-ESE extension. Earthquake focal mechanisms and in-situ stress measurements reveal a NW-SE trend for the modern SHmax. Nevertheless, fractures and fault-slip indicators are rare in the non-deforming areas, which characterizes Thuringia as a dual domain of (1) large unfractured areas and (2) narrow zones of high potential for technical applications. Our data therefore provide a basis for estimation of slip and dilation tendency of the contrasting fractures in the basement and cover under the present-day stress field, which must be taken into account for different subsurface technical

Mississippian lamprophyre dikes in western Sierras Pampeanas, Argentina: Evidence of transtensional tectonics along the SW margin of Gondwana

Science.gov (United States)

Martina, Federico; Canelo, Horacio N.; Dávila, Federico M.; de Hollanda, María Helena M.; Teixeira, Wilson

2018-04-01

In the Famatina range, Sierras Pampeanas of Argentina (SW Gondwana), subvertical calc-alkaline lamprophyric dike swarms crop out through >300 km. The dikes cut Ordovician units with a prominent NW-SE trending and are covered by continental sedimentary successions of Pennsylvanian to Permian age. The dikes show a strong structural control associated with Riedel fault systems. Detailed field analysis suggested a ∼N-S opening direction oblique to the attitude of dike walls and a left-lateral transtensional tectonics during the emplacement. 40Ar/39Ar geochronology of a lamprophyric sample defined a crystallization age (plateau; whole rock) of 357.1 ± 7.1 Ma (MSWD = 2.3). Coetaneous ductile zones with dominant strike-slip motion, documented along western Argentina for >600 km, suggest a regional event in SW Gondwana during the Mississippian. We propose that this deformation was the result of the counterclockwise fast rotation of Gondwana between 365 and 345 Ma, when the Famatina range and western Argentina occupied a sub-polar position. A transform margin along SW Gondwana better explains our (and others) data rather than a subduction margin. This scenario is also consistent with the occurrence of A-type granites and normal-fault basins within the foreland as well as bimodal volcanics.

Ductile and brittle structural evolution of the Laxemar-Simpevarp area: an independent analysis based on local and regional constraints

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Viola, Giulio

2008-10-01

This report discusses the main aspects of the ductile and brittle deformational evolution of the Laxemar-Simpevarp area. Based on the interpretation of existing potential field geophysical data, it is suggested that the structural ductile grain of the region is controlled by large, c. EW trending shear zones with an overall sinistral strike-slip kinematics. The Oskarshamn Shear Zone (OSZ) and the Mederhult lineament are two examples of these shear zones and it is proposed that the ductile lineaments mapped in Laxemar-Simpevarp are genetically linked to shearing accommodated by these shear zones. The structural interpretation of the geophysical imagery of the Laxemar-Simpevarp regional model area and the available meso-scale structural information indicate that the Laxemar-Simpevarp study area can be interpreted as the analogue of a large-scale S/C' structural pattern. In detail, the Aespoe shear zone and other similarly oriented ductile shears represent C' shear bands that deform sinistrally the intervening EW lineaments (the S surfaces), which locally are significantly crenulated/folded in response to their asymptotic bending into the C' shears. This geometric and kinematic interpretation implies that, in contrast to existing reconstructions and models, EW- and not NE-trending shear zones become the main structural ductile feature of the region. Shear forces acting parallel to these main zones can successfully explain all the ductile structures described and reported from the area. The greatest compressive stress at the time of ductile shearing would trend NE-SW. The brittle deformation history of the region is complex and results from the multiple reactivation of fracture- and fault sets caused by the many orogenic episodes that affected the area during 1.5 Gyr of geological brittle evolution. Fault-slip data from outcrops and oriented drill cores were used to compute paleo-stress states. In the general absence of time markers that help constrain the relative

Ductile and brittle structural evolution of the Laxemar-Simpevarp area: an independent analysis based on local and regional constraints

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Viola, Giulio (Geological Survey of Norway, Trondheim (Norway))

2008-10-15

This report discusses the main aspects of the ductile and brittle deformational evolution of the Laxemar-Simpevarp area. Based on the interpretation of existing potential field geophysical data, it is suggested that the structural ductile grain of the region is controlled by large, c. EW trending shear zones with an overall sinistral strike-slip kinematics. The Oskarshamn Shear Zone (OSZ) and the Mederhult lineament are two examples of these shear zones and it is proposed that the ductile lineaments mapped in Laxemar-Simpevarp are genetically linked to shearing accommodated by these shear zones. The structural interpretation of the geophysical imagery of the Laxemar-Simpevarp regional model area and the available meso-scale structural information indicate that the Laxemar-Simpevarp study area can be interpreted as the analogue of a large-scale S/C' structural pattern. In detail, the Aespoe shear zone and other similarly oriented ductile shears represent C' shear bands that deform sinistrally the intervening EW lineaments (the S surfaces), which locally are significantly crenulated/folded in response to their asymptotic bending into the C' shears. This geometric and kinematic interpretation implies that, in contrast to existing reconstructions and models, EW- and not NE-trending shear zones become the main structural ductile feature of the region. Shear forces acting parallel to these main zones can successfully explain all the ductile structures described and reported from the area. The greatest compressive stress at the time of ductile shearing would trend NE-SW. The brittle deformation history of the region is complex and results from the multiple reactivation of fracture- and fault sets caused by the many orogenic episodes that affected the area during 1.5 Gyr of geological brittle evolution. Fault-slip data from outcrops and oriented drill cores were used to compute paleo-stress states. In the general absence of time markers that help constrain

Tectonic interpretation of the Andrew Bain transform fault: Southwest Indian Ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Sclater, John G.; Grindlay, Nancy R.; Madsen, John A.; Rommevaux-Jestin, Celine

2005-09-01

Between 25°E and 35°E, a suite of four transform faults, Du Toit, Andrew Bain, Marion, and Prince Edward, offsets the Southwest Indian Ridge (SWIR) left laterally 1230 km. The Andrew Bain, the largest, has a length of 750 km and a maximum transform domain width of 120 km. We show that, currently, the Nubia/Somalia plate boundary intersects the SWIR east of the Prince Edward, placing the Andrew Bain on the Nubia/Antarctica plate boundary. However, the overall trend of its transform domain lies 10° clockwise of the predicted direction of motion for this boundary. We use four transform-parallel multibeam and magnetic anomaly profiles, together with relocated earthquakes and focal mechanism solutions, to characterize the morphology and tectonics of the Andrew Bain. Starting at the southwestern ridge-transform intersection, the relocated epicenters follow a 450-km-long, 20-km-wide, 6-km-deep western valley. They cross the transform domain within a series of deep overlapping basins bounded by steep inward dipping arcuate scarps. Eight strike-slip and three dip-slip focal mechanism solutions lie within these basins. The earthquakes can be traced to the northeastern ridge-transform intersection via a straight, 100-km-long, 10-km-wide, 4.5-km-deep eastern valley. A striking set of seismically inactive NE-SW trending en echelon ridges and valleys, lying to the south of the overlapping basins, dominates the eastern central section of the transform domain. We interpret the deep overlapping basins as two pull-apart features connected by a strike-slip basin that have created a relay zone similar to those observed on continental transforms. This transform relay zone connects three closely spaced overlapping transform faults in the southwest to a single transform fault in the northeast. The existence of the transform relay zone accounts for the difference between the observed and predicted trend of the Andrew Bain transform domain. We speculate that between 20 and 3.2 Ma, an

Refining fault slip rates using multiple displaced terrace risers-An example from the Honey Lake fault, NE California, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Gold, Ryan D.; Briggs, Richard W.; Crone, Anthony J.; DuRoss, Christopher B.

2017-11-01

Faulted terrace risers are semi-planar features commonly used to constrain Quaternary slip rates along strike-slip faults. These landforms are difficult to date directly and therefore their ages are commonly bracketed by age estimates of the adjacent upper and lower terrace surfaces. However, substantial differences in the ages of the upper and lower terrace surfaces (a factor of 2.4 difference observed globally) produce large uncertainties in the slip-rate estimate. In this investigation, we explore how the full range of displacements and bounding ages from multiple faulted terrace risers can be combined to yield a more accurate fault slip rate. We use 0.25-m cell size digital terrain models derived from airborne lidar data to analyze three sites where terrace risers are offset right-laterally by the Honey Lake fault in NE California, USA. We use ages for locally extensive subhorizontal surfaces to bracket the time of riser formation: an upper surface is the bed of abandoned Lake Lahontan having an age of 15.8 ± 0.6 ka and a lower surface is a fluvial terrace abandoned at 4.7 ± 0.1 ka. We estimate lateral offsets of the risers ranging between 6.6 and 28.3 m (median values), a greater than fourfold difference in values. The amount of offset corresponds to the riser's position relative to modern stream meanders: the smallest offset is in a meander cutbank position, whereas the larger offsets are in straight channel or meander point-bar positions. Taken in isolation, the individual terrace-riser offsets yield slip rates ranging from 0.3 to 7.1 mm/a. However, when the offset values are collectively assessed in a probabilistic framework, we find that a uniform (linear) slip rate of 1.6 mm/a (1.4-1.9 mm/a at 95% confidence) can satisfy the data, within their respective uncertainties. This investigation demonstrates that integrating observations of multiple offset elements (crest, midpoint, and base) from numerous faulted and dated terrace risers at closely spaced

Refining fault slip rates using multiple displaced terrace risers—An example from the Honey Lake fault, NE California, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Gold, Ryan D.; Briggs, Richard; Crone, Anthony J.; Duross, Christopher

2017-01-01

Faulted terrace risers are semi-planar features commonly used to constrain Quaternary slip rates along strike-slip faults. These landforms are difficult to date directly and therefore their ages are commonly bracketed by age estimates of the adjacent upper and lower terrace surfaces. However, substantial differences in the ages of the upper and lower terrace surfaces (a factor of 2.4 difference observed globally) produce large uncertainties in the slip-rate estimate. In this investigation, we explore how the full range of displacements and bounding ages from multiple faulted terrace risers can be combined to yield a more accurate fault slip rate. We use 0.25-m cell size digital terrain models derived from airborne lidar data to analyze three sites where terrace risers are offset right-laterally by the Honey Lake fault in NE California, USA. We use ages for locally extensive subhorizontal surfaces to bracket the time of riser formation: an upper surface is the bed of abandoned Lake Lahontan having an age of 15.8 ± 0.6 ka and a lower surface is a fluvial terrace abandoned at 4.7 ± 0.1 ka. We estimate lateral offsets of the risers ranging between 6.6 and 28.3 m (median values), a greater than fourfold difference in values. The amount of offset corresponds to the riser's position relative to modern stream meanders: the smallest offset is in a meander cutbank position, whereas the larger offsets are in straight channel or meander point-bar positions. Taken in isolation, the individual terrace-riser offsets yield slip rates ranging from 0.3 to 7.1 mm/a. However, when the offset values are collectively assessed in a probabilistic framework, we find that a uniform (linear) slip rate of 1.6 mm/a (1.4–1.9 mm/a at 95% confidence) can satisfy the data, within their respective uncertainties. This investigation demonstrates that integrating observations of multiple offset elements (crest, midpoint, and base) from numerous faulted and dated terrace risers at closely spaced

Integration of remote sensing, geochemical and field data in the Qena-Safaga shear zone: Implications for structural evolution of the Eastern Desert, Egypt

Science.gov (United States)

El-Din, Gamal Kamal; Abdelkareem, Mohamed

2018-05-01

The Qena-Safaga shear zone (QSSZ) represents a significant structural characteristic in the Eastern Desert of Egypt. Remote Sensing, field and geochemical data were utilized in the present study. The results revealed that the QSSZ dominated by metamorphic complex (MC) that intruded by syn-tectonic granitoids. The low angle thrust fault brings calc-alkaline metavolcanics to overlie MC and its association. Subsequently, the area is dissected by strike-slip faults and the small elongated basins of Hammamat sediments of Precambrian were accumulated. The MC intruded by late-to post-tectonic granites (LPG) and Dokhan Volcanics which comprise felsic varieties forming distinctive columnar joints. Remote sensing analysis and field data revealed that major sub-vertical conspicuous strike-slip faults (SSF) including sinistral NW-SE and dextral ca. E-W shaped the study area. Various shear zones that accompanying the SSF are running NW-SE, NE-SW, E-W, N-S and ENE-WSW. The obtained shear sense presented a multiphase of deformation on each trend. i.e., the predominant NW-SE strike-slip fault trend started with sinistral displacement and is reactivated during later events to be right (dextral) strike slip cutting with dextral displacement the E-W trending faults; while NE-SW movements are cut by both the N-S and NNW - SSE trends. Remote sensing data revealed that the NW-SE direction that dominated the area is associated with hydrothermal alteration processes. This allowed modifying the major and trace elements of the highly deformed rocks that showed depletion in SiO2 and enrichments in Fe2O3, MnO, Al2O3, TiO2, Na2O, K2O, Cu, Zn and Pb contents. The geochemical signatures of major and trace elements revealed two types of granites including I-type calc-alkaline granites (late-to post-tectonic) that formed during an extensional regime. However, syn-tectonic granitoids are related to subduction-related environment.

The Chaîne des Puys and Limagne Fault World Heritage project: a view from a scientist

Science.gov (United States)

van Wyk de Vries, B.

2013-12-01

The development of the Chaîne des Puys and Limagne Fault World Heritage UNESCO project has taken about five years, since the Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans was approached by the local Auvergne government. Before this we had been working locally with organisations such as the Lemptégy volcano and Vulcania to help disseminate geoscience ideas to the general public, however the UNESCO project has lead us to do much more outreach. It has also stimulated our research and has taught us to better explain this to the lay person. In visiting other heritage projects, where we have exchanged ideas and best practice, we have been able to help other sites and improve what we do. These links are particularly important, as they can be used to help broaden the outlook of the general public and local actors, and increase further earth science literacy. I have noticed a strong increase in the awareness of the volcanoes, and volcanism as a result of the Chaîne des Puys and Limagne Fault project. I think that, before, many locals considered the volcanoes only as their special back garden, for easy walks and views and leisure, or for that matter farming, mining and hunting. However, now, there is a greater sense of pride rooted in the increased awareness of their geological significance in a historical and global context. While this effect is clear for the volcanoes, it is not yet apparent for the fault. The lay person has no clear concept of a rift and a fault. Thus, one of our major present challenges is to open the public's eyes to the fault. This is vital for the UNESCO project not only for educational reasons, but also because the fault scarp is a natural barrier that protects the rest of the property from urban development. Only if there is awareness of its nature and significance will it be an effective defence. To arrive at this goal, there is now a local government sponsored project to create and disseminate fault walks, fault viewpoints and fault information points. This is

Assessment of radiation dose due to intake of uranium through ground water and its carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks in SW and NE Punjab

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bajwa, B.S.

2017-01-01

In the present investigations, Laser Fluorimetry technique has been used for the microanalysis of uranium content in drinking water samples collected from different sources like the hand pumps, tube wells of various depths from wide range of locations in the four districts of SW-Punjab, India and two districts of NE - Punjab, India. The purpose of this study was to investigate the uranium concentration levels of ground water being used for drinking and to determine its health effects, if any, to the local population of these regions

Coeval gravity-driven and thick-skinned extensional tectonics in the mid-Cretaceous of the western Pyrenees

Science.gov (United States)

Bodego, Arantxa; Agirrezabala, Luis M.

2010-05-01

The Mesozoic Basque-Cantabrian Basin in the western Pyrenees constitutes a peri-cratonic basin originated by rifting related to the Cretaceous opening of the Bay of Biscay. During the mid-Cretaceous the basin experienced important extensional/transtensional tectonics, which controlled the deposition of thick sedimentary successions. Many extensional structures have been documented in the basin but their thin-skinned/thick-skinned character is an unresolved question. In this field-based study, we characterize contemporaneous thin-skinned and thick-skinned deformations that took place during the filling of the mid-Cretaceous Lasarte sub-basin, located in the northeastern margin of the Basque-Cantabrian Basin (western Pyrenees). Most of these extensional structures and associated growth strata are preserved and allow us to characterize and date different deformation phases. Moreover, verticalization and overturning of the successions during Tertiary compression allow mapping the geometry of the extensional structures at depth. The Lasarte sub-basin constitutes a triangular sag bordered by three major basement-involved faults, which trend N, E and NE, respectively. These trends, common in the Variscan fault pattern of Pyrenees, suggest that they are old faults reactivated during the mid-Cretaceous extension. Stratigraphy of the area shows very thin to absent Aptian-Albian (and older) deposits above the upward border blocks, whereas on the downward blocks (sub-basin interior) contemporaneous thick successions were deposited (up to 1500 m). The sub-basin fill is composed of different sedimentary systems (from alluvial to siliciclastic and carbonate platforms) affected by syndepositional extensional faults (and related folds). These faults die out in a southwestward dipping (~4°) detachment layer composed of Triassic evaporites and clays. A NE-SW cross-section of the sub-basin shows NW- to N-trending six planar and two listric extensional faults and associated folds

The cenozoic strike-slip faults and TTHE regional crust stability of Beishan area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo Zhaojie; Zhang Zhicheng; Zhang Chen; Liu Chang; Zhang Yu; Wang Ju; Chen Weiming

2008-01-01

The remote sensing images and geological features of Beishan area indicate that the Altyn Tagh fault, Sanweishan-Shuangta fault, Daquan fault and Hongliuhe fault are distributed in Beishan area from south to north. The faults are all left-lateral strike-slip faults with trending of NE40-50°, displaying similar distribution pattern. The secondary branch faults are developed at the end of each main strike-slip fault with nearly east to west trending form dendritic oblique crossings at the angle of 30-50°. Because of the left-lateral slip of the branch faults, the granites or the blocks exposed within the branch faults rotate clockwisely, forming 'Domino' structures. So the structural style of Beishan area consists of the Altyn Tagh fault, Sanweishan-Shuangta fault, Daquan fault, Hongliuhe fault and their branch faults and rotational structures between different faults. Sedimentary analysis on the fault valleys in the study area and ESR chronological test of fault clay exhibit that the Sanweishan-Shuangta fault form in the late Pliocene (N2), while the Daquan fault displays formation age of l.5-1.2 Ma, and the activity age of the relevant branch faults is Late Pleistocene (400 ka). The ages become younger from the Altyn Tagh fault to the Daquan fault and strike-slip faults display NW trending extension, further revealing the lateral growth process of the strike-slip boundary at the northern margin during the Cenozoic uplift of Tibetan Plateau. The displacement amounts on several secondary faults caused by the activities of the faults are slight due to the above-mentioned structural distribution characteristics of Beishan area, which means that this area is the most stable active area with few seismic activities. We propose the main granitic bodies in Beishan area could be favorable preselected locations for China's high level radioactive waste repository. (authors)

Structure of the Kasbah fold zone (Agadir bay, Morocco). Implications on the chronology of the recent tectonics of the western High Atlas and on the seismic hazard of the Agadir area

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mridekh, A.; Medina, F.; Mhammdi, N.; Samaka, F.; Bouatmani, R.

2009-07-01

Detailed re-interpretation of the north-eastern segment of a profile realized across the Agadir bay along a NE-SW trend and crosscutting the main structures, together with analysis of available isochron maps, allowed us to retrace the geological history of the offshore western High Atlas. Two tectonostratigraphic sequences were distinguished: Unit II, which displays a simple structure, laying un conformably on Unit I, with a more complex structure dominated by a reverse fault (F1) striking E-W with a dip to the north. Correlation to boreholes Souss-1 and AGM-1 allowed us to assign Unit I to the Triassic Palaeogene and Unit II to the Miocene Present. The NE fault block shows a ramp-flat fault plane (F2) with an overlying SW-vergent fold that can be interpreted as a fault-bend fold. Three main stages were distinguished: (1) during the Cretaceous, F1 could have been a syn depositional normal fault with the NE block moving downwards; (2) towards the beginning of the Tertiary, the displacement of plane F2 induced the development of a fault-bend fold and erosion of the forelimb and hinge of the fold; displacement along F2 was transferred to fault F1; (3) afterwards, during the Miocene, reverse motion of F1 deformed and tilted the plane F2 and accentuated the folded structure. This evolution is typical for a frontal basin above a fault-related fold. Evaluation of the thickness and bed depth differences shows that the largest growth rate was recorded in Late Miocene times. Seismic activity recorded in the Agadir bay appears to be clearly related to this fault zone, as inferred from focal mechanisms. Seismic moment evaluation suggests that earthquakes of magnitude Mw=6 are likely to occur, but could not be much larger because of the fault segmentation geometry of the High Atlas Front. (Author) 53 refs.

Corridors of crestal and radial faults linking salt diapirs in the Espírito Santo Basin, SE Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Mattos, Nathalia H.; Alves, Tiago M.

2018-03-01

This work uses high-quality 3D seismic data to assess the geometry of fault families around salt diapirs in SE Brazil (Espírito Santo Basin). It aims at evaluating the timings of fault growth, and suggests the generation of corridors for fluid migration linking discrete salt diapirs. Three salt diapirs, one salt ridge, and five fault families were identified based on their geometry and relative locations. Displacement-length (D-x) plots, Throw-depth (T-z) data and structural maps indicate that faults consist of multiple segments that were reactivated by dip-linkage following a preferential NE-SW direction. This style of reactivation and linkage is distinct from other sectors of the Espírito Santo Basin where the preferential mode of reactivation is by upwards vertical propagation. Reactivation of faults above a Mid-Eocene unconformity is also scarce in the study area. Conversely, two halokinetic episodes dated as Cretaceous and Paleogene are interpreted below a Mid-Eocene unconformity. This work is important as it recognises the juxtaposition of permeable strata across faults as marking the generation of fault corridors linking adjacent salt structures. In such a setting, fault modelling shows that fluid will migrate towards the shallower salt structures along the fault corridors first identified in this work.

NO-FAULT COMPENSATION FOR MEDICAL INJURIES: TRENDS AND CHALLENGES.

Science.gov (United States)

Kassim, Puteri Nemie

2014-12-01

As an alternative to the tort or fault-based system, a no-fault compensation system has been viewed as having the potential to overcome problems inherent in the tort system by providing fair, speedy and adequate compensation for medically injured victims. Proponents of the suggested no-fault compensation system have argued that this system is more efficient in terms of time and money, as well as in making the circumstances in which compensation is paid, much clearer. However, the arguments against no-fault compensation systems are mainly on issues of funding difficulties, accountability and deterrence, particularly, once fault is taken out of the equation. Nonetheless, the no-fault compensation system has been successfully implemented in various countries but, at the same time, rejected in some others, as not being implementable. In the present trend, the no-fault system seems to fit the needs of society by offering greater access to justice for medically injured victims and providing a clearer "road map" towards obtaining suitable redress. This paper aims at providing the readers with an overview of the characteristics of the no fault compensation system and some examples of countries that have implemented it. Qualitative Research-Content Analysis. Given the many problems and hurdles posed by the tort or fault-based system, it is questionable that it can efficiently play its role as a mechanism that affords fair and adequate compensation for victims of medical injuries. However, while a comprehensive no-fault compensation system offers a tempting alternative to the tort or fault-based system, to import such a change into our local scenario requires a great deal of consideration. There are major differences, mainly in terms of social standing, size of population, political ideology and financial commitment, between Malaysia and countries that have successfully implemented no-fault systems. Nevertheless, implementing a no-fault compensation system in Malaysia is not

Stress states in the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt from passive margin to collisional tectonic setting

Science.gov (United States)

Navabpour, Payman; Barrier, Eric

2012-12-01

The present-day Zagros fold-and-thrust belt of SW-Iran corresponds to the former Arabian passive continental margin of the southern Neo-Tethyan basin since the Permian-Triassic rifting, undergoing later collisional deformation in mid-late Cenozoic times. In this paper an overview of brittle tectonics and palaeostress reconstructions of the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt is presented, based on direct stress tensor inversion of fault slip data. The results indicate that, during the Neo-Tethyan oceanic opening, an extensional tectonic regime affectedthe sedimentary cover in Triassic-Jurassic times with an approximately N-S trend of the σ3 axis, oblique to the margin, which was followed by some local changes to a NE-SW trend during Jurassic-Cretaceous times. The stress state significantly changed to thrust setting, with a NE-SW trend of the σ1 axis, and a compressional tectonic regime prevailed during the continental collision and folding of the sedimentary cover in Oligocene-Miocene times. This compression was then followed by a strike-slip stress state with an approximately N-S trend of the σ1 axis, oblique to the belt, during inversion of the inherited extensional basement structures in Pliocene-Recent times. The brittle tectonic reconstructions, therefore, highlighted major changes of the stress state in conjunction with transitions between thin- and thick-skinned structures during different extensional and compressional stages of continental deformation within the oblique divergent and convergent settings, respectively.

Application of deep geophysical data to the discussion on the relationship between deep faults, concealed over thrust napped structure and uranium metallogenesis in central-southern Jiangxi

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang Jinyuan; Qi Liang

1999-01-01

Based on the comparative analysis and study on 10 profiles of telluric electromagnetic sounding (MT) and regional gravimetric, magnetic data and Moho surface, the deep geological-tectonic pattern of the central-southern Jiangxi is discussed. It is suggested that: the studied region belongs to the Soyth-China block; in the area along Pingxiang-Guangfeng, at the border with Yangzi block an approximately EW-trending mantle concave-mantle slope zone occurs; the NNE-NE trending mantle uplift-mantle slope-mantle concave structure is developed within the South-China block; deep fault zones are represented by variation sites of Moho surface. Then, a series of deep structures is inferred including the approximately EW-striking Pingxian-Guangfeng deep fault zone, the NNE-striking Fuzhou-Anyuan deep fault zone, the NNE-trending Fengcheng-Dayu deep fault zone, as well as the NE-striking Yudu-Ningdu over thrust napped and sliding thrust structural systems, the approximately E W-trending Le'an-Nancheng over thrust napped structural systems etc. According to the distribution of known uranium mineralizations it is confirmed that close time-space relation exists between the uranium metallogenesis and variations of Moho surface, and over thrust napped structures, providing clues for locating concealed uranium deposits

Role of satellite and geophysical data for evaluation of site for nuclear power plants - a case study from Rajasthan, India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chaturvedi, A.K.; Ramesh Babu, V.; Srivastava, P.K.; Sunil, T.C.

2014-01-01

Remote sensing imageries and seismotectonic maps were studied in the light of recently published regional gravity data jointly by NGRI, OIL, GSI and SOl (2006) for accessing the structural fabric of the area to locate suitable site for nuclear power plant. Entire analysis of the data sets has been carried out in Geographical Information Systems (GIS) environment. The study area, Rawatbhata falls well within the Vindhyan Basin bounded by the towns Bundi in the North, Chittaurgarh in the West, Jhalwar in the Southeast and Kota in the Northeast. Interpretation of the arcuate shaped gravity low in the southeast reveals the probable extension of Hindoli Group of Rocks below the Vidhyans and Traps. The selected location is sitting on the gravity high. A gravity gradient of 5 mGal is observed within the 10km buffer zone which is marked in yellow on all the maps. Earlier workers interpreted the thickness of the Vindhyan sediments as 6-7km, based on the deep seismic and gravity surveys, conducted along the Kunjer-Nagaur transect. Study of the seismotectonic maps published by GSI doesn't indicate any seismic activity over the decades. NE-SW trending neotectonic faults and few thermal springs are noticed far away from the study area around 100 km NW of Great Boundary Fault (GBF). Numbers of NE-SW, NW-SE trending major and minor lineaments/faults are present in the region. However, analysis of the geophysical data sets doesn't reflect any such lineaments/faults within 25 km radius. Integrated study of the area helped in evaluating the existing nuclear power plant site. (author)

Seismicity of the 24 May 2014 Mw 7.0 Aegean Sea earthquake sequence along the North Aegean Trough

Science.gov (United States)

Görgün, Ethem; Görgün, Burçak

2015-11-01

The northern Aegean Sea was hit by a large size (Mw = 7.0) earthquake on 2014 May 24. Centroid moment tensor solutions for 40 events with moment magnitudes (Mw) between 3.3 and 7.0 are computed by applying a waveform inversion method on data from the Turkish and Greek broadband seismic networks. The time span of data covers the period between 2014 May 24 and 2014 June 26. The mainshock is a shallow focus strike-slip event at a depth of 15 km. Focal depths of aftershocks range from 6 to 30 km. The seismic moment (Mo) of the mainshock is estimated as 4.60 × 1019 Nm. The calculated rupture duration of the North Aegean Sea mainshock is 40 s. The focal mechanisms of the aftershocks are mainly strike-slip faulting with a minor normal component. The geometry of focal mechanisms reveals a strike-slip faulting regime with NE-SW trending direction of T-axis in the entire activated region. A stress tensor inversion of focal mechanism data is performed to acquire a more accurate picture of the northern Aegean Sea stress field along the North Aegean Trough. The stress tensor inversion results indicate a predominant strike-slip stress regime with a NW-SE oriented maximum principal compressive stress (σ1). In the development of the North Aegean Trough in Aegean Sea is in good agreement with the resolved stress tensors. With respect the newly determined focal mechanisms, the effect of the propagating of the North Anatolian Fault into Aegean Sea is very clearly pronounced. According to high-resolution hypocenter relocation of the North Aegean Sea seismic sequence, three main clusters are revealed. The aftershock activity in the observation period between 2014 May 24 and 2014 July 31 extends from the mainshock cluster from NE to the SW direction. Seismic cross-sections indicate that a complex pattern of the hypocenter distribution with the activation of seventeen segments. The eastern cluster is associated with a fault plane trending mainly ENE-WSW and dipping vertical, while the

Probabilistic seismic hazard assessment for the two layer fault system of Antalya (SW Turkey) area

Science.gov (United States)

Dipova, Nihat; Cangir, Bülent

2017-09-01

Southwest Turkey, along Mediterranean coast, is prone to large earthquakes resulting from subduction of the African plate under the Eurasian plate and shallow crustal faults. Maximum observed magnitude of subduction earthquakes is Mw = 6.5 whereas that of crustal earthquakes is Mw = 6.6. Crustal earthquakes are sourced from faults which are related with Isparta Angle and Cyprus Arc tectonic structures. The primary goal of this study is to assess seismic hazard for Antalya area (SW Turkey) using a probabilistic approach. A new earthquake catalog for Antalya area, with unified moment magnitude scale, was prepared in the scope of the study. Seismicity of the area has been evaluated by the Gutenberg-Richter recurrence relationship. For hazard computation, CRISIS2007 software was used following the standard Cornell-McGuire methodology. Attenuation model developed by Youngs et al. Seismol Res Lett 68(1):58-73, (1997) was used for deep subduction earthquakes and Chiou and Youngs Earthq Spectra 24(1):173-215, (2008) model was used for shallow crustal earthquakes. A seismic hazard map was developed for peak ground acceleration and for rock ground with a hazard level of a 10% probability of exceedance in 50 years. Results of the study show that peak ground acceleration values on bedrock change between 0.215 and 0.23 g in the center of Antalya.

An Integrated Architecture for On-Board Aircraft Engine Performance Trend Monitoring and Gas Path Fault Diagnostics

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, Donald L.

2010-01-01

Aircraft engine performance trend monitoring and gas path fault diagnostics are closely related technologies that assist operators in managing the health of their gas turbine engine assets. Trend monitoring is the process of monitoring the gradual performance change that an aircraft engine will naturally incur over time due to turbomachinery deterioration, while gas path diagnostics is the process of detecting and isolating the occurrence of any faults impacting engine flow-path performance. Today, performance trend monitoring and gas path fault diagnostic functions are performed by a combination of on-board and off-board strategies. On-board engine control computers contain logic that monitors for anomalous engine operation in real-time. Off-board ground stations are used to conduct fleet-wide engine trend monitoring and fault diagnostics based on data collected from each engine each flight. Continuing advances in avionics are enabling the migration of portions of the ground-based functionality on-board, giving rise to more sophisticated on-board engine health management capabilities. This paper reviews the conventional engine performance trend monitoring and gas path fault diagnostic architecture commonly applied today, and presents a proposed enhanced on-board architecture for future applications. The enhanced architecture gains real-time access to an expanded quantity of engine parameters, and provides advanced on-board model-based estimation capabilities. The benefits of the enhanced architecture include the real-time continuous monitoring of engine health, the early diagnosis of fault conditions, and the estimation of unmeasured engine performance parameters. A future vision to advance the enhanced architecture is also presented and discussed

Himalayan gneiss dome formation in the middle crust and exhumation by normal faulting: New geochronology of Gianbul dome, northwestern India

Science.gov (United States)

Horton, Forrest; Lee, Jeffrey; Hacker, Bradley; Bowman-Kamaha'o, Meilani; Cosca, Michael A.

2015-01-01

A general lack of consensus about the origin of Himalayan gneiss domes hinders accurate thermomechanical modeling of the orogen. To test whether doming resulted from tectonic contraction (e.g., thrust duplex formation, antiformal bending above a thrust ramp, etc.), channel flow, or via the buoyant rise of anatectic melts, this study investigates the depth and timing of doming processes for Gianbul dome in the western Himalaya. The dome is composed of Greater Himalayan Sequence migmatite, Paleozoic orthogneiss, and metasedimentary rock cut by multiple generations of leucogranite dikes. These rocks record a major penetrative D2 deformational event characterized by a domed foliation and associated NE-SW–trending stretching lineation, and they are flanked by the top-down-to-the-SW (normal-sense) Khanjar shear zone and the top-down-to-the-NE (normal sense) Zanskar shear zone (the western equivalent of the South Tibetan detachment system). Monazite U/Th-Pb geochronology records (1) Paleozoic emplacement of the Kade orthogneiss and associated granite dikes; (2) prograde Barrovian metamorphism from 37 to 33 Ma; (3) doming driven by upper-crustal extension and positive buoyancy of decompression melts between 26 and 22 Ma; and (4) the injection of anatectic melts into the upper levels of the dome—neutralizing the effects of melt buoyancy and potentially adding strength to the host rock—by ca. 22.6 Ma on the southwestern flank and ca. 21 Ma on the northeastern flank. As shown by a northeastward decrease in 40Ar/39Ar muscovite dates from 22.4 to 20.2 Ma, ductile normal-sense displacement within the Zanskar shear zone ended by ca. 22 Ma, after which the Gianbul dome was exhumed as part of a rigid footwall block below the brittle Zanskar normal fault, tilting an estimated 5°–10°SW into its present orientation.

Gravity and magnetic survey of the Oaxaca city region: Cenozoic horst-and-graben structure superimposed on the Oaxaca-Juarez terrane boundary, southern Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Campos-Enríquez, J. O.; Belmonte-Jiménez, S. I.; Keppie, J. D.; Ortega-Gutiérrez, F.; Arzate, J. A.; Martínez-Silva, J.; Martínez-Serrano, R. G.

2010-04-01

A geophysical survey of the Oaxaca Fault along the north-trending Etla and Zaachila valleys area, southern Mexico, shows a series of NNW-SSE Bouguer and magnetic anomalies with steeper gradients towards the east. The Oaxaca Fault represents Tertiary extensional reactivation of the Juarez shear zone that constitutes the boundary between the Oaxaca and Juárez terranes. Cooperative interpretation of six combined gravity and magnetic NE-SW profiles perpendicular to the valleys indicates the presence of a composite depression comprising three N-S sub-basins: the northern Etla and southern Zaachila sub-basins separated by the Atzompa sub-basin. The Etla sub-basin is bounded by the moderately E-dipping, Etla Fault and the more steeply W-dipping Oaxaca Fault, which together constitute a graben that continues southwards into the Atzompa graben. The deeper Zaachila sub-basin, south of Oaxaca city, is a wide V-shaped graben with a horst in the middle. The new geophysical data suggest that the Oaxaca-Juarez terrane boundary is displaced sinistrally ca. 20 km along the E-W Donají Fault, which defines the northern boundary of the Zaachila sub-basin. On the other hand, the Oaxaca Fault may either continue unbroken southwards along the western margin of the horst in the Zaachila sub-basin or be offset along with the terrane boundary. The sinistral movement may have taken place either during the Late Mesozoic-Early Cenozoic, Laramide Orogeny as a lateral ramp in the thrust plane or under Miocene-Pliocene, NE-SW extension. The former suggests that the Donají Fault is a transcurrent fault, whereas the latter implies that it is a transfer fault. The models imply that originally the suture was continuous south of the Donaji Fault and provide a constraint for the accretion of the Oaxaca and Juarez terranes.

Fault distribution in the Precambrian basement of South Norway

Science.gov (United States)

Gabrielsen, Roy H.; Nystuen, Johan Petter; Olesen, Odleiv

2018-03-01

Mapping of the structural pattern by remote sensing methods (Landsat, SPOT, aerial photography, potential field data) and field study of selected structural elements shows that the cratonic basement of South Norway is strongly affected by a regular lineament pattern that encompasses fault swarms of different orientation, age, style, attitude and frequency. Albeit counting numerous fault and fracture populations, the faults are not evenly distributed and N-S to NNE-SSW/NNW-SSE and NE-SE/ENE-WSW-systems are spatially dominant. N-S to NNW-SSE structures can be traced underneath the Caledonian nappes to the Western Gneiss Region in western and central South Norway, emphasizing their ancient roots. Dyke swarms of different ages are found within most of these zones. Also, the Østfold, Oslo-Trondheim and the Mandal-Molde lineament zones coincide with trends of Sveconorwegian post-collision granites. We conclude that the N-S-trend includes the most ancient structural elements, and that the trend can be traced back to the Proterozoic (Svecofennian and Sveconorwegian) orogenic events. Some of the faults may have been active in Neoproterozoic times as marginal faults of rift basins at the western margin of Baltica. Remnants of such fault activity have survived in the cores of many of the faults belonging to this system. The ancient systems of lineaments were passively overridden by the Caledonian fold-and-thrust system and remained mostly, but note entirely inactive throughout the Sub-Cambrian peneplanation and the Caledonian orogenic collapse in the Silurian-Devonian. The system was reactivated in extension from Carboniferous times, particularly in the Permian with the formation of the Oslo Rift and parts of it remain active to the Present, albeit by decreasing extension and fault activity.

Post-Panafrican late Proterozoic basins in the Central Anti-Atlas (Morocco): their influence on the Variscan contractional structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Guimerà, Joan; Arboleya, María. Luisa

2010-05-01

Located South of the High Atlas, in Morocco, The Anti-Atlas is a 700 km-long chain trending NE-SW. In the Central Anti-Atlas region, between Warzazat and Taznakht, the Proterozoic Pan-African basement (X1 to X2-3) crops out in isolated areas (boutonnières), where it is overlaid by late to post Pan-African Upper Proterozoic and Palaeozoic rocks. Late to post Pan-African Upper Proterozoic rocks (X3) have been classically divided into three units (X3i, X3m and X3s) which include volcanic rocks — mainly rhyolites— and continental siliciclastic rocks, the older units intruded by late granites (Choubert, 1952 and Choubert et al., 1970). Rocks belonging to the upper unit of post Pan-African Upper Proterozoic rocks (X3s) were deposited in basins bounded by faults with a dominant dip-slip normal motion; as a result, this unit have a variable thickness, being locally absent in the uplifted blocks. Uppermost Proterozoic (Adoudounian) and Palaeozoic rocks deposited unconformable on the older rocks in the Anti-Atlas. The Central Anti-Atlas was slightly deformed during the Variscan orogeny by folds and high-angle thrusts. Two areas are selected to study the post Pan-African to Variscan evolution of the area: the Tiwiyyine basin and the Anti-Atlas Major Fault. Tiwiyyine basin This basin is delimited by kilometric-scale normal faults. Three of them can be observed in the field: two striking NE-SW (NW and SE boundaries) and one striking NW-SE (SW boundary), while the NE boundary is covered by Cenozoic rocks. The basin fill reaches 725 m and has been divided into three units: 1. X3s1: Coarse conglomerates with basal breccias. 2. X3s2: Laminated dolomites at the base, red pelites and conglomerates. 3. X3s3: Conglomerates with interbedded andesites. Unit X3s2 passes laterally to the SW to unit X3s1. The thickness of the basin fill diminishes to the SE. This is specially visible at the basal X3s1 unit. At both sides of the two NE-SW-striking faults, only the upper X3s3 unit is

The evolution of shallow crustal structures in early rift-transform interaction: a case study in the northern Gulf of California.

Science.gov (United States)

Farangitakis, Georgios-Pavlos; van Hunen, Jeroen; Kalnins, Lara M.; Persaud, Patricia; McCaffrey, Kenneth J. W.

2017-04-01

end, and is an active rift. The second structural domain is a large, NE-SW-trending anticlinorium 60 km wide to the southeast of the rift zone, towards the Tiburon basin. One possibility is that it represents a positive flower structure and thus indicates a transpressional domain. However, individual structures within the broader zone are normal faults and negative flower structures, suggesting transtensional deformation, and the overall structure may be a roll-over antiform formed on a deep detachment structure. Finally, a strike-slip-dominated zone occurs along the northward continuation of the Ballenas Transform Fault. This is accompanied by the formation of submarine volcanic knolls. These patterns can be compared with seismic stratigraphy facies and structural patterns in mature transform margins and potentially give insight into their early history.

Rupture behaviors of the 2010 Jiashian and 2016 Meinong Earthquakes: Implication for interaction of two asperities on the Chishan Transfer Fault Zone in SW Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Jian, P. R.; Hung, S. H.; Chen, Y. L.; Meng, L.; Tseng, T. L.

2017-12-01

Chishan Transfer Fault Zone as a likely candidate rupture plane. In 2010, the Jiasian earthquake initiated at the deeper NE asperity and propagated NW-ward and up-dip. Six years later, the stronger shallower asperity responsible for the Meinong event was statically triggered, which consequently caused the ruinous destruction in SW Taiwan.

Fluid inclusion study of radioactive granite and cherty cataclasite in the Southeastern part of Nanded district, Maharashtra: implications for the uranium mineralisation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banerjee, Rahul; Shivkumar, K.; Thomas, Tresa; Thomas, Jugina; Pandian, M.S.

2013-01-01

Southeastern part of Nanded district, Maharashtra exposes Palaeoproterozoic granitoids, representing the younger phase of Peninsular Gneissic Complex (PGC), mark the northeastern extension of Eastern Dharwar Craton. These granitoids are predominantly pink/grey granites, which are traversed by younger phosphatic cherty cataclasites close to the Deccan Trap capping. They are also affected by profuse pegmatitic/quartzo-feldspathic, quartz and epidote venations, especially close to fault/shear zones. A number of N-S to NNE-SSW, NE-SW, NW-SE and E-W trending lineaments marked by faults/fractures/shear zones and dykes are delineated in this granitic terrain. Among these, NE-SW and NNE-SSW faults/shear zones affecting granitoids and cherty cataclasites in Shahpur-Sujayatpur and Thadisaoli area have recorded significant uranium anomalies (Granitoids: upto 1% U 3 O 8 and 0.20% ThO 2 ; Cherty cataclasites upto 0.11% U 3 O 8 and <0.005% ThO 2 ) and enrichment in rare metal and rare earth element content (Nb-77ppm, Y-111 ppm, Zr-432ppm; n=9 and total REE-1167ppm; n=3). Presence of discrete uranium/thorium minerals (uraninite, b-uranophane and thorite) and high content of resistates viz., apatite, zircon, allanite, sphene, cerianite, monazite and ilmenite are responsible for radioactivity in granitoids while phosphatic material accounts for radioactivity in cherty cataclasites

Crustal structure of norther Oaxaca terrane; The Oaxaca and caltepec faults, and the Tehuacan Valley. A gravity study.

Science.gov (United States)

Campos-Enriquez, J. O.; Alatorre-Zamora, M. A.; Ramón, V. M.; Belmonte, S.

2014-12-01

Northern Oaxaca terrane, southern Mexico, is bound by the Caltepec and Oaxaca faults to the west and east, respectively. These faults juxtapose the Oaxaca terrane against the Mixteca and Juarez terranes, respectively. The Oaxaca Fault also forms the eastern boundary of the Cenozoic Tehuacan depression. Several gravity profiles across these faults and the Oaxaca terrane (including the Tehuacan Valley) enables us to establish the upper crustal structure of this region. Accordingly, the Oaxaca terrane is downward displaced to the east in two steps. First the Santa Lucia Fault puts into contact the granulitic basamental rocks with Phanerozoic volcanic and sedimentary rocks. Finally, the Gavilan Fault puts into contact the Oaxaca terrane basement (Oaxaca Complex) into contact with the volcano-sedimentary infill of the valley. This gravity study reveals that the Oaxaca Fault system gives rise to a series of east tilted basamental blocks (Oaxaca Complex?). A structural high at the western Tehuacan depression accomadates the east dipping faults (Santa Lucia and Gavilan faults) and the west dipping faults of the Oaxaca Fault System. To the west of this high structural we have the depper depocenters. The Oaxaca Complex, the Caltepec and Santa Lucia faults continue northwestwards beneath Phanerozoic rocks. The faults are regional tectonic structures. They seem to continue northwards below the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. A major E-W to NE-SW discontinuity on the Oaxaca terrane is inferred to exist between profiles 1 and 2. The Tehuacan Valley posses a large groundwater potential.

Noise Configuration and fault zone anisotropy investigation from Taiwan Chelungpu-fault Deep Borehole Array

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, R. J.; Ma, K. F.; Song, T. R. A.; Nishida, K.; Lin, Y. Y.

2016-12-01

The Taiwan Chelungpu-fault Drilling Project was operated to understand the fault zone characteristics associated with the 1999 Chichi earthquake. Seven Borehole Seismometers (TCDPBHS) were installed through the identified fault zone to monitor the micro-seismic activities, as well as the fault-zone seismic structure properties. To understand the fault zone anisotropy and its possible temporal variations after the Chichi earthquake, we calculated cross-correlations of the noise at different stations to obtain cross correlation functions (CCFs) of the ambient noise field between every pair of the stations. The result shows that TCDP well site suffers from complex wavefield, and phase traveltime from CCF can't provide explicit result to determine the dominated wavefield. We first analyze the power density spectra and probability density functions of this array. We observe that the spectra show diurnal variation in the frequency band 1-25 Hz, suggesting human-generated sources are dominated in this frequency band. Then, we focus on the particle motion analysis at each CCF. We assume one component at a station plays as a visual source and compute the CCF tensor in other station components. The particle motion traces show high linearity which indicate that the dominated wavefield in our study area is body wave signals with the azimuth approximate to 60° from north. We also analyze the Fourier spectral amplitudes by rotating every 5 degrees in time domain to search for the maximum background energy distribution. The result shows that the spectral amplitudes are stronger at NE-SW direction, with shallow incident angles which are comparable with the CCF particle motion measurement. In order to obtain higher resolution about the dominated wavefield in our study area, we also used beamforming from surface station array to validate our results from CCF analysis. In addition to the CCF analysis to provide the noise configuration at the TCDPBHS site for further analysis on

Morphotectonics of the Jamini River basin, Bundelkhand Craton, Central India; using remote sensing and GIS technique

Science.gov (United States)

Prakash, K.; Mohanty, T.; Pati, J. K.; Singh, S.; Chaubey, K.

2017-11-01

Morphological and morphotectonic analyses have been used to obtain information that influence hydrographic basins, predominantly these are modifications of tectonic elements and the quantitative description of landforms. Discrimination of morphotectonic indices of active tectonics of the Jamini river basin consists the analyses of asymmetry factor, ruggedness number, basin relief, gradient, basin elongation ratio, drainage density analysis, and drainage pattern analysis, which have been completed for each drainage basin using remote sensing and GIS techniques. The Jamini river is one of the major tributaries of the Betwa river in central India. The Jamini river basin is divided into five subwatersheds viz. Jamrar, Onri, Sainam, Shahzad and Baragl subwatershed. The quantitative approach of watershed development of the Jamini river basin, and its four sixth (SW1-SW4) and one fifth (SW5) order subwatersheds, was carried out using Survey of India toposheets (parts of 54I, 54K, 54L, 54O, and 54P), Landsat 7 ETM+, ASTER (GDEM) data, and field data. The Jamini river has low bifurcation index which is a positive marker of tectonic imprint on the hydrographic network. The analyses show that the geomorphological progression of the study area was robustly influenced by tectonics. The analysis demonstrates to extensional tectonics system with the following alignments: NE-SW, NW-SE, NNE-SSW, ENE-WSW, E-W, and N-S. Three major trends are followed by lower order streams viz. NE-SW, NW-SE, and E-W directions which advocate that these tectonic trends were active at least up to the Late Pleistocene. The assessment of morphotectonic indices may be used to evaluate the control of active faults on the hydrographic system. The analysis points out westward tilting of the drainage basins with strong asymmetry in some reaches, marked elongation ratio of subwatersheds, and lower order streams having close alignment with lineaments (active faults). The study facilitated to considerate the

Soil radon profile of the Alhama de Murcia Fault: implications in tectonic segmentation

Science.gov (United States)

Bejar-Pizarro, M.; Perez Lopez, R.; Fernández Cortés, A.; Martínez-Díaz, J. J.; Staller, A.; Sánchez-Malo, A.; Sanz, E.; Cuezva, S.; Sánchez-Moral, S.

2017-12-01

Soil radon exhalation in active faults has been reported in several cases. Mobilization of radon gas in tectonic areas is related to CO2emission, acting as gas carrier from deeper fractured zones. Fluctuation of radon values can be correlated with earthquake occurrence. We have used the soil radon emission for characterizing different tectonic segment of the Alhama de Murcia Fault (FAM), one of the most active on-shore tectonic faults in Spain. The FAM is a NE-SW trending strike-slip fault with reverse component, 90 km long and it is capable to trigger M7 earthquakes, as far as several paleoseismic studies shown. The last destructive earthquake took place in 2011 and killed 9 people. Tectonic segmentation of this fault has been proposed, with a tectonic slip-rate close to 0.1 mm/yr from geomorphic evidence, whereas 0.5 mm/yr has been suggested from GPS geodetic measurements. We have developed a perpendicular profile for measuring the soil radon exhalation, in relationship with three principal segments of FAM from west to east: (1) Goñar-Lorca segment, (2) Lorca Totana segment and (3) Alhama segment. We have introduced radon passive detectors equipped with LR115 films in colluvium detritic deposits and at 0.8 m depth. Using detritic deposits affected by Quaternary fault movement we assure equal permeability conditions for radon transport. We used passive closed housings type DRF, with a filter that avoid thoron disturbance. Results show the largest values of radon emission close to the Quaternary surface ruptures (ca 3-5.5 kBq/m3). Furthermore, the Goñar segment exhibits the highest value (6 kBq/m3) although the Lorca segment shows an isotopic signal of 13dCO2 (-7.24‰) which indicates this is a mantle-rootled CO2, i.e. non-soil derived CO2 flux, likely related to CO2 produced by thermal decarbonation of underlying sedimentary rocks containing more marine carbonate minerals. These results are part of the combined Spanish projects GEIs-SUB (CGL2016- 78318-C2-1-R

Fault structure and kinematics of the Long Valley Caldera region, California, revealed by high-accuracy earthquake hypocenters and focal mechanism stress inversions

Science.gov (United States)

Prejean, Stephanie; Ellsworth, William L.; Zoback, Mark; Waldhauser, Felix

2002-01-01

We have determined high-resolution hypocenters for 45,000+ earthquakes that occurred between 1980 and 2000 in the Long Valley caldera area using a double-difference earthquake location algorithm and routinely determined arrival times. The locations reveal numerous discrete fault planes in the southern caldera and adjacent Sierra Nevada block (SNB). Intracaldera faults include a series of east/west-striking right-lateral strike-slip faults beneath the caldera's south moat and a series of more northerly striking strike-slip/normal faults beneath the caldera's resurgent dome. Seismicity in the SNB south of the caldera is confined to a crustal block bounded on the west by an east-dipping oblique normal fault and on the east by the Hilton Creek fault. Two NE-striking left-lateral strike-slip faults are responsible for most seismicity within this block. To understand better the stresses driving seismicity, we performed stress inversions using focal mechanisms with 50 or more first motions. This analysis reveals that the least principal stress direction systematically rotates across the studied region, from NE to SW in the caldera's south moat to WNW-ESE in Round Valley, 25 km to the SE. Because WNW-ESE extension is characteristic of the western boundary of the Basin and Range province, caldera area stresses appear to be locally perturbed. This stress perturbation does not seem to result from magma chamber inflation but may be related to the significant (???20 km) left step in the locus of extension along the Sierra Nevada/Basin and Range province boundary. This implies that regional-scale tectonic processes are driving seismic deformation in the Long Valley caldera.

Fracture mapping of lineaments and recognizing their tectonic significance using SPOT-5 satellite data: A case study from the Bajestan area, Lut Block, east of Iran

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmadirouhani, Reyhaneh; Rahimi, Behnam; Karimpour, Mohammad Hassan; Malekzadeh Shafaroudi, Azadeh; Afshar Najafi, Sadegh; Pour, Amin Beiranvand

2017-10-01

Syste'm Pour l'Observation de la Terre (SPOT) remote sensing satellite data have useful characteristics for lineament extraction and enhancement related to the tectonic evaluation of a region. In this study, lineament features in the Bajestan area associated with the tectonic significance of the Lut Block (LB), east Iran were mapped and characterized using SPOT-5 satellite data. The structure of the Bajestan area is affected by the activity of deep strike-slip faults in the boundary of the LB. Structural elements such as faults and major joints were extracted, mapped, and analyzed by the implementation of high-Pass and standard kernels (Threshold and Sobel) filters to bands 1, 2 and 3 of SPOT-5 Level 2 A scene product of the Bajestan area. Lineament map was produced by assigning resultant filter images to red-green-blue (RGB) colour combinations of three main directions such as N-S, E-W and NE-SW. Results derived from image processing technique and statistical assessment indicate that two main orientations, including NW-SE with N-110 azimuth and NE-SW with N-40 azimuth, were dominated in the Bajestan area. The NW-SE trend has a high frequency in the study area. Based on the results of remote sensing lineament analysis and fieldwork, two dextral and sinistral strike-slip components were identified as main fault trends in the Bajestan region. Two dextral faults have acted as the cause of shear in the south and north of the Bajestan granitoid mass. Furthermore, the results indicate that the most of the lineaments in this area are extensional fractures corresponding to both the dykes emplacement and hydrothermal alteration zones. The application of SPOT-5 satellite data for structural analysis in a study region has great capability to provide very useful information of a vast area with low cost and time-consuming.

One Basin, One Stress Regime, One Orientation of Seismogenic Basement Faults, Variable Spatio-Temporal Slip Histories: Lessons from Fort Worth Basin Induced Earthquake Sequences

Science.gov (United States)

DeShon, H. R.; Brudzinski, M.; Frohlich, C.; Hayward, C.; Jeong, S.; Hornbach, M. J.; Magnani, M. B.; Ogwari, P.; Quinones, L.; Scales, M. M.; Stump, B. W.; Sufri, O.; Walter, J. I.

2017-12-01

Since October 2008, the Fort Worth basin in north Texas has experienced over 30 magnitude (M) 3.0+ earthquakes, including one M4.0. Five named earthquake sequences have been recorded by local seismic networks: DFW Airport, Cleburne-Johnson County, Azle, Irving-Dallas, and Venus-Johnson County. Earthquakes have occurred on northeast (NE)-southwest (SW) trending Precambrian basement faults and within the overlying Ellenburger limestone unit used for wastewater disposal. Focal mechanisms indicate primarily normal faulting, and stress inversions indicate maximum regional horizontal stress strikes 20-30° NE. The seismogenic sections of the faults in either the basement or within the Ellenburger appear optimally oriented for failure within the modern stress regime. Stress drop estimates range from 10 to 75 bars, with little variability between and within the named sequences, and the values are consistent with intraplate earthquake stress drops in natural tectonic settings. However, the spatio-temporal history of each sequence relative to wastewater injection data varies. The May 2015 M4.0 Venus earthquake, for example, is only the largest of what is nearly 10 years of earthquake activity on a single fault structure. Here, maximum earthquake size has increased with time and exhibits a log-linear relationship to cumulative injected volume from 5 nearby wells. At the DFW airport, where the causative well was shut-in within a few months of the initial earthquakes and soon after the well began operation, we document migration away from the injector on the same fault for nearly 6 km sporadically over 5 years. The Irving-Dallas and Azle sequences, like DFW airport, appear to have started rather abruptly with just a few small magnitude earthquakes in the weeks or months preceding the significant set of magnitude 3.5+ earthquakes associated with each sequence. There are no nearby (<10 km) injection operations to the Irving-Dallas sequence and the Azle linked wells operated for

Seismic Interpretation of the Nam Con Son Basin and its Implication for the Tectonic Evolution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nguyen Quang Tuan

2016-06-01

Full Text Available DOI:10.17014/ijog.3.2.127-137The Nam Con Son Basin covering an area of circa 110,000 km2 is characterized by complex tectonic settings of the basin which has not fully been understood. Multiple faults allowed favourable migration passageways for hydrocarbons to go in and out of traps. Despite a large amount of newly acquired seismic and well data there is no significant update on the tectonic evolution and history of the basin development. In this study, the vast amount of seismic and well data were integrated and reinterpreted to define the key structural events in the Nam Con Son Basin. The results show that the basin has undergone two extentional phases. The first N - S extensional phase terminated at around 30 M.a. forming E - W trending grabens which are complicated by multiple half grabens filled by Lower Oligocene sediments. These grabens were reactivated during the second NW - SE extension (Middle Miocene, that resulted from the progressive propagation of NE-SW listric fault from the middle part of the grabens to the margins, and the large scale building up of roll-over structure. Further to the SW, the faults of the second extentional phase turn to NNE-SSW and ultimately N - S in the SW edge of the basin. Most of the fault systems were inactive by Upper Miocene except for the N - S fault system which is still active until recent time.

Why is the central area of the Alburni Mts in southern Italy so full of caves?

Science.gov (United States)

Cafaro, Simona; Gueguen, Erwan; Parise, Mario; Schiattarella, Marcello

2016-04-01

The Alburni Mts represent one of the most important karst area of southern Italy, with about 250 registered caves. Located in the southern Apennines, they constitute an impressive carbonate massif within the Mesozoic-Cenozoic Campania-Lucania platform. The study area is located inside the National Park of Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni, and is bounded by two major rivers: the Calore and Tanagro rivers. This area has been repeatedly affected during Pleistocene by the activity of a regional, partly blind, NW-SE-striking fault system responsible for several huge earthquakes. The massif is limited to the north by an important normal fault zone (Alburni Line), whereas towards the E-SE it is bounded by a complex fault system linking the Alburni Mts to the Maddalena Mts across the Auletta basin and the Vallo di Diano valley. The entire massif is structured by NW-SE trending transtensional faults delimiting half-graben basins, and offset also by NE-SW trending faults. In particular, structural and geomorphological data have shown that the central area of the calcareous ridge is characterized by a relative structural low rhombic-shaped in planimetric view. Approximately 180 karst caves of the known 250, including some of the most significant from a speleological viewpoint, are located in this area. Is this simply due to repeated exploration activity in the last 25 years in this specific sector or might it be related to geological matter? New morphometric and structural data suggest that a relevant transversal structure, consisting of a complex NE-SW fault system, responsible for the genesis of the downthrown area in the central sector of the flat-topped ridge, was able to create the tectonic framework for the development of a great number of karst caves which present peculiar features and hydrological behaviour due to such structural controls. In this contribution we present and discuss these data, aimed at contributing to increase the knowledge on an area of sure

Calcite Twin Analysis in the Central Andes of Northern Argentina and Southern Bolivia

Science.gov (United States)

Hardesty, E.; Hindle, D.

2005-12-01

The use of calcite twinning to infer compression directions and strain axes patterns has been applied widely in both fold and thrust belts, and continental interiors. Calcite twinning is noted to be one of the most precise methods for determining the internal strain of deformed rocks. Until now, such data from the deformed plate boundary of the Central Andes were lacking. This study has examined twinning orientations along the deformed Andean foreland (southern Bolivia and northern Argentina) from -25 to -20 latitude. In the Central Andes, we find an abundance of calcite twins in intervals of the Cretaceous age Yacorite limestone. Twin samples were collected, measured for orientation and type (I and II can be best used for strain analysis), and processed using the Groshong method, to give resultant strain tensors. The orientations of the twin short axes trend mostly NE-SW, which is close to the plate convergence direction. However, in a limited number of samples from the north, adjacent to the southern culmination of the active Subandean fold thrust belt, they trend NW-SE. This difference may be related to the more active, or more recent, shortening of the southern portion of the Eastern Cordillera, south of the culmination of the Subandean belt. This implies that twin short axes vary consistently with respect to geographic location and local tectonic regime. NW-SE trends in the northern region match well with fault kinematic studies in rocks pre-dating the San Juan del Oro unconformity (9-10 Ma). NE-SW trends in the south could correspond to much younger (~1-3 Ma) fault kinematic trends. In the Eastern Cordillera, where there is present day tectonic activity, the plunges of the twin short axes are found to be almost horizontal. This suggests that the twins were formed after folding occurred.

Analogue modelling of strike-slip fault propagation across a rheological/morphological crustal anisotropy: implications for the morphotectonic evolution of the Gloria Fault - Tore Madeira Rise area in NE Atlantic.

Science.gov (United States)

Tomás, Ricardo; Rosas, Filipe M.; Duarte, João C.; Terrinha, Pedro; Kullberg, Maria C.; Almeida, Jaime; Barata, Frederico; Carvalho, Bruno; Almeida, Pedro

2015-04-01

The Gloria Fault (GF) marks the E-W dextral transcurrent plate boundary between Eurasia and Africa in NE Atlantic, displaying complying high magnitude (historical and instrumental) seismic activity (e.g. M=7.1 in 1939 and M=8.4 in 1941, Bufforn et al., 1988), and cutting across a NNE-SSW 1000 km long bathymetric ridge: the so called Tore-Madeira Rise - TMR (rising in average 3km above the abyssal plain). The precise origin and tectono-magmatic evolution of the TMR is still not fully understood, although reported wide-angle refraction data points to a rheological configuration comprising an isostatically compensated thickened oceanic crust, possibly formed during a period of high accretion in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (Pierce and Barton, 1991). Widespread evidence for volcanic activity has also been recognized, spanning from late Cretaceous to Present (Geldmacher et al. 2006, Merle et al. 2009), noticeably with the most recent volcanism (~500 Ky) occurring as tectonically aligned volcanic plugs, distributed along the E-W tectonic trend of the GF-related structures. To better understand the complex interference at play in this key area between the tectonic structures (essentially determined by the Gloria Fault system), the present and past magmatic activity and the resulting seafloor morphology, a series of dynamically scaled analogue modelling experiments have been conceived and carried out. The main focus of this experimental work was to decipher the potential influence of a rheological vs. morphological anisotropy (accounting for the TMR) on the lateral propagation of a major right-lateral strike-slip fault (representing the GF). The preliminary comparison of the obtained experimental results with the natural morphotectonic pattern in the study area reveals, not only a strong tectonic control of the ongoing volcanism, manifested by the observed preferred directions of aligned volcanic plugs, but also a so far unsuspected deflection/distributed pattern of several

Oblique transfer of extensional strain between basins of the middle Rio Grande rift, New Mexico: Fault kinematic and paleostress constraints

Science.gov (United States)

Minor, Scott A.; Hudson, Mark R.; Caine, Jonathan S.; Thompson, Ren A.

2013-01-01

The structural geometry of transfer and accommodation zones that relay strain between extensional domains in rifted crust has been addressed in many studies over the past 30 years. However, details of the kinematics of deformation and related stress changes within these zones have received relatively little attention. In this study we conduct the first-ever systematic, multi-basin fault-slip measurement campaign within the late Cenozoic Rio Grande rift of northern New Mexico to address the mechanisms and causes of extensional strain transfer associated with a broad accommodation zone. Numerous (562) kinematic measurements were collected at fault exposures within and adjacent to the NE-trending Santo Domingo Basin accommodation zone, or relay, which structurally links the N-trending, right-stepping en echelon Albuquerque and Española rift basins. The following observations are made based on these fault measurements and paleostresses computed from them. (1) Compared to the typical northerly striking normal to normal-oblique faults in the rift basins to the north and south, normal-oblique faults are broadly distributed within two merging, NE-trending zones on the northwest and southeast sides of the Santo Domingo Basin. (2) Faults in these zones have greater dispersion of rake values and fault strikes, greater dextral strike-slip components over a wide northerly strike range, and small to moderate clockwise deflections of their tips. (3) Relative-age relations among fault surfaces and slickenlines used to compute reduced stress tensors suggest that far-field, ~E-W–trending σ3 stress trajectories were perturbed 45° to 90° clockwise into NW to N trends within the Santo Domingo zones. (4) Fault-stratigraphic age relations constrain the stress perturbations to the later stages of rifting, possibly as late as 2.7–1.1 Ma. Our fault observations and previous paleomagnetic evidence of post–2.7 Ma counterclockwise vertical-axis rotations are consistent with increased

Inherited discontinuities and fault kinematics of a multiphase, non-colinear extensional setting: Subsurface observations from the South Flank of the Golfo San Jorge basin, Patagonia

Science.gov (United States)

Paredes, José Matildo; Aguiar, Mariana; Ansa, Andrés; Giordano, Sergio; Ledesma, Mario; Tejada, Silvia

2018-01-01

We use three-dimensional (3D) seismic reflection data to analyze the structural style, fault kinematics and growth fault mechanisms of non-colinear normal fault systems in the South Flank of the Golfo San Jorge basin, central Patagonia. Pre-existing structural fabrics in the basement of the South Flank show NW-SE and NE-SW oriented faults. They control the location and geometry of wedge-shaped half grabens from the "main synrift phase" infilled with Middle Jurassic volcanic-volcaniclastic rocks and lacustrine units of Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous age. The NE-striking, basement-involved normal faults resulted in the rapid establishment of fault lenght, followed by gradual increasing in displacement, and minor reactivation during subsequent extensional phases; NW-striking normal faults are characterized by fault segments that propagated laterally during the "main rifting phase", being subsequently reactivated during succesive extensional phases. The Aptian-Campanian Chubut Group is a continental succession up to 4 km thick associated to the "second rifting stage", characterized by propagation and linkage of W-E to WNW-ESE fault segments that increase their lenght and displacement in several extensional phases, recognized by detailed measurement of current throw distribution of selected seismic horizons along fault surfaces. Strain is distributed in an array of sub-parallel normal faults oriented normal to the extension direction. A Late Cretaceous-Paleogene (pre-late Eocene) extensional event is characterized by high-angle, NNW-SSE to NNE-SSW grabens coeval with intraplate alkali basaltic volcanism, evidencing clockwise rotation of the stress field following a ∼W-E extension direction. We demonstrate differences in growth fault mechanisms of non-colinear fault populations, and highlight the importance of follow a systematic approach to the analysis of fault geometry and throw distribution in a fault network, in order to understand temporal-spatial variations

Deformed Fluvial Terraces of Little Rock Creek Capture Off-Fault Strain Adjacent to the Mojave Section of the San Andreas Fault

Science.gov (United States)

Moulin, A.; Scharer, K. M.; Cowgill, E.

2017-12-01

Examining discrepancies between geodetic and geomorphic slip-rates along major strike-slip faults is essential for understanding both fault behavior and seismic hazard. Recent work on major strike-slip faults has highlighted off-fault deformation and its potential impact on fault slip rates. However, the extent of off-fault deformation along the San Andreas Fault (SAF) remains largely uncharacterized. Along the Mojave section of the SAF, Little Rock Creek drains from south to north across the fault and has cut into alluvial terraces abandoned between 15 and 30 ka1. The surfaces offer a rare opportunity to both characterize how right-lateral slip has accumulated along the SAF over hundreds of seismic cycles, and investigate potential off-fault deformation along secondary structures, where strain accumulates at slower rates. Here we use both field observations and DEM analysis of B4 lidar data to map alluvial and tectonic features, including 9 terrace treads that stand up to 80 m above the modern channel. We interpret the abandonment and preservation of the fluvial terraces to result from episodic capture of Little Rock Creek through gaps in a shutter ridge north of the fault, followed by progressive right deflection of the river course during dextral slip along the SAF. Piercing lines defined by fluvial terrace risers suggest that the amount of right slip since riser formation ranges from 400m for the 15-ka-riser to 1200m for the 30-ka-riser. Where they are best-preserved NE of the SAF, terraces are also cut by NE-facing scarps that trend parallel to the SAF in a zone extending up to 2km from the main fault. Exposures indicate these are fault scarps, with both reverse and normal stratigraphic separation. Geomorphic mapping reveals deflections of both channel and terrace risers (up to 20m) along some of those faults suggesting they could have accommodated a component of right-lateral slip. We estimated the maximum total amount of strike-slip motion recorded by the

The significance of strike-slip faulting in the basement of the Zagros fold and thrust belt

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hessami, K.; Koyi, H.A.; Talbot, C.J. [Uppsala University (Sweden). Institute of Earth Sciences

2000-01-01

Lateral offsets in the pattern of seismicity along the Zagros fold and thrust belt indicate that transverse faults segmenting the Arabian basement are active deep-seated strike-slip faults. The dominant NW-SE trending features of the belt have undergone repeated horizontal displacements along these transverse faults. These reactivated basement faults, which are inherited from the Pan-African construction phase, controlled both deposition of the Phanerozoic cover before Tertiary-Recent deformation of the Zagros and probably the entrapment of hydrocarbons on the NE margin of Arabia and in the Zagros area. We have used observations of faulting recognized on Landsat satellite images, in conjunction with the spatial distribution of earthquakes and their focal mechanism solutions, to infer a tectonic model for the Zagros basement. Deformation in the NW Zagros appears to be concentrated on basement thrusts and a few widely-spaced north-south trending strike-slip faults which separate major structural segments. In the SE Zagros, two main structural domains can be distinguished. A domain of NNW-trending right-lateral faults in the northern part of the SE Zagros implies that fault-bounded blocks are likely to have rotated anticlockwise about vertical axes relative to both Arabia and Central Iran. In contrast, the predominance of NNE-trending left-lateral faults in the southern part of the SE Zagros implies that fault-bounded blocks may have rotated clockwise about vertical axes. We propose a tectonic model in which crustal blocks bounded by strike-slip faults in a zone of simple shear rotate about vertical axes relative to both Arabia and Central Iran. The presence of domains of strike-slip and thrust faulting in the Zagros basement suggest that some of the convergence between Arabia and Central Iran is accommodated by rotation and possible lateral movement of crust along the belt by strike-slip faults, as well as by obvious crustal shortening and thickening along thrust

The 2014 Mw6.9 Gokceada and 2017 Mw6.3 Lesvos Earthquakes in the Northern Aegean Sea: The Transition from Right-Lateral Strike-Slip Faulting on the North Anatolian Fault to Extension in the Central Aegean

Science.gov (United States)

Cetin, S.; Konca, A. O.; Dogan, U.; Floyd, M.; Karabulut, H.; Ergintav, S.; Ganas, A.; Paradisis, D.; King, R. W.; Reilinger, R. E.

2017-12-01

The 2014 Mw6.9 Gokceada (strike-slip) and 2017 Mw6.3 Lesvos (normal) earthquakes represent two of the set of faults that accommodate the transition from right-lateral strike-slip faulting on the North Anatolian Fault (NAF) to normal faulting along the Gulf of Corinth. The Gokceada earthquake was a purely strike-slip event on the western extension of the NAF where it enters the northern Aegean Sea. The Lesvos earthquake, located roughly 200 km south of Gokceada, occurred on a WNW-ESE-striking normal fault. Both earthquakes respond to the same regional stress field, as indicated by their sub-parallel seismic tension axis and far-field coseismic GPS displacements. Interpretation of GPS-derived velocities, active faults, crustal seismicity, and earthquake focal mechanisms in the northern Aegean indicates that this pattern of complementary faulting, involving WNW-ESE-striking normal faults (e.g. Lesvos earthquake) and SW-NE-striking strike-slip faults (e.g. Gokceada earthquake), persists across the full extent of the northern Aegean Sea. The combination of these two "families" of faults, combined with some systems of conjugate left-lateral strike-slip faults, complement one another and culminate in the purely extensional rift structures that form the large Gulfs of Evvia and Corinth. In addition to being consistent with seismic and geodetic observations, these fault geometries explain the increasing velocity of the southern Aegean and Peloponnese regions towards the Hellenic subduction zone. Alignment of geodetic extension and seismic tension axes with motion of the southern Aegean towards the Hellenic subduction zone suggests a direct association of Aegean extension with subduction, possibly by trench retreat, as has been suggested by prior investigators.

Intra-caldera active fault: An example from the Mw 7.0 2016 Kumamoto, Japan, earthquake

Science.gov (United States)

Toda, S.; Murakami, T.; Takahashi, N.

2017-12-01

A NE-trending 30-km-long surface rupture with up to 2.4 m dextral slip emerged during the Mw=7.0 16 April 2016 Kumamoto earthquake along the previously mapped Futagawa and northern Hinagu fault systems. The 5-km-long portion of the northeast rupture end, which was previously unidentified, crossed somma and extended to the 20-km-diameter Aso Caldera, one of the major active volcanoes, central Kyushu. We here explore geologic exposures of interplays of active faulting and active volcanism, and then argue the Futagawa fault system has been influenced by the ring fault system associated with the caldera forming gigantic eruptions since 270 ka, last of which occurred 90 ka ejecting a huge amount of ignimbrite. To understand the interplays, together with the mapping of the 2016 rupture, we employed an UAV to capture numerous photos of the exposures along the canyon and developed 3D orthochromatic topographic model using PhotoScan. One-hundred-meter-deep Kurokawa River canyon by the Aso Caldera rim exposes two lava flow units of 50 ka vertically offset by 10 m by the Futatawa fault system. Reconstructions of the collapsed bridges across the Kurokawa River also reveal cross sections of a 30-meter-high tectonic bulge and 10-m-scale negative flower structure deformed by the frequent fault movements. We speculate two fault developing models across the Aso Caldera. One is that the NE edge of the Futagawa fault system was cut and reset by the caldera forming ring fault, which indicates the 3-km-long rupture extent within the Aso Caldera would be a product of the fault growth since the last Aso-4 eruption of 90 ka. It enables us to estimate the 33 mm/yr of the fault propagation speed. An alternative model is that subsurface rupture of the Kumamoto earthquake extended further to the NE rim, the other side of the caldera edge, which is partially supported by the geodetic and seismic inversions. With respect to the model, the clear surface rupture of the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake

Direct fault dating trials at the Aespoe Hard Rock Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maddock, R.H.; Hailwood, E.A.

1993-10-01

Over seventy rock samples were collected from fault and fracture zones in the Aespoe Hard Rock Laboratory tunnel for a study of direct fault dating techniques. Following microstructural and mineralogical analysis, isotopic, palaeomagnetic and electron spin resonance (ESR) methods were employed in an attempt to determine the age of the most recent movements on the sampled faults. The larger fracture zones contain faultrock assemblages and microstructures which are consistent with a prolonged and polyphase movement history, although the cumulative displacements involved formation of fault gouge cemented by authigenic 'illite'. Dating studies were targeted particularly at the gouge but also at older fault rock and vein phases. ESR dating of quartz graines, separated from gouge from fracture zones NE-4 and NE-3, strongly indicates that the ESR signals have not been reset by fault movements for a minimum time period of several hundred thousand to one million years. Palaeomagnetic dating of gouge from fracture zone NE-4 shows that a stable component of magnetisation overlaps both Precambrian and Permo-Triassic parts of the apparent polar wander curve. The younger age of magnetisation is preferred on geological grounds and by comparison with the isotopic dating results. The magnetisation may correspond to a diagenetic event following fault movement. Palaeomagnetic ages determined on countryrock and epidote vein samples are largely consistent with independent age constraints. K-Ar dating of clay fractions (<2 to <0.05μm) separated from gouge from four faults, including fracture zones NE-4 and NE-3, gave model ages in the range 706-301Ma. Accounting for the effects of contamination by potassium-bearing porphyroclasts, it is likely that authigenic 'illite' was formed at least 250 million years ago, after the most recent significant fault movements. 100 refs., 60 figs., 26 tabs

Large fault fabric of the Ninetyeast Ridge implies near-spreading ridge formation

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Sager, W.W.; Paul, C.F.; Krishna, K.S.; Pringle, M.S.; Eisin, A.E.; Frey, F.A.; Rao, D.G.; Levchenko, O.V.

of the high ridge. At 26°S, prominent NE-SW 97 oriented lineations extend southwest from the ridge. Some appear to connect with N-S fracture 98 zone troughs east of NER, implying that the NE-SW features are fracture zone scars formed after 99 the change... to the 105 ridge (Fig. 3). This is especially true for NER south of ~4°S. Where KNOX06RR crossed a 106 gravity lineation, negative gradient features correspond to troughs whereas positive gradient 107 features result from igneous basement highs (Fig. 3...

Kinematics of tectonic fracture development during regional folding in sandstones of the Kamlial Formation, Khushalgarh, northern Pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sayab, M.

2005-01-01

Systematic relationships between the fracture orientation and fold geometry in sedimentary rocks have been used to explain the development of synfolding fractures. Based on field observations at the Khushalgarh syncline, located east of the Kohat Plateau, we proposed that the orientation of fractures was influenced dominantly by two tectonic fracture sets, that is, the NE-SW and NW-SE. The NE-SW fracture set dominantly formed as mode 1 (tensile), where as, the NW-SE fracture set developed as mode 11 (shear) conjugate fractures. The NE-SW trending fractures follow the axis of the syncline, whereas, the NW-SE fracture about crosscuts the fold axis. Most of the NE-SW fractures abut against the NW-SW fracture set. Based on the orientation and crosscutting relationship, their modes in response to stress, we conclude that the NE-SW trending fractures formed early than those of NW-SE fracture set. Though, both the fracture sets are formed during the folding, we suggest that they were not formed at the same time. Their crosscutting relationship suggests that they developed sequentially rather than synchronously. Our interpretations support the laboratory-based models where only one fracture orientation (or set of fractures with one orientation) form in response to single stress. However, as the stress distribution in folded strata changes over time new fractures of distinct orientations can form during or late in the folding history. We conclude that the sandstone units underwent bedding-parallel extension during folding, where bedding is stretched to accommodate extension. Parallel to the fold axis orientation. Bending of the limbs is a likely mechanism for the development of observed NE-SW trending fractures during folding, whereas the NW-SE fractures developed late in the folded history. (author)

Soft-Sediment Deformation Structures Interpreted as Seismites in the Kolankaya Formation, Denizli Basin (SW Turkey)

Science.gov (United States)

Topal, Savaş; Özkul, Mehmet

2014-01-01

The NW-trending Denizli basin of the SW Turkey is one of the neotectonic grabens in the Aegean extensional province. It is bounded by normal faults on both southern and northern margins. The basin is filled by Neogene and Quaternary terrestrial deposits. Late Miocene- Late Pliocene aged Kolankaya formation crops out along the NW trending Karakova uplift in the Denizli basin. It is a typical fluviolacustrine succession that thickens and coarsens upward, comprising poorly consolidated sand, gravelly sand, siltstone and marl. Various soft-sediment deformation structures occur in the formation, especially in fine- to medium grained sands, silts and marls: load structures, flame structures, clastic dikes (sand and gravely-sand dike), disturbed layers, laminated convolute beds, slumps and synsedimentary faulting. The deformation mechanism and driving force for the soft-sediment deformation are related essentially to gravitational instability, dewatering, liquefaction-liquidization, and brittle deformation. Field data and the wide lateral extent of the structures as well as regional geological data show that most of the deformation is related to seismicity and the structures are interpreted as seismites. The existence of seismites in the Kolankaya Formation is evidence for continuing tectonic activity in the study area during the Neogene and is consistent with the occurrence of the paleoearthquakes of magnitude >5. PMID:25152909

Postglacial seismic activity along the Isovaara-Riikonkumpu fault complex

Science.gov (United States)

Ojala, Antti E. K.; Mattila, Jussi; Ruskeeniemi, Timo; Palmu, Jukka-Pekka; Lindberg, Antero; Hänninen, Pekka; Sutinen, Raimo

2017-10-01

Analysis of airborne LiDAR-based digital elevation models (DEMs), trenching of Quaternary deposits, and diamond drilling through faulted bedrock was conducted to characterize the geological structure and full slip profiles of the Isovaara-Riikonkumpu postglacial fault (PGF) complex in northern Finland. The PGF systems are recognized from LiDAR DEMs as a complex of surface ruptures striking SW-NE, cutting through late-Weichselian till, and associated with several postglacial landslides within 10 km. Evidence from the terrain rupture characteristics, the deformed and folded structure of late-Weichselian till, and the 14C age of 11,300 cal BP from buried organic matter underneath the Sotka landslide indicates a postglacial origin of the Riikonkumpu fault (PGF). The fracture frequency and lithology of drill cores and fault geometry in the trench log indicate that the Riikonkumpu PGF dips to WNW with a dip angle of 40-45° at the Riikonkumpu site and close to 60° at the Riikonvaara site. A fault length of 19 km and the mean and maximum cumulative vertical displacement of 1.3 m and 4.1 m, respectively, of the Riikonkumpu PGF system indicate that the fault potentially hosted an earthquake with a moment magnitude MW ≈ 6.7-7.3 assuming that slip was accumulated in one seismic event. Our interpretation further suggests that the Riikonkumpu PGF system is linked to the Isovaara PGF system and that, together, they form a larger Isovaara-Riikonkumpu fault complex. Relationships between the 38-km-long rupture of the Isovaara-Riikonkumpu complex and the fault offset parameters, with cumulative displacement of 1.5 and 8.3 m, respectively, indicate that the earthquake(s) contributing to the PGF complex potentially had a moment magnitude of MW ≈ 6.9-7.5. In order to adequately sample the uncertainty space, the moment magnitude was also estimated for each major segment within the Isovaara-Riikonkumpu PGF complex. These estimates vary roughly between MW ≈ 5-8 for the individual

Laboratory study of the characteristics of fault breccias in Busan area in Korea

Science.gov (United States)

Woo, I.; Um, J.

2012-12-01

The physical and mechanical characteristics of fault breccias from near the Mt. Kumjung were estimated from laboratory tests on fractured fault breccias. Mt. Kumjung is surrounded by Yangsan Fault and Dongrae Fault which are major faults traversing the southeast part of Korea in the direction of NE-SW. The undisturbed samples were obtained from boreholes drilled in this region. The microscopic analysis on the thin sections of fault breccias showed the microstructure and the porosity of breccias. The fault breccias are composed of mainly fine quartz grains, and of angular quartz grains and weathered microcline grains. This microstructure of fault breccias might be formed by the catalasis during brittle deformation processes of the fault. 20 to 40% porosity of fault breccias could play an important role in the passage of groundwater and then in the development of fault gouge in the core part of fault. The mechanical characteristics were estimated by means of uniaxial compressive strength tests on the undisturbed breccias samples. Since fault breccias are not cohesive enough to use it directly as a test specimen, the epoxy resin was utilized to fix the outer surface of core samples. The thin plastic wrap had been enveloped before the epoxy resin was applied in order that the epoxy resin could not penetrate into the core specimens. The thickness of epoxy resin was less than 1mm not to disturb the results of uniaxial compressive strength of core samples. The measured uniaxial compressive strengths are 10 to 15MPa for the only physically fractured breccias and 8 to 10 MPa for the core specimens with hydrothermally altered surface. These results can be compared with the Hoek and Brown failure criteria : 7 to 10MPa for GSI value 40 to 50 for fault breccias with fresh surface. The overall measured strength of fault breccias is less than the strength obtained empirically by Hoek and Brown failure criteria.; ;

Structure of the San Andreas Fault Zone in the Salton Trough Region of Southern California: A Comparison with San Andreas Fault Structure in the Loma Prieta Area of Central California

Science.gov (United States)

Fuis, G. S.; Catchings, R.; Scheirer, D. S.; Goldman, M.; Zhang, E.; Bauer, K.

2016-12-01

The San Andreas fault (SAF) in the northern Salton Trough, or Coachella Valley, in southern California, appears non-vertical and non-planar. In cross section, it consists of a steeply dipping segment (75 deg dip NE) from the surface to 6- to 9-km depth, and a moderately dipping segment below 6- to 9-km depth (50-55 deg dip NE). It also appears to branch upward into a flower-like structure beginning below about 10-km depth. Images of the SAF zone in the Coachella Valley have been obtained from analysis of steep reflections, earthquakes, modeling of potential-field data, and P-wave tomography. Review of seismological and geodetic research on the 1989 M 6.9 Loma Prieta earthquake, in central California (e.g., U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1550), shows several features of SAF zone structure similar to those seen in the northern Salton Trough. Aftershocks in the Loma Prieta epicentral area form two chief clusters, a tabular zone extending from 18- to 9-km depth and a complex cluster above 5-km depth. The deeper cluster has been interpreted to surround the chief rupture plane, which dips 65-70 deg SW. When double-difference earthquake locations are plotted, the shallower cluster contains tabular subclusters that appear to connect the main rupture with the surface traces of the Sargent and Berrocal faults. In addition, a diffuse cluster may surround a steep to vertical fault connecting the main rupture to the surface trace of the SAF. These interpreted fault connections from the main rupture to surface fault traces appear to define a flower-like structure, not unlike that seen above the moderately dipping segment of the SAF in the Coachella Valley. But importantly, the SAF, interpreted here to include the main rupture plane, appears segmented, as in the Coachella Valley, with a moderately dipping segment below 9-km depth and a steep to vertical segment above that depth. We hope to clarify fault-zone structure in the Loma Prieta area by reanalyzing active

Spatial and temporal trends in PCBs in sediment along the lower Rhône River, France

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Desmet, Marc; Mourier, Brice; Mahler, Barbara J.; Van Metre, Peter C.; Roux, Gwenaëlle; Persat, Henri; Lefèvre, Irène; Peretti, Annie

2012-01-01

Despite increasingly strict control of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) releases in France since the mid-1970s, PCB contamination of fish recently has emerged as a major concern in the lower Rhône River basin. We measured PCB concentrations in Rhône sediment to evaluate the effects of PCB releases from major urban and industrial areas, sediment redistribution by large floods, and regulatory controls on PCB trends from 1970 to present. Profiles of PCBs (the sum of seven indicator PCB congeners) were reconstructed from sediment cores collected from an off-river rural reference site and from three depositional areas along the Rhône upstream and downstream from the city of Lyon, France. Core chronology was determined from radionuclide profiles and flood deposits. PCB concentrations increased progressively in the downstream direction, and reached a maximum concentration in 1991 of 281 μg/kg at the most downstream site. At the rural reference site and at the upstream Rhône site, PCB concentrations peaked in the 1970s (maximum concentration of 13 and 78 μg/kg, respectively) and have decreased exponentially since then. PCB concentrations in the middle and downstream cores were elevated into the early 1990s, decreased very rapidly until 2000, and since then have remained relatively stable. Congener profiles for three time windows (1965–80, 1986–93, and 2000–08) were similar in the three sediment cores from the Rhône and different from those at the rural reference site. The results indicate that permitted discharges from a hazardous-waste treatment facility upstream from Lyon might have contributed to high concentrations into the 1980-90s, but that industrial discharges from the greater Lyon area and tributaries to the Rhône near Lyon have had a greater contribution since the 1990s. There is little indication that PCB concentration in sediments downstream from Lyon will decrease over at least the short term. -- Highlights: ►We reconstructed trends in PCBs in

Extensional Structures on the Po Valley Side of the Northern Apennines

Science.gov (United States)

Bettelli, G.; Vannucchi, P.; Capitani, M.

2001-12-01

The present-day tectonics of the Northern Apennines is characterized by extension in the inner Tyrrhenian side and compression in the outer Po Valley-Adriatic side. The boundary separating the two domains, extensional and compressional, is still largely undetermined and mainly based on geophysical data (focal mechanisms of earthquakes). Map-scale extensional structures have been studied only along the Tyrrhenian side of the Northern Apennines (Tuscany), while along the Po Valley-Adriatic area the field studies concentrated on compressional features. A new, detailed field mapping of the Po Valley side of the Northern Apennines carried out in the last ten years within the Emilia Romagna Geological Mapping Program has shown the presence of a large extensional fault crossing the high Bologna-Modena-Reggio Emilia provinces, from the Sillaro to the Val Secchia valleys. This Sillaro-Val Secchia Normal Fault (SVSNF) is NW-SE trending, NE dipping and about 80 km long. The age, based on the younger displaced deposits, is post-Miocene. The SVSNF is a primary regional structure separating the Tuscan foredeep units from the Ligurian Units in the south-east sector of the Northern Apennines, and it is responsible for the exhumation of the Tuscan foredeep units along the Apennine water divide. The sub-vertical, SW-NE trending faults, formerly interpreted as strike slip, are transfer faults associated to the extensional structure. A geological cross-section across the SVSNF testifies a former thickness reduction and lamination of the Ligurian Units, as documented in the field, in the innermost areas of the Bologna-Modena-Reggio Emilia hills, implying the occurrence of a former extensional fault. These data indicate that the NE side of the water divide has already gone under extension reducing the compressional domain to the Po Valley foothills and plain. They can also help in interpreting the complex Apennines kinematics.

Structural inheritance and coastal geomorphology in SW Brittany, France: An onshore/offshore integrated approach

Science.gov (United States)

Raimbault, Céline; Duperret, Anne; Le Gall, Bernard; Authemayou, Christine

2018-04-01

The Variscan crystalline basement exposed along the SW Brittany coast recorded extensive long-term planation processes during Mesozoic times. Detailed onshore-offshore mapping (600 km2) in the Penmarc'h-Concarneau granitic coastal area reveals a km-scale, deeply fractured submarine rocky shelf. High-resolution offshore imagery (bathymetry and seismic reflection dataset), combined to structural field investigations, on these surfaces allow us to identify a preserved network of both ductile and brittle structures. The inherited fault pattern is dominated by the N160°E-trending and long-lived Concarneau-Toulven fault zone (CTFS) that separates two distinct morphostructural blocks, and strongly influences the seaward limit of the Concarneau submarine rocky shelf, as well as the linear coastline of the Concarneau embayment. The structural imprint of the CTFS decreases progressively westwards with respect to a composite network of large-scale N50°E- and N140°E-oriented faults bounding the seaward edge of the Penmarc'h rocky shelf. The latter in turn splits into three large-scale blocks along N50°E- (La Torche Fault - LTF), N140°E- (Saint Guénolé Fault - SGF) and N160°E-trending normal faults. The morphostructural evolutionary model applied here to the Penmarc'h-Concarneau granitic coastal area resulted from the combined effects of structural Variscan inheritance and post-Variscan tectonics. Paleo-stress analysis of striated fault planes indicates three main Cenozoic tectonic events, inferred to have operated from Eocene to post-Oligocene times. The 3D-architecture of the Concarneau embayment, as a rocky shelf partially sealed with quaternary sediments, chiefly resulted from the reactivation of the CTFS during Eocene and Oligocene times. Further west, the surface of the Penmarc'h rocky shelf was tilted southeastward by the brittle reactivation of the LTF, and dissected by a horst-graben network post-Oligocene in age. The present-day morphology of the Penmarc'h and

Synthesis on Biology and Uranium Mineralization of Rabau Hulu Sector Kalan, Kalimantan Barat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bambang-Soetopo; Retno-Witjahyanti; Yanu-Wusana

2004-01-01

The results of previous research on Rabau Hulu sector consist of geology, geophysics and drilling data show that the area prospect for finding U mineralization. Goal of this synthesis is to know geological and U mineralization of Rabau sector in order to develop further followup program. In general geology the area consists of biotite micro quartzite, muscovite micro quartzite, muscovite quartzite, leopard quartzite, horn fels and granite. The directions of stratification is NE-SW of the dipping is NW. Prominent fault is NE-SW sinistral fault, NNE-SSW and NW-SE dextral fault. Uranium mineralization as a uraninite fill in the space between minerals and fractures system ENE-WSW, its associated with pyrite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, molybdenite, sphalerite, magnetite, tourmaline and quartz. With radiometric anomalies values are about 1.000-15.000 c/s. Uranium mineralization process is connected with the granite intrusion as the hydrothermal magnetic process. (author)

Fault-controlled CO2 leakage from natural reservoirs in the Colorado Plateau, East-Central Utah

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Jung, Na-Hyun; Han, Weon Shik; Watson, Z. T.; Graham, Jack P.; Kim, Kue-Young

2014-10-01

The study investigated a natural analogue for soil CO2 fluxes where CO2 has naturally leaked on the Colorado Plateau, East-Central Utah in order to identify various factors that control CO2 leakage and to understand regional-scale CO2 leakage processes in fault systems. The total 332 and 140 measurements of soil CO2 flux were made at 287 and 129 sites in the Little Grand Wash (LGW) and Salt Wash (SW) fault zones, respectively. Measurement sites for CO2 flux involved not only conspicuous CO2 degassing features (e.g., CO2-driven springs/geysers) but also linear features (e.g., joints/fractures and areas of diffusive leakage around a fault damage zone). CO2 flux anomalies were mostly observed along the fault traces. Specifically, CO2 flux anomalies were focused in the northern footwall of the both LGW and SW faults, supporting the existence of north-plunging anticlinal CO2 trap against south-dipping faults as well as higher probability of the north major fault traces as conduits. Anomalous CO2 fluxes also appeared in active travertines adjacent to CO2-driven cold springs and geysers (e.g., 36,259 g m-2 d-1 at Crystal Geyser), ancient travertines (e.g., 5,917 g m-2 d-1), joint zones in sandstone (e.g., 120 g m-2 d-1), and brine discharge zones (e.g., 5,515 g m-2 d-1). These observations indicate that CO2 has escaped through those pathways and that CO2 leakage from these fault zones does not correspond to point source leakage. The magnitude of CO2 flux is progressively reduced from north (i.e. the LGW fault zone, ∼36,259 g m-2 d-1) to south (i.e. the SW fault zone, ∼1,428 g m-2 d-1) despite new inputs of CO2 and CO2-saturated brine to the northerly SW fault from depth. This discrepancy in CO2 flux is most likely resulting from the differences in fault zone architecture and associated permeability structure. CO2-rich fluids from the LGW fault zone may become depleted with respect to CO2 during lateral transport, resulting in an additional decrease in CO2 fluxes

Spatial Analysis of Gravity Data in the California, Nevada, and Utah (US)

Science.gov (United States)

Ferani, NA; Hartantyo, E.; Niasari, SW

2018-04-01

The geological condition of western North America is very complex because of the encounter of three major plates namely North America, Juan de Fuca, and Pacific Plate. The process of Juan de Fuca subduction and Pacific transform against North America plate created many mountains and produced Great Basin that we can see extending across California, Nevada, and Utah. The varied natural condition causes the varied value of gravity anomaly distribution. Using Topex free-air anomaly analyzed with second vertical derivative (SVD), we can analyze the fracture structures that occur in the Great Basin. The results show that the maximal SVD anomaly value is higher than the minimal SVD anomaly value at the western and eastern border of Great Basin. This explains that the two of Great Basin border are normal faults with trend direction NW-SE in the western boundary and NE-SW trending in the eastern boundary. This research result corresponds with the high seismicity data along the fault. Through this research, we can know that topex free-air anomaly data can be used to determine the type and trend of fault on a regional scale.

Identification of natural fractures and in situ stress at Rantau Dedap geothermal field

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Artyanto, Andika; Sapiie, Benyamin; Idham Abdullah, Chalid; Permana Sidik, Ridwan

2017-12-01

Rantau Dedap Area is a geothermal field which is located in Great Sumatra Fault (GSF). The fault and fracture are main factor in the permeability of the geothermal system. However, not all faults and fractures have capability of to flow the fluids. Borehole image log is depiction of the borehole conditions, it is used to identify the natural fractures and drilling induced fracture. Both of them are used to identify the direction of the fracture, direction of maximum horizontal stress (SHmax), and geomechanics parameters. The natural fractures are the results of responses to stress on a rock and permeability which controlling factor in research area. Breakouts is found in this field as a trace of drilling induced fracture due to in situ stress work. Natural fractures are strongly clustered with true strike trending which first, second, and third major direction are N170°E - N180°E (N-S), N60°E - N70°E (NE-SW), and N310°E - N320°E (NW-SE), while the dominant dip is 80° -90°. Based on borehole breakout analysis, maximum horizontal stress orientation is identified in N162°E - N204°E (N-S) and N242°E (NE-SW) direction. It’s constantly similar with regional stress which is affected by GSF. Several parameters have been identified and analyzed are SHmax, SHmin, and Sy. It can be concluded that Rantau Dedap Geothermal Field is affected by strike-slip regime. The determination of in situ stress and natural fractures are important to study the pattern of permeability which is related to the fault in reservoir of this field.

The Morelia-Acambay Fault System

Science.gov (United States)

Velázquez Bucio, M.; Soria-Caballero, D.; Garduño-Monroy, V.; Mennella, L.

2013-05-01

The Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt (TMVB) is one of the most actives and representative zones of Mexico geologically speaking. Research carried out in this area gives stratigraphic, seismologic and historical evidence of its recent activity during the quaternary (Martinez and Nieto, 1990). Specifically the Morelia-Acambay faults system (MAFS) consist in a series of normal faults of dominant direction E - W, ENE - WSW y NE - SW which is cut in center west of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. This fault system appeared during the early Miocene although the north-south oriented structures are older and have been related to the activity of the tectonism inherited from the "Basin and Range" system, but that were reactivated by the east- west faults. It is believed that the activity of these faults has contributed to the creation and evolution of the longed lacustrine depressions such as: Chapala, Zacapu, Cuitzeo, Maravatio y Acambay also the location of monogenetic volcanoes that conformed the Michoacan-Guanajuato volcanic field (MGVF) and tend to align in the direction of the SFMA dominant effort. In a historical time different segments of the MAFS have been the epicenter of earthquakes from moderated to strong magnitude like the events of 1858 in Patzcuaro, Acambay in 1912, 1979 in Maravatio and 2007 in Morelia, among others. Several detailed analysis and semi-detailed analysis through a GIS platform based in the vectorial archives and thematic charts 1:50 000 scaled from the data base of the INEGI which has allowed to remark the influence of the MAFS segments about the morphology of the landscape and the identification of other structures related to the movement of the existent faults like fractures, alignments, collapses and others from the zone comprehended by the northwest of Morelia in Michoacán to the East of Acambay, Estado de México. Such analysis suggests that the fault segments possess a normal displacement plus a left component. In addition it can be

The 2016 Mihoub (north-central Algeria) earthquake sequence: Seismological and tectonic aspects

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Khelif, M. F.; Yelles-Chaouche, A.; Benaissa, Z.; Semmane, F.; Beldjoudi, H.; Haned, A.; Issaadi, A.; Chami, A.; Chimouni, R.; Harbi, A.; Maouche, S.; Dabbouz, G.; Aidi, C.; Kherroubi, A.

2018-06-01

On 28 May 2016 at 23:54 (UTC), an Mw5.4 earthquake occurred in Mihoub village, Algeria, 60 km southeast of Algiers. This earthquake was the largest event in a sequence recorded from 10 April to 15 July 2016. In addition to the permanent national network, a temporary network was installed in the epicentral region after this shock. Recorded event locations allow us to give a general overview of the sequence and reveal the existence of two main fault segments. The first segment, on which the first event in the sequence was located, is near-vertical and trends E-W. The second fault plane, on which the largest event of the sequence was located, dips to the southeast and strikes NE-SW. A total of 46 well-constrained focal mechanisms were calculated. The events located on the E-W-striking fault segment show mainly right-lateral strike-slip (strike N70°E, dip 77° to the SSE, rake 150°). The events located on the NE-SW-striking segment show mainly reverse faulting (strike N60°E, dip 70° to the SE, rake 130°). We calculated the static stress change caused by the first event (Md4.9) of the sequence; the result shows that the fault plane of the largest event in the sequence (Mw5.4) and most of the aftershocks occurred within an area of increased Coulomb stress. Moreover, using the focal mechanisms calculated in this work, we estimated the orientations of the main axes of the local stress tensor ellipsoid. The results confirm previous findings that the general stress field in this area shows orientations aligned NNW-SSE to NW-SE. The 2016 Mihoub earthquake sequence study thus improves our understanding of seismic hazard in north-central Algeria.

The 2009 MW MW 6.1 L'Aquila fault system imaged by 64k earthquake locations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valoroso, Luisa

2016-01-01

On April 6 2009, a MW 6.1 normal-faulting earthquake struck the axial area of the Abruzzo region in central Italy. We investigate the complex architecture and mechanics of the activated fault system by using 64k high-resolution foreshock and aftershock locations. The fault system is composed by two major SW dipping segments forming an en-echelon NW trending system about 50 km long: the high-angle L’Aquila fault and the listric Campotosto fault, located in the first 10 km depth. From the beginning of 2009, fore shocks activated the deepest portion of the main shock fault. A week before the MW 6.1 event, the largest (MW 4.0) foreshock triggered seismicity migration along a minor off-fault segment. Seismicity jumped back to the main plane a few hours before the main shock. High-precision locations allowed to peer into the fault zone showing complex geological structures from the metre to the kilometre scale, analogous to those observed by field studies and seismic profiles. Also, we were able to investigate important aspects of earthquakes nucleation and propagation through the upper crust in carbonate-bearing rocks such as: the role of fluids in normal-faulting earthquakes; how crustal faults terminate at depths; the key role of fault zone structure in the earthquake rupture evolution processes.

Structural analysis of hanging wall and footwall blocks within the Río Guanajibo fold-and-thrust belt in Southwest Puerto Rico

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Laó-Dávila, Daniel A.; Llerandi-Román, Pablo A.

2017-01-01

The Río Guanajibo fold-and-thrust belt (RGFT), composed of Cretaceous serpentinite and volcano-sedimentary rocks, represents the deformation front of a contractional event in SW Puerto Rico during the Paleogene. Previous studies inferred structural and stratigraphic relationships from poorly exposed outcrops. New road cuts exposed the Yauco (YF) and El Rayo Formations (ERF) providing insights on the deformation of the hanging wall and footwall. We described the nature and orientation of faults and folds and analyzed the kinematic indicators to characterize the deformation. The YF occurs in the hanging wall and shows a sequence of folded, medium-bedded mudstone and thinly bedded shale and sandstone. Major folds strike NW-SE and are gentle with steeply inclined axial planes and sub-horizontal fold axes. Minor folds are open with moderately inclined axial planes and gently to moderately inclined SE-plunging fold axes. NW-SE striking reverse and thrust faults cut layers and show movement to the SW. Steep left-lateral faults strike NW-SE and NE-SW, and smaller right-lateral strike-slip faults strike NNE-SSW. At the footwall, the ERF consists of bioclastic limestone and polymictic orthoconglomerates and paraconglomerates. Reverse and strike-slip faults cut along lithological contacts. Results suggest that the hanging wall and footwall accommodated strain along preexisting weaknesses, which are dependent on lithology and sedimentary structures. The kinematic analysis suggests that shortening in the NE-SW direction was partitioned between folding and interlayer shortening, accommodated by flexural slip, and reverse and left-lateral faults that resulted from contraction. The RGFT represents the Paleogene back arc deformation of a bivergent thrust system.

New interpretation of the dominant ore-controlling factor of the uranium ore field No. 322

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Xiang; Yang Chongqiu

1996-01-01

The NE-trending fault structures in ore field NO. 322 are characterized by compress-shearing, left-Lateral left-slipping, having an obvious control over the Localisation of the ore field No. 322, and are the dominant ore-controlling factor of the ore field NO.322. Resulting from the sinistral displacement of the NE-trending fault, there is a pull-apart basin in the Feng Zhou area. The formation and evolution of the NE-trending fault zone and the Feng Zhou basin control the formation of uranium deposits of ore field No. 322

Origin and Development of El Bajío Basin in the Central Sector of Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt

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Botero, P. A.; Alaniz Álvarez, S. A.; Nieto Samaniego, Á. F.; Lopez-Martinez, M.; Levresse, G.; Xu, S.; Ortega Obregón, C.

2015-12-01

Volcanism of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt has been placed on pre-existing tectonic basins; one of them is El Bajío Basin. We present the origin and evolution of this basin through the study of its deformation events occurring mainly on the El Bajío fault, at the boundary between the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt and the Mesa Central. Detailed stratigraphy, and structural analysis suggest 4 deformation events in the northwest of the Sierra de Guanajuato. The first event (D1) with E-W shortening is characterized by the development of axial plane foliation (S1) with N-S direction, this event occurred between the Tithonian and Aptian age. In the second event (D2), occurred between the Albian and the early Eocene, foliations NW-SE (S2) were generated with a NE-SW shortening trend dated between the Albian and early Eocene, this deformation is related to the Laramide Orogeny. The Granito Comanja was emplaced during the third event (D3) and generated foliation (S3) in sediments of the complejo vulcanosedimentario Sierra de Guanajuato that circumscribes the Granito Comanja in response to its intrusion. After its emplacement, NW-SE normal faults were generated along the S-SE contact of the Granito Comanja, at that time El Bajío fault began. The fourth event (D4) has three phases that affected the sedimentary and volcanic Cenozoic rocks. D4F1 is marked by continental conglomerates deposition with variable thickness along of the main trace of the El Bajío fault. D4F2 affected the Oligocene volcanic rocks showing an important fault activity at that time, as evidenced the tilting above 45o in the Oligocene rocks, temporarily coincides with the triaxial extension to the Mesa Central. The direction of elongation of D4F3 is ESE-WNW, El Bajío fault had little movement. Since the Miocene the deformation was concentrated along the southern central sector of the Trans-mexican Volcanic Belt and there were few deformation in the Mesa central. During the three phases of deformation

Avalonian (Pan-African) mylonitic deformation west of Boston, U.S.A.

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Rast, N.; Skehan, J. W.

1995-07-01

West of Boston, Mass., Castle and others (1976) recognized an up to 5km wide, possibly folded, NE-SW trending Burlington Mylonite Zone. We have extended mapping south into Natick and Framington quadrangles, and supplemented it by fixing local directions of tectonic motion, which are more variable than reported by Goldstein (1989). In Natick the mylonite zone is partly migmatized and converted into blastomylonites, forming the lithodemic Rice Gneiss and is intersected by the Dedham Granite dated ca 630 Ma. The granite also invades deformed, folded, and commonly mylonitized Westboro Quartzite. Thus mylonitization, folding, and formation of migmatitic blastomylonites are all earlier than ca 630 Ma, and can collectively be attributed to the main phase of the Avalonian orogeny that in Africa is referred to as the Pan-African I. The sense of movements in the Rice Gneiss is generally sinistral strike-slip with a NE-SW trend of foliation. Other local mylonites have more variable directions of motion. A narrower E-W zone of mylonitization has been recognized by Grimes (M.S. thesis 1993, Boston College) and named the Nobscot Shear Zone. It affects the Milford Granite, also about 630 Ma in age, while similar but narrow shear zones affect other local granites including the Dedham. These zones, dipping steeply north and including the Nobscot, are less intensely mylonitized and are not associated with migmatites. Their age is not known, but since they affect only Precambrian rocks, they are assumed to be late Proterozoic. We attribute these zones to the second stage of the Avalonian or the Pan-African II. The older rocks west of Boston are widely affected by numerous brittle faults. These are all of unknown age, but probably Phanerozoic. The most significant brittle fault in the Burlington area is the mid to late Paleozoic Bloody Bluff Fault. We do not associate large scale mylonitization with that fault, because the mylonites are commonly cut by undeformed or little deformed

Significant strain accumulation between the deformation front and landward out-of-sequence thrusts in accretionary wedge of SW Taiwan revealed by cGPS and SAR interferometry

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Tsai, M. C.

2017-12-01

High strain accumulation across the fold-and-thrust belt in Southwestern Taiwan are revealed by the Continuous GPS (cGPS) and SAR interferometry. This high strain is generally accommodated by the major active structures in fold-and-thrust belt of western Foothills in SW Taiwan connected to the accretionary wedge in the incipient are-continent collision zone. The active structures across the high strain accumulation include the deformation front around the Tainan Tableland, the Hochiali, Hsiaokangshan, Fangshan and Chishan faults. Among these active structures, the deformation pattern revealed from cGPS and SAR interferometry suggest that the Fangshan transfer fault may be a left-lateral fault zone with thrust component accommodating the westward differential motion of thrust sheets on both side of the fault. In addition, the Chishan fault connected to the splay fault bordering the lower-slope and upper-slope of the accretionary wedge which could be the major seismogenic fault and an out-of-sequence thrust fault in SW Taiwan. The big earthquakes resulted from the reactivation of out-of-sequence thrusts have been observed along the Nankai accretionary wedge, thus the assessment of the major seismogenic structures by strain accumulation between the frontal décollement and out-of-sequence thrusts is a crucial topic. According to the background seismicity, the low seismicity and mid-crust to mantle events are observed inland and the lower- and upper- slope domain offshore SW Taiwan, which rheologically implies the upper crust of the accretionary wedge is more or less aseimic. This result may suggest that the excess fluid pressure from the accretionary wedge not only has significantly weakened the prism materials as well as major fault zone, but also makes the accretionary wedge landward extension, which is why the low seismicity is observed in SW Taiwan area. Key words: Continuous GPS, SAR interferometry, strain rate, out-of-sequence thrust.

Delineating active faults by using integrated geophysical data at northeastern part of Cairo, Egypt

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Sultan Awad Sultan Araffa

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Geophysical techniques such as gravity, magnetic and seismology are perfect tools for detecting subsurface structures of local, regional as well as of global scales. The study of the earthquake records can be used for differentiating the active and non active fault elements. In the current study more than 2200 land magnetic stations have been measured by using two proton magnetometers. The data is corrected for diurnal variations and then reduced by IGRF. The corrected data have been interpreted by different techniques after filtering the data to separate shallow sources (basaltic sheet from the deep sources (basement complex. Both Euler deconvolution and 3-D magnetic modeling have been carried out. The results of our interpretation have indicated that the depth to the upper surface of basaltic sheet ranges from less than 10–600 m, depth to the lower surface ranges from 60 to 750 m while the thickness of the basaltic sheet varies from less than 10–450 m. Moreover, gravity measurements have been conducted at the 2200 stations using a CG-3 gravimeter. The measured values are corrected to construct a Bouguer anomaly map. The least squares technique is then applied for regional residual separation. The third order of least squares is found to be the most suitable to separate the residual anomalies from the regional one. The resultant third order residual gravity map is used to delineate the structural fault systems of different characteristic trends. The trends are a NW–SE trend parallel to that of Gulf of Suez, a NE–SW trend parallel to the Gulf of Aqaba and an E–W trend parallel to the trend of Mediterranean Sea. Taking seismological records into consideration, it is found that most of 24 earthquake events recorded in the study area are located on fault elements. This gives an indication that the delineated fault elements are active.

New insights into the structure of Om Ali-Thelepte basin, central Tunisia, inferred from gravity data: Hydrogeological implications

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Harchi, Mongi; Gabtni, Hakim; El Mejri, Hatem; Dassi, Lassaad; Mammou, Abdallah Ben

2016-08-01

This work presents new results from gravity data analyses and interpretation within the Om Ali-Thelepte (OAT) basin, central Tunisia. It focuses on the hydrogeological implication, using several qualitative and quantitative techniques such as horizontal gradient, upward continuation and Euler deconvolution on boreholes log data, seismic reflection data and electrical conductivity measurements. The structures highlighted using the filtering techniques suggest that the Miocene aquifer of OAT basin is cut by four major fault systems that trend E-W, NE-SW, NW-SE and NNE-SSW. In addition, a NW-SE gravity model established shows the geometry of the Miocene sandstone reservoir and the Upper Cretaceous limestone rocks. Moreover, the superimposition of the electrical conductivity and the structural maps indicates that the low conductivity values of sampled water from boreholes are located around main faults.

Exhumation And Evolution Of Al-Taif Metamorphic Core Complex (Western Arabian Shield) During Dextral Transpressional Regime

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El-Fakharani, Abdelhamid; El-Shafei, Mohamed; Hamimi, Zakaria

2013-04-01

Al-Taif metamorphic belt is a NE-trending belt decorating steeply dipping major transpressional shear zone in western central Arabian Shield. It comprises gneisses and migmatites that were syn-kinematically invaded under relatively high-grade metamorphic conditions by voluminous granitic bodies and a confluence of pegmatitic veins. Field mapping and outcrop investigation reveal that the belt was evolved during at least three Neoproterozoic deformations (D1-D3). D1 and D2 were progressive deformations, took place during a contractional regime, and resulted in SW-mildly plunging isoclinal folds, superimposed by NE- gently to moderately plunging folds. The prevailed tectonic regime during D3was primordially plastic, accompanied with a NE-oriented oblique shearing that was subsequently evolved as semi ductile-semi brittle shearing during an episode of exhumation. Mesoscopic kinematic indicators, as well as microstructural analysis of the collected rock samples, reflect dextral sense of shearing. Such style of shearing is most probably the conjugate trend of the NNW- to NW- oriented sinistral Najd Fault System. Various cross cutting structures and overprinting relations were detected at both the outcrop- and microscopic scales, including; ductile S2folia with ESE-plunging amphibole mineral lineations; narrow, steeply dipping ductile D2 shear zones; and semi brittle to brittle fault zones. S-C' fabrics, asymmetric strain shadows around porphyroclasts and drag fault indicate a top-to-the-NE sense of shear for most structures. The geometry and style of deformation, together with map pattern highlighted in this study attest a simple shear rotational strain origin for the domed mylonitic foliation (S1) and mineral elongation lineation (L1). This result is in congruent with the landform pattern recorded in the inner parts of the metamorphic core complexes.

The Sorong Fault Zone, Indonesia: Mapping a Fault Zone Offshore

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Melia, S.; Hall, R.

2017-12-01

The Sorong Fault Zone is a left-lateral strike-slip fault zone in eastern Indonesia, extending westwards from the Bird's Head peninsula of West Papua towards Sulawesi. It is the result of interactions between the Pacific, Caroline, Philippine Sea, and Australian Plates and much of it is offshore. Previous research on the fault zone has been limited by the low resolution of available data offshore, leading to debates over the extent, location, and timing of movements, and the tectonic evolution of eastern Indonesia. Different studies have shown it north of the Sula Islands, truncated south of Halmahera, continuing to Sulawesi, or splaying into a horsetail fan of smaller faults. Recently acquired high resolution multibeam bathymetry of the seafloor (with a resolution of 15-25 meters), and 2D seismic lines, provide the opportunity to trace the fault offshore. The position of different strands can be identified. On land, SRTM topography shows that in the northern Bird's Head the fault zone is characterised by closely spaced E-W trending faults. NW of the Bird's Head offshore there is a fold and thrust belt which terminates some strands. To the west of the Bird's Head offshore the fault zone diverges into multiple strands trending ENE-WSW. Regions of Riedel shearing are evident west of the Bird's Head, indicating sinistral strike-slip motion. Further west, the ENE-WSW trending faults turn to an E-W trend and there are at least three fault zones situated immediately south of Halmahera, north of the Sula Islands, and between the islands of Sanana and Mangole where the fault system terminates in horsetail strands. South of the Sula islands some former normal faults at the continent-ocean boundary with the North Banda Sea are being reactivated as strike-slip faults. The fault zone does not currently reach Sulawesi. The new fault map differs from previous interpretations concerning the location, age and significance of different parts of the Sorong Fault Zone. Kinematic

3D Constraints On Fault Architecture and Strain Distribution of the Newport-Inglewood Rose Canyon and San Onofre Trend Fault Systems

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Holmes, J. J.; Driscoll, N. W.; Kent, G. M.

2017-12-01

The Inner California Borderlands (ICB) is situated off the coast of southern California and northern Baja. The structural and geomorphic characteristics of the area record a middle Oligocene transition from subduction to microplate capture along the California coast. Marine stratigraphic evidence shows large-scale extension and rotation overprinted by modern strike-slip deformation. Geodetic and geologic observations indicate that approximately 6-8 mm/yr of Pacific-North American relative plate motion is accommodated by offshore strike-slip faulting in the ICB. The farthest inshore fault system, the Newport-Inglewood Rose Canyon (NIRC) Fault is a dextral strike-slip system that is primarily offshore for approximately 120 km from San Diego to the San Joaquin Hills near Newport Beach, California. Based on trenching and well data, the NIRC Fault Holocene slip rate is 1.5-2.0 mm/yr to the south and 0.5-1.0 mm/yr along its northern extent. An earthquake rupturing the entire length of the system could produce an Mw 7.0 earthquake or larger. West of the main segments of the NIRC Fault is the San Onofre Trend (SOT) along the continental slope. Previous work concluded that this is part of a strike-slip system that eventually merges with the NIRC Fault. Others have interpreted this system as deformation associated with the Oceanside Blind Thrust Fault purported to underlie most of the region. In late 2013, we acquired the first high-resolution 3D Parallel Cable (P-Cable) seismic surveys of the NIRC and SOT faults as part of the Southern California Regional Fault Mapping project. Analysis of stratigraphy and 3D mapping of this new data has yielded a new kinematic fault model of the area that provides new insight on deformation caused by interactions in both compressional and extensional regimes. For the first time, we can reconstruct fault interaction and investigate how strain is distributed through time along a typical strike-slip margin using 3D constraints on fault

Structural analysis of cataclastic rock of active fault damage zones: An example from Nojima and Arima-Takatsuki fault zones (SW Japan)

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Satsukawa, T.; Lin, A.

2016-12-01

Most of the large intraplate earthquakes which occur as slip on mature active faults induce serious damages, in spite of their relatively small magnitudes comparing to subduction-zone earthquakes. After 1995 Kobe Mw7.2 earthquake, a number of studies have been done to understand the structure, physical properties and dynamic phenomenon of active faults. However, the deformation mechanics and related earthquake generating mechanism in the intraplate active fault zone are still poorly understood. The detailed, multi-scalar structural analysis of faults and of fault rocks has to be the starting point for reconstructing the complex framework of brittle deformation. Here, we present two examples of active fault damage zones: Nojima fault and Arima-Takatsuki active fault zone in the southwest Japan. We perform field investigations, combined with meso-and micro-structural analyses of fault-related rocks, which provide the important information in reconstructing the long-term seismic faulting behavior and tectonic environment. Our study shows that in both sites, damage zone is observed in over 10m, which is composed by the host rocks, foliated and non-foliated cataclasites, fault gouge and fault breccia. The slickenside striations in Asano fault, the splay fault of Nojima fault, indicate a dextral movement sense with some normal components. Whereas, those of Arima-Takatsuki active fault shows a dextral strike-slip fault with minor vertical component. Fault gouges consist of brown-gray matrix of fine grains and composed by several layers from few millimeters to a few decimeters. It implies that slip is repeated during millions of years, as the high concentration and physical interconnectivity of fine-grained minerals in brittle fault rocks produce the fault's intrinsic weakness in the crust. Therefore, faults rarely express only on single, discrete deformation episode, but are the cumulative result of several superimposed slip events.

Superposition of tectonic structures leading elongated intramontane basin: the Alhabia basin (Internal Zones, Betic Cordillera)

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Martínez-Martos, Manuel; Galindo-Zaldivar, Jesús; Martínez-Moreno, Francisco José; Calvo-Rayo, Raquel; Sanz de Galdeano, Carlos

2017-10-01

The relief of the Betic Cordillera was formed since the late Serravallian inducing the development of intramontane basins. The Alhabia basin, situated in the central part of the Internal Zones, is located at the intersection of the Alpujarran Corridor, the Tabernas basin, both trending E-W, and the NW-SE oriented Gádor-Almería basin. The geometry of the basin has been constrained by new gravity data. The basin is limited to the North by the Sierra de Filabres and Sierra Nevada antiforms that started to develop in Serravallian times under N-S shortening and to the south by Sierra Alhamilla and Sierra de Gádor antiforms. Plate convergence in the region rotated counter-clockwise in Tortonian times favouring the formation of E-W dextral faults. In this setting, NE-SW extension, orthogonal to the shortening direction, was accommodated by normal faults on the SW edge of Sierra Alhamilla. The Alhabia basin shows a cross-shaped depocentre in the zone of synform and fault intersection. This field example serves to constrain recent counter-clockwise stress rotation during the latest stages of Neogene-Quaternary basin evolution in the Betic Cordillera Internal Zones and underlines the importance of studying the basins' deep structure and its relation with the tectonic structures interactions.

Temperature and salinity profiles from CTD casts from NOAA Ship RONALD H. BROWN and NOAA Ship KA'IMIMOANA in the NE and SW Pacific as part of the Global Ocean-Atmosphere-Land System (GOALS) / Pan American Climate Studies (PACS) from 2001-01-14 to 2001-12-05 (NODC Accession 0000658)

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — CTD and other data were collected from NOAA Ship RONALD H. BROWN and NOAA Ship KA'IMIMOANA in the NE and SW Pacific from 14 January 2001 to 05 December 2001. CTD...

Late quaternary faulting along the Death Valley-Furnace Creek fault system, California and Nevada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brogan, G.E.; Kellogg, K.S.; Terhune, C.L.; Slemmons, D.B.

1991-01-01

The Death Valley-Furnace Creek fault system, in California and Nevada, has a variety of impressive late Quaternary neotectonic features that record a long history of recurrent earthquake-induced faulting. Although no neotectonic features of unequivocal historical age are known, paleoseismic features from multiple late Quaternary events of surface faulting are well developed throughout the length of the system. Comparison of scarp heights to amount of horizontal offset of stream channels and the relationships of both scarps and channels to the ages of different geomorphic surfaces demonstrate that Quaternary faulting along the northwest-trending Furnace Creek fault zone is predominantly right lateral, whereas that along the north-trending Death Valley fault zone is predominantly normal. These observations are compatible with tectonic models of Death Valley as a northwest- trending pull-apart basin

Faulting mechanisms and stress regime at the European HDR site of Soultz-sous-Forets, France

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cuenot, Nicolas; Charlety, Jean; Haessler, Henri; Dorbath, Louis

2006-01-01

, horizontal, NE-SW-oriented trend of the minor horizontal stress, but a rotation of the major stress from a sub-vertical direction (top of the stimulated region) to a sub-horizontal one (bottom of the stimulated region). This implies a change from a normal-faulting to a strike-slip regime, in agreement with our fault-plane solutions. Finally, we applied the stress components to the nodal planes of several events and were able to determine their fault plane and obtain a 3D image of the fracture network, based on real data. (author)

Faulting mechanisms and stress regime at the European HDR site of Soultz-sous-Forets, France

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cuenot, Nicolas; Charlety, Jean; Haessler, Henri [Institut de Physique du Globe de Strasbourg, Ecole et Observatoire des Sciences de la Terre (IPGS-EOST), 5 rue Rene Descartes, 67084 Strasbourg Cedex (France); Dorbath, Louis [Institut de Physique du Globe de Strasbourg, Ecole et Observatoire des Sciences de la Terre (IPGS-EOST), 5 rue Rene Descartes, 67084 Strasbourg Cedex (France); Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement, Laboratoire des Mecanismes et Transferts en Geologie (IRD, LMTG), 14 Avenue Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse (France)

2006-10-15

, horizontal, NE-SW-oriented trend of the minor horizontal stress, but a rotation of the major stress from a sub-vertical direction (top of the stimulated region) to a sub-horizontal one (bottom of the stimulated region). This implies a change from a normal-faulting to a strike-slip regime, in agreement with our fault-plane solutions. Finally, we applied the stress components to the nodal planes of several events and were able to determine their fault plane and obtain a 3D image of the fracture network, based on real data. (author)

Late Miocene extension partitioning in the eastern Betics: from W- to E-directed extension between the Sorbas and Vera basins (SE Spain).

Science.gov (United States)

Giaconia, Flavio; Booth-Rea, Guillermo; Martínez-Martínez, Jose Miguel; Azañon, Jose Miguel

2014-05-01

Late Miocene westward-directed extension in the Betics produced elongated core-complexes like Sierra Nevada and the Sierra de Filabres, tilted-block domains and associated basins. This extension represents the superficial manifestation of the rupture of the Tethyan slab and associated edge delamination along a lithospheric transform fault beneath the northern branch of the Gibraltar Arc orogenic system. However, crustal thinning at the eastern Betics occurs progressively towards the east suggesting an eastward-directed extension, probably related to the late Miocene opening of the Algero-Balearic basin. In order to define the kinematics and timing of such a heterogeneous extension at the eastern Betics we have carefully mapped a key area at the transition between the Sorbas and Vera basins. Field data indicate that extension in the area started at the southern margin of the Vera basin during the Serravallian (13.8 Ma) and continued until the Tortonian (approximately 8 Ma). This extension was characterized by a set of NE- to E-directed normal faults to the east, in the Vera basin, and a set of SW-directed normal faults to the west, towards the Sorbas basin. This opposite-directed extension is segmented by E-W to WNW-ESE strike-slip faults like the North Cabrera dextral transfer fault that accommodates NE- to E-directed extension to the north and SW-directed extension to the south. This structure resulted in westward tilted blocks that lead to Serravallian-Tortonian depocenters deepening towards the east at the Vera basin along the northern side of Sierra Cabrera. Meanwhile, at the western termination of Sierra Cabrera, westward-directed extension migrated SW-ward forming the Sorbas basin during the Tortonian (approximately 9-7.24 Ma). This extension was characterized by a listric fan of SW-directed normal faults highly segmented by E-W to NE-SW transfer. This extensional system produced tiled-blocks defining a Tortonian depocenter at the eastern margin of the Sorbas

Implications of meso- to micro-scale deformation for fault sealing capacity: Insights from the Lenghu5 fold-and-thrust belt, Qaidam Basin, NE Tibetan Plateau

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Liujuan; Pei, Yangwen; Li, Anren; Wu, Kongyou

2018-06-01

As faults can be barriers to or conduits for fluid flow, it is critical to understand fault seal processes and their effects on the sealing capacity of a fault zone. Apart from the stratigraphic juxtaposition between the hanging wall and footwall, the development of fault rocks is of great importance in changing the sealing capacity of a fault zone. Therefore, field-based structural analysis has been employed to identify the meso-scale and micro-scale deformation features and to understand their effects on modifying the porosity of fault rocks. In this study, the Lenghu5 fold-and-thrust belt (northern Qaidam Basin, NE Tibetan Plateau), with well-exposed outcrops, was selected as an example for meso-scale outcrop mapping and SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) micro-scale structural analysis. The detailed outcrop maps enabled us to link the samples with meso-scale fault architecture. The representative rock samples, collected in both the fault zones and the undeformed hanging walls/footwalls, were studied by SEM micro-structural analysis to identify the deformation features at the micro-scale and evaluate their influences on the fluid flow properties of the fault rocks. Based on the multi-scale structural analyses, the deformation mechanisms accounting for porosity reduction in the fault rocks have been identified, which are clay smearing, phyllosilicate-framework networking and cataclasis. The sealing capacity is highly dependent on the clay content: high concentrations of clay minerals in fault rocks are likely to form continuous clay smears or micro- clay smears between framework silicates, which can significantly decrease the porosity of the fault rocks. However, there is no direct link between the fault rocks and host rocks. Similar stratigraphic juxtapositions can generate fault rocks with very different magnitudes of porosity reduction. The resultant fault rocks can only be predicted only when the fault throw is smaller than the thickness of a faulted bed, in

Dynamic rupture simulation of the 2017 Mw 7.8 Kaikoura (New Zealand) earthquake: Is spontaneous multi-fault rupture expected?

Science.gov (United States)

Ando, R.; Kaneko, Y.

2017-12-01

The coseismic rupture of the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake propagated over the distance of 150 km along the NE-SW striking fault system in the northern South Island of New Zealand. The analysis of In-SAR, GPS and field observations (Hamling et al., 2017) revealed that the most of the rupture occurred along the previously mapped active faults, involving more than seven major fault segments. These fault segments, mostly dipping to northwest, are distributed in a quite complex manner, manifested by fault branching and step-over structures. Back-projection rupture imaging shows that the rupture appears to jump between three sub-parallel fault segments in sequence from the south to north (Kaiser et al., 2017). The rupture seems to be terminated on the Needles fault in Cook Strait. One of the main questions is whether this multi-fault rupture can be naturally explained with the physical basis. In order to understand the conditions responsible for the complex rupture process, we conduct fully dynamic rupture simulations that account for 3-D non-planar fault geometry embedded in an elastic half-space. The fault geometry is constrained by previous In-SAR observations and geological inferences. The regional stress field is constrained by the result of stress tensor inversion based on focal mechanisms (Balfour et al., 2005). The fault is governed by a relatively simple, slip-weakening friction law. For simplicity, the frictional parameters are uniformly distributed as there is no direct estimate of them except for a shallow portion of the Kekerengu fault (Kaneko et al., 2017). Our simulations show that the rupture can indeed propagate through the complex fault system once it is nucleated at the southernmost segment. The simulated slip distribution is quite heterogeneous, reflecting the nature of non-planar fault geometry, fault branching and step-over structures. We find that optimally oriented faults exhibit larger slip, which is consistent with the slip model of Hamling et al

Geomorphological context of the basins of Northwestern Peninsular Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Sautter, Benjamin; Pubellier, Manuel; Menier, David

2014-05-01

) appear more penetrative in both granitic and limestone units. On most of the studied outcrops, exfoliation fractures are reactivated into normal faults. Deformation is particularly severe at the contact of the granites and the sediments which is underlined by cataclasic quartz dykes and hornfelds. Off-shore, in the Straits of Malacca, nine tertiary half-grabens are present, all oriented in N-S to NE-SW direction with N-S boundary faults on their western margin. We propose a tectonic scenario for the north-western Malaysia Peninsula according to which the northward motion of India induced first right-lateral transpressionnal tectonics at the End of the Mesozoics (Cretaceous early Tertiary). This system is illustrated in the NW-SE trending fractures of the Main Range Batholith and other Triassic plutons within a system bounded and controlled by the Bok Bak Fault, the KL fault zone and the Bentong Raub Suture Zone. Later, a second stage of transtension led to the opening of the en echelon onshore basins in a tear-faults system, and to the opening of half grabens offshore in the Straits of Malacca.

Tectono-geomorphic indices of the Erin basin, NE Kashmir valley, India

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad, Shabir; Alam, Akhtar; Ahmad, Bashir; Afzal, Ahsan; Bhat, M. I.; Sultan Bhat, M.; Farooq Ahmad, Hakim; Tectonics; Natural Hazards Research Group

2018-01-01

The present study aims to assess the tectonic activity in the Erin basin (NE Kashmir) on the basis of several relevant geomorphic indices and field observations. We use Digital Elevation Model (SRTM) and Survey of India (SoI) topographic maps in GIS environment to compute the geomorphic indices. The indices i.e., convex hypsometric curve, high hypsometric integral value (Hi > 0.5), low basin elongation ratio (Eb = 0.17), low mountain front sinuosity values (Smf = 1.08 average), low valley floor width ratios (Vf 4) suggest that the area is tectonically active. Moreover, prominent irregularities (knickpoints/knickzones) along longitudinal profile of the Erin River even in homogenous resistant lithology (Panjal trap) and anomalous stream gradient index (SL) values reflect that the Erin basin is dissected by two faults (EF-1 and EF-2) with NNW-SSE and SSW-NNE trends respectively. The results of this preliminary study further substantiate the recent GPS studies, which argue that the maximum strain is accumulating in the NE part of the Kashmir Himalaya.

Fault structure, properties and activity of the Makran Accretionary Prism and implications for seismogenic potential

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, G. L.; McNeill, L. C.; Henstock, T.; Bull, J. M.

2011-12-01

The Makran subduction zone is the widest accretionary prism in the world (~400km), generated by convergence between the Arabian and Eurasian tectonic plates. It represents a global end-member, with a 7km thick incoming sediment section. Accretionary prisms have traditionally been thought to be aseismic due to the presence of unconsolidated sediment and elevated basal pore pressures. The seismogenic potential of the Makran subduction zone is unclear, despite a Mw 8.1 earthquake in 1945 that may have been located on the plate boundary beneath the prism. In this study, a series of imbricate landward dipping (seaward verging) thrust faults have been interpreted across the submarine prism (outer 70 km) using over 6000km of industry multichannel seismic data and bathymetric data. A strong BSR (bottom simulating reflector) is present throughout the prism (excluding the far east). An unreflective décollement is interpreted from the geometry of the prism thrusts. Two major sedimentary units are identified in the input section, the lower of which contains the extension of the unreflective décollement surface. Between 60%-100% of the input section is currently being accreted. The geometry of piggy-back basin stratigraphy shows that the majority of thrusts, including those over 50km from the trench, are recently active. Landward thrusts show evidence for reactivation after periods of quiescence. Negative polarity fault plane reflectors are common in the frontal thrusts and in the eastern prism, where they may be related to increased fault activity and fluid expulsion, and are rarer in older landward thrusts. Significant NE-SW trending basement structures (The Murray Ridge and Little Murray Ridge) on the Arabian plate intersect the deformation front and affect sediment input to the subduction zone. Prism taper and structure are apparently primarily controlled by sediment supply and the secondary influence of subducting basement ridges. The thick, likely distal, sediment

The Characteristics of Seismogenic Zones in SW Taiwan: Implications from Studying Mechanisms of Microearthquakes

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Wen, Strong; Chang, Yi-Zen; Yeh, Yu-Lien; Wen, Yi-Ying

2017-04-01

Due to the complicated geomorphology and geological conditions, the southwest (SW) Taiwan suffers the invasion of various natural disasters, such as landslide, mud flow and especially the threat of strong earthquakes as result of convergence between the Eurasian and the Philippine Sea plate. Several disastrous earthquakes had occurred in this area and often caused serious hazards. Therefore, it is fundamentally important to understand the correlation between seismic activity and seismogenic structures in SW Taiwan. Previous studies have indicated that before the failure of rock strength, the behaviors of micro-earthquakes can provide essential clues to help investigating the process of rock deformation. Thus, monitoring the activity of micro-earthquakes plays an important role in studying fault rupture or crustal deformation before the occurrence of a large earthquake. Because the time duration of micro-earthquakes activity can last for years, this phenomenon can be used to indicate the change of physical properties in the crust, such as crustal stress changes or fluid migration. The main purpose of this research is to perform a nonlinear waveform inversion to investigate source parameters of micro-earthquakes which include the non-double couple components owing to the shear rupture usually associated with complex morphology as well as tectonic fault systems. We applied a nonlinear waveform procedure to investigate local stress status and source parameters of micro-earthquakes that occurred in SW Taiwan. Previous studies has shown that microseismic fracture behaviors were controlled by the non-double components, which could lead to cracks generating and fluid migration, which can result in changing rock volume and produce partial compensation. Our results not only giving better understanding the seismogenic structures in the SW Taiwan, but also allowing us to detect variations of physical parameters caused by crack propagating in stratum. Thus, the derived source

The Geology And Geochemistry Of Zona Uranium Occurence, Upper Benue Trough; N.E. Nigeria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogunleye, P.O.; Okujeni, C.D.

1993-01-01

The Zona uranium is located at the NE flank of the Peta syncline, which is an arm of the Middle Gongola Basin. The hostreok- the Cretaceous Bima sandstone bears the imprint of more than two preore tectonic episodes which are thought to have resulted from reactivation of paleolineaments in the basement since the Pan African Orogeny. The mineralized zone occurs at point of intersection of a set of NE-SW trending shear zone and N-S fracture system. The centre of the ore zone exhibits intense alteration features such as sericitization, ferruginization, silification, remobilization and powdering of the rock matrix. These alteration features diminish progressively from the core to the periphery of the ore zone. The main uraniferous minerals identified are phosphouranylite and meta-autunite. These occur mainly absorbed to iron oxides, in silicified veinlets and partly disseminated in the matrix of the sandstone. Evaluation of the analytical data of 9 elements in 67 rock samples suggest a close link between ferruginization and enrichment of uranium. A model involving the leaching of the uranium from conceal volcanics (rhyolites) and granites at depths by heated groundwater residual magmatic solutions is proposed

The Geology And Geochemistry Of Zona Uranium Occurence, Upper Benue Trough; N.E. Nigeria.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ogunleye, P O [Centre For Energy Research And Training, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (Nigeria); Okujeni, C D [Department Of Geology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (Nigeria)

1994-12-31

The Zona uranium is located at the NE flank of the Peta syncline, which is an arm of the Middle Gongola Basin. The hostreok- the Cretaceous Bima sandstone bears the imprint of more than two preore tectonic episodes which are thought to have resulted from reactivation of paleolineaments in the basement since the Pan African Orogeny. The mineralized zone occurs at point of intersection of a set of NE-SW trending shear zone and N-S fracture system. The centre of the ore zone exhibits intense alteration features such as sericitization, ferruginization, silification, remobilization and powdering of the rock matrix. These alteration features diminish progressively from the core to the periphery of the ore zone. The main uraniferous minerals identified are phosphouranylite and meta-autunite. These occur mainly absorbed to iron oxides, in silicified veinlets and partly disseminated in the matrix of the sandstone. Evaluation of the analytical data of 9 elements in 67 rock samples suggest a close link between ferruginization and enrichment of uranium. A model involving the leaching of the uranium from conceal volcanics (rhyolites) and granites at depths by heated groundwater residual magmatic solutions is proposed.

Illite K-Ar dating of fault breccia samples from ONKALO underground research facility, Olkiluoto, Eurajoki, SW Finland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maenttaeri, I.; Mattila, J.; Zwingmann, H.; Todd, A.J.

2007-08-01

Illite K-Ar age determinations were done on five fault breccia samples from the ONKALO underground research facility, Olkiluoto, Eurajoki, S-W Finland. The XRD, SEM, and TEM studies and K-Ar analyses were done in John deLaeter Center in Mass Spectrometry at Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia. The <2 micron grain size fractions contain illite, chlorite, dickite, and quartz. All fractions had minor contamination phases comprising mainly of quartz but traces of K-feldspar contamination could be identified in all samples. The authigenic illite shows variable K concentrations. The illite contents of the ONK-PL68 and ONK-PL87 samples are the smallest. The K-Ar ages for the <2 micron fractions vary from ∼0.55 Ga to 1.38 Ga. The sample ONKPL68 yields a K-Ar age of 912 ± 18 Ma corresponding to a Neoproterozoic-Tonian age. This age can be roughly temporally linked with late events related to Sveconorwegian orogeny. Sample ONK-PL87 has a K-Ar age of 550 ± 11 Ma corresponding to a Neoproterozoic - Lower Cambrian age. The samples ONK-PL522 and ONK-PL901 sampled from the storage hall fault show identical K-Ar ages of 1385 ± 27 Ma and 1373 ± 27 Ma, respectively. These correspond to a Mesoproterozoic-Ectasian age related to Subjotnian or Postjotnian events. ONK-PL960 yields a K-Ar age of 1225 ± 24 Ma corresponding to a Mesoproterozoic-Ectasian age. This age agrees well with the ages from Postjotnian diabase dykes in W Finland. The 2-3 % detrital K-feldspar contamination in clay fractions increases the age. Especially for the youngest sample ONK-PL87, the effect may be geologically meaningful as after the correction the age clearly indicates Caledonian events. Moreover, the age for the low K sample ONKPL901 shifts to indicate Postjotnian diabase age. (orig.)

Characterization and genesis of waterfalls of the Presidente Figueiredo region, Northeast State of Amazonas, Brazil

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AFONSO C. R. NOGUEIRA

2001-06-01

Full Text Available The waterfalls of the Presidente Figueiredo municipality represent a fascinating natural scenery of northeast state of Amazonas, northern Brazil. The falls, generally less than 10m high, are developed on siliciclastic rocks of the Nhamundá (Lower Silurian, and Manacapuru (Upper Silurian - Lower Devonian formations. Morphological and structural analyses of these features indicate that most of them originated through Quaternary neotectonics and are installed in NE-trending normal fault escarpments. Waterfalls also developed within pseudokarstic features, but are less frequent. The origin of the Presidente Figueiredo waterfalls probably goes back to the Neogene, when the region was submitted to laterization processes associated with a humid climate and a dense rainforest. These conditions favored the development of caves in quartzarenites of the Nhamundá Formation. During the Quaternary, the region was subjected to NE-trending normal faulting which displaced laterite layers, rivers and streams giving rise to waterfalls. These climatic and tectonic phenomena promoted intense relief dissection, as indicated by fault escarpment retreat and cave dismantlement, responsible for the present-day morphologic configuration.As cachoeiras da região de Presidente Figueiredo constituem um dos mais fascinantes cenários naturais do nordeste do Estado do Amazonas, norte do Brasil. As quedas, geralmente com menos de 10m de altura, são desenvolvidas em rochas siliciclásticas das formações Nhamundá (Siluriano inferior e Manacapuru (Siluriano superior-Devoniano inferior. Os estudos morfológico e estrutural dessas feições indicam que a maioria dessas quedas de água originaram-se por neotectônica quaternária e encontram-se instaladas em escarpas de falhas normais NE-SW. Ocorrem, ainda, com menor freqüência, cachoeiras evoluídas a partir de feições pseudocársticas. A origem das cachoeiras de Presidente Figueiredo provavelmente remonta ao Ne

Carbon monoxide degassing from seismic fault zones in the Basin and Range province, west of Beijing, China

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Yutao; Zhou, Xiaocheng; Zheng, Guodong; Li, Jing; Shi, Hongyu; Guo, Zhengfu; Du, Jianguo

2017-11-01

Degassing of carbon monoxide (CO), which plays a significant role in the contribution of deep carbon to the atmosphere, commonly occurs within active fault zones. CO degassing from soil to the atmosphere in the Basin and Range province, west of Beijing (BRPB), China, was investigated by in-situ field measurements in the active fault zones. The measured concentrations of CO in soil gas in the BRPB ranged from 0.29 × 10-6 to 1.1 × 10-6 with a mean value of 0.6 × 10-6, which is approximately twice as large as that in the atmosphere. Net fluxes of CO degassing ranged from -48.6 mg m-2 d-1 to 12.03 mg m-2 d-1. The diffusion of CO from soil to the atmosphere in the BRPB was estimated to be at least 7.6 × 103 ton/a, which is comparable to the corresponding result of about 1.2 × 104 ton/a for CO2. CO concentrations were spatially heterogeneous with clearly higher concentrations along the NE-SW trending in the BRPB. These elevated values of CO concentrations were also coincident with the region with low-velocity and high conductivity in deep mantle, and high Poisson's ratio in the crust, thereby suggesting that CO degassing from the soil might be linked to upwelling of the asthenospheric mantle. Other sources of CO in the soil gas are suggested to be dominated by chemical reactions between deep fluids and carbonate minerals (e.g., dolomite, limestone, and siderite) in country rocks. Biogenic processes may also contribute to the CO in soil gas. The spatial distribution patterns of CO concentrations are coincident with the stress field, suggesting that the concentrations of CO could be a potential indicator for crustal stress field and, hence is potential useful for earthquake monitoring in the BRPB.

Structure and structural evolution of the Rechnitz window and adjacent units, Eastern Alps: changing Neogene extension directions due to motion around a foreland promontory

Science.gov (United States)

Neubauer, Franz; Cao, Shuyun

2013-04-01

to Early Quaternary alkali-basaltic volcanic centers with lava flows and tuffs spread in a regular sequence over 95 km from Pauliberg/Oberpullendorf (ca. 11 Ma) located in the NE over Güssing (ca. 5 Ma), and finally to the SW (e.g. Klöch, 2.6 to 1.6 Ma). We interpret this volcanism to have resulted from thinning of the lithosphere in the Pannonian basin over a hot-spot with the Alcapa plate moving from SW to the NE between 11 and ca. 2 Ma. Subsequent ca. ESE-trending dextral and ca. NNW-trending sinistral strike-slip faults indicate NW-SE strike-slip compression (D5a), which progressively shifted to N-S strike-slip compression facilitated by NNE-trending sinistral strike-slip faults and NNW-trending dextral strike-slip faults (D5b). This event (D5b) likely also resulted in gentle high-wavelength crustal-scale folding and is interpreted to result from Pliocene inversion of the entire Pannonian-Carpathian basin system.

Mesostructural observations along the Western coast of Bel'kovsky Island: preliminary results (North-Eastern Laptev Sea region, Russian Arctic)

Science.gov (United States)

Verzhbitsky, V. E.

2003-04-01

This study is based on the field works carried out by the Institute of the Lithosphere of Marginal Seas RAS in the central part of the Bel'kovsky island during 2002 August-September. In the tectonic sense the Bel'kovsky island is located in the eastern part of the Late Cretaceous (?) - Cenozoic Laptev Sea rift system and also is a part of extended Bel’kov horst, dividing Bel’kov Svyatoi Nos (in the east) and Anisin (in the west) rifts (e.g. Drachev et al, 1998). Mesostructural investigations included statistical measurments of kinematic indicators (cleavage planes, extensional veins, slickensides, axes of folds and bedding plains) in Devonian and Carboniferous sedimentary formations and also slickensides in diabase magmatic complex (presumably of Late Paleozoic age). It is supposed, that this studies will allow to characterize the stages of regional tectonic processes: synsedimentary (slump) folds formation (1), NE-SW compression (2), which corresponds to the general (NW-SE trending) structural pattern of the island, E-W compression (3), expressed in N-S trending subvertical cleavage and associated strike-slips and thrust faults, NW-SE (4) and ENE-WSW - NE-SW (5) extension, expressed in strike-slip faults with different strike-slip component, and also, probably to specify the character of the recent tectonic processes near to the area of conjunction between the Eurasian and American plates. It is likely, that synsedimentary (slump) folds, identified in the Carboniferous clastic formation marks the paleoslope setting of New Siberian Islands Chukotka platform (block). Presumably, second of the determined stages corresponds to closing of the South Anyui Lyakhov paleooceanic basin in Neocomian; the last stage, expressed in wide-developed submeridional normal faults with sinistral strike-slip component along the western coast of the island, reflects the modern regional stress-field in area of conjunction between the Eurasian and American plates (e.g. Avetisov, 1999

Shear-Wave Splitting and Crustal Anisotropy in the Shillong-Mikir Plateau of Northeast India

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Bora, Dipok K.; Hazarika, Devajit; Paul, Arpita; Borah, Kajaljyoti; Borgohain, Jayanta Madhab

2018-01-01

Seismic anisotropy of crust beneath the Shillong-Mikir Plateau and the surrounding regions of northeast India have been investigated with the help of splitting analysis of S-wave of local earthquakes. We estimate a total 83 pairs of splitting parameters ( Φ and δt) from 67 local shallow focus earthquakes (depth ≤ 32 km) recorded by the 10 broadband seismological stations operated in the study region. The results show delay times ranging from 0.02 to 0.2 s, which correspond to anisotropy up to 4%, suggesting significant strength of anisotropy in the study region. Fast polarization direction ( Φ) in the Shillong Plateau shows mostly NW-SE trend in the western part and NE-SW trend in the northern part. Φs near Kopili fault (KF) follows NW-SE trend. Φ at most of the stations in the study region is consistent with the local stress orientation, suggesting that the anisotropy is mainly caused by preferentially aligned cracks responding to the stress field. On the other hand, anisotropy observed near the KF is due to aligned macroscopic fracture related to strike-slip movement in the fault zone.

The Late Variscan control on the location and asymmetry of the Upper Rhine Graben

Science.gov (United States)

Grimmer, J. C.; Ritter, J. R. R.; Eisbacher, G. H.; Fielitz, W.

2017-04-01

The NNE-trending Upper Rhine Graben (URG) of the European Cenozoic Rift System developed from c. 47 Ma onwards in response to changing lithospheric stresses in the northwestern foreland of the Alps. The composite graben structure consists of three segments, each c. 100 km long and 30-40 km wide, but flares to c. 60 km near its southern and to c. 80 km near its northern termination. Normal faulting induced a total extension of 5-8 km of the 1-2 km thick Mesozoic sedimentary Franconian platform and underlying Variscan basement rocks. However, distribution of an up to 3.5 km thick sedimentary graben fill and cumulative displacements near Eastern and Western Main Border fault systems suggest that subsidence of the graben floor and shoulder uplift created strong cross-sectional asymmetries. Cumulative W-down displacements >3 km along strongly segmented transfer faults in the east contrast with E-down displacements emergence of the platform above sea level in late Mesozoic times, the deep-reaching W-dipping "extensional defects" of the East Rhine Detachment exerted a primary lithospheric scale control on both location and cross-sectional asymmetry of the Cenozoic graben structure. NE- and NW-striking, strongly altered and more shallow rooted Permocarboniferous or Mesozoic faults exerted secondary upper crustal controls on transfer faults and the accommodation zones near the terminations and segment boundaries of the URG. Deep crustal to upper lithospheric asymmetries continue to influence the neotectonic setting of the URG, such as westward rising earthquake hypocentres. Seismic activity along the URG appears to be part of a >600 km long zone that delimits the trailing edge of a SW-moving lithospheric block. In the URG area, NE-SW-oriented seismic anisotropy at sublithospheric depths of c. 60-80 km suggest active mantle flow in this direction as a possible driving force for the reactivation of pre-graben lithospheric shear zones.

Chronology of last earthquake on Firouzkuh Fault using by C14

Science.gov (United States)

Nazari, H.; Ritz, J.-F.; Walker, R.; Alimohammadian, H.; Salamati, R.; Shahidi, A.; Patnaik, R.; Talebian, M.

2009-04-01

The Firouzkuh fault with about 70 km length extending from east of Mosha fault in Aminabad village to Gadok in north east of Firouzkuh and easily is traceable on satellite images and aerial photographs (Nazari, 2006). Geologically this fault bounded between Jurassic - Cretaceous deposits in east (hanging wall) and Plio-Quaternary sediments in the west (foot wall) fault, (Aghanabati and Hamedi, 1994). This fault with NE-SW trend, located at northern part of south Firouzkuh high lands, and is partially compatible with F-16 magnetism (Yossefi and Firedburg, 1977). This fault initially was known as south trending thrust fault (Berberian et al., 1996), then included as left-lateral dextral fault (Jackson et al., 2002) and after all as sinstral-normal fault (Nazari et al., 2005) However, due to dispersal pattern of deformation on different faults, make sit difficult to fully understand the geometry and mechanism of the latest activity of Firouzkuh fault. In bigger scale, presence of eastern mountains and pattern of younger deformation in fault plain, especially in Firouzkuh domain, there is an evidence of left-Lateral dextral fault with vertical component for Firouzkuh fault. In a compressed structural regim, the vertical component can be consider as a thrust component that has caused the formation and general morphology of the area or a fault plain with south - west dipping. There is no palaeoseismic data or recorded large scale seismic activity related to Firouzkuh fault. Although historically, Firouzkuh fault is located in komes seismic zone (856 AD, Io= X, Ms= 7.9), but since Firouzkuh is an intermountain area, no historic seismic activity is reported from that area. There are number of recorded seismic activity such as 1969, 1973, 1975, 1979, 1985, 1989, 1990, and 2008 with magnitude of less than 4.8 except Gadok earthquake in 1990 which its magnitude was 5.8 and this is the greatest recorded seismic activity of Firouzkuh area, the morphotectonic and palaeoseismic

Superposed ruptile deformational events revealed by field and VOM structural analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Kumaira, Sissa; Guadagnin, Felipe; Keller Lautert, Maiara

2017-04-01

interpret geometrical and kinematic data. Planar and linear structural orientations and kinematic indicators revealed superposition of three deformational events: i) compressive, ii) transtensional, and iii) extensional paleostress regimes. The compressive regime was related to a radial to pure compression with N-S horizontal maximum compression vector. This stress regime corresponds mainly to the development of dextral tension fractures and NE-SW reverse faults. The transtensional regime has NW-SE sub-horizontal extension, NE-SW horizontal compressional, and sub-vertical intermediate tensors, generating mainly shear fractures by reactivation of the metamorphic foliation (anisotropy), NE-SW reverse faults and NE-vertical veins and gashes. The extensional regime of strike-slip type presents a NE-SW sub-horizontal extension and NW-SE trending sub-vertical maximum compression vector. Structures related to this regime are sub-vertical tension gashes, conjugate fractures and NW-SE normal faults. Cross-cutting relations show that compression was followed by transtension, which reactivate the ductile foliation, and in the last stage, extension dominated. Most important findings show that: i) local stress fields can modify expected geometry and ii) anisotropy developed by previous structures control the nucleation of new fractures and reactivations. Use of field data integrated in a VOM has great potential as analogues for structured reservoirs.

Fluid-driven normal faulting earthquake sequences in the Taiwan orogen

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ling-hua; Rau, Ruey-Juin; Lee, En-Jui

2017-04-01

Seismicity in the Central Range of Taiwan shows normal faulting mechanisms with T-axes directing NE, subparallel to the strike of the mountain belt. We analyze earthquake sequences occurred within 2012-2015 in the Nanshan area of northern Taiwan which indicating swarm behavior and migration characteristics. We select events larger than 2.0 from Central Weather Bureau catalog and use the double-difference relocation program hypoDD with waveform cross-correlation in the Nanshan area. We obtained a final count of 1406 (95%) relocated earthquakes. Moreover, we compute focal mechanisms using USGS program HASH by P-wave first motion and S/P ratio picking and 114 fault plane solutions with M 3.0-5.87 were determined. To test for fluid diffusion, we model seismicity using the equation of Shapiro et al. (1997) by fitting earthquake diffusing rate D during the migration period. According to the relocation result, seismicity in the Taiwan orogenic belt present mostly N25E orientation parallel to the mountain belt with the same direction of the tension axis. In addition, another seismic fracture depicted by seismicity rotated 35 degree counterclockwise to the NW direction. Nearly all focal mechanisms are normal fault type. In the Nanshan area, events show N10W distribution with a focal depth range from 5-12 km and illustrate fault plane dipping about 45-60 degree to SW. Three months before the M 5.87 mainshock which occurred in March, 2013, there were some foreshock events occurred in the shallow part of the fault plane of the mainshock. Half a year following the mainshock, earthquakes migrated to the north and south, respectively with processes matched the diffusion model at a rate of 0.2-0.6 m2/s. This migration pattern and diffusion rate offer an evidence of 'fluid-driven' process in the fault zone. We also find the upward migration of earthquakes in the mainshock source region. These phenomena are likely caused by the opening of the permeable conduit due to the M 5

ESR dating of the fault rocks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Hee Kwon [Kangwon National Univ., Chuncheon (Korea, Republic of)

2004-01-15

Past movement on faults can be dated by measurement of the intensity of ESR signals in quartz. These signals are reset by local lattice deformation and local frictional heating on grain contacts at the time of fault movement. The ESR signals then grow back as a result of bombardment by ionizing radiation from surrounding rocks. The age is obtained from the ratio of the equivalent dose, needed to produce the observed signal, to the dose rate. Fine grains are more completely reset during faulting, and a plot of age vs, grain size shows a plateau for grains below critical size : these grains are presumed to have been completely zeroed by the last fault activity. We carried out ESR dating of fault rocks collected near the Ulzin nuclear reactor. ESR signals of quartz grains separated from fault rocks collected from the E-W trend fault are saturated. This indicates that the last movement of these faults had occurred before the quaternary period. ESR dates from the NW trend faults range from 300ka to 700ka. On the other hand, ESR date of the NS trend fault is about 50ka. Results of this research suggest that long-term cyclic fault activity near the Ulzin nuclear reactor continued into the pleistocene.

The Relationships of Subparallel Synthetic Faults and Pre-existing Structures in the Central Malawi Rift

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, S.; Mendez, K.; Beresh, S. C. M.; Mynatt, W. G.; Elifritz, E. A.; Laó-Dávila, D. A.; Atekwana, E. A.; Abdelsalam, M. G.; Chindandali, P. R. N.; Chisenga, C.; Gondwe, S.; Mkumbura, M.; Kalaguluka, D.; Kalindekafe, L.; Salima, J.

2017-12-01

The objective of our research is to explore the evolution of synthetic fault systems in continental rifts. It has been suggested that during the rifting process border faults may become locked and strain is then accommodated within the hanging wall. The Malawi Rift provides an opportunity to study the evolution of these faults within a young (8 Ma), active and magma-poor continental rift. Two faults in central Malawi may show the transference of strain into the hanging wall. These faults are the older Chirobwe-Ntcheu with a length of 115 km and a scarp height of 300-1000 m and the younger Bilila-Mtakataka with a length of 130 km and a scarp height of 4-320 m. We used high-resolution aeromagnetic data and 30m resolution Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) digital elevation models (DEM) to provide a 3D spatial characterization of the fault system. Additionally 10cm resolution DEMs were created using unmanned aerial system (UAS) derived aerial photography and Structure from Motion to document the regional Precambrian foliation and joint patterns. Moreover, displacement profiles where extracted from the SRTM-DEM data to compare the segmentation and linkage of the outer and inner faults. Our preliminary results show that the strike of each fault is approximately NW-SE which follows the strike of the Precambrian fabric. The magnetic fabric has a strike of NW-SE in the south changing to NE-SW in the north suggesting that the faults are controlled in part by an inherited Precambrian fabric. The displacement profile of the inner Bilila-Mtakataka fault is asymmetric and displays five fault segments supporting the interpretation that this is a relatively young fault. The expected results of this study are information about segmentation and displacement of each fault and their relationship to one another. The results from the aeromagnetic data utilizing Source Parameter Imaging to produce an approximate depth to basement which will support the displacement profiles derived

Structural appraisal of the Gadag schist belt from gravity investigations

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

: the high density Gadag schist belt is characterized by a gravity high and occurs in two discontinuous segments — the main N-S trending segment, and its thinner NW-SE trending extension, the two separated by a NE-SW trending deep ...

Using SLAM to Look For the Dog Valley Fault, Truckee Area, California

Science.gov (United States)

Cronin, V. S.; Ashburn, J. A.; Sverdrup, K. A.

2014-12-01

The Truckee earthquake (9/12/1966, ML6.0) was a left-lateral event on a previously unrecognized NW-trending fault. The Prosser Creek and Boca Dams sustained damage, and the trace of the suspected causative fault passes near or through the site of the then-incomplete Stampede Dam. Another M6 earthquake occurred along the same general trend in 1948 with an epicenter in Dog Valley ~14 km to the NW of the 1966 epicenter. This trend is called the Dog Valley Fault (DVF), and its location on the ground surface is suggested by a prominent but broad zone of geomorphic lineaments near the cloud of aftershock epicenters determined for the 1966 event. Various ground effects of the 1966 event described by Kachadoorian et al. (1967) were located within this broad zone. The upper shoreface of reservoirs in the Truckee-Prosser-Martis basin are now exposed due to persistent drought. We have examined fault strands in a roadcut and exposed upper shoreface adjacent to the NE abutment of Stampede Dam. These are interpreted to be small-displacement splays associated with the DVF -- perhaps elements of the DVF damage zone. We have used the Seismo-Lineament Analysis Method (SLAM) to help us constrain the location of the DVF, based on earthquake focal mechanisms. Seismo-lineaments were computed, using recent revisions in the SLAM code (bearspace.baylor.edu/Vince_Cronin/www/SLAM/), for the 1966 main earthquake and for the better-recorded earthquakes of 7/3/1983 (M4) and 8/30/1992 (M3.2) that are inferred to have occurred along the DVF. Associated geomorphic analysis and some field reconnaissance identified a trend that might be associated with a fault, extending from the NW end of Prosser Creek Reservoir ~32° toward the Stampede Dam area. Triangle-strain analysis using horizontal velocities of local Plate Boundary Observatory GPS sites P146, P149, P150 and SLID indicates that the area rotates clockwise ~1-2°/Myr relative to the stable craton, as might be expected because the study area is

Fracture patterns in the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt, Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Science.gov (United States)

Reif, Daniel; Decker, Kurt; Grasemann, Bernhard; Peresson, Herwig

2012-11-01

Fracture data have been collected in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, which is a poorly accessible and unexplored area of the Zagros. Pre to early folding NE-SW striking extensional fractures and NW-SE striking contractive elements represent the older set affecting the exposed multilayer of the area. These latter structures are early syn-folding and followed by folding-related mesostructural assemblages, which include elements striking parallel to the axial trend of major folds (longitudinal fractures). Bedding perpendicular joints and veins, and extensional faults belonging to this second fracture set are located in the outer arc of exposed anticlines, whilst longitudinal reverse faults locate in the inner arcs. Consistently, these elements are associated with syn-folding tangential longitudinal strain. The younger two sets are related to E-W extension and NNE-SSW to N-S shortening, frequently displaying reactivation of the older sets. The last shortening event, which is described along the entire Zagros Belt, probably relates with the onset of N-S compression induced by the northward movement of the Arabian plate relative to the Eurasian Plate. In comparison between the inferred palaeostrain directions and the kinematics of recent GPS measurements, we conclude that the N-S compression and the partitioning into NW-SE trending folds and NW to N trending strike-slip faults likely remained unchanged throughout the Neogene tectonic history of the investigated area.

Fault Slip Partitioning in the Eastern California Shear Zone-Walker Lane Belt: Pliocene to Late Pleistocene Contraction Across the Mina Deflection

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, J.; Stockli, D.; Gosse, J.

2007-12-01

Two different mechanisms have been proposed for fault slip transfer between the subparallel NW-striking dextral- slip faults that dominant the Eastern California Shear Zone (ECSZ)-Walker Lane Belt (WLB). In the northern WLB, domains of sinistral-slip along NE-striking faults and clockwise block rotation within a zone of distributed deformation accommodated NW-dextral shear. A somewhat modified version of this mechanism was also proposed for the Mina deflection, southern WLB, whereby NE-striking sinistral faults formed as conjugate faults to the primary zone of NW-dextral shear; clockwise rotation of the blocks bounding the sinistral faults accommodated dextral slip. In contrast, in the northern ECSZ and Mina deflection, domains of NE-striking pure dip-slip normal faults, bounded by NW-striking dextral-slip faults, exhibited no rotation; the proposed mechanism of slip transfer was one of right-stepping, high angle normal faults in which the magnitude of extension was proportional to the amount of strike-slip motion transferred. New geologic mapping, tectonic geomorphologic, and geochronologic data from the Queen Valley area, southern Mina deflection constrain Pliocene to late Quaternary fault geometries, slip orientations, slip magnitudes, and slip rates that bear on the mechanism of fault slip transfer from the relatively narrow northern ECSZ to the broad deformation zone that defines the Mina deflection. Four different fault types and orientations cut across the Queen Valley area: (1) The NE-striking normal-slip Queen Valley fault; (2) NE-striking sinistral faults; (3) the NW-striking dextral Coyote Springs fault, which merges into (4) a set of EW-striking thrust faults. (U-Th)/He apatite and cosmogenic radionuclide data, combined with magnitude of fault offset measurements, indicate a Pliocene to late Pleistocene horizontal extension rate of 0.2-0.3 mm/yr across the Queen Valley fault. Our results, combined with published slip rates for the dextral White Mountain

Source parameters of the Bay of Bengal earthquake of 21 May 2014 and related seismotectonics of 85°E and 90°E ridges

Science.gov (United States)

Prakash, Rajesh; Prajapati, Sanjay Kumar; Srivastava, Hari Narain

2018-01-01

Source parameters of the Bay of Bengal earthquake of 21 May 2014 have been studied using full waveform inversion. Its source mechanism thus determined the orientation of the strike slip faulting as NW-SE/NE-SW. The occurrence of past earthquakes along the NE-SW nodal plane suggested its preference as the main fault which could result from the transmission of stresses from the Indian plate boundary. High stress drop of this earthquake (216 bar) is attributed to its location in the intraplate region, strike slip faulting and focus in the colder upper mantle. Comparison of the stress drop of deeper focus Hindukush earthquakes with that of the Bay of Bengal earthquake showed a smaller felt radius due to fractured lithosphere in the Himalayas vis-a-vis more efficient propagation of seismic waves in the peninsular region from the source region of this recent earthquake. The seismological evidence presented for the 85°E and 90°E ridges shows the predominance of strike slip faulting with thrusting on both the ridges. Integrating their source mechanism with that of the May 2014 earthquake, it could be inferred that the Bay of Bengal region (excluding Andaman Sumatra subduction zone) is characterised predominantly by strike slip faulting in the region north of latitude 20°N and strike slip with thrusting in the remaining portion.

Insights on the seismotectonics of the western part of northern Calabria (southern Italy) by integrated geological and geophysical data: Coexistence of shallow extensional and deep strike-slip kinematics

Science.gov (United States)

Ferranti, L.; Milano, G.; Pierro, M.

2017-11-01

We assess the seismotectonics of the western part of the border area between the Southern Apennines and Calabrian Arc, centered on the Mercure extensional basin, by integrating recent seismicity with a reconstruction of the structural frame from surface to deep crust. The analysis of low-magnitude (ML ≤ 3.5) events occurred in the area during 2013-2017, when evaluated in the context of the structural model, has revealed an unexpected complexity of seismotectonics processes. Hypocentral distribution and kinematics allow separating these events into three groups. Focal mechanisms of the shallower (kinematics. These results are consistent with the last kinematic event recorded on outcropping faults, and with the typical depth and kinematics of normal faulting earthquakes in the axial part of southern Italy. By contrast, intermediate ( 9-17 km) and deep ( 17-23 km) events have fault plane solutions characterized by strike- to reverse-oblique slip, but they differ from each other in the orientation of the principal axes. The intermediate events have P axes with a NE-SW trend, which is at odds with the NW-SE trend recorded by strike-slip earthquakes affecting the Apulia foreland plate in the eastern part of southern Italy. The intermediate events are interpreted to reflect reactivation of faults in the Apulia unit involved in thrust uplift, and appears aligned along an WNW-ESE trending deep crustal, possibly lithospheric boundary. Instead, deep events beneath the basin, which have P-axis with a NW-SE trend, hint to the activity of a deep overthrust of the Tyrrhenian back-arc basin crust over the continental crust of the Apulia margin, or alternatively, to a tear fault in the underthrust Apulia plate. Results of this work suggest that extensional faulting, as believed so far, does not solely characterizes the seismotectonics of the axial part of the Southern Apennines.

Proximity of the Seismogenic Dog Valley Fault to Stampede and Prosser Creek Dams Near Truckee, California

Science.gov (United States)

Cronin, V. S.; Strasser, M. P.

2017-12-01

The M 6.0 Truckee earthquake of 12 September 1966 caused a variety of surface effects observed over a large area, but the rupture plane of the causative fault did not displace the ground surface. The fault that generated the earthquake was named the Dog Valley fault [DVF], and its ground trace was assumed to be within a zone of subparallel drainage lineaments. The plunge and trend of the dip vector for the best fault-plane solution is 80° 134° with 0° rake, corresponding to a steep NE striking left-lateral strike-slip fault (Tsai and Aki, 1970). The Stampede Dam was completed along the trend of the Dog Valley fault in 1970, just four years after the Truckee earthquake, and impounds almost a quarter-million acre-feet of water. Failure of Stampede Dam would compromise Boca Dam downstream and pose a catastrophic threat to people along the Truckee River floodplain to Reno and beyond. Two 30 m long trenches excavated across a suspected DVF trend by the US Bureau of Reclamation in the 1980s did not find evidence of faulting (Hawkins et al., 1986). The surface trace of the DVF has remained unknown. We used the Seismo-Lineament Analysis Method [SLAM] augmented with a total least squares analysis of the focal locations of known or suspected aftershocks, along with focal mechanism data from well located events since 1966, to constrain the search for the DVF ground trace. Geomorphic analysis of recently collected aerial lidar data along this composite seismo-lineament has lead to a preliminary interpretation that the DVF might extend from the Prosser Creek Reservoir near 39.396°N 120.168°W through or immediately adjacent to the Stampede Dam structure. A second compound geomorphic lineament is sub-parallel to this line 1.6 km to the northwest, and might represent another strand of the DVF. As noted by Hawkins et al. (1986), human modification of the land surface complicates structural-geomorphic analysis. Fieldwork in 2016 took advantage of drought conditions to examine

Some geodynamic aspects of the Krishna-Godavari basin, east coast of India

Science.gov (United States)

Murthy, K. S. R.; Subrahmanyam, A. S.; Lakshminarayana, S.; Chandrasekhar, D. V.; Rao, T. C. S.

1995-06-01

Detailed analysis of magnetic data of the Krishna-Godavari offshore basin provides new information on the evolution of this basin since the breakup of Peninsular India in the late Jurassic from the erstwhile Gondwanaland. The results establish the offshore extension of two major onshore cross trends viz, the Chintalapudi and Avanigadda cross trends (CCT and ACT). While the onshore basin is characterized by NE-SW ridges and depressions, the offshore basin is divided essentially into three segments by these two NW-SE cross trends. The Ocean-Continent Boundary (OCB), located at the foot of the continental slope of this region, appears to be the seaward limit of these two cross trends. An isolated source of high magnetic intensity (a hot spot?) is identified near the OCB of Machilipatnam, confined between the two cross trends. The Pranhita Godavari Gondwana graben, located north of CCT, extends into the offshore along two faulted cross trends, viz, the CCT and the newly identified Yanam cross trend. The weak magnetic signature associated with this graben at greater depths in the offshore is probably due to flexural subsidence. Preliminary reconstruction of the evolutionary stages of this basin suggests that the hot spot (Marion ?) with its trace located at the OCB represents the earliest stage of the breakup of east coast of India in the late Jurassic (126 Ma), although the relation between this hotspot and the two cross trends on either side remains unresolved. The breakup was associated with rift phase volcanism, as evidenced by the inferred dyke intrusions in the Nizampatnam bay in the southern part of the basin. The Pranhita Godavari Gondwana graben formed due to this split, pull apart and the subsequent downwarping of the eastern continental margin, appears to be much deeper and wider in the offshore. The NE-SW ridges (Tanuku, Kaza and Bapatla) and the depressions (East and West Godavari and Krishna) of the onshore basin are a consequence of the post-rift vertical

Structure of the Kasbah fold zone (Agadir bay, Morocco. Implications on the chronology of the recent tectonics of the western High Atlas and on the seismic hazard of the Agadir area

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samaka, F.

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Detailed re-interpretation of the north-eastern segment of a profile realized across the Agadir bay along a NE-SW trend and crosscutting the main structures, together with analysis of available isochron maps, allowed us to retrace the geological history of the offshore western High Atlas. Two tectonostratigraphic sequences were distinguished: Unit II, which displays a simple structure, laying unconformably on Unit I, with a more complex structure dominated by a reverse fault (F1 striking E-W with a dip to the north. Correlation to boreholes Souss-1 and AGM-1 allowed us to assign Unit I to the Triassic – Palaeogene and Unit II to the Miocene – Present. The NE fault block shows a ramp-flat fault plane (F2 with an overlying SW-vergent fold that can be interpreted as a fault-bend fold. Three main stages were distinguished: (1 during the Cretaceous, F1 could have been a syndepositional normal fault with the NE block moving downwards; (2 towards the beginning of the Tertiary, the displacement of plane F2 induced the development of a fault-bend fold and erosion of the forelimb and hinge of the fold; displacement along F2 was transferred to fault F1; (3 afterwards, during the Miocene, reverse motion of F1 deformed and tilted the plane F2 and accentuated the folded structure. This evolution is typical for a frontal basin above a fault-related fold. Evaluation of the thickness and bed depth differences shows that the largest growth rate was recorded in Late Miocene times. Seismic activity recorded in the Agadir bay appears to be clearly related to this fault zone, as inferred from focal mechanisms. Seismic moment evaluation suggests that earthquakes of magnitude Mw≥6 are likely to occur, but could not be much larger because of the fault segmentation geometry of the High Atlas Front.

A partir de una detallada reinterpretación del segmento nororiental de un perfil que corta las principales estructuras de la bahía de Agadir a lo largo de una

Geomorphic Evidence of a Complex late-Cenozoic Uplift and Lateral Displacement History Along the 2013 M7.7 Baluchistan, Pakistan Strike-slip Rupture

Science.gov (United States)

Harbor, D. J.; Barnhart, W. D.

2017-12-01

The 2013 M7.7 Baluchistan earthquake in southern Pakistan ruptured 200 km of the north-dipping Hoshab reverse fault with dominantly lateral motion, clearly at odds with the regional topography created by previous reverse fault offsets. The kinematics of this earthquake led to the hypotheses that the Hoshab fault may alternatively slip in a reverse and lateral sense (bi-modal slip), and that the southeast Makran rotates as a uniform block around the fault (ball-and-socket rotation). Here, we use river profiles, regional relief, fault locations, and detailed geomorphic maps derived from optical imagery and DEMs to evaluate the recent uplift history of this region. We find that late Cenozoic fault zone geomorphology supports a spatially complex transition from lateral-dominated offsets in the NE to reverse-dominated offsets in the SW. Additionally, fault zone geomorphology suggests that the location of the Hoshab fault itself may change through time, leading to active incision of footwall alluvial fans and pediments. Stream profiles likewise record incision patterns that vary along the Hoshab fault. Incision and deposition in the SW are illustrative of relative footwall subsidence, consistent with recent uplift on the Hoshab fault; whereas incision and deposition in the NE are illustrative of relative footwall uplift consistent with ongoing regional uplift due to ball-and-socket rotations and dominantly lateral offsets along the northern Hoshab fault. The largest streams also record multiple, discrete, base-level drops, including the presence of convex-up river profiles in the hanging wall of the Hoshab fault. These profiles along hanging wall streams highlight a complex spatial and temporal history of reverse offset, lateral channel offset, and base-level resetting in regional streams that are altogether inconsistent with the kinematics of the 2013 earthquake alone, but that are consistent with the bi-modal slip model. Additionally, the evidence of footwall uplift in

HARP targets pion production cross section and yield measurements. Implications for MiniBooNE neutrino flux

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wickremasinghe, Don Athula Abeyarathna [Univ. of Cincinnati, OH (United States)

2015-07-01

The prediction of the muon neutrino flux from a 71.0 cm long beryllium target for the MiniBooNE experiment is based on a measured pion production cross section which was taken from a short beryllium target (2.0 cm thick - 5% nuclear interaction length) in the Hadron Production (HARP) experiment at CERN. To verify the extrapolation to our longer target, HARP also measured the pion production from 20.0 cm and 40.0 cm beryllium targets. The measured production yields, d²N^π± (p; θ )=dpd Ω, on targets of 50% and 100% nuclear interaction lengths in the kinematic rage of momentum from 0.75 GeV/c to 6.5 GeV/c and the range of angle from 30 mrad to 210 mrad are presented along with an update of the short target cross sections. The best fitted extended Sanford-Wang (SW) model parameterization for updated short beryllium target π⁺ production cross section is presented. Yield measurements for all three targets are also compared with that from the Monte Carlo predictions in the MiniBooNE experiment for different SW parameterization. The comparisons of v_μ flux predictions for updated SW model is presented.

Core evidence of paleoseismic events in Paleogene deposits of the Shulu Sag in the Bohai Bay Basin, east China, and their petroleum geologic significance

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Lijing; Jiang, Zaixing; Liu, Hui; Kong, Xiangxin; Li, Haipeng; Jiang, Xiaolong

2015-10-01

The Shulu Sag, located in the southwestern corner of the Jizhong Depression, Bohai Bay Basin of east China, is a NE-SW trending, elongate Cenozoic half-graben basin. The lowermost part of the third member of the Shahejie Formation in this basin is characterized by continental rudstone and calcilutite to calcisiltite facies. Based on core observation and regional geologic analysis, seismites are recognized in these lacustrine deposits, which include soft-sediment deformation structures (sedimentary dikes, hydraulic shattering, diapir structures, convolute lamination, load-flame structures, ball-and-pillow structures, loop bedding, and subsidence structures), synsedimentary faults, and seismoturbidites. In addition, mixed-source rudstones, consisting of the Paleozoic carbonate clasts and in situ calcilutite clasts in the lowermost submember of Shahejie 3, appear in the seismites, suggesting an earthquake origin. A complete representative vertical sequence in the lowermost part of the third member found in well ST1H located in the central part of the Shulu Sag shows, from the base to the top: underlying undeformed layers, synsedimentary faults, liquefied carbonate rocks, allogenetic seismoturbidites, and overlying undeformed layers. Seismites are widely distributed around this well and there are multiple sets of stacked seismites separated by undeformed sediment. The nearby NW-trending Taijiazhuang fault whose fault growth index is from 1.1 to 1.8 and the NNE-trending Xinhe fault with a fault growth index of 1.3-1.9 may be the source of the instability to create the seismites. These deformed sedimentary layers are favorable for the accumulation of oil and gas; for example, sedimentary dikes can cut through many layers and serve as conduits for fluid migration. Sedimentary faults and fractures induced by earthquakes can act as oil and gas migration channels or store petroleum products as well. Seismoturbidites and mixed-source rudstones are excellent reservoirs due to

Fault strength in Marmara region inferred from the geometry of the principle stress axes and fault orientations: A case study for the Prince's Islands fault segment

Science.gov (United States)

Pinar, Ali; Coskun, Zeynep; Mert, Aydin; Kalafat, Dogan

2015-04-01

The general consensus based on historical earthquake data point out that the last major moment release on the Prince's islands fault was in 1766 which in turn signals an increased seismic risk for Istanbul Metropolitan area considering the fact that most of the 20 mm/yr GPS derived slip rate for the region is accommodated mostly by that fault segment. The orientation of the Prince's islands fault segment overlaps with the NW-SE direction of the maximum principle stress axis derived from the focal mechanism solutions of the large and moderate sized earthquakes occurred in the Marmara region. As such, the NW-SE trending fault segment translates the motion between the two E-W trending branches of the North Anatolian fault zone; one extending from the Gulf of Izmit towards Çınarcık basin and the other extending between offshore Bakırköy and Silivri. The basic relation between the orientation of the maximum and minimum principal stress axes, the shear and normal stresses, and the orientation of a fault provides clue on the strength of a fault, i.e., its frictional coefficient. Here, the angle between the fault normal and maximum compressive stress axis is a key parameter where fault normal and fault parallel maximum compressive stress might be a necessary and sufficient condition for a creeping event. That relation also implies that when the trend of the sigma-1 axis is close to the strike of the fault the shear stress acting on the fault plane approaches zero. On the other hand, the ratio between the shear and normal stresses acting on a fault plane is proportional to the coefficient of frictional coefficient of the fault. Accordingly, the geometry between the Prince's islands fault segment and a maximum principal stress axis matches a weak fault model. In the frame of the presentation we analyze seismological data acquired in Marmara region and interpret the results in conjuction with the above mentioned weak fault model.

Reevaluation of 1935 M 7.0 earthquake fault, Miaoli-Taichung Area, western Taiwan: a DEM and field study

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Y. N.; Chen, Y.; Ota, Y.

2003-12-01

A large earthquake (M 7.0) took place in Miaoli area, western Taiwan on April 21st, 1935. Right to its south is the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake fault, indicating it is not only tectonically but seismically active. As the previous study, the study area is located in the mature zone of a tectonic collision that occurred between Philippine sea Plate and Eurasia continental Plate. The associated surface ruptures of 1935 earthquake daylighted Tungtsichiao Fault, a tear fault trending NE in the south and Chihhu Fault, a back thrust trending N-S in the north, but no ruptures occurred in between. Strike-slip component was identified by the horizontal offset observed along Tungtsichiao Fault; however, there are still disputes on the reported field evidence. Our purposes are (1) to identify the structural behaviors of these two faults, (2) to find out what the seismogenic structure is, and (3) to reconstruct the regional geology by information given by this earthquake. By DEM interpretation and field survey, we can clearly recognize a lot of the 1935 associated features. In the west of Chihhu Fault, a series of N-S higher terraces can be identified with eastward tilted surfaces and nearly 200 m relative height. Another lower terrace is also believed being created during the 1935 earthquake, showing an east-facing scarp with a height of ca. 1.5~2 m. Outcrop investigation reveals that the late-Miocene bedrock has been easterly thrusted over the Holocene conglomerates, indicating a west-dipping fault plane. The Tungtsichiao Fault cuts through a lateritic terrace at Holi, which is supposed developed in Pleistocene. The fault scarp is only discernible in the northeastern ending. Other noticeable features are the fault related antiforms that line up along the surface rupture. There is no outcrop to show the fault geometry among bedrocks. We re-interpret the northern Chihhu Fault as the back thrust generated from a main subsurface detachment, which may be the actual seismogenic fault

Strike-slip pull-apart process and emplacement of Xiangshan uranium-producing volcanic basin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiu Aijin; Guo Lingzhi; Shu Liangshu

2001-01-01

Xiangshan volcanic basin is one of the famous uranium-producing volcanic basins in China. Emplacement mechanism of Xiangshan uranium-producing volcanic basin is discussed on the basis of the latest research achievements of deep geology in Xiangshan area and the theory of continental dynamics. The study shows that volcanic activity in Xiangshan volcanic basin may be divided into two cycles, and its emplacement is controlled by strike-ship pull-apart process originated from the deep regional faults. Volcanic apparatus in the first cycle was emplaced in EW-trending structure activated by clockwise strike-slipping of NE-trending deep fault, forming the EW-trending fissure-type volcanic effusion belt. Volcanic apparatus in the second cycle was emplaced at junction points of SN-trending pull-apart structure activated by sinistral strike-slipping of NE-trending deep faults and EW-trending basement faults causing the center-type volcanic magma effusion and extrusion. Moreover, the formation mechanism of large-rich uranium deposits is discussed as well

Quaternary fault in Hwalseong-ri, Oedong-up, Gyeongju, Korea.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ryoo, Chung-Ryul; Chwae, Uee-Chan; Choi, Sung-Ja [Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, Taejeon(Korea); Son, Moon [Pusan National University, Pusan(Korea)

2001-09-01

We describe a Quaternary fault occurring in Hwalseong-ri, Oedong-up, Gyeongju in the eastern part of Ulsan Fault Zone, Korea. This fault (Hwalseongri Fault) is developed around the contact between the early Tertiary granite and the Quaternary gravel layer. Four different faults are distinguished from west to east: (1) fault within Quaternary gravel layer, (2) fault between Quaternary gravel layer and granite, (3) fault between Quaternary gravel layer overlying granite and granite, (4) fault between granite and Quaternary layer. General strike of the fault zone vary from NNW to NE, dipping to east. Two striations, E-W and N-S, are developed. The former is related mainly to the reverse faulting, and the latter to the sinistral shearing. This fault zone was reactivated, and considered as a positive flower structure mainly by the results of the E-W compression in the southeastern part of the Korean Peninsula during Quaternary. (author). 45 refs., 6 figs.

Displacement along extensive deformation zones at the two SKB sites: Forsmark and Laxemar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beckholmen, Monica; Tiren, Sven A.

2010-12-01

The Fennoscandian shield, a part of the East European Craton, is distinguished by the exposed bedrock which is mainly composed of Precambrian metamorphic and igneous rocks. Large parts of the ground surface closely coincides with a late Precambrian denudation surface; the sub-Cambrian peneplain. Palaeozoic and younger sediments were deposited on the peneplain but these sediments have been removed from most areas that now form the mainland of Sweden and Finland and there are just a few remnants left. In the Baltic Sea, located in large-scale depressions on the boundary of in the Fennoscandian Shield/ in the East European Craton/, the Precambrian bedrock is still in large parts covered by Palaeozoic sediments. The Palaeozoic sedimentary rocks, as they are well bedded, may form a memory of the late Palaeozoic and younger tectonic events in the underlying basement rocks. Such data are used here to complement the structural observations made at sites located on the mainland, giving information on displacement along faults. Significant for the Baltic Sea are faults oriented in N-S that appear as segments, displaced relative to each other. Other structures are oriented in E-W, NE-SW and NW-SE. The SKB Forsmark site is located in a relatively flat coastal area within the sub-Cambrian peneplain. The sea area at the Forsmark site has a more accentuated relief than what is found on the mainland, for example, a furrow along the western side of the N-S oriented island Graesoe northeast of Forsmark (below 30m b.s.l. and locally more than 50m lower than Graesoe) and the deep between Aaland and Sweden (301m b.s.l.) about 100km east-southeast of Forsmark. In the Forsmark-site area two sets of structures interfere: a WNWESE trending set with relatively straight faults along the north coast of Uppland and a NNW-SSE to N-S trending set, slightly curved, along the (north)east coast of Uppland. The Forsmark site is located in an elevated WNW trending lath-shaped rock block outlined by

Displacement along extensive deformation zones at the two SKB sites: Forsmark and Laxemar

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beckholmen, Monica; Tiren, Sven A. (GEOSIGMA AB (Sweden))

2010-12-15

The Fennoscandian shield, a part of the East European Craton, is distinguished by the exposed bedrock which is mainly composed of Precambrian metamorphic and igneous rocks. Large parts of the ground surface closely coincides with a late Precambrian denudation surface; the sub-Cambrian peneplain. Palaeozoic and younger sediments were deposited on the peneplain but these sediments have been removed from most areas that now form the mainland of Sweden and Finland and there are just a few remnants left. In the Baltic Sea, located in large-scale depressions on the boundary of in the Fennoscandian Shield/ in the East European Craton/, the Precambrian bedrock is still in large parts covered by Palaeozoic sediments. The Palaeozoic sedimentary rocks, as they are well bedded, may form a memory of the late Palaeozoic and younger tectonic events in the underlying basement rocks. Such data are used here to complement the structural observations made at sites located on the mainland, giving information on displacement along faults. Significant for the Baltic Sea are faults oriented in N-S that appear as segments, displaced relative to each other. Other structures are oriented in E-W, NE-SW and NW-SE. The SKB Forsmark site is located in a relatively flat coastal area within the sub-Cambrian peneplain. The sea area at the Forsmark site has a more accentuated relief than what is found on the mainland, for example, a furrow along the western side of the N-S oriented island Graesoe northeast of Forsmark (below 30m b.s.l. and locally more than 50m lower than Graesoe) and the deep between Aaland and Sweden (301m b.s.l.) about 100km east-southeast of Forsmark. In the Forsmark-site area two sets of structures interfere: a WNWESE trending set with relatively straight faults along the north coast of Uppland and a NNW-SSE to N-S trending set, slightly curved, along the (north)east coast of Uppland. The Forsmark site is located in an elevated WNW trending lath-shaped rock block outlined by

The Genesis of Precious and Base Metal Mineralization at the Miguel Auza Deposit, Zacatecas, Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Findley, A. A.; Olivo, G. R.; Godin, L.

2009-05-01

acanthite [AgS2]; associated sulphides include galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite and pyrite. In the main ore zone, base metal sulphides are commonly intergrown with the Ag-bearing sulfosalts. Analyses of galena show no significant silver values indicating that silver grades are exclusively associated with the Ag-bearing sulfosalts and sulphides. The distribution of the Sb/(Sb + As) ratios in the silver sulfosalts indicate that the ore forming fluid(s) was consistently antimony-rich during the Ag-rich ore deposition with no significant variation laterally, vertically, or along strike of the vein systems. However, Ag/(Ag + Cu) values in argentotennantite decrease along-strike from NE to SW and with depth. Compositions of argentotennantite + pyrargyrite + sphalerite indicate a primary depositional temperature around 325-350° C for the late phase of the Main-ore stage. Compositions of sphalerite also show an increasing trend in FeS (mol %) along strike of the deposit from NE to SW. The geometric relationship between the various structures, vein types, and the regional Miguel Auza fault zone suggest episodic reverse-sense reactivation of normal faults. It is argued that the structural evolution of the area, and, in particular, the Main-ore stage, provided transport pathways for metal-rich fluids and controlled the orientations of ore-bearing veins. Variations in mineral chemistry suggest that the rocks in the NE sector interacted with hotter fluids than in the SW part of the deposit.

Imaging the Crust in the Northern Sector of the 2009 L'Aquila Seismic Sequence through Oil Exploration Data Interpretation

Science.gov (United States)

Grazia Ciaccio, Maria; Improta, Luigi; Patacca, Etta; Scandone, Paolo; Villani, Fabio

2010-05-01

The 2009 L'Aquila seismic sequence activated a complex, about 40 km long, NW-trending and SW-dipping normal fault system, consisting of three main faults arranged in right-lateral en-echelon geometry. While the northern sector of the epicentral area was extensively investigated by oil companies, only a few scattered, poor-quality commercial seismic profiles are available in the central and southern sector. In this study we interpret subsurface commercial data from the northern sector, which is the area where is located the source of the strong Mw5.4 aftershock occurred on the 9th April 2009. Our primary goals are: (1) to define a reliable framework of the upper crust structure, (2) to investigate how the intense aftershock activity, the bulk of which is clustered in the 5-10 km depth range, relates to the Quaternary extensional faults present in the area. The investigated area lies between the western termination of the W-E trending Gran Sasso thrust system to the south, the SW-NE trending Mt. Sibillini thrust front (Ancona-Anzio Line Auctt.) to the north and west, and by the NNW-SSE trending, SW-dipping Mt. Gorzano normal fault to the east. In this area only middle-upper Miocene deposits are exposed (Laga Flysch and underlying Cerrogna Marl), but commercial wells have revealed the presence of a Triassic-Miocene sedimentary succession identical to the well known Umbria-Marche stratigraphic sequence. We have analyzed several confidential seismic reflection profiles, mostly provided by ENI oil company. Seismic lines are tied to two public wells, 5766 m and 2541 m deep. Quality of the reflection imaging is highly variable. A few good quality stack sections contain interpretable signal down to 4.5-5.5 s TWT, corresponding to depths exceeding 10-12 km and thus allowing crustal imaging at seismogenic depths. Key-reflectors for the interpretation correspond to: (1) the top of the Miocene Cerrogna marls, (2) the top of the Upper Albian-Oligocene Scaglia Group, (3) the

Emplacement and deformation of the A-type Madeira granite (Amazonian Craton, Brazil)

Science.gov (United States)

Siachoque, Astrid; Salazar, Carlos Alejandro; Trindade, Ricardo

2017-04-01

The Madeira granite is one of the Paleoproterozoic (1.82 Ga) A-type granite intrusions in the Amazonian Craton. It is elongated in the NE-SW direction and is composed of four facies. Classical structural techniques and the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) method were applied to the study of its internal fabric. Magnetic susceptibility measurements, thermomagnetic curves, remanent coercivity spectra, optical microscopy and SEM (scanning electron microscopy) analyses were carried out on the earlier and later facies of the Madeira granite: the rapakivi granite (RG) and the albite granite (AG) respectively. The last one is subdivided into the border albite granite (BAG) and the core albite granite (CAG) subfacies. AMS fabric pattern is controlled by pure magnetite in all facies, despite significant amounts of hematite in the BAG subfacies. Microstructural observations show that in almost all sites, magnetic fabric correlates to magmatic state fabrics that are defined by a weak NE-SW orientation of mafic and felsic silicates. However, strain mechanisms in both subfacies of AG also exhibit evidence for solid-state deformation at high to moderate temperatures. Pegmatite dyke, strike slip fault (SFA-B-C), hydrothermal vein, normal fault (F1-2) and joint (J) structures were observed and their orientation and kinematics is consistent with the magmatic and solid-state structures. Dykes, SFA-C and F1, are usually orientated along the N70°E/40°N plane, which is nearly parallel to the strike of AMS and magmatic foliations. In contrast, veins, SFB, F2 and some J are oriented perpendicular to the N70°E trend. Kinematic analysis in these structures shows evidence for a dextral sense of movement in the system in the brittle regime. The coherent structural pattern for the three facies of Madeira granite suggests that the different facies form a nested pluton. The coherence in orientation and kinematics from magmatic to high-temperature solid-state, and into the brittle

Microseismic data records fault activation before and after a Mw 4.1 induced earthquake

Science.gov (United States)

Eyre, T.; Eaton, D. W. S.

2017-12-01

Several large earthquakes (Mw 4) have been observed in the vicinity of the town of Fox Creek, Alberta. These events have been determined to be induced earthquakes related to hydraulic fracturing in the region. The largest of these has a magnitude Mw = 4.1, and is associated with a hydraulic-fracturing treatment close to Crooked Lake, about 30 km west of Fox Creek. The underlying factors that lead to localization of the high numbers of hydraulic fracturing induced events in this area remain poorly understood. The treatment that is associated with the Mw 4.1 event was monitored by 93 shallow three-level borehole arrays of sensors. Here we analyze the temporal and spatial evolution of the microseismic and seismic data recorded during the treatment. Contrary to expected microseismic event clustering parallel to the principal horizontal stress (NE - SW), the events cluster along obvious fault planes that align both NNE - SSW and N - S. As the treatment well is oriented N - S, it appears that each stage of the treatment intersects a new portion of the fracture network, causing seismicity to occur. Focal-plane solutions support a strike-slip failure along these faults, with nodal planes aligning with the microseismic cluster orientations. Each fault segment is activated with a cluster of microseismicity in the centre, gradually extending along the fault as time progresses. Once a portion of a fault is active, further seismicity can be induced, regardless if the present stage is distant from the fault. However, the large events seem to occur in regions with a gap in the microseismicity. Interestingly, most of the seismicity is located above the reservoir, including the larger events. Although a shallow-well array is used, these results are believed to have relatively high depth resolution, as the perforation shots are correctly located with an average error of 26 m in depth. This information contradicts previously held views that large induced earthquakes occur primarily

Structural setting and kinematics of Nubian fault system, SE Western Desert, Egypt: An example of multi-reactivated intraplate strike-slip faults

Science.gov (United States)

Sakran, Shawky; Said, Said Mohamed

2018-02-01

Detailed surface geological mapping and subsurface seismic interpretation have been integrated to unravel the structural style and kinematic history of the Nubian Fault System (NFS). The NFS consists of several E-W Principal Deformation Zones (PDZs) (e.g. Kalabsha fault). Each PDZ is defined by spectacular E-W, WNW and ENE dextral strike-slip faults, NNE sinistral strike-slip faults, NE to ENE folds, and NNW normal faults. Each fault zone has typical self-similar strike-slip architecture comprising multi-scale fault segments. Several multi-scale uplifts and basins were developed at the step-over zones between parallel strike-slip fault segments as a result of local extension or contraction. The NNE faults consist of right-stepping sinistral strike-slip fault segments (e.g. Sin El Kiddab fault). The NNE sinistral faults extend for long distances ranging from 30 to 100 kms and cut one or two E-W PDZs. Two nearly perpendicular strike-slip tectonic regimes are recognized in the NFS; an inactive E-W Late Cretaceous - Early Cenozoic dextral transpression and an active NNE sinistral shear.

The Evolution from Late Miocene West Salton Detachment Faulting to Cross-Cutting Pleistocene Oblique Strike-Slip Faults in the SW Salton Trough, Southern California

OpenAIRE

Steely, Alexander N.

2006-01-01

Field studies in the southwest Salton Trough between Yaqui Ridge and Borrego Mountain show that the West Salton detachment fault was active during the Pliocene and may have initiated during the latest Miocene. At Yaqui Ridge dominantly east-directed extension is recorded by slickenlines on the NW-striking detachment fault, and shows that the fault is actually a low-angle dextral oblique strike-slip fault. Crustal inheritance is responsible for the position of the fault at Yaqui Ridge, which r...

Transpressional rupture of an unmapped fault during the 2010 Haiti earthquake

KAUST Repository

Calais, Éric

2010-10-24

On 12 January 2010, a Mw7.0 earthquake struck the Port-au-Prince region of Haiti. The disaster killed more than 200,000 people and caused an estimated $8 billion in damages, about 100% of the country?s gross domestic product. The earthquake was initially thought to have ruptured the Enriquillog-Plantain Garden fault of the southern peninsula of Haiti, which is one of two main strike-slip faults inferred to accommodate the 2cmyr -1 relative motion between the Caribbean and North American plates. Here we use global positioning system and radar interferometry measurements of ground motion to show that the earthquake involved a combination of horizontal and contractional slip, causing transpressional motion. This result is consistent with the long-term pattern of strain accumulation in Hispaniola. The unexpected contractional deformation caused by the earthquake and by the pattern of strain accumulation indicates present activity on faults other than the Enriquillog-Plantain Garden fault. We show that the earthquake instead ruptured an unmapped north-dipping fault, called the Léogâne fault. The Léogâne fault lies subparallel tog-but is different fromg-the Enriquillog-Plantain Garden fault. We suggest that the 2010 earthquake may have activated the southernmost front of the Haitian fold-and-thrust belt as it abuts against the Enriquillog-Plantain Garden fault. As the Enriquillog-Plantain Garden fault did not release any significant accumulated elastic strain, it remains a significant seismic threat for Haiti and for Port-au-Prince in particular. © 2010 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.

Transpressional rupture of an unmapped fault during the 2010 Haiti earthquake

KAUST Repository

Calais, É ric; Freed, Andrew M.; Mattioli, Glen S.; Amelung, Falk; Jonsson, Sigurjon; Jansma, Pamela E.; Hong, Sanghoon; Dixon, Timothy H.; Pré petit, Claude; Momplaisir, Roberte

2010-01-01

On 12 January 2010, a Mw7.0 earthquake struck the Port-au-Prince region of Haiti. The disaster killed more than 200,000 people and caused an estimated $8 billion in damages, about 100% of the country?s gross domestic product. The earthquake was initially thought to have ruptured the Enriquillog-Plantain Garden fault of the southern peninsula of Haiti, which is one of two main strike-slip faults inferred to accommodate the 2cmyr -1 relative motion between the Caribbean and North American plates. Here we use global positioning system and radar interferometry measurements of ground motion to show that the earthquake involved a combination of horizontal and contractional slip, causing transpressional motion. This result is consistent with the long-term pattern of strain accumulation in Hispaniola. The unexpected contractional deformation caused by the earthquake and by the pattern of strain accumulation indicates present activity on faults other than the Enriquillog-Plantain Garden fault. We show that the earthquake instead ruptured an unmapped north-dipping fault, called the Léogâne fault. The Léogâne fault lies subparallel tog-but is different fromg-the Enriquillog-Plantain Garden fault. We suggest that the 2010 earthquake may have activated the southernmost front of the Haitian fold-and-thrust belt as it abuts against the Enriquillog-Plantain Garden fault. As the Enriquillog-Plantain Garden fault did not release any significant accumulated elastic strain, it remains a significant seismic threat for Haiti and for Port-au-Prince in particular. © 2010 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.

The U resources inventory at Tebalungkang sector, west Kalimantan systematic prospection stage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soetopo, B.; Suripto; Boman; Sajiyo

1996-01-01

The systematic prospection at Tebalungkang sector, West Kalimantan was carried out to characterize the occurrence of U mineralization and to invent the potential U resources at the area. The investigation was done on the basis of previous results, i.e. radiometric anomalous outcrops and boulders of 1000-7000 C/s. The methods for the investigation was systematic geological mapping and radiometric measurements of soil and tranced rocks and supported by mineralogical and geochemical analyses. The results of the investigation show that this area consists of metamorphic rocks, intruded by granite quartz-diorite batholites and dike of andesite and lamprophyre. From geological structure this is 30 o plunging from anticlin NE-SW and NNW-SSE, is crossed by NE-SW and E-W normal faults and NW-SE and WNW-ESE strike slip faults. Uranium mineralization appears in quartz-schist brecciated and quachitite (lamprophyre). The radioactive minerals were thorite and monazite, associated with rutile, ilmenite, magnetite, hematite, pyrite, calcopyrite, muscovite, apatite and allanite. The U content from rock samples has been found to be 4,5-54,75 ppm U

Tectonics of the Qinling (Central China): Tectonostratigraphy, geochronology, and deformation history

Science.gov (United States)

Ratschbacher, L.; Hacker, B.R.; Calvert, A.; Webb, L.E.; Grimmer, J.C.; McWilliams, M.O.; Ireland, T.; Dong, S.; Hu, Jiawen

2003-01-01

The Qinling orogen preserves a record of late mid-Proterozoic to Cenozoic tectonism in central China. High-pressure metamorphism and ophiolite emplacement (Songshugou ophiolite) assembled the Yangtze craton, including the lower Qinling unit, into Rodinia during the ~1.0 Ga Grenvillian orogeny. The lower Qinling unit then rifted from the Yangtze craton at ~0.7 Ga. Subsequent intra-oceanic arc formation at ~470-490 Ma was followed by accretion of the lower Qinling unit first to the intra-oceanic arc and then to the Sino-Korea craton. Subduction then imprinted a ~400 Ma Andean-type magmatic arc onto all units north of the northern Liuling unit. Oblique subduction created Silurian-Devonian WNW-trending, sinistral transpressive wrench zones (e.g., Lo-Nan, Shang-Dan), and Late Permian-Early Triassic subduction reactivated them in dextral transpression (Lo-Nan, Shang-Xiang, Shang-Dan) and subducted the northern edge of the Yangtze craton. Exhumation of the cratonal edge formed the Wudang metamorphic core complex during dominantly pure shear crustal extension at ~230-235 Ma. Post-collisional south-directed shortening continued through the Early Jurassic. Cretaceous reactivation of the Qinling orogen started with NW-SE sinistral transtension, coeval with large-scale Early Cretaceous crustal extension and sinistral transtension in the northern Dabie Shan; it presumably resulted from the combined effects of the Siberia-Mongolia-Sino-Korean and Lhasa-West Burma-Qiangtang-Indochina collisions and Pacific subduction. Regional dextral wrenching was active within a NE-SW extensional regime between ~60 and 100 Ma. An Early Cretaceous Andean-type continental magmatic arc, with widespread Early Cretaceous magmatism and back-arc extension, was overprinted by shortening related to the collision of Yangtze-Indochina Block with the West Philippines Block. Strike-slip and normal faults associated with Eocene half-graben basins record Paleogene NNE-SSW contraction and WNW-ESE extension

Tomography of the Chukou Fault Zone, Southwest Taiwan: Insights from Microearthquake Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu-Lien Yeh

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The vigorous collision between the Eurasian plate and Philippine Sea plate in Taiwan causes a series of imbricate fold and thrust belts to develop at the deformation front. The Chukou Fault (CKF, characterized by a thrust type fault, located in Chiayi County, southwest (SW Taiwan, is a prominent boundary between the fold-thrust belts and the Western Coastal Plain. Most of the seismicity in SW Taiwan is associated with this fault and its neighboring fault systems. The seismotectonic structures in the CKF zone, especially in the east, are complex due to the interactions among fault systems with distinct slip motions. To gain better insights into the seismogenic characteristics in the CKF zone, we used 1661 microearthquakes recorded by a temporary dense broadband seismic network and the Central Weather Bureau Seismic Network (CWBSN between 2003 and 2004 to investigate the physical properties of the crust in the CKF zone. A waveform cross-correlation technique was applied to 143086 pairs of waveform data to determine the relative differential travel time between the P- and S-waves. By combining both the absolute and relative differential travel time data, we were able to obtain a new 3-D crustal P-wave velocity structure and Vp/Vs ratios. This study suggests that by using both absolute and relative differential travel time data in tomographic inversion can obtain precise 3-D velocity images and also gain better correlation between seismic events and fault structures, which is crucial for understanding the seismogenic process in our study area.

Crustal Density Variation Along the San Andreas Fault Controls Its Secondary Faults Distribution and Dip Direction

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, H.; Moresi, L. N.

2017-12-01

The San Andreas fault forms a dominant component of the transform boundary between the Pacific and the North American plate. The density and strength of the complex accretionary margin is very heterogeneous. Based on the density structure of the lithosphere in the SW United States, we utilize the 3D finite element thermomechanical, viscoplastic model (Underworld2) to simulate deformation in the San Andreas Fault system. The purpose of the model is to examine the role of a big bend in the existing geometry. In particular, the big bend of the fault is an initial condition of in our model. We first test the strength of the fault by comparing the surface principle stresses from our numerical model with the in situ tectonic stress. The best fit model indicates the model with extremely weak fault (friction coefficient 200 kg/m3) than surrounding blocks. In contrast, the Mojave block is detected to find that it has lost its mafic lower crust by other geophysical surveys. Our model indicates strong strain localization at the jointer boundary between two blocks, which is an analogue for the Garlock fault. High density lower crust material of the Great Valley tends to under-thrust beneath the Transverse Range near the big bend. This motion is likely to rotate the fault plane from the initial vertical direction to dip to the southwest. For the straight section, north to the big bend, the fault is nearly vertical. The geometry of the fault plane is consistent with field observations.

Role of tectonic inheritance in the instauration of Tunisian Atlassic fold-and-thrust belt: Case of Bouhedma - Boudouaou structures

Science.gov (United States)

Ghanmi, Mohamed Abdelhamid; Ghanmi, Mohamed; Aridhi, Sabri; Ben Salem, Mohamed Sadok; Zargouni, Fouad

2016-07-01

Tectonic inversion in the Bouhedma-Boudouaou Mountains was investigated through recent field work and seismic lines interpretation calibrated with petroleum well data. Located to the Central-Southern Atlas of Tunisia, this area signed shortened intra-continental fold-and-thrust belts. Two dissymmetric anticlines characterize Bouhedma - Boudouaou major fold. These structures show a strong virgation respectively from E-W to NNE-SSW as a response to the interference between both tectonic inversion and tectonic inheritance. This complex geometry is driven by Mesozoic rifting, which marked an extensional inherited regime. A set of late Triassic-Early Jurassic E-W and NW-SE normal faults dipping respectively to the North and to the East seems to widely affect the overall geodynamic evolution of this domain. They result in major thickness changes across the hanging wall and the footwall blocks in response with the rifting activity. Tectonic inversion is inferred from convergence between African and European plates since late Cretaceous. During Serravalian - Tortonian event, NW-SE trending paroxysm led to: 1) folding of pre-inversion and syn-inversion strata, 2) reactivation of pre-existing normal faults to reverse ones and 3) orogeny of the main structures with NE-SW and E-W trending. The compressional feature still remains active during Quaternary event (Post-Villafranchian) with N-S trending compression. Contraction during inversion generates folding and internal deformation as well as Fault-Propagation-Fold and folding related strike.

Comments on Auger electron production by Ne/sup +/ bombardment of surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pepper, S V; Ferrante, J [National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Cleveland, OH (USA). Lewis Research Center

1979-09-01

In this letter, the authors first report rather conclusive experimental evidence showing that the Ne Auger signal is due to asymmetric Ne-metal collisions and not symmetric Ne-Ne collisions. Next it is shown that the Ne Auger signal is in fact observable by Ne/sup +/ bombardment of Si and with signal strength comparable to that of the Si Auger signal for 3 keV incident ion energy. Finally, they comment on some trends in the relative amplitudes of the 21.9 and 25.1 eV Ne Auger signals as a function of incident ion energy and target species.

Hydrography, bacteria and protist communities across the continental shelf and shelf slope of the Andaman Sea (NE Indian Ocean)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Torkel Gissel; Bjørnsen, P.K.; Boonruang, P.

2004-01-01

The hydrography and plankton community structure was investigated in the Andaman Sea off Phuket, Thailand. Two cruises were conducted in 1996, one representing the calm dry NE monsoon season (March) and the other representing the stormy and rainy SW monsoon season (August). Sampling was performed...

Continuation, south of Oaxaca City (southern Mexico) of the Oaxaca-Juarez terrane boundary and of the Oaxaca Fault. Based in MT, gravity and magnetic studies

Science.gov (United States)

Campos-Enriquez, J. O.; Corbo, F.; Arzate-Flores, J.; Belmonte-Jimenez, S.; Arango-Galván, C.

2010-12-01

The Oaxaca Fault represents Tertiary extensional reactivation of the Juarez shear zone constituting the boundary-suture between the Oaxaca and Juarez terranes (southern Mexico). South of Oaxaca City, the fault trace disappears and there are not clear evidences for its southward continuation at depth. The crust in southern México has been studied through seismic refraction, and seismological and magnetotelluric (MT) studies. The refraction studies did not image the Oaxaca Fault. However, previous regional MT studies suggest that the Oaxaca-Juarez terrane boundary lies to the east of the Zaachila and Mitla sub-basins, which implies sinistral displacement along the Donaji Fault. Campos-Enriquez et al. (2009) established the shallow structure of the Oaxaca-Juarez terrane boundary based in detailed gravity and magnetic studies. This study enabled: 1) to establish the shallow structure of the composite depression comprising three N-S sub-basins: the northern Etla and southern Zaachila sub-basins separated by the Atzompa sub-basin. According to the Oaxaca-Juarez terrane boundary is displaced sinistrally ca. 20 km along the E-W Donají Fault, which defines the northern boundary of the Zaachila sub-basin. At the same time,, the Oaxaca Fault may either continue unbroken southwards along the western margin of a horst in the Zaachila sub-basin or be offset along with the terrane boundary. This model implies that originally the suture was continuous south of the Donaji Fault. A constraint for the accreation of the Oaxaca and Juarez terranes. Thirty MT soundings were done in the area of the Central Valleys, Oaxaca City (southern Mexico). In particular we wanted to image the possible southward continuation of the Oaxaca Fault. 22 Mt sounding are located along two NE-SW profiles to the northern and to the south of the City of Oaxaca. To the north of Oaxaca City, the electrical resistivity distribution obtained show a clear discontinuity across the superficial trace of the Oaxaca

222Radon Concentration Measurements biased to Cerro Prieto Fault for Verify its Continuity to the Northwest of the Mexicali Valley.

Science.gov (United States)

Lazaro-Mancilla, O.; Lopez, D. L.; Reyes-Lopez, J. A.; Carreón-Diazconti, C.; Ramirez-Hernandez, J.

2009-05-01

The need to know the exact location in the field of the fault traces in Mexicali has been an important affair due that the topography in this valley is almost flat and fault traces are hidden by plow zone, for this reason, the southern and northern ends of the San Jacinto and Cerro Prieto fault zones, respectively, are not well defined beneath the thick sequence of late Holocene Lake Cahuilla deposits. The purpose of this study was to verify if Cerro Prieto fault is the continuation to the southeast of the San Jacinto Fault proposed by Hogan in 2002 who based his analysis on pre-agriculture geomorphy, relocation and analysis of regional microseismicity, and trench exposures from a paleoseismic site in Laguna Xochimilco, Mexicali. In this study, four radon (222Rn) profiles were carried out in the Mexicali Valley, first, to the SW-NE of Cerro Prieto Volcano, second, to the W-E along the highway Libramiento San Luis Río Colorado-Tecate, third, to the W-E of Laguna Xochimilco and fourth, to the W-E of the Colonia Progreso. The Radon results allow us to identify in the Cerro Prieto profile four regions where the values exceed 100 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), these regions can be associated to fault traces, one of them associated to the Cerro Prieto Fault (200 pCi/L) and other related with Michoacán de Ocampo Fault (450 pCi/L). The profile Libramiento San Luis Río Colorado-Tecate, show three regions above 100 pCi/L, two of them related to the same faults. In spite of the results of the Laguna Xochimilco, site used by Hogan (2002), the profile permit us observe three regions above the 100 pCi/L, but we can associate only one of the regions above this level to the Michoacán de Ocampo Fault, but none region to the Cerro Prieto Fault. Finally in spite of the Colonia Progreso is the shortest profile with only five stations, it shows one region with a value of 270 pCi/L that we can correlate with the Cerro Prieto Fault. The results of this study allow us to think in the

Temporal assemblage turnovers of intertidal foraminiferal communities from tropical (SE Caribbean) and temperate (NE England and SW Spain) regions

Science.gov (United States)

Costelloe, Ashleigh; Wilson, Brent; Horton, Benjamin P.; Hayek, Lee-Ann C.

2018-05-01

This is the first quantitative study of temporal assemblage turnovers of the relationships between intertidal foraminifera. Time series datasets collected from tropical Caroni Swamp and Claxton Bay (Trinidad, SE Caribbean) and temperate Cowpen Marsh (NE England, U.K.) and Bay of Cadiz (SW Spain) were used. The assemblage turnover index (ATI) examined species interrelationships through comparisons of monthly or biweekly species proportional abundances over one or two years. Species contributing to major assemblage turnovers (ATI > x + σ) were identified using the conditioned on-boundary index (CoBI). Foraminiferal species are heterogeneously distributed within the sediment; multiple sample stations at a study location cumulatively represent the foraminiferal metacommunity and clusters represent foraminiferal assemblages. The ATI and CoBI were applied to the proportional abundances of live specimens recorded for the metacommunity and assemblages at each location. At Caroni Swamp and Claxton Bay, major assemblage turnovers were driven by the most abundant species and the majority coincided with seasonal change or the arrival of the seasonal Orinoco plume in the Gulf of Paria. Seasonal turnovers of the foraminiferal metacommunities at temperate Cowpen Marsh and Bay of Cádiz occurred during the summer and winter. Major assemblage turnovers in the upper Cowpen Marsh occurred in the summer, and the lower marsh in the winter. Foraminiferans are useful bioindicators for monitoring the health of coastal environments. Understanding foraminiferal population dynamics will allow cyclical changes to be differentiated from abrupt and persistent changes, which are related to anthropogenic disturbances or long-term climate change. The ATI and CoBI are useful indices for quantitatively exploring relationships of foraminiferal populations over time.

Balancing cross-sections combining field work and remote sensing data using LithoTect software in the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt, N Iraq.

Science.gov (United States)

Reif, Daniel; Grasemann, Bernhard; Lockhart, Duncan

2010-05-01

The Zagros fold-and-thrust belt has formed in detached Phanerozoic sedimentary cover rocks above a shortened crystalline Precambrian basement and evolved through the Late Cretaceous to Miocene collision between the Arabian and Eurasian plate, during which the Neotethys oceanic basin was closed. Deformation is partitioned in SW directed folding and thrusting of the sediments and NW-SE to N-S trending dextral strike slip faults. The sub-cylindrical doubly-plunging fold trains with wavelengths of 5 - 10 km host more than half of the world's hydrocarbon reserves in mostly anticlinal traps. Generally the Zagros is divided into three NW-SE striking tectonic units: the Zagros Imbricate Zone, the Zagros Simply Folded Belt and the Zagros Foredeep. This work presents a balanced cross-section through the Simply Folded Belt, NE of the city of Erbil (Kurdistan, Iraq). The regional stratigraphy comprises mainly Cretaceous to Cenozoic folded sediments consisting of massive, carbonate rocks (limestones, dolomites), reacting as competent layers during folding compared to the incompetent behavior of interlayered siltstones, claystones and marls. Although the overall security situation in Kurdistan is much better than in the rest of Iraq, structural field mapping was restricted to asphalt streets, mainly because of the contamination of the area with landmines and unexploded ordnance. In order to extend the structural measurements statistically over the investigated area, we used a newly developed software tool (www.terramath.com) for interactive structural mapping of spatial orientations (i.e. dip direction and dip angles) of the sedimentary beddings from digital elevation models. Structural field data and computed measurements where integrated and projected in NE-SW striking balanced cross-sections perpendicular to the regional trend of the fold axes. We used the software LithoTect (www.geologicsystems.com) for the restoration of the cross-sections. Depending on the interpretation

Outcome of the geological mapping of the ONKALO underground research facility access tunnel, chainage 1980-3116

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nordbaeck, N.

2010-06-01

This report describes the lithology and geological structures of the ONKALO underground rock characterization facility access tunnel in chainage 1980-3116. This part of the tunnel was excavated and mapped from spring 2007 to autumn 2008. The bedrock is very heterogeneous and mainly composed of veined gneiss and diatexitic gneiss, but many felsic dykes and sections of pegmatitic granite also occur. In addition, small sections of mica gneiss and K-feldspar porphyry are present. There are also numerous inclusions of mica gneiss, quartz gneiss and skarn. The foliation dips moderately towards SE. 14 fold axes and axial planes were measured from the ONKALO tunnel in chainage 1980-3116 and all have been interpreted to belong to deformation phase D 3 . The measured fold axes have various orientations, but most have moderate plunges and ENE- or WSW-trending ones dominate. The axial planes typically dip moderately towards SE. An almost vertical lineation was also measured from mica gneiss on two locations. A total of 7668 fractures were measured. Three main fracture sets were distinguished from the measured orientations: set 1 fractures are vertical and strike approximately NS, set 2 fractures are more or less horizontal and set 3 fractures are vertical and ENEWSW- striking. The most common filling minerals are calcite, pyrite, chlorite, kaolinite, epidote, muscovite, quartz, biotite, and illite. Of the measured fractures, 579 were slickensided. The slickensided fractures are mainly either sub-vertical N-S-trending (set 1) or sub-vertical NE-SW-trending, with dip to SE. Slickenside surfaces show N-S- and NE-SW-trending lineations, with shallow dip. The slickensided fractures are mostly strike-slip faults with both sinistral and dextral sense of movement. The chainage 1980- 3116 contains 170 tunnel-crosscutting fractures. The orientation is mostly vertical N-Sstriking, sub-horizontal or vertical E-W- trending. 27 deformation zone intersections were also observed, 23 brittle

Design of fault simulator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gabbar, Hossam A. [Faculty of Energy Systems and Nuclear Science, University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT), Ontario, L1H 7K4 (Canada)], E-mail: hossam.gabbar@uoit.ca; Sayed, Hanaa E.; Osunleke, Ajiboye S. [Okayama University, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Division of Industrial Innovation Sciences Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Okayama 700-8530 (Japan); Masanobu, Hara [AspenTech Japan Co., Ltd., Kojimachi Crystal City 10F, Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0083 (Japan)

2009-08-15

Fault simulator is proposed to understand and evaluate all possible fault propagation scenarios, which is an essential part of safety design and operation design and support of chemical/production processes. Process models are constructed and integrated with fault models, which are formulated in qualitative manner using fault semantic networks (FSN). Trend analysis techniques are used to map real time and simulation quantitative data into qualitative fault models for better decision support and tuning of FSN. The design of the proposed fault simulator is described and applied on experimental plant (G-Plant) to diagnose several fault scenarios. The proposed fault simulator will enable industrial plants to specify and validate safety requirements as part of safety system design as well as to support recovery and shutdown operation and disaster management.

Submarine earthquake rupture, active faulting and volcanism along the major Liquiñe-Ofqui Fault Zone and implications for seismic hazard assessment in the Patagonian Andes Ruptura sísmica submarina, tectónica y volcanismo activo a lo largo de la Falla Liquiñe-Ofqui e implicancias para el peligro sísmico en los Andes patagónicos

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriel Vargas

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The Liquiñe-Ofqui fault zone (LOFZ in the Patagonian Andes is an active major transpressional intra-arc fault system along which Quaternary faulting and volcanism develop. Subaerial and submarine geomorphologic and structural characterization of latest Pleistocene-Holocene faults and monogenetic volcanoes allows us to assess geological cartography of active faults and the kinematic model for recent tectonics during postglacial times, since 12,000 cal. years BP. This allows increasing the basic geological knowledge necessary for determining the seismic hazard associated with cortical structures in the Aysén region in southern Chile. Fault cartography and field observations suggest dominant dextral-reverse strike slip along north-south and locally NNW-striking faults, dextral-normal strike slip along NE to NNE- striking faults, and sinistral strike slip along east-west faults. This kinematics is consistent with regional SW-NE shortening in the context of a major transpressional fault zone. Holocene and even historic monogenetic and sub-aquatic volcanism occurred in this tectonic setting in a close spatial relationship and probably favored by the activity and local architecture of faults. Submarine fault scarps and deformed sediments observed at the bottom of the Aysén Fjord were associated with the destructive April 2007 Mw6.2 earthquake located along the LOFZ. Our observations show that this earthquake occurred along dextral 15-20 km long N-S structure named Punta Cola Fault (PCF. This fault system is located some kilometres to the east of the main N-S Río Cuervo Fault (RCF. Most of the epicentres of the seismic swarm during 2007 were located along or in between both structures. The study area is a transference zone between N-S regional branches of the LOFZ. The cartography of fault segments proposed here together with geophysical and geologic data suggest that large earthquakes Mw6.2-6.5 can be typically expected along most of the active

Regional tectonic framework of the Pranhita Godavari basin, India

Science.gov (United States)

Biswas, S. K.

2003-03-01

The Pranhita-Godavari Gondwana rift (PGR) has a co-genetic relationship with Permo-Triassic reactivation of the Narmada-Son Geofracture (NSG). The Satpura Gondwana basin represents the terminal depocentre against the NSG, which restricted the northwestward propagation of the PGR. The NE-SW tensional stress responsible for the NW-SE trending PGR could not propagate beyond the ramp formed by uplift along the NSG and transformed kinetically into an ENE directed horizontal shear along the NSG, inducing large scale strike-slip movements. The latter dynamics were responsible for ENE extension of the Satpura rift as a pull-apart basin. The PGR extends up to the present east coast of India, where it is apparently terminated by the NE-SW trending Bapatla ridge along the Eastern Ghat Rift (EGR). The subsurface data, however, shows that the PGR extends across the Bapatla ridge and continues beneath the Cretaceous-Tertiary sediments of the Krishna-Godavari basin (KG) in the EGR. Thus, the Permo-Triassic PGR appears to have continued in the Indo-Antarctic plate before the Cretaceous break up. The EGR, during break up of the continents, cuts across the PGR and the KG basin was superimposed on it. The PGR site is located on a paleo-suture between the Dharwar and Bastar proto-cratons. The master faults developed bordering the rift, and the intra-rift higher order faults followed the pre-existing fabric. The transverse transfer zones manifested as basement ridges, divide the rift into segments of tectono-sedimentary domains. The major domains are the Chintalapudi, Godavari, and Chandrapur sub-basins, each of which subsided differentially. The central Godavari sub-basin subsided most and shows maximum structural complexity and sediment accommodation. The rifting started with initial half-graben faulting along the northeastern master fault and expanded by successive half graben faulting. This gave rise to intra-basinal horsts and grabens, which exercised control on the syn

Incorporating fault zone head wave and direct wave secondary arrival times into seismic tomography: Application at Parkfield, California

Science.gov (United States)

Bennington, Ninfa L.; Thurber, Clifford; Peng, Zhigang; Zhang, Haijiang; Zhao, Peng

2013-03-01

We present a three-dimensional (3D) P wave velocity (Vp) model of the Parkfield region that utilizes existing P wave arrival time data, including fault zone head waves (FZHWs), and data from direct wave secondary arrivals (DWSAs). The first-arrival and DWSA travel times are obtained as the global- and local-minimum travel time paths, respectively. The inclusion of FZHWs and DWSAs results in as much as a 5% and a 10% increase in the across-fault velocity contrast, respectively, for the Vp model at Parkfield relative to that of Thurber et al. [2006]. Viewed along strike, three pronounced velocity contrast regions are observed: a pair of strong positive velocity contrasts (SW fast), one NW of the 1966 Parkfield earthquake hypocenter and the other SE of the 2004 Parkfield earthquake hypocenter, and a strong negative velocity contrast (NE fast) between the two hypocenters. The negative velocity contrast partially to entirely encompasses peak coseismic slip estimated in several slip models for the 2004 earthquake, suggesting that the negative velocity contrast played a part in defining the rupture patch of the 2004 Parkfield earthquake. Following Ampuero and Ben-Zion (2008), the pattern of velocity contrasts is consistent with the observed bilateral rupture propagation for the 2004 Parkfield earthquake. Although the velocity contrasts also suggest bilateral rupture propagation for the 1966 Parkfield earthquake, the fault is creeping to the NW here, i.e., exhibiting velocity-strengthening behavior. Thus, it is not surprising that rupture propagated only SE during this event.

Geological Features Mapping Using PALSAR-2 Data in Kelantan River Basin, Peninsular Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Pour, A. B.; Hashim, M.

2016-09-01

In this study, the recently launched Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar-2 (PALSAR-2) onboard the Advanced Land Observing Satellite-2 (ALOS-2), remote sensing data were used to map geologic structural and topographical features in the Kelantan river basin for identification of high potential risk and susceptible zones for landslides and flooding areas. A ScanSAR and two fine mode dual polarization level 3.1 images cover Kelantan state were processed for comprehensive analysis of major geological structures and detailed characterizations of lineaments, drainage patterns and lithology at both regional and district scales. Red-Green-Blue (RGB) colour-composite was applied to different polarization channels of PALSAR-2 data to extract variety of geological information. Directional convolution filters were applied to the data for identifying linear features in particular directions and edge enhancement in the spatial domain. Results derived from ScanSAR image indicate that lineament occurrence at regional scale was mainly linked to the N-S trending of the Bentong-Raub Suture Zone (BRSZ) in the west and Lebir Fault Zone in the east of the Kelantan state. Combination of different polarization channels produced image maps contain important information related to water bodies, wetlands and lithological units for the Kelantan state using fine mode observation data. The N-S, NE-SW and NNE-SSW lineament trends were identified in the study area using directional filtering. Dendritic, sub-dendritic and rectangular drainage patterns were detected in the Kelantan river basin. The analysis of field investigations data indicate that many of flooded areas were associated with high potential risk zones for hydro-geological hazards such as wetlands, urban areas, floodplain scroll, meander bend, dendritic and sub-dendritic drainage patterns, which are located in flat topograghy regions. Numerous landslide points were located in rectangular drainage system that associated

GEOLOGICAL FEATURES MAPPING USING PALSAR-2 DATA IN KELANTAN RIVER BASIN, PENINSULAR MALAYSIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. B. Pour

2016-09-01

Full Text Available In this study, the recently launched Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar-2 (PALSAR-2 onboard the Advanced Land Observing Satellite-2 (ALOS-2, remote sensing data were used to map geologic structural and topographical features in the Kelantan river basin for identification of high potential risk and susceptible zones for landslides and flooding areas. A ScanSAR and two fine mode dual polarization level 3.1 images cover Kelantan state were processed for comprehensive analysis of major geological structures and detailed characterizations of lineaments, drainage patterns and lithology at both regional and district scales. Red-Green-Blue (RGB colour-composite was applied to different polarization channels of PALSAR-2 data to extract variety of geological information. Directional convolution filters were applied to the data for identifying linear features in particular directions and edge enhancement in the spatial domain. Results derived from ScanSAR image indicate that lineament occurrence at regional scale was mainly linked to the N-S trending of the Bentong-Raub Suture Zone (BRSZ in the west and Lebir Fault Zone in the east of the Kelantan state. Combination of different polarization channels produced image maps contain important information related to water bodies, wetlands and lithological units for the Kelantan state using fine mode observation data. The N-S, NE-SW and NNE-SSW lineament trends were identified in the study area using directional filtering. Dendritic, sub-dendritic and rectangular drainage patterns were detected in the Kelantan river basin. The analysis of field investigations data indicate that many of flooded areas were associated with high potential risk zones for hydro-geological hazards such as wetlands, urban areas, floodplain scroll, meander bend, dendritic and sub-dendritic drainage patterns, which are located in flat topograghy regions. Numerous landslide points were located in rectangular drainage system

On abrupt transpression to transtension transition in the South Baikal rift system (Tunka - South Baikal segment)

Science.gov (United States)

Sankov, Vladimir; Parfeevets, Anna; Lukhnev, Andrey; Miroshnitchenko, Andrey; Ashurkov, Sergey; Sankov, Alexey; Usynin, Leonid; Eskin, Alexander; Bryzhak, Evgeny

2013-04-01

This work addresses to relation of transpression and extension stress-strain conditions in intracontinental rift system. In our investigation we use a new structural, shallow geophysics, GPS geodetic data and paleostress reconstructions. The surroundings of southern tip of Siberian platform is the region of three Late Cenozoic structures conjugation: sublatitudinal Obruchev fault (OF) controlling the northern boundary of the South Baikal basin, NW trending Main Sayan fault (MSF) as the strike-slip boundary between Siberian platform and East Sayan block and WNW trending eastern segment of Tunka fault (TF) as part of the Tunka basins system northern boundary. A new evidences of superposition of compression and extension fault structures were revealed near the southern extremity of Baikal lake. We've find a very close vicinity of Late Pleistocene - Holocene strike-slip, thrust and normal faulting in the MSF and OF junction zone. The on-land Holocene normal faulting can be considered as secondary fault paragenesis within the main strike-slip zone (Sankov et al., 2009). Active strike-slip, thrust and reverse faulting characterize the MSF and TF junction zone. The transpression conditions are replaced very sharply by transtension and extension ones in eastern direction from zone of structures conjugation - the active normal faulting is dominated within the South Baikal basin. The Bystraya rift basin located in the west shows the tectonic inversion since Middle Pleistocene as a result of the strike-slip movements partitioning between TF and MSF and inset of edition compression stress. The active strike-slip and intrabasin extension conditions are dominated father to the west in Tunka basin. The results of our GPS measurements show the present day convergence and east movements of Khamar-Daban block and eastern Tunka basins relative to Siberian platform along MSF and TF with NE-SW shortening domination. The clear NW-SE divergence across Baikal basin is documented. Holocene

Changes of the fluid regime behaviour through time in fault zones (Catalan Coastal Ranges, NE Spain)

Science.gov (United States)

Cantarero, Irene; Lanari, Pierre; Alías, Gemma; Travé, Anna; Vidal, Olivier; Baqués, Vinyet

2013-04-01

Most Neogene normal faults of the central Catalan Coastal Ranges are the reactivation of previous normal Mesozoic faults and Paleogene thrust faults. These faults, such as the Vallès and the Hospital faults, are characterised by developing polyphasic fault-fluid systems. These systems have been inferred from regional to thin section scale observations combined with geochemical analyses. Moreover, the neoformation of chlorite and K-white mica in fault rocks has allowed us to constrain the P-T conditions during fault evolution using thermodynamic modelling. In these two faults, deformation is mainly localized in the basement granodiorite from the footwall. As a whole, four tectonic events have been distinguished. The first event corresponds to the Hercynian compression, which is characterised by mylonite bands in the Hospital fault. After this first compressional event and during the exhumation of the pluton, crystallization of M1 and M2 muscovite and microcline occurred in the Vallès fault as result of deuteric alteration, at temperatures between 330°C and 370°C. The second event, attributed to the Mesozoic rifting, is characterized by precipitation of M3 and M4 phengite together with chlorite and calcite C1 at temperatures between 190 and 310°C. These minerals precipitated from a fluid resulting from the mixing between marine waters and meteoric waters, which had been warmed at depth, upflowing along the faults. The third event, corresponding to the Paleogene compression, is characterised by low-temperature meteoric fluids, responsible of precipitation of calcite C2, in the Hospital fault. In the Vallès fault, the Paleogene compression generated a shortcut that produced a blue gouge and the uplift of the Mesozoic structures, avoiding the formation of new minerals within them. Finally, the fourth event, related to the Neogene extension, was responsible of syn-rift cements such as chlorite, calcite C4 and laumontite in the Vallès fault and calcite C3 in the

The role of the Salon-Cavaillon fault in the structural framework of Provence region (SE France)

Science.gov (United States)

Molliex, Stéphane; Bellier, Olivier; Terrier, Monique; Lamarche, Juliette; Martelet, Guillaume; Espurt, Nicolas

2010-05-01

The Provence region is located in the South-East France Basin, in the foreland domain of the Pyrenean and the Alpine mountain belts. The structural pattern of Provence is characterized by W-trending ramp anticlines and N- to NE-trending oblique reverse strike-slip faults. It results from the superimposition of Pyrenean (late Cretaceous to Eocene) and Alpine (Miocene to present-day) compressional tectonic regimes. In addition, extensional tectonics affected the region during Oligocene (W to NW-trending σ3). The Salon-Cavaillon strike-slip fault (SCF) separates two main E-trending ridges (Alpilles to the West and Luberon to the East). A structural study has been realized in order to characterize the post-Oligocene deformation of this domain. Field data and balanced cross-sections show that the post-Oligocene deformation drastically differs on both sides of the SCF. The Luberon ridge results from a fault propagation-fold developed on a S-verging ramp. Laterally, the western anticline termination is bended as a drag fold along the SCF. The Alpilles ridge results from a less developed fault propagation fold. Its eastern termination was affected by a rigid counter-clockwise rotation around a vertical axis, driven by a major curved right- lateral fault. In addition, we integrated gravity data and reprocessed seismic reflection sections to image the sub-surface structures to the West of the SCF at a larger scale. It permits to precise the regional tectonic framework in term of structure and chronology and to detect several hidden E-trending S-verging ramp anticline. The main shortening episode in Provence occurred during pyreneo-provençal phase from Late Cretaceous to Eocene, with 65 % of the total shortening to the East of the SCF and 95 % to the West. Alpine (Miocene to Present-day) shortening differs drastically on both sides of the SCF (2 km of shortening to the East, for less than 0.4 km to the West). This underlines the major role of the SCF in the transfer of

Offshore structural trends from magnetic data over Cauvery Basin, east coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Subrahmanyam, A.S.; Lakshminarayana, S.; Chandrasekhar, D.V.; Murthy, K.S.R.; Rao, T.C.S.

been interpreted as due to dyke intrusions. NE-SW lineament reflects the offshore extension of a major basement depression, viz, the Pondicherry depression. E-W lineation, south of Proto Novo reveals a basement high suggesting the seaward extension...

Post-Pan-African tectonic evolution of South Malawi in relation to the Karroo and recent East African rift systems

Science.gov (United States)

Castaing, C.

1991-05-01

Structural studies conducted in the Lengwe and Mwabvi Karroo basins and in the basement in South Malawi, using regional maps and published data extended to cover Southeast Africa, serve to propose a series of geodynamic reconstructions which reveal the persistence of an extensional tectonic regime, the minimum stress σ3 of which has varied through time. The period of Karroo rifting and the tholeiitic and alkaline magmatism which terminated it, were controlled by NW-SE extension, which resulted in the creation of roughly NE-SW troughs articulated by the Tanganyika-Malawi and Zambesi pre-transform systems. These were NW-SE sinistral-slip systems with directions of movement dipping slightly to the Southeast, which enabled the Mwanza fault to play an important role in the evolution of the Karroo basins of the Shire Valley. The Cretaceous was a transition period between the Karroo rifting and the formation of the Recent East African Rift System. Extension was NE-SW, with some evidence for a local compressional episode in the Lengwe basin. Beginning in the Cenozoic, the extension once more became NW-SE and controlled the evolution in transtension of the Recent East African Rift System. This history highlights the major role of transverse faults systems dominated by strike-slip motion in the evolution and perpetuation of the continental rift systems. These faults are of a greater geological persistence than the normal faults bounding the grabens, especially when they are located on major basement anisotropies.

Holocene tectono-geomorphic evolution of parts of the Upper and Middle Gangetic plains, India

Science.gov (United States)

Pati, Pitambar; Parkash, B.; Awasthi, A. K.; Acharya, Vivekanand

2011-05-01

Using multispectral scanning (MSS) images and digital elevation models (DEMs), 26 terrain morphological units were delineated in the study area between the Rapti and Kosi Rivers in the Gangetic plains. Based on the degree of soil development and the infrared stimulated luminescence chronology, these terrain morphological units have been grouped into six members of a morphostratigraphic sequence with ages ≤ 1.65, 1.65-5.3, 5.3-7.5, 7.5-8.5, 8.5-10, and > 10 Ka. Integrated use of geomorphic markers including different drainage patterns identified from MSS images, significant breaks in topographic profiles, terminal fans, and artifact terrain features (e.g., 'cliffs' and 'significant breaks in slopes') in DEMs/digital terrain models (DTMs) with highly exaggerated vertical dimensions were made to infer and map 20 nascent faults in the region between the Ghaghara and Kosi Rivers in the flat Gangetic plains. The three major tectonic blocks are; the upland Ghaghara-Rapti block of the Upper Gangetic Plain, and the Rapti-Gandak and Gandak-Kosi blocks of the Middle Gangetic Plain, marked by high rates of subsidence and sedimentation. The Ghaghara-Rapti block bounded by the incised Ghaghara and Rapti rivers is an upland region and is primarily overlain by > 10 Ka old soils. Subsequent activity along the NE-SW trending transverse normal faults led to deposition of young terminal fans. Southward tilt of the Ghaghara-Rapti block generated two E-W trending terraces on the left bank of the Ghaghara River. Southwestward tilting of the upper part of the Ghaghara-Rapti block led to development of the widest Old Ghaghara Plain and Rapti Floodplain in the SW direction. Northeastward tilting of the Rapti-Gandak block shifted the Gandak River from west to east over a distance of 80 km during the period from 10 to 8.5 Ka. Further compression from the SW caused development of four extensional normal faults. The activity of three faults between 5.7 and 1.0 Ka generated four terminal

The Sundance fault: A newly recognized shear zone at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spengler, R.W.; Braun, C.A.; Martin, L.G.; Weisenberg, C.W.

1994-01-01

Ongoing detailed mapping at a scale of 1:240 of structural features within the potential repository area indicates the presence of several previously unrecognized structural features. Minor north-trending west-side-down faults occur east and west of the Ghost Dance fault and suggest a total width of the Ghost Dance fault system of nearly 366 m (1200 ft). A zone of near-vertical N30 degrees - 40 degrees W - trending faults, at least 274 m (900 ft) wide, has been identified in the northern part of our study area and may traverse across the proposed repository area. On the basis of a preliminary analysis of available data, we propose to name this zone the ''Sundance fault system'' and the dominant structure, occurring near the middle of the zone, the ''Sundance fault.'' Some field relations suggest left-stepping deflections of north-trending faults along a preexisting northwest-trending structural fabric. Other field observations suggest that the ''Sundance fault system'' offsets the Ghost Dance fault system in an apparent right lateral sense by at least 52 m (170 ft). Additional detailed field studies, however, are needed to better understand structural complexities at Yucca Mountain

Hydrothermal Gold Mineralization and Structural Controls near May ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Mickiale

Structural data suggests four phases of deformations and NE-SW trending foliation is ... Hawzein area and reported presence of hydrothermal gold and base metal ..... coarse mafic and plagioclase minerals in fine grained ground mass matrix ...

The relationship of near-surface active faulting to megathrust splay fault geometry in Prince William Sound, Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

Finn, S.; Liberty, L. M.; Haeussler, P. J.; Northrup, C.; Pratt, T. L.

2010-12-01

We interpret regionally extensive, active faults beneath Prince William Sound (PWS), Alaska, to be structurally linked to deeper megathrust splay faults, such as the one that ruptured in the 1964 M9.2 earthquake. Western PWS in particular is unique; the locations of active faulting offer insights into the transition at the southern terminus of the previously subducted Yakutat slab to Pacific plate subduction. Newly acquired high-resolution, marine seismic data show three seismic facies related to Holocene and older Quaternary to Tertiary strata. These sediments are cut by numerous high angle normal faults in the hanging wall of megathrust splay. Crustal-scale seismic reflection profiles show splay faults emerging from 20 km depth between the Yakutat block and North American crust and surfacing as the Hanning Bay and Patton Bay faults. A distinct boundary coinciding beneath the Hinchinbrook Entrance causes a systematic fault trend change from N30E in southwestern PWS to N70E in northeastern PWS. The fault trend change underneath Hinchinbrook Entrance may occur gradually or abruptly and there is evidence for similar deformation near the Montague Strait Entrance. Landward of surface expressions of the splay fault, we observe subsidence, faulting, and landslides that record deformation associated with the 1964 and older megathrust earthquakes. Surface exposures of Tertiary rocks throughout PWS along with new apatite-helium dates suggest long-term and regional uplift with localized, fault-controlled subsidence.

Kinematic evolution of the southwestern Arabian continental margin: implications for the origin of the Red Sea

Science.gov (United States)

Voggenreiter, W.; Hötzl, H.

The tectonic and magnetic evolution of the Jizan coastal plain (Tihama Asir) in southwest Arabia was dominated by SW-NE lithospheric extension related to the development of the Red Sea Rift. A well-exposed, isotopically-dated succession of magmatic rocks (Jizan Group volcanics, Tihama Asir Magmatic Complex) allows a kinematic analysis for this part of the Arabian Red Sea margin. A mafic dyke swarm and several generations of roughly NW-trending normal faults characterized the continental rift stage from Oligocene to early Miocene time. Major uplift of the Arabian graben shoulder probably began about 14 Ma ago. By this time, extension and magmatism ceased in the Jizan area and were followed by an approximately 10 Ma interval of tectonic and magmatic quiescence. A second phase of extension began in the Pliocene and facilitated a vast outpouring of alkaliolivine basalts on the coastal plain. The geometry of faulting in the Jizan area supports a Wernicke-type simple-shear mechanism of continental rifting for the southern Arabian continental margin of the Red Sea.

The tectonic evolution of the southeastern Terceira Rift/São Miguel region (Azores)

Science.gov (United States)

Weiß, B. J.; Hübscher, C.; Lüdmann, T.

2015-07-01

The eastern Azores Archipelago with São Miguel being the dominant subaerial structure is located at the intersection of an oceanic rift (Terceira Rift) with a major transform fault (Gloria Fault) representing the westernmost part of the Nubian-Eurasian plate boundary. The evolution of islands, bathymetric highs and basin margins involves strong volcanism, but the controlling geodynamic and tectonic processes are currently under debate. In order to study this evolution, multibeam bathymetry and marine seismic reflection data were collected to image faults and stratigraphy. The basins of the southeastern Terceira Rift are rift valleys whose southwestern and northeastern margins are defined by few major normal faults and several minor normal faults, respectively. Since São Miguel in between the rift valleys shows an unusual W-E orientation, it is supposed to be located on a leaky transform. South of the island and separated by a N120° trending graben system, the Monacco Bank represents a N160° oriented flat topped volcanic ridge dominated by tilted fault blocks. Up to six seismic units are interpreted for each basin. Although volcanic ridges hamper a direct linking of depositional strata between the rift and adjacent basins, the individual seismic stratigraphic units have distinct characteristics. Using these units to provide a consistent relative chrono-stratigraphic scheme for the entire study area, we suggest that the evolution of the southeastern Terceira Rift occurred in two stages. Considering age constrains from previous studies, we conclude that N140° structures developed orthogonal to the SW-NE direction of plate-tectonic extension before ~ 10 Ma. The N160° trending volcanic ridges and faults developed later as the plate tectonic spreading direction changed to WSW-ENE. Hence, the evolution of the southeastern Terceira Rift domain is predominantly controlled by plate kinematics and lithospheric stress forming a kind of a re-organized rift system.

Analysis of the similar epicenter earthquakes on 22 January 2013 and 01 June 2013, Central Gulf of Suez, Egypt

Science.gov (United States)

Toni, Mostafa; Barth, Andreas; Ali, Sherif M.; Wenzel, Friedemann

2016-09-01

On 22 January 2013 an earthquake with local magnitude ML 4.1 occurred in the central part of the Gulf of Suez. Six months later on 1 June 2013 another earthquake with local magnitude ML 5.1 took place at the same epicenter and different depths. These two perceptible events were recorded and localized by the Egyptian National Seismological Network (ENSN) and additional networks in the region. The purpose of this study is to determine focal mechanisms and source parameters of both earthquakes to analyze their tectonic relation. We determine the focal mechanisms by applying moment tensor inversion and first motion analysis of P- and S-waves. Both sources reveal oblique focal mechanisms with normal faulting and strike-slip components on differently oriented faults. The source mechanism of the larger event on 1 June in combination with the location of aftershock sequence indicates a left-lateral slip on N-S striking fault structure in 21 km depth that is in conformity with the NE-SW extensional Shmin (orientation of minimum horizontal compressional stress) and the local fault pattern. On the other hand, the smaller earthquake on 22 January with a shallower hypocenter in 16 km depth seems to have happened on a NE-SW striking fault plane sub-parallel to Shmin. Thus, here an energy release on a transfer fault connecting dominant rift-parallel structures might have resulted in a stress transfer, triggering the later ML 5.1 earthquake. Following Brune's model and using displacement spectra, we calculate the dynamic source parameters for the two events. The estimated source parameters for the 22 January 2013 and 1 June 2013 earthquakes are fault length (470 and 830 m), stress drop (1.40 and 2.13 MPa), and seismic moment (5.47E+21 and 6.30E+22 dyn cm) corresponding to moment magnitudes of MW 3.8 and 4.6, respectively.

Distributed deformation structures in shallow water carbonates subsiding through a simple stress field (Jandaira Formation, NE Brazil)

Science.gov (United States)

Bertotti, Giovanni; Bisdom, Kevin; Bezerra, Hilario; Reijmer, John; Cazarin, Carol

2016-04-01

Despite the scarcity of major deformation structures such as folds and faults, the flat-lying, post-rift shallow water carbonates of the Jandaira Formation (Potiguar Basin, NE Brazil) display well-organized fracture systems distributed of tens of km2. Structures observed in the outcropping carbonates are sub-vertical, generally N-S trending mode I and hybrid veins and barren fractures, sub-vertical roughly E-W trending stylolites and sub-horizontal stylolites. These features developed during subsidence in a simple and constant stress field characterized by, beside gravity, a significant horizontal stress probably of tectonic origin. The corresponding depth curves have different origin and slopes and, therefore, cross each other resulting in position of the principal stresses which change with depth. As a result, the type and amount of fractures affecting subsiding rocks change despite the fact that the far-field stresses remain constant. Following early diagenesis and porosity elimination in the first 100-200m depth, Jandaira carbonates experienced wholesale fracturing at depths of 400-800m resulting in a network of NNW-NE trending fractures partly organized in conjugate sets with a low interfault angle and a sub-vertical intersection, and sub-vertical stylolites roughly perpendicular to the fractures. Intense fluid circulation was activated as a consequence through the carbonates. With increasing subsidence, sub-horizontal stylolites formed providing calcite which precipitated in the open fractures transforming them in veins. The Jandaira formation lost thereby the permeability it had reached during the previous stage. Because of the lack of major deformation, the outcrops of the Jandaira Formation is an excellent analog for carbonate reservoirs in the Middle East, South Atlantic and elsewhere.

Cenozoic structural evolution of the southwestern Bükk Mts. and the southern part of the Darnó Deformation Belt (NE Hungary

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Petrik Attila

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Extensive structural field observations and seismic interpretation allowed us to delineate 7 deformation phases in the study area for the Cenozoic period. Phase D1 indicates NW–SE compression and perpendicular extension in the Late Oligocene–early Eggenburgian and it was responsible for the development of a wedge-shaped Paleogene sequence in front of north-westward propagating blind reverse faults. D2 is represented by E–W compression and perpendicular extension in the middle Eggenburgian–early Ottnangian. The D1 and D2 phases resulted in the erosion of Paleogene suites on elevated highs. Phase D2 was followed by a counterclockwise rotation, described in earlier publications. When considering the age of sediments deformed by the syn-sedimentary D3 deformation and preliminary geochronological ages of deformed volcanites the time of the first CCW rotation can be shifted slightly younger (~17–16.5 Ma than previously thought (18.5–17.5 Ma. Another consequence of our new timing is that the extrusional tectonics of the ALCAPA unit, the D2 local phase, could also terminate somewhat later by 1 Myr. D4 shows NE–SW extension in the late Karpatian–Early Badenian creating NW–SE trending normal faults which connected the major NNE–SSW trending sinistral faults. The D5 and D6 phases are late syn-rift deformations indicating E–W extension and NW–SE extension, respectively. D5 indicates syn-sedimentary deformation in the Middle Badenian–early Sarmatian and caused the synsedimentary thickening of mid-Miocene suites along NNE–SSW trending transtensional faults. D5 postdates the second CCW rotation which can be bracketed between ~16–15 Ma. This timing is somewhat older than previously considered and is based on new geochronological dates of pyroclastite rocks which were not deformed by this phase. D6 was responsible for further deepening of half-grabens during the Sarmatian. D7 is post-tilt NNW–SSE extension and induced the

Investigating the Watukosek fault system using combined geophysical methods around Lusi eruption site

Science.gov (United States)

Husein, Alwi; Mazzini, Adriano; Lupi, Matteo; Mauri, Guillaume; Kemna, Andreas; Santosa, Bagus; Hadi, Soffian

2017-04-01

The Lusi mud eruption is located in the Sidoarjo area, Indonesia and is continuously erupting hot mud since its birth in May 2006. Lusi sits upon the Watukosek fault system that originates from the neighboring Arjuno-Welirang volcanic complex and develops in back-arc basin extending towards the NE of Java. After the 27-06-2006 M 6.3 earthquake this fault system was reactivated and hosted numerous hot mud eruptions in the Sidoarjo area. Until now, no targeted investigations have been conducted to understand the geometry of the faults system crossing the Lusi eruption site. A comprehensive combined electrical resistivity and self-potential (SP) survey was performed in the 7 km2 area inside the Lusi embankment that was built to contain the erupted mud and to prevent flooding of the surrounding roads and settlements. Additional profiles were also acquired outside the SW part of the embankment towards the Watukosek escarpment and on the west of Lusi. The goal of the geophysical survey is to map the near-surface occurrence of the Watukosek fault system, delineate its spatial pattern, and monitor its development. In total nine lines of resistivity measurements using Wenner and Wenner-Schlumberger configuration and SP measurements using roll-along technique were completed. The resistivity data were inverted into 2-D resistivity images with a maximum penetration depth of almost 200 m. The profiles collected in the region inside the Lusi embankment consistently reveal the presence of a region of 300 m in width (between 30-90 m depth) characterized by anomalous resistivities, which are lower than the values observed in the surrounding area. The profiles outside the embankment show consistent results. Here the contrast between anomalous low resistivity zones (perceived as the fault system) and the surrounding area with higher resistivity value is more pronounced. The profiles also shows that the distance between the main crater and the boundary of mud body observed on the

Ambient Noise Tomography in Koyna-Warna region.

Science.gov (United States)

Rohilla, S.; Rao, N. P.; Gerstoft, P.; Yao, H.; Fang, H.; Davulluri, S.

2017-12-01

In the present study Ambient Noise tomography has been done in the Koyna-Warna region of western India to decipher the complex structural setting and its linkage to the seismogenesis in this unique Reservoir Triggered Seismicity zone. The 3-D velocity model obtained from the study clearly brings out the lateral and vertical variations of shear velocity in the region down to a depth of about 10 km. In the Koyna region, seismicity distribution along the NNE-SSW trending Donachiwada fault zone is seen coinciding with a low velocity zone between two competent zones with a very high velocity > 4.0 km/s. The seismicity between the Koyna and Warna regions roughly trending NW-SE can be clearly seen in the NE-SW depth sections coinciding with a low velocity zone interspersed between two high velocity zones. The most active seismicity cluster south of the Warna Lake correlates with a near-vertical velocity discontinuity with a contrast of about 0.5 km/s is seen in an EW depth section. The study has helped in delineating the major fault zones of the Koyna-Warna region and enabled understanding the seismogenesis with respect to the structural controls in a RTS enviroment.

Unfaulting the Sardarapat Ridge, Southwest Armenia

Science.gov (United States)

Wetmore, P.; Connor, C.; Connor, L. J.; Savov, I. P.; Karakhanyan, A.

2012-12-01

help constrain modeling of the geophysical data. Additionally, the archeological sites where artifacts were observed within the upper-most fluvial deposits were revisited and assessed anew. The results of this investigation include: 1) the presence of a 20 mgal gravity gradient trending SW-NE oblique to the trend of the ridge; 2) the observation that magnetic data, including MT and TEM, do not identify faults in the shallow subsurface; and 3) artifacts are not in the stratigraphic section with the alluvial sediments. These results do not support a fault model to explain uplift of the SR. Gravity and TEM data do suggest a NW-trending boundary between differing basement types at depth crossing the SR obliquely near the NW terminus. This structure does not appear to have any surface expression, nor is it associated with topography on the basement-basin fill contact. An alternative for the SR may be that the long linear, basaltic lava-cored ridge actually represents a lava flow that exploited an earlier channel of the Arax River. It was subsequently buried and later erosion inverted the topography of this region, preferentially removing the unconsolidated sediments.

Inferring the subsurface basement depth and the structural trends as deduced from aeromagnetic data at West Beni Suef area, Western Desert, Egypt

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmed Khalil

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The present work aimed to delineate the subsurface structures and to estimate the magnetic source depth at the selected area lying in West Beni Suef area, Western Desert, Egypt, following different geomagnetic techniques. The analysis of aeromagnetic data demonstrates five significant tectonic faults trending to NW-SE, ENE-WSW, NE-SW, E-W and NNW-SSE directions constructed using Euler deconvolution techniques. The execution of this study is initiated by transformation of the total intensity aeromagnetic data to the reduced to pole (RTP magnetic intensity. This is followed by applying several transformation techniques and various filtering processes through qualitative and quantitative analyses on magnetic data. The reduced to the northern magnetic pole (RTP data are separated spectrally into regional and residual magnetic components using the computed power spectrum of the magnetic data. The estimated mean depths of both regional and residual sources are found to be 5.27 km and 2.78 km respectively. Also, depth estimations have been conducted by application of the Euler deconvolution and 2-D modeling techniques. The results indicate that the eastern and northern parts of the study area discriminate deeper basement relief and the depth of basement surface reaches to 5095 m. While the southern and western parts of the study area discriminate shallower basement relief and the depth of basement surface reaches to 227 m. This study has given a clear picture of the geologic structures beneath the study area.

Angular Spectral Analysis and Lowpass Filtering of Aeromagnetic ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user

Available online at http://www.ajol.info/index.php/njbas/index ... with the trends of the deep-seated NNW-SSE, NW-SE, NNE-SSW and NE-SW regional lineaments inferred ... processes. ..... of deeper sources, interference and shallow plates.

Paleo magnetism of the Ceara-Mirim dyke swarm, Northeastern Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ernesto, M.; Furtado, M.H.; Martins, G.; Macedo, J.W.P.

1991-01-01

The Mesozoic tholeiitic Ceara-Mirim dyke swarm has a general east-west trend cutting the Precambrian basement of northeastern Brazil. The dykes occur mainly in the State of Rio Grande do Norte (RN) but enter the neighbouring State of Ceara to the west where they trend SW-NE. Available K-Ar radiometric dates vary between 214 and 216 Ma. HORN et al. (1988) used a procedure which allowed the removal of argon-loss effects to conclude that the ages might be situated between Middle Jurassic and Early Cretaceous. Paleo magnetic data suggest that the emplacement of the sub-swarms was not simultaneous since they show distinct magnetization directions. New paleo magnetic results that confirm the above conclusion are presented here for the western part of the swarm, where the dykes show a SW-NE structural orientation. (author)

The Svalbard Caledonides - a collage of Laurentian, Timanian and exotic terranes assembled by Silurian - Late (?) Devonian transcurrent faulting.

Science.gov (United States)

Andresen, Arild; Gasser, Deta

2014-05-01

New field and geochronological data from NE Greenland and Svalbard indicate that most of the sub-terranes making up the Svalbard Caledonides (Eastern, Northwestern and Southwestern Terranes) are derived from Laurentias eastern margin. The Neoproterozoic deposits of the Eastern Terrane (Nordaustlandet) show an almost one to one correlation with the Late Neoproterozoic Eleonore Bay Supergroup in NE Greenland. Great similarities also exist between the substratum to the Neoproterozoic deposits in the two areas. The "Barentsian plate/continent" is interpreted to be derived from Laurentias eastern margin Lithologic similarities also exist between parts of the Northwestern Terrane and NE Greenland. The geologic evolution of Svalbard`s Southwestern Terrane, with subduction complexes and Late Neoproterozoic intrusives (Timanian ?) is poorly understood. It will, however, be argued that there is no need to invoke considerable right lateral strike-slip movement of the Motalefjellet subduction complex and related rocks from a position in Arctic Canada to their present position within the Southwestern Terrane, as proposed by some authors. The structural grain of the Svalbard Caledonides, oblique to East Greenland and Scandinavian Caledonides, as well as the Ellesmerian Orogen, is interpreted to be due to counter-clockwise rotation (c. 45o) of the Caledonian trend. A counter-clockwise rotation is to be expected when the northward moving terranes reached the E-W trending Franklinian Basin north of Greenland/Laurentia, which in Early Devonian time had not yet started to close. The model predicts that there should be a dramatic change in the Caledonian structural grain somewhere south of Bjørnøya. It is furthermore speculated that the fan-shaped orientation of Late Paleozoic rift basins in the Western Barents Sea is controlled by reactivation of the rotated structural trend (e.g. Billefjorden Fault Zone and Billefjorden Trough).

Source and ground-motion parameters of the 2011 Lorca earthquake; Parametros de la fuente y del movimiento del suelo del terremoto de Lorca de 2011

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alguacil de la Blanca, G.; Vidal Sanchez, F.; Stich, D.; Mancilla Perez, F. L.; Lopez Comino, J. A.; Morales Soto, J.; Navarro Bernal, M.

2012-07-01

113 events of the Lorca seismic series has been relocated by using Double difference algorithm and data from both temporary and permanent seismic networks. Relocations yield shallow hypo central distribution of aftershocks with a {approx}5 km long, NE-SW trending, placed SW of the mainshock, suggesting a SW propagating rupture along the Alhama de Murcia fault. Similar oblique reverse faulting mechanism has been obtained for three largest events. Source parameters of these three earthquakes have been estimated. Horizontal ground motion was estimated at 11 city points whose local structure was known by SPAC experiments. A set of ground motion parameters (PGA, PGV, AI, CAV, SI, SA and SV) here calculated, have higher values at these points respect to the ones at LOR station. All parameter values are also above the expected values for Euro -Mediterranean earthquakes with local intensity VIII (EMS). Nevertheless, SD values are unusually short and less than the reference ones. Higher values of the response spectra of acceleration and velocity are given for periods of less than 0.7 s, with maximum spectral acceleration at 0.15 s and velocity at 0.5 s. The elastic input energy spectrum is well connected to the shake destructiveness in each place. Equivalent velocity > 60 cm/s is found in almost all sites and > 100 cm/s (for periods 0.3 to 0.6 s) in someone. Factors such as proximity, and focal mechanism and ground response characteristics explain the high ground motion parameter values obtained in Lorca sites and show the great influence of the source and site conditions on the characteristics of strong ground motion in the vicinity of the rupture. (Author) 68 refs.

Lithofacies Associations and Depositional Environments of the Neogene Molasse succession, Pishin Belt, northwestern Pakistan

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kasi, Aimal K.; Kassi, Akhtar M.; Friis, Henrik

The Pishin Belt is a NE-SW trending mixed flysch and molasse basin, situated at the northwestern part of Pakistan, bordered by Afghan Block of the Eurasian Plate in the west and Indian Plate in the east. Western boundary of the belt is marked by the well-known Chaman Transform Fault, whereas...... molasse successions of the Pishin Belt include the Dasht Murgha group, Malthanai formation and Bostan Formation; these are mostly composed of sandstone, claystone and conglomerate lithologies. Sandstones have been classified as lithic arenites and their QFL values suggest quartzolithic composition. Twelve...... southwestern extension of the Neo-Tethys) in the Early Miocene. Uplifted orogens of the Muslim Bagh-Zhob Ophiolite and marine successions of the Nisai and Khojak formations served as the major source terrains for the Miocene through Holocene molasse succession in the south and southeast verging successive...

Local versus regional active stress field in 5900m San Gregorio Magno 1 well (southern Apennines, Italy).

Science.gov (United States)

Pierdominici, S.; Montone, P.; Mariucci, M. T.

2009-04-01

The aim of this work is to characterize the local stress field in a peculiar sector of the southern Apennines by analyzing borehole breakouts, fractures and logging data along the San Gregorio Magno 1 deep well, and to compare the achieved stress field with the regional one. The study area is characterized by diffuse low-Magnitude seismicity, although in historical times it has been repeatedly struck by moderate to large earthquakes. We have analyzed in detail the 5900m San Gregorio Magno 1 well drilled in 1996-97 by ENI S.p.A. and located very close (1.3 km away) to the Irpinia Fault. This fault was responsible of the strongest earthquake happened in this area, the 23rd November 1980 M6.9 earthquake that produced the first unequivocal historical surface faulting ever documented in Italy. The mainshock enucleated on a fault 38 km-long with a strike of 308° and 60-70° northeast-dipping, consistent with a NE-SW T-axis and a normal faulting tectonic regime. Borehole breakouts, active faults and focal mechanism solutions have allowed to define the present-day stress along and around the San Gregorio Magno 1 well and other analysis (logging data) to discriminate the presence of fracture zones and/or faults at depth. We have considered data from 1200m to the bottom of San Gregorio Magno 1 well. Our analysis of stress-induced wellbore breakouts shows an inhomogeneous direction of minimum horizontal stress (N359+-31°) orientation along the well. This direction is moderately consistent with the Shmin-trend determined from breakouts in other wells in this region and also with the regional active stress field inferred from active faults and earthquake focal plane solutions (N44 Shmin oriented). For this reason we have computed for each breakout zone the difference between the local trend and the regional one; comparing these breakout rotations with the spikes or changing trend of logs we have identified possible fractures or faults at different depths. We have correlated

Controls on Mississippi Valley-Type Zn-Pb mineralization in Behabad district, Central Iran: Constraints from spatial and numerical analyses

Science.gov (United States)

Parsa, Mohammad; Maghsoudi, Abbas

2018-04-01

The Behabad district, located in the central Iranian microcontinent, contains numerous epigenetic stratabound carbonate-hosted Zn-Pb ore bodies. The mineralizations formed as fault, fracture and karst fillings in the Permian-Triassic formations, especially in Middle Triassic dolostones, and comprise mainly non-sulfides zinc ores. These are all interpreted as Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) base metal deposits. From an economic geological point of view, it is imperative to recognize the processes that have plausibly controlled the emplacement of MVT Zn-Pb mineralization in the Behabad district. To address the foregoing issue, analyses of the spatial distribution of mineral deposits comprising fry and fractal techniques and analysis of the spatial association of mineral deposits with geological features using distance distribution analysis were applied to assess the regional-scale processes that could have operated in the distribution of MVT Zn-Pb deposits in the district. The obtained results based on these analytical techniques show the main trends of the occurrences are NW-SE and NE-SW, which are parallel or subparallel to the major northwest and northeast trending faults, supporting the idea that these particular faults could have acted as the main conduits for transport of mineral-bearing fluids. The results of these analyses also suggest that Permian-Triassic brittle carbonate sedimentary rocks have served as the lithological controls on MVT mineralization in the Behabad district as they are spatially and temporally associated with mineralization.

Wadi Ladid Al-JI,Dan Alkali Feldspar Granites and Associated Pegmatites, North Eastern Eser, Egypt:Geology,Mineralogy and Radioactivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abu Steet, A.A.; Ayoub, R.R.; Bakhit, A.F.

2013-01-01

This article deals with the geology, structure, mineralogy and radioactivity of the alkali feldspar granites at wadi Ladid al-Ji,dan, north Eastern Desert of Egypt. Geologically, the area consists mainly of alkali feldspar granites. These granites are medium to coarse grained, pink to red in colour and form numbers of moderate to relatively high elevated outcrops. These rocks are altered in some parts due to secondary processes especially along the fault zones and contacts. The area displays primary and secondary structures. Primary structures comprise layering, volcanic flows, vesicular tops of lavas and volcanic bombs. The secondary structures are represented by exfoliation, joints and faults. The granites are dissected by several sets of joints predominating in the N-S direction, dipping 84°-88° mainly to west; E-W direction, dipping 70°-75° mainly to south and NW-SE direction, dipping 80°-82° to SW direction. The majority of joints are tension ones. These tension joints are commonly filled with quartz, feldspars, epidote, iron oxides, manganese oxides and aplite. The studied area is dissected by major regional faults. Along the fault zones; the granites are marked by fault breccia and alteration features, especially silicification, hematitization, kaolinitization and chloritization. The area is cutting by faults trending mainly in N-S, NE-SW and NNW-SSE directions. The average uranium and thorium contents of the alkali feldspar granites are 12 and 23 ppm and reaches up to 36 and 37 ppm in the normal pegmatites. In the anomalous pegmatites the maximum values recorded are 91 and 72 ppm. Generally, the averages of uranium and thorium contents in the studied pegmatites are higher than that of the world and Egyptian uraniferous pegmatites. The high uranium content in alkali feldspar granites is related to the presence of some accessory minerals such as zircon, fluorite and apatite but the high uranium content in the pegmatites is related to the presence of

The lithosphere of Ellesmere Island and adjacent northwestern Greenland (CALE “A” transect onshore)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stephenson, Randell Alexander; Schiffer, Christian; Oakey, Gordon

Ellesmere Island, in Canada’s Arctic, comprises a series of ~SW-NE trending tectonic provinces, the crustal structure and geological expression of which represent a combination of interplate, accretionary orogenesis in the Palaeozoic (Caledonian equivalent and Ellesmerian orogenies) and intraplat...

From the Brasserie to the Classroom: The Chaîne Des Puys - Limagne Fault Unesco World Heritage Project, Scientists and Non-Scientists Communicating Geoheritage

Science.gov (United States)

van Wyk de Vries, B.; Olive-Garcia, C.

2014-12-01

Geoheritage is an effective way of transferring scientific knowledge to non-peer audiences of all types. We present our experience of the Chaîne des Puys and Limagne fault UNESCO World heritage project, which shows how geoheritage can be a very successful communication tool, especially as it draws in the non-peers into the geological process at many levels. First and foremost is the local level, as no geoheritage project can be successful without local participation. Few geological localities on Earth are now devoid of human influence or habitation, and thus those who live and work on sites are the necessary first stage custodians. This means that locals must gain some understanding of their geology in order to appreciate their heritage. As such people tend to have a close relationship with their land, this is often half way done: local land use, customs are often easily integrated with geological knowledge. Once this link exists, communicating ideas that can be useful for management or for dealing with hazards is easier. Sometimes more tricky is communication to visitors, tourists and politicians who do not have such as close link to the landscape. Here, the educational strategy has to be different, with a need for them to learn what the landscape is and how it is managed, and lived in. During the development of the World Heritage Chaîne des Puys and Limagne Fault project the project team has been composed of geoscientists actively working on the area, agronomists local administration (such as natural park and local government members), and landscape specialists. Each has engaged in communication at different levels channelled either through personal contacts, or through more formal means, such as exhibitions, talks, and websites. Scientists have become communicators, and non-peers have begun to see the landscape though a geolologist eyes. A Geological landscape has begun to emerge in the popular perception.

Seismic imaging of the southern California plate-boundary around the South-Central Transverse Ranges using double-difference tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Share, P. E.; Ben-Zion, Y.; Thurber, C. H.; Zhang, H.; Guo, H.

2017-12-01

We derive P and S seismic velocities within and around the South-Central Transverse Ranges section of the San Andreas Fault (SAF), using a new double-difference tomography algorithm incorporating both event-pair and station-pair differential times. The event-pair data can determine high-resolution relative earthquake locations and resolve fine-scale structure in seismogenic zones, whereas station-pair data allow for better absolute locations and higher resolution of structure near the surface where stations are most dense. The tomographic results are based on arrival times of P and S waves generated by 17,753 M>1 local events from 1/1/2010 to 6/30/2015 recorded by 259 stations within a 222 km x 164 km region. The resulting P and S velocity models include low velocities along major fault segments and across-fault velocity contrasts. For example, at depths 50 km parallel to the SAF around Coachella Valley but offset to the NE by 13 km. This is interpreted to mark a dipping section of the SAF that separates granites at depth in the SW from gneisses and schists in the NE. Analysis of fault zone head waves propagating along these sections of the SAF and SJFZ show that major bimaterial interfaces are associated with the observed velocity contrasts. Additional features within the models include elongated low velocity anomalies extending from the SJFZ trifurcation area, which itself has associated low velocity at great depth (>14 km), to the Elsinore Fault in the SW. Moreover, a deep (>13 km) velocity contrast appears beneath the SBB with an east-west strike oblique to both the northern SJFZ and SAF traces. The latter is potentially related to the ancestral Banning Fault, which dips to the north, separating low velocity Pelona schist in the north from high velocity granites in the south.

Transition from strike-slip faulting to oblique subduction: active tectonics at the Puysegur Margin, South New Zealand

Science.gov (United States)

Lamarche, Geoffroy; Lebrun, Jean-Frédéric

2000-01-01

South of New Zealand the Pacific-Australia (PAC-AUS) plate boundary runs along the intracontinental Alpine Fault, the Puysegur subduction front and the intraoceanic Puysegur Fault. The Puysegur Fault is located along Puysegur Ridge, which terminates at ca. 47°S against the continental Puysegur Bank in a complex zone of deformation called the Snares Zone. At Puysegur Trench, the Australian Plate subducts beneath Puysegur Bank and the Fiordland Massif. East of Fiordland and Puysegur Bank, the Moonlight Fault System (MFS) represents the Eocene strike-slip plate boundary. Interpretation of seafloor morphology and seismic reflection profiles acquired over Puysegur Bank and the Snares Zone allows study of the transition from intraoceanic strike-slip faulting along the Puysegur Ridge to oblique subduction at the Puysegur Trench and to better understand the genetic link between the Puysegur Fault and the MFS. Seafloor morphology is interpreted from a bathymetric dataset compiled from swath bathymetry data acquired during the 1993 Geodynz survey, and single beam echo soundings acquired by the NZ Royal Navy. The Snares Zone is the key transition zone from strike-slip faulting to subduction. It divides into three sectors, namely East, NW and SW sectors. A conspicuous 3600 m-deep trough (the Snares Trough) separates the NW and East sectors. The East sector is characterised by the NE termination of Puysegur Ridge into right-stepping en echelon ridges that accommodate a change of strike from the Puysegur Fault to the MFS. Between 48°S and 47°S, in the NW sector and the Snares Trough, a series of transpressional faults splay northwards from the Puysegur Fault. Between 49°50'S and 48°S, thrusts develop progressively at Puysegur Trench into a decollement. North of 48°S the Snares Trough develops between two splays of the Puysegur Fault, indicating superficial extension associated with the subsidence of Puysegur Ridge. Seismic reflection profiles and bathymetric maps show a

Monitoring the potential introduction of the Swedish Chlamydia trachomatis variant (swCT) in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Morré, S. A.; Catsburg, A.; de Boer, M.; Spaargaren, J.; de Vries, H. J. C.; Schirm, J.; Savelkoul, P. H. M.; van Steenbergen, J.; Swaan, C.

2007-01-01

This report describes the actions of public health experts in cooperation with specialists in sexually transmitted diseases (STD), epidemiologists and (molecular) microbiologists to investigate the possible introduction of the swCT variant in the Netherlands: 1. Investigating trends in CT

Middle Miocene E-W tectonic horst structure of Crete through extensional detachment faults

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Papanikolaou, D; Vassilakis, E

2008-01-01

Two east-west trending extensional detachment faults have been recognized in Crete, one with top-to-the-north motion of the hanging wall toward the Cretan Sea and one with top-to-the-south motion of the hanging wall toward the Libyan Sea. The east-west trending zone between these two detachment faults, which forms their common footwall, comprises a tectonic horst formed during Middle Miocene slip on the detachment faults. The detachment faults disrupt the overall tectono-stratigraphic succession of Crete and are localized along pre-existing thrust faults and along particular portions of the stratigraphic sequence, including the transition between the Permo-Triassic Tyros Beds and the base of the Upper Triassic-Eocene carbonate platform of the Tripolis nappe. By recognizing several different tectono-stratigraphic formations within what is generally termed the 'phyllite-quartzite', it is possible to distinguish these extensional detachment faults from thrust faults and minor discontinuities in the sequence. The deformation history of units within Crete can be summarized as: (i) compressional deformation producing arc-parallel east-west trending south-directed thrust faults in Oligocene to Early Miocene time (ii) extensional deformation along arc-parallel, east-west trending detachment faults in Middle Miocene time, with hanging wall motion to the north and south; (iii) Late Miocene-Quaternary extensional deformation along high-angle normal and oblique normal faults that disrupt the older arc-parallel structures

Interpretation of gravity profiles across the northern Oaxaca terrane, its boundaries and the Tehuacán Valley, southern Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Campos-Enríquez, J. O.; Alatorre-Zamora, M. A.; Keppie, J. D.; Belmonte-Jiménez, S. I.; Ramón-Márquez, V. M.

2014-12-01

A gravity study was conducted across the northern Oaxaca terrane and its bounding faults: the Caltepec and Oaxaca Faults to the west and east, respectively. These faults juxtapose the Oaxaca terrane against the Mixteca and Juarez terranes, respectively. The Oaxaca Fault also forms the eastern boundary of the Cenozoic Tehuacán depression. On the west, at depth, the Tehuacán valley is limited by the normal buried Tehuacán Fault. This gravity study reveals that the Oaxaca Fault system gives rise to a series of east tilted basamental blocks (Oaxaca Complex). The tectonic depression is filled with Phanerozoic rocks and has a deeper depocenter to the west. The gravity data also indicate that on the west, the Oaxaca Complex, the Caltepec and Santa Lucia faults continue northwestwards beneath Phanerozoic rocks. A major E-W to NE-SW discontinuity is inferred to exist between profiles 1 and 2.

Miocene tectonic history of the Central Tauride intramontane basins, and the paleogeographic evolution of the Central Anatolian Plateau

Science.gov (United States)

Koç, Ayten; Kaymakci, Nuretdin; Van Hinsbergen, Douwe J. J.; Kuiper, Klaudia F.

2017-11-01

Marine Lower-Upper Miocene deposits uplifted to > 2 km elevation in the Tauride mountains of southern Turkey are taken as evidence for the rise of a nascent plateau. The dynamic causes of this uplift are debated, but generally thought to be a regional dynamic topographic effect of slab motions or slab break-off. Immediately adjacent to the high Tauride mountains lie the Central Tauride Intramontane Basins, which consist of Miocene and younger fluvio-lacustrine basins, at much lower elevations than the highly uplifted marine Miocene rocks. These basins include the previously analyzed Altınapa and Yalvaç basins, as well as the until now undescribed Ilgın Basin. In this paper, we aim to constrain the paleogeography of the Central Tauride Intramontane Basins and determine the role of the tectonics driving the formation of the high Miocene topography in southern Turkey. Therefore, we provide new data on the stratigraphy, sedimentology and structure of the continental Ilgın Basin. We provide an 40Ar/39Ar age of 11.61 ± 0.05 Ma for pumice deposits in the stratigraphy. We provide paleostress inversion analysis based on growth faults showing that the basin formed during multi-directional extension, with NE-SW to E-W dominating over subordinate Nsbnd S extension. We conclude that major, still-active normal faults like the Akşehir Fault also controlled Miocene Ilgın basin formation, with proximal facies close to the basin margins grading upwards and basinwards into lacustrine deposits representing the local depocenter. The Ilgın Basin was a local depocenter, but it may have connected with the adjacent Altınapa Basin during high lake levels in late Serravallian time. The Ilgın Basin and the other continental basins provide key constraints on the paleogeography and tectonic history of the region. These continental basins were likely close to the paleo-coastline during the Late Miocene after which there must have been major differential uplift of the Taurides. We

Heterogeneity in the Fault Damage Zone: a Field Study on the Borrego Fault, B.C., Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Ostermeijer, G.; Mitchell, T. M.; Dorsey, M. T.; Browning, J.; Rockwell, T. K.; Aben, F. M.; Fletcher, J. M.; Brantut, N.

2017-12-01

The nature and distribution of damage around faults, and its impacts on fault zone properties has been a hot topic of research over the past decade. Understanding the mechanisms that control the formation of off fault damage can shed light on the processes during the seismic cycle, and the nature of fault zone development. Recent published work has identified three broad zones of damage around most faults based on the type, intensity, and extent of fracturing; Tip, Wall, and Linking damage. Although these zones are able to adequately characterise the general distribution of damage, little has been done to identify the nature of damage heterogeneity within those zones, often simplifying the distribution to fit log-normal linear decay trends. Here, we attempt to characterise the distribution of fractures that make up the wall damage around seismogenic faults. To do so, we investigate an extensive two dimensional fracture network exposed on a river cut platform along the Borrego Fault, BC, Mexico, 5m wide, and extending 20m from the fault core into the damage zone. High resolution fracture mapping of the outcrop, covering scales ranging three orders of magnitude (cm to m), has allowed for detailed observations of the 2D damage distribution within the fault damage zone. Damage profiles were obtained along several 1D transects perpendicular to the fault and micro-damage was examined from thin-sections at various locations around the outcrop for comparison. Analysis of the resulting fracture network indicates heterogeneities in damage intensity at decimetre scales resulting from a patchy distribution of high and low intensity corridors and clusters. Such patchiness may contribute to inconsistencies in damage zone widths defined along 1D transects and the observed variability of fracture densities around decay trends. How this distribution develops with fault maturity and the scaling of heterogeneities above and below the observed range will likely play a key role in

Modeling Oligo-Miocence channel sands (Dezful Embayment, SW Iran): an integrated facies classification workflow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heydari, Mostafa; Maddahi, Iradj; Moradpour, Mehran; Esmaeilpour, Sajjad

2014-01-01

This study has been conducted on Mansuri onshore oilfield located in Dezful Embayment, south-west Iran. One of the hydrocarbon-bearing formations is a Oligo-Miocene Asmari formation—the most prolific Iranian reservoir rock. Like many other oilfields in the area, the trap in this field is deemed structural (anticline), formed during the collision of the Arabian plate with the Iranian plate and the folding of Neotethys deposits with a NW–SE trend. This study integrates three different quantitative studies from geology, geophysics and petrophysics disciplines to quantitate ‘the qualitative study of seismic facies analysis based on trace shapes and 3D multi-attribute clustering’. First, stratigraphic sequences and seismic detectable facies were derived at one well location using the available high resolution core facies analysis and depositional environment assessment reports. Paleo and petrophysical logs from other wells were subsequently used for the extrapolation of stratigraphic sequences interpreted at the first well. Utilizing lithology discrimination obtained by wire-line log interpretation, facies were extrapolated to all wells in the area. Seismic 3D attribute analysis and seismic facies classification established a 3D facies volume accordingly, which was finally calibrated to geological facies at well locations. The ultimate extracted facies-guided geobody shows that good reservoir-quality channel sands have accumulated with NW/SE elongation at the ridge of the structure. As a result, this type of geometry has created a stratigraphic/structural hydrocarbon trap in this oilfield. Moreover, seismic facies analysis shows that buried channels do not parallel the predominant Arabian plate-originated channels (with SW–NE trends) in SW Zagros and are locally swerved in this area. (paper)

Radiometric, magnetic, and gravity study of the Quixadá batholith, central Ceará domain (NE Brazil): evidence for Pan-African/Brasiliano extension-controlled emplacement

Science.gov (United States)

Lopes de Castro, David; Mariano Gomes Castelo Branco, Raimundo; Martins, Guttenberg; Araújo de Castro, Neivaldo

2002-10-01

A geophysical survey was conducted in the central Ceará domain of the Borborema Province (NE Brazil). The aim of this investigation was to find geophysical evidence for the emplacement of the Quixadá batholith, which is a granitic body probably situated in the local extensional site in the oblique collisional regime of the Pan-African/Brasiliano collage. Remote sensing and airborne geophysical data provided information on the regional deformation that affected the intrusion and surrounding country rocks. In addition, a gravity study was used to determine the three-dimensional geometry and constrain the emplacement model of the Quixadá granite at depth. The trajectories of structural and magnetic lineaments suggest that the regional deformation is strongly influenced by dextral transcurrent movements of the major shear zones. The batholith, which shows an unusual positive gravity anomaly and a low U counts, displays a subhorizontal floor with several gently dipping areas, which are interpreted as magma feeder channels. The 2300 m thick root zones are roughly aligned with NE-SW-trending shear zones. Finally, the internal architecture of the pluton suggests that the Quixadá batholith was emplaced in a dilational shear zone tip area at the north end of Quixeramobim shear zone.

Prediction Model of Machining Failure Trend Based on Large Data Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jirong

2017-12-01

The mechanical processing has high complexity, strong coupling, a lot of control factors in the machining process, it is prone to failure, in order to improve the accuracy of fault detection of large mechanical equipment, research on fault trend prediction requires machining, machining fault trend prediction model based on fault data. The characteristics of data processing using genetic algorithm K mean clustering for machining, machining feature extraction which reflects the correlation dimension of fault, spectrum characteristics analysis of abnormal vibration of complex mechanical parts processing process, the extraction method of the abnormal vibration of complex mechanical parts processing process of multi-component spectral decomposition and empirical mode decomposition Hilbert based on feature extraction and the decomposition results, in order to establish the intelligent expert system for the data base, combined with large data analysis method to realize the machining of the Fault trend prediction. The simulation results show that this method of fault trend prediction of mechanical machining accuracy is better, the fault in the mechanical process accurate judgment ability, it has good application value analysis and fault diagnosis in the machining process.

Crustal structure and fault geometry of the 2010 Haiti earthquake from temporary seismometer deployments

Science.gov (United States)

Douilly, Roby; Haase, Jennifer S.; Ellsworth, William L.; Bouin, Marie‐Paule; Calais, Eric; Symithe, Steeve J.; Armbruster, John G.; Mercier de Lépinay, Bernard; Deschamps, Anne; Mildor, Saint‐Louis; Meremonte, Mark E.; Hough, Susan E.

2013-01-01

Haiti has been the locus of a number of large and damaging historical earthquakes. The recent 12 January 2010 Mw 7.0 earthquake affected cities that were largely unprepared, which resulted in tremendous losses. It was initially assumed that the earthquake ruptured the Enriquillo Plantain Garden fault (EPGF), a major active structure in southern Haiti, known from geodetic measurements and its geomorphic expression to be capable of producing M 7 or larger earthquakes. Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) data, however, showed that the event ruptured a previously unmapped fault, the Léogâne fault, a north‐dipping oblique transpressional fault located immediately north of the EPGF. Following the earthquake, several groups installed temporary seismic stations to record aftershocks, including ocean‐bottom seismometers on either side of the EPGF. We use data from the complete set of stations deployed after the event, on land and offshore, to relocate all aftershocks from 10 February to 24 June 2010, determine a 1D regional crustal velocity model, and calculate focal mechanisms. The aftershock locations from the combined dataset clearly delineate the Léogâne fault, with a geometry close to that inferred from geodetic data. Its strike and dip closely agree with the global centroid moment tensor solution of the mainshock but with a steeper dip than inferred from previous finite fault inversions. The aftershocks also delineate a structure with shallower southward dip offshore and to the west of the rupture zone, which could indicate triggered seismicity on the offshore Trois Baies reverse fault. We use first‐motion focal mechanisms to clarify the relationship of the fault geometry to the triggered aftershocks.

Stafford fault system: 120 million year fault movement history of northern Virginia

Science.gov (United States)

Powars, David S.; Catchings, Rufus D.; Horton, J. Wright; Schindler, J. Stephen; Pavich, Milan J.

2015-01-01

The Stafford fault system, located in the mid-Atlantic coastal plain of the eastern United States, provides the most complete record of fault movement during the past ~120 m.y. across the Virginia, Washington, District of Columbia (D.C.), and Maryland region, including displacement of Pleistocene terrace gravels. The Stafford fault system is close to and aligned with the Piedmont Spotsylvania and Long Branch fault zones. The dominant southwest-northeast trend of strong shaking from the 23 August 2011, moment magnitude Mw 5.8 Mineral, Virginia, earthquake is consistent with the connectivity of these faults, as seismic energy appears to have traveled along the documented and proposed extensions of the Stafford fault system into the Washington, D.C., area. Some other faults documented in the nearby coastal plain are clearly rooted in crystalline basement faults, especially along terrane boundaries. These coastal plain faults are commonly assumed to have undergone relatively uniform movement through time, with average slip rates from 0.3 to 1.5 m/m.y. However, there were higher rates during the Paleocene–early Eocene and the Pliocene (4.4–27.4 m/m.y), suggesting that slip occurred primarily during large earthquakes. Further investigation of the Stafford fault system is needed to understand potential earthquake hazards for the Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., area. The combined Stafford fault system and aligned Piedmont faults are ~180 km long, so if the combined fault system ruptured in a single event, it would result in a significantly larger magnitude earthquake than the Mineral earthquake. Many structures most strongly affected during the Mineral earthquake are along or near the Stafford fault system and its proposed northeastward extension.

Fault zone architecture, San Jacinto fault zone, southern California: evidence for focused fluid flow and heat transfer in the shallow crust

Science.gov (United States)

Morton, N.; Girty, G. H.; Rockwell, T. K.

2011-12-01

We report results of a new study of the San Jacinto fault zone architecture in Horse Canyon, SW of Anza, California, where stream incision has exposed a near-continuous outcrop of the fault zone at ~0.4 km depth. The fault zone at this location consists of a fault core, transition zone, damage zone, and lithologically similar wall rocks. We collected and analyzed samples for their bulk and grain density, geochemical data, clay mineralogy, and textural and modal mineralogy. Progressive deformation within the fault zone is characterized by mode I cracking, subsequent shearing of already fractured rock, and cataclastic flow. Grain comminution advances towards the strongly indurated cataclasite fault core. Damage progression towards the core is accompanied by a decrease in bulk and grain density, and an increase in porosity and dilational volumetric strain. Palygorskite and mixed-layer illite/smectite clay minerals are present in the damage and transition zones and are the result of hydrolysis reactions. The estimated percentage of illite in illite/smectite increases towards the fault core where the illite/smectite to illite conversion is complete, suggesting elevated temperatures that may have reached 150°C. Chemical alteration and elemental mass changes are observed throughout the fault zone and are most pronounced in the fault core. We conclude that the observed chemical and mineralogical changes can only be produced by the interaction of fractured wall rocks and chemically active fluids that are mobilized through the fault zone by thermo-pressurization during and after seismic events. Based on the high element mobility and absence of illite/smectite in the fault core, we expect that greatest water/rock ratios occur within the fault core. These results indicate that hot pore fluids circulate upwards through the fractured fault core and into the surrounding damage zone. Though difficult to constrain, the site studied during this investigation may represent the top

Kinematics, mechanics, and potential earthquake hazards for faults in Pottawatomie County, Kansas, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Ohlmacher, G.C.; Berendsen, P.

2005-01-01

Many stable continental regions have subregions with poorly defined earthquake hazards. Analysis of minor structures (folds and faults) in these subregions can improve our understanding of the tectonics and earthquake hazards. Detailed structural mapping in Pottawatomie County has revealed a suite consisting of two uplifted blocks aligned along a northeast trend and surrounded by faults. The first uplift is located southwest of the second. The northwest and southeast sides of these uplifts are bounded by northeast-trending right-lateral faults. To the east, both uplifts are bounded by north-trending reverse faults, and the first uplift is bounded by a north-trending high-angle fault to the west. The structural suite occurs above a basement fault that is part of a series of north-northeast-trending faults that delineate the Humboldt Fault Zone of eastern Kansas, an integral part of the Midcontinent Rift System. The favored kinematic model is a contractional stepover (push-up) between echelon strike-slip faults. Mechanical modeling using the boundary element method supports the interpretation of the uplifts as contractional stepovers and indicates that an approximately east-northeast maximum compressive stress trajectory is responsible for the formation of the structural suite. This stress trajectory suggests potential activity during the Laramide Orogeny, which agrees with the age of kimberlite emplacement in adjacent Riley County. The current stress field in Kansas has a N85??W maximum compressive stress trajectory that could potentially produce earthquakes along the basement faults. Several epicenters of seismic events (trending right-lateral faults, is similar to that mapped in the New Madrid Seismic Zone, and both areas currently feature roughly east-west maximum

Analysis of systematic fracturing in Eocene flsch of the Slovenian coastal region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marko Vrabec

2017-12-01

Full Text Available We analyse systematic fractures occurring in sandstone beds in Eocene flsch of the Slovenian coastal area. Two nearly perpendicular fracture sets were identifid: fractures F1 are generally NW-SE oriented, wellexpressed and predominately planar, whereas fractures F2 are NE-SW-striking, shorter, more irregular in shape, and terminate against the F1 set. The average orientation of both sets does not change signifiantly in a coastal transect crossing all principal structural domains of the area. We analysed fracture spacing with respect to layer thickness and determined fracture spacing index for both fracture sets. We interpret both fracture sets as tensional (Mode I joints originating in two distinct extensional episodes. Set F1 is older and formed in NE-SW directed tension which we correlate with the well-documented regional post-Dinaric orogen-perpendicular extension of presumably mid-Miocene age. Set F2 formed in NW-SE oriented tension, which is compatible with previously documented NE-SW-striking normal faults occurring in the area, but was so far not documented elsewhere. We interpret that F1 fractures predate folding and thrusting in the coastal belt. Earlier, Eocene-Oligocene Dinaric thrusting therefore did not signifiantly affect the coastal area, whereas post-F1 shortening, associated with northward indentation and underthrusting of the Adria microplate, did not commence before late Miocene.

Active tectonics of the Seattle fault and central Puget sound, Washington - Implications for earthquake hazards

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, S.Y.; Dadisman, S.V.; Childs, J. R.; Stanley, W.D.

1999-01-01

We use an extensive network of marine high-resolution and conventional industry seismic-reflection data to constrain the location, shallow structure, and displacement rates of the Seattle fault zone and crosscutting high-angle faults in the Puget Lowland of western Washington. Analysis of seismic profiles extending 50 km across the Puget Lowland from Lake Washington to Hood Canal indicates that the west-trending Seattle fault comprises a broad (4-6 km) zone of three or more south-dipping reverse faults. Quaternary sediment has been folded and faulted along all faults in the zone but is clearly most pronounced along fault A, the northernmost fault, which forms the boundary between the Seattle uplift and Seattle basin. Analysis of growth strata deposited across fault A indicate minimum Quaternary slip rates of about 0.6 mm/yr. Slip rates across the entire zone are estimated to be 0.7-1.1 mm/yr. The Seattle fault is cut into two main segments by an active, north-trending, high-angle, strike-slip fault zone with cumulative dextral displacement of about 2.4 km. Faults in this zone truncate and warp reflections in Tertiary and Quaternary strata and locally coincide with bathymetric lineaments. Cumulative slip rates on these faults may exceed 0.2 mm/yr. Assuming no other crosscutting faults, this north-trending fault zone divides the Seattle fault into 30-40-km-long western and eastern segments. Although this geometry could limit the area ruptured in some Seattle fault earthquakes, a large event ca. A.D. 900 appears to have involved both segments. Regional seismic-hazard assessments must (1) incorporate new information on fault length, geometry, and displacement rates on the Seattle fault, and (2) consider the hazard presented by the previously unrecognized, north-trending fault zone.

Preliminary results of structural profiling of the Kras edge and Istria (Kozina – Srmin Motorway, Sečovlje

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2002-06-01

Full Text Available On the section Kozina-Srmin the new motorway Ljubljana-Koper is crossing the Kras edge, which in geologic terminology is refered to as the Kras thrust edge. In the widest sense it comprises the area between the edge of the Trieste-Komen plateau and the Savudrija ridge, creating the boundary between the Adriatic foreland and the External Dinarides. Detailed geologic mapping of the motorway section Kozina-Srmin slowed that the Kras thrust edge is not a monophase tectonic structure, but has been formed through several different deformation phases from the Eocene until today. Besides smaller onesthese phases include responses of three significant events; the Dinaric nappe thrusting, displacements along the strice-slipe faults with NW-SE trending and underthrusting of the Istria toward the NE. The latter event destroyed the primary of the SW boundary ofthe External Dinarides between Southern Alps and the Velebit arc.

Fault kinematics and depocenter evolution of oil-bearing, continental successions of the Mina del Carmen Formation (Albian) in the Golfo San Jorge basin, Argentina

Science.gov (United States)

Paredes, José Matildo; Plazibat, Silvana; Crovetto, Carolina; Stein, Julián; Cayo, Eric; Schiuma, Ariel

2013-10-01

Up to 10% of the liquid hydrocarbons of the Golfo San Jorge basin come from the Mina del Carmen Formation (Albian), an ash-dominated fluvial succession preserved in a variably integrated channel network that evolved coeval to an extensional tectonic event, poorly analyzed up to date. Fault orientation, throw distribution and kinematics of fault populations affecting the Mina del Carmen Formation were investigated using a 3D seismic dataset in the Cerro Dragón field (Eastern Sector of the Golfo San Jorge basin). Thickness maps of the seismic sub-units that integrate the Mina del Carmen Formation, named MEC-A-MEC-C in ascending order, and mapping of fluvial channels performed applying geophysical tools of visualization were integrated to the kinematical analysis of 20 main normal faults of the field. The study provides examples of changes in fault throw patterns with time, associated with faults of different orientations. The "main synrift phase" is characterized by NE-SW striking (mean Az = 49°), basement-involved normal faults that attains its maximum throw on top of the volcanic basement; this set of faults was active during deposition of the Las Heras Group and Pozo D-129 formation. A "second synrift phase" is recognized by E-W striking normal faults (mean Az = 91°) that nucleated and propagated from the Albian Mina del Carmen Formation. Fault activity was localized during deposition of the MEC-A sub-unit, but generalized during deposition of MEC-B sub-unit, producing centripetal and partially isolated depocenters. Upward decreasing in fault activity is inferred by more gradual thickness variation of MEC-C and the overlying Lower Member of Bajo Barreal Formation, evidencing passive infilling of relief associated to fault boundaries, and conformation of wider depocenters with well integrated networks of channels of larger dimensions but random orientation. Lately, the Mina del Carmen Formation was affected by the downward propagation of E-W to ESE-WNW striking

The geothermal system of Caviahue-Copahue Volcanic Complex (Chile-Argentina): New insights from self-potential, soil CO2 degassing, temperature measurements and helium isotopes, with structural and fluid circulation implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Roulleau, Emilie; Bravo, Francisco; Barde-Cabusson, Stephanie; Pizarro, Marcela; Muños, Carlos; Sanchez, Juan; Tardani, Daniele; Sano, Yuji; Takahata, Naoto; de Cal, Federico; Esteban, Carlos

2016-04-01

Geothermal systems represent natural heat transfer engines in a confined volume of rock which are strongly influenced by the regional volcano-tectonic setting controlling the formation of shallow magmatic reservoirs, and by the local faults/fracture network, that permits the development of hydrothermal circulation cells and promote the vertical migration of fluids and heat. In the Southern Volcanic Zone of Chile-Argentina, geothermal resources occur in close spatial relationship with active volcanism along the Cordillera which is primarily controlled by the 1000 km long, NNE Liquiñe-Ofqui Fault Zone (LOFZ), an intra-arc dextral strike-slip fault system, associated with second-order intra-arc anisotropy of overall NE-SW (extensional) and NW-SE orientation (compressional). However there is still a lack of information on how fault network (NE and WNW strinking faults) and lithology control the fluid circulation. In this study, we propose new data of dense self-potential (SP), soil CO2 emanation and temperature (T) measurements within the geothermal area from Caviahue-Copahue Volcanic Complex (CCVC), coupled with helium isotopes ratios measured in fumaroles and thermal springs. We observe that inside the geothermal system the NE-striking faults, characterized by a combination of SP-CO2 and T maxima with high 3He/4He ratios (7.86Ra), promote the formation of high vertical permeability pathways for fluid circulation. Whereas, the WNW-striking faults represent low permeability pathways for hydrothermal fluids ascent associated with moderate 3He/4He ratios (5.34Ra), promoting the infiltration of meteoric water at shallow depth. These active zones are interspersed by SP-CO2- T minima, which represent self-sealed zones (e.g. impermeable altered rocks) at depth, creating a barrier inhibiting fluids rise. The NE-striking faults seem to be associated with the upflow zones of the geothermal system, where the boiling process produces a high vapor-dominated zone close to the

Rock Uplift above the Yakutat Megathrust on Montague Island, Prince William Sound, Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

Ferguson, K.; Armstrong, P. A.; Haeussler, P. J.; Arkle, J. C.

2011-12-01

(U-Th)/He (AHe) and fission-track (AFT) ages are 1.3 - 1.5 Ma and 4.4 Ma, respectively, at the SW end of Montague Island and AHe ages are 4.4 - 4.6 Ma at the NE end. These age and geomorphic constraints indicate that Montague Island marks a narrow zone of intense deformation probably related to thin-skinned thrust faulting and/or pop-up structures above the megathrust. The youngest AHe ages from Montague Island are similar to those from farther east along the St. Elias - Bagley fault systems implying that the south and east sides of Montague Island, and perhaps the along-trend eastern part of Hinchinbrook Island, may be the westward extension of these fault systems. Additional cooling ages will help constrain the spatial extent of this zone of deformation and potential links with other structural zones caused by Yakutat collision and subduction.

Qualitative Interpretation Of Aerogravity And Aeromagnetic Survey Data Over The South Western Part Of The Volta River Basin Of Ghana

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

George Hinson

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract The study area South western part of Volta River Basin of Ghana covering an area of 8570 km2 which is one-eleventh the area of the Volta River basin of Ghana has been subjected to numerous academic research works but geophysical survey works because of virtual perceptive reasons. It is now believed to overly mineral-rich geological structures hence the use of magnetic and gravity survey methods to bring out these mineral-rich geological structures.Geographically it study area is located at the south western part of the Voltaian basin at latitudes 07o 00 N and 08o 00 N and longitudes 02o 00 W and 01o 00 W respectively. Airborne gravity and magnetic survey methods were employed in the data collection. The field data correction and error reduction were applied to the two raw data on the field after which Geosoft Oasis Montaj 7.01 Encom Profile Analysis P.A 11 and 13 Model Vision 12 and ArcGIS 10.0 were used to process enhance e.g. reduce to pole at low latitude first vertical derivative etc. model the reduced and corrected airborne magnetic data and also to produce maps from them data. Low-to-moderate-to-high gravity and magnetic anomalies were obtained in the complete Bouguer anomaly CBA and total magnetic intensity TMI reduced to pole at low latitude with many of these anomalies trending NE-SW by which the Birimian Metasediments and Metavolcanics can be said to be part of the causative structures of these anomalies with cross-cut NW-SE faults. From the quantitative point of view the intrusive granitic bodies of the study area have a mean depth location of 1.7 km while the isolated anomaly is located at a depth of 1.4 km computed from Euler deconvolution. The NE-SW trending anomalies show the trend direction of their causative structures which are the basement rocks and the basinal intrusive bodies.

Cenozoic pulsed compression of Da'an-Dedu Fault Zone in Songliao Basin (NE China) and its implications for earthquake potential: Evidence from seismic data

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Zhongyuan; Zhang, Peizhen; Min, Wei; Wei, Qinghai; Zhao, Bin

2018-01-01

The Da'an-Dedu Fault Zone (DDFZ) is a major tectonic feature cutting through the Songliao Basin from south to north in NE China. Pulsed compression deformation of DDFZ during the Cenozoic implies a complex geodynamic process, and the latest stage of which occurred in the Quaternary directly influences the present seismicity of the interior basin. Although most of the evidence for Quaternary deformation about the Songliao Basin in the past decades was concentrated in marginal faults, all five earthquake swarms with magnitudes over 5.0 along the buried DDFZ with no surface expression during the past 30 years suggest it is a main seismogenic structure with seismic potential, which should deserve more attention of geologists. However, limited by the coverage of the Quaternary sedimentary and absence of strong historic and instrumental earthquakes records (M > 7), the geometric pattern, Quaternary activity and seismic potential of the DDFZ remain poorly understood. Thus, unlike previous geophysical studies focused on crust/mantle velocity structure across the fault and the aim of exploring possible mineral resources in the basin, in this study we have integrated a variety of the latest seismic data and drilling holes from petroleum explorations and shallow-depth seismic reflection profiles, to recognize the Cenozoic pulsed compression deformation of the DDFZ, and to discuss its implication for earthquake potential. The results show that at least four stages of compression deformation have occurred along the DDFZ in the Cenozoic: 65 Ma, 23 Ma, 5.3 Ma, and 1.8 Ma, respectively, although the geodynamic process behind which still in dispute. The results also imply that the tectonic style of the DDFZ fits well with the occurrence of modern seismic swarms. Moderate earthquake potential (M ≤ 7.0) is suggested along the DDFZ.

Post-collapse evolution of a coastal caldera system: Insights from a 3D multichannel seismic survey from the Campi Flegrei caldera (Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Steinmann, Lena; Spiess, Volkhard; Sacchi, Marco

2018-01-01

In this study we present the first 3D high-resolution multichannel seismic dataset from a (partly) submerged caldera setting, the Campi Flegrei caldera (CFc). Our work aims at examining the spatial and temporal evolution of the CFc since the last caldera-forming event, the Neapolitan Yellow Tuff (NYT, 15 ka) eruption. The main objectives are to investigate the caldera's shallow ( 200 m) outer caldera ring-fault zone. The seismic data revealed that the NYT collapse occurred exclusively along the inner caldera ring-fault and that the related NYT caldera depression is filled with on average 61 m of sediment deposited between 15 and 8.6 ka. The geometry of the inner ring-fault, consisting of four fault segments, seems to be strongly influenced by regional NW-SE and NE SW-trending faults. Furthermore, we found that the ring-faults have acted as pathway for the recent (Bank (10.3-9.5 ka), Nisida Island ( 3.98 ka), and Capo Miseno (3.7 ka) eruptions, yielding DRE values of 0.15 km3, 0.1 km3, and 0.08 km3, respectively, and an explosive magnitude of at least moderate-large scale (VEI 3). Our findings highlight that eruption volumes may be underestimated by 3 to 4 times if the submerged portion of a (partly) submerged caldera is not considered, implying severe consequences for the hazard and risk evaluation. The spatial response of the post-collapse (< 15 ka) depositional environment to volcanic activity, deformational processes and sea-level variations is presented in a comprehensive 3D evolutionary model.

Environment of deposition of the Awgu Formation (Late Cretaceous ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

PROMOTING ACCESS TO AFRICAN RESEARCH ... The Awgu Formation is a linear NE-SW trending sedimentary deposit ... in the fine arenaceous facies, suggest a shallow marine depositional environment not exceeding 50 m water depth. ... Senegal (6); Sierra Leone (1); South Africa (96); South Sudan (1); Sudan (3) ...

The 2015 M7.2 Sarez, Central Pamir, Earthquake And The Importance Of Strike-Slip Faulting In The Pamir Interior: Insights From Geodesy And Field Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Metzger, Sabrina; Schurr, Bernd; Ratschbacher, Lothar; Schöne, Tilo; Kufner, Sofia-Katerina; Zhang, Yong; Sudhaus, Henriette

2017-04-01

The Pamir mountain range, located in the Northwest of the India-Asia collision zone, accommodates approximately one third of the northward advance of the Indian continent at this longitude (i. e. ˜34 mm/yr) mostly by shortening at its northern thrust system. Geodetic and seismic data sets reveal here a narrow zone of high deformation and M7+ earthquakes of mostly thrust type with some dextral strike-slip faulting observed, too. The Pamir interior shows sinistral strike-slip and normal faulting indicating north-south compression and east-west extension. In this tectonic setting the two largest instrumentally recorded earthquakes, the M7+ 1911 and 2015 earthquake events in the central Pamir occurred with left-lateral shear along a NE-SW rupture plane. We present the co-seismic deformation field of the 2015 earthquake observed by radar satellite interferometry (InSAR), SAR amplitude pixel offsets and high-rate Global Positioning System (GPS). The InSAR and pixel offset results suggest a 50+ km long rupture with sinistral fault offsets at the surface of more than 2 m on a yet unmapped fault trace of the Sarez Karakul Fault System (SKFS). A distributed slip model with a data-driven slip patch resolution yields a sub-vertical fault plane with a strike of N39.5 degrees and a rupture area of ˜80 x 40 km with a maximum slip of 2 m in the upper 10 km of the crust near the surface rupture. Field observations collected some nine months after the earthquake confirm the rupture mechanism, surface trace location and fault offset measurements as constrained by geodetic data. Diffuse deformation was observed across a 1-2 km wide zone, hosting primary fractures sub-parallel to the rupture strike with offsets of 2 m and secondary, en echelon fractures including Riedel shears and hybrid fractures often related to gravitational mass movements. The 1911 and 2015 earthquakes demonstrate the importance of sinistral strike-slip faulting on the SKFS, contributing both to shear between the

2D resistivity imaging and magnetic survey for characterization of thermal springs: A case study of Gergedi thermal springs in the northwest of Wonji, Main Ethiopian Rift, Ethiopia

Science.gov (United States)

Abdulkadir, Yahya Ali; Eritro, Tigistu Haile

2017-09-01

Electrical resistivity imaging and magnetic surveys were carried out at Gergedi thermal springs, located in the Main Ethiopian Rift, to characterize the geothermal condition of the area. The area is geologically characterized by alluvial and lacustrine deposits, basaltic lava, ignimbrites, and rhyolites. The prominent structural feature in this part of the Main Ethiopian Rift, the SW -NE trending structures of the Wonji Fault Belt System, crosse over the study area. Three lines of imaging data and numerous magnetic data, encompassing the active thermal springs, were collected. Analysis of the geophysical data shows that the area is covered by low resistivity response regions at shallow depths which resulted from saline moisturized soil subsurface horizon. Relatively medium and high resistivity responses resulting from the weathered basalt, rhyolites, and ignimbrites are also mapped. Qualitative interpretation of the magnetic data shows the presence of structures that could act as pathways for heat and fluids manifesting as springs and also characterize the degree of thermal alteration of the area. Results from the investigations suggest that the Gergedi thermal springs area is controlled by fault systems oriented parallel and sub-parallel to the main tectonic lines of the Main Ethiopian Rift.

New insights into Late Quaternary slip rate of the thrust fault zone, northern margin of the Qilian Shan, NE Tibet

Science.gov (United States)

Hai-bo, Y.; Yang, X., Sr.; LI, A.; Huang, X.; Huang, W.

2017-12-01

The India-Eurasian plate collision caused widespread Cenozoic crustal deformation within the Tibetan Plateau and on its margins. Ongoing post-collisional convergence formed multi-row NWW-trending folded mountain ranges and basins pattern in the northeastern Tibet. Late Quaternary tectonic deformation and quantitative slip rate estimates around the Qilian Shan and the Hexi corridor foreland basin are critical to understanding crustal deformation process of the Tibetan plateau and assessing regional seismic hazards. The Fodongmo-Hongyazi fault (FHF) is a major thrust at the Northeastern Tibet, bounding the Qilian Shan. It is accommodating the crustal shortening across this region and has produced strong historical earthquake. Until now the slip rate has been poorly constrained limiting our understanding of its role in the accommodation of deformation across this region. In this work, faulted terraces at the Hongshuiba River and Fengle River sites on the western and middle segments of the FHF were mapped with satellite imagery and field observations. Chronological constraints are placed on the ages of displaced river terraces at these sites using terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide (TCN) exposure dating. These ages combined with offsets measured from SPOT 6 DEM's yield average vertical slip rates of 1.3±0.1mm/yr for the western segment since 207 ka and 0.9±0.1 mm/yr since 46 ka for the middle segment. These data suggest that the FHF accommodates 15-20% of the total shortening across the Qilian Shan (5.5-7 mm/yr). In addition, comparisons of our data with published slip rates along the Northern Qilian Thrust Fault Zone show that the fastest tectonic uplift occurs along the western portion of the Northern Qilian Shan. This is consistent with estimates deduced from geomorphology. The western portion of the Qilian Shan is mainly controlled by compressional deformation produced by the northward movement of the Northeastern Tibetan Plateau, while the eastern Qilian Shan is

Trends in rainfall erosivity in NE Spain at annual, seasonal and daily scales, 1955–2006

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Beguería

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Rainfall erosivity refers to the ability of precipitation to erode soil, and depends on characteristics such as its total volume, duration, and intensity and amount of energy released by raindrops. Despite the relevance of rainfall erosivity for soil degradation prevention, very few studies have addressed its spatial and temporal variability. In this study the time variation of rainfall erosivity in the Ebro Valley (NE Spain is assessed for the period 1955–2006. The results show a general decrease in annual and seasonal rainfall erosivity, which is explained by a decrease of very intense rainfall events whilst the frequency of moderate and low events increased. This trend is related to prevailing positive conditions of the main atmospheric teleconnection indices affecting the West Mediterranean, i.e. the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO, the Mediterranean Oscillation (MO and the Western Mediterranean Oscillation (WeMO.

Fault Length Vs Fault Displacement Evaluation In The Case Of Cerro Prieto Pull-Apart Basin (Baja California, Mexico) Subsidence

Science.gov (United States)

Glowacka, E.; Sarychikhina, O.; Nava Pichardo, F. A.; Farfan, F.; Garcia Arthur, M. A.; Orozco, L.; Brassea, J.

2013-05-01

fault length and fault displacement to calculate fault length growth when displacement increase with time. We applied this relationship to the data collected, during the period 2004-2009, along the part of Cerro Prieto fault which is the SW limit of the Cerro Prieto pull-apart subsidence basin, and estimated that, for the present rate of subsidence, the length of rupture will migrate along the fault with a velocity of about 220 m/year.

Noble gases from solar energetic particles revealed by closed system stepwise etching of lunar soil minerals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wieler, R.; Baur, H.; Signer, P.

1986-01-01

He, Ne, and Ar abundances and isotopic ratios in plagioclase and pyroxene separates from lunar soils were determined using a closed system stepwise etching technique. This method of noble gas release allows one to separate solar wind (SW) noble gases from those implanted as solar energetic particles (SEP). SEP-Ne with 20 Ne/ 22 Ne = 11.3 +- 0.3 is present in all samples studied. The abundances of SEP-Ne are 2-4 orders of magnitude too high to be explained exclusively as implanted solar flare gas. The major part of SEP-Ne possibly originates from solar 'suprathermal ions' with energies < 0.1 MeV/amu. The isotopic composition of Ne in these lower energy SEP is, however, probably identical to that of real flare Ne. The suggestion that SEP-Ne might have the same isotopic composition as planetary Ne and thus possibly represent an unfractionated sample of solar Ne is not tenable. SW-Ne retained in plagioclase and pyroxene is less fractionated than has been deduced by total fusion analyses. Ne-B is a mixture of SW-Ne and SEP-Ne rather than fractionated SW-Ne. In contrast to SEP-Ne, SEP-Ar has probably a very similar composition as SW-Ar. (author)

Paleoseismology of Sinistral-Slip Fault System, Focusing on the Mae Chan Fault, on the Shan Plateau, SE Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Curtiss, E. R.; Weldon, R. J.; Wiwegwin, W.; Weldon, E. M.

2017-12-01

The Shan Plateau, which includes portions of Myanmar, China, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam lies between the dextral NS-trending Sagaing and SE-trending Red River faults and contains 14 active E-W sinistral-slip faults, including the Mae Chan Fault (MCF) in northern Thailand. The last ground-rupturing earthquake to occur on the broader sinistral fault system was the M6.8 Tarlay earthquake in Myanmar in March 2011 on the Nam Ma fault immediately north of the MCF the last earthquake to occur on the MCF was a M4.0 in the 5th century that destroyed the entire city of Wiang Yonok (Morley et al., 2011). We report on a trenching study of the MCF, which is part of a broader study to create a regional seismic hazard map of the entire Shan Plateau. By studying the MCF, which appears to be representative of the sinistral faults, and easy to work on, we hope to characterize both it and the other unstudied faults in the system. As part of a paleoseismology training course we dug two trenches at the Pa Tueng site on the MCF, within an offset river channel and the trenches exposed young sediment with abundant charcoal (in process of dating), cultural artifacts, and evidence for the last two (or three) ground-rupturing earthquakes on the fault. We hope to use the data from this site to narrow the recurrence interval, which is currently to be 2,000-4,000 years and the slip rate of 1-2 mm/year, being developed at other sites on the fault. By extrapolating the data of the MCF to the other faults we will have a better understanding of the whole fault system. Once we have characterized the MCF, we plan to use geomorphic offsets and strain rates from regional GPS to relatively estimate the activity of the other faults in this sinistral system.

Radon measurements in the SE and NE flank of Mt. Etna (Italy)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

La Delfa, S.; Imme, G.; Lo Nigro, S.; Morelli, D.; Patane, G.; Vizzini, F.

2007-01-01

Soil Radon has been monitored at two fixed sites located in the northeastern and southeastern flank of Mt. Etna. In this study we report the comparison between in-soil Radon concentration trend recorded in the SE flank and that one recorded in the NE one, where an in-soil Radon detection system is operating since 2001. The aim of this work was to implement the investigation area finding a suitable radon detection site, in the south-east flank of Mt. Etna, in order to better understand possible links between Radon anomalies and volcano dynamic. Radon data collected in NE and SE sites were compared with the volcanic tremor, frequency of occurrence of earthquakes and seismic strain-release recorded at a fixed 3D digital seismic station placed in the NE site. Same general in-soil Radon trends and anomalies were found in both sites. These results have confirmed the suitability of the chosen southeastern site for the in-soil Radon monitoring at Mt. Etna. The comparison of the recorded Radon concentration anomalies with seismicity and volcanic tremor trends, has also verified a possible link with the volcanic activity, as observed in our previous published studies

Fault-sourced alluvial fans and their interaction with axial fluvial drainage: An example from the Plio-Pleistocene Upper Valdarno Basin (Tuscany, Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Fidolini, Francesco; Ghinassi, Massimiliano; Aldinucci, Mauro; Billi, Paolo; Boaga, Jacopo; Deiana, Rita; Brivio, Lara

2013-05-01

The present study deals with the fault-sourced, alluvial-fan deposits of the Plio-Pleistocene Upper Valdarno Basin (Northern Apennines, Italy). Different phases of alluvial fan aggradation, progradation and backstep are discussed as possible effects of the interaction among fault-generated accommodation space, sediment supply and discharge variations affecting the axial fluvial drainage. The Upper Valdarno Basin, located about 35 km SE of Florence, is filled with 550 m palustrine, lacustrine and alluvial deposits forming four main unconformity-bounded units (i.e. synthems). The study alluvial-fan deposits belong to the two uppermost synthems (Montevarchi and Torrente Ciuffenna synthems) and are Early to Middle Pleistocene in age. These deposits are sourced from the fault-bounded, NE margin of the basin and interfinger with axial fluvial deposits. Alluvial fan deposits of the Montevarchi Synthem consist of three main intervals: i) a lower interval, which lacks any evidence of a depositional trend and testify balance between the subsidence rate (i.e. fault activity) and the amount of sediment provided from the margin; ii) a coarsening-upward middle interval, pointing to a decrease in subsidence rate associated with an augment in sediment supply; iii) a fining-upward, upper interval (locally preserved), documenting a phase of tectonic quiescence associated with a progressive re-equilibration of the tectonically-induced morphological profile. The basin-scale unconformity, which separates the Montevarchi and Torrente Ciuffenna synthems was due to the entrance of the Arno River into the basin as consequence of a piracy. This event caused a dramatic increase in water discharge of the axial fluvial system, and its consequent embanking. Such an erosional surface started to develop in the axial areas, and propagated along the main tributaries, triggering erosion of the alluvial fan deposits. Alluvial-fan deposits of the Torrente Ciuffenna Synthem accumulated above the

Response of the Apodi-Mossoró estuary-incised valley system (NE Brazil to sea-level fluctuations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Helenice Vital

2010-01-01

Full Text Available This study focuses on the Quaternary sea level changes in the Apodi-Mossoró Estuary and adjacent shelf, Northeastern Brazil, based on the analysis of high-resolution seismic profiles, integrated with echosounder, SRTM and satellite image data. We use these data to develop a relative stratigraphy. An incised-valley extending from the Apodi-Mossoró Estuary onto the shelf dominates the investigated area. In very shallow waters (down to 10 m depth the channel lies mainly in a NW-SE direction, changing to NE-SW in waters below10 m, in the form of a J-shaped valley. The southern flank of the shallow channel presents an abrupt morphology, probably determined by a residual scarp due to neotectonic reactivation of a pre-existing fault. This incised-valley can be correlated with a former river valley formed during the late Pleistocene fall in sea-level. The base-level change related to this drop in sea level can be regionally expressed on seismic lines as a laterally-continuous stratigraphic surface named Horizon I, interpreted as representing the sub-aerial exposure of the continental shelf. Many incised valleys were excavated on this exposed shelf, including that of the Apodi-Mossoró Estuary and its incised valley system. This incised valley has lain buried since the Holocene transgression. The Holocene sediments present sub-horizontal layers, or they have filled the incised valley with oblique features.Este estudo utiliza a integração de dados sísmicos de alta resolução, batimétricos, SRTM e imagens de satélite para desenvolvimento da estratigrafia relativa visando entender as variações do nível do mar durante o Quaternário no estuário do rio Apodi-Mossoró e plataforma adjacente, nordeste do Brasil. A principal feição identificada foi um canal submerso, na plataforma interna, parcialmente preenchido, provavelmente relacionado com o sistema de vales incisos formado durante o rebaixamento do nível do mar no Pleistoceno. O canal

Stress rotations due to the M6.5 foreshock and M7.3 main shock in the 2016 Kumamoto, SW Japan, earthquake sequence

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshida, Keisuke; Hasegawa, Akira; Saito, Tatsuhiko; Asano, Youichi; Tanaka, Sachiko; Sawazaki, Kaoru; Urata, Yumi; Fukuyama, Eiichi

2016-10-01

A shallow M7.3 event with a M6.5 foreshock occurred along the Futagawa-Hinagu fault zone in Kyushu, SW Japan. We investigated the spatiotemporal variation of the stress orientations in and around the source area of this 2016 Kumamoto earthquake sequence by inverting 1218 focal mechanisms. The results show that the σ3 axis in the vicinity of the fault plane significantly rotated counterclockwise after the M6.5 foreshock and rotated clockwise after the M7.3 main shock in the Hinagu fault segment. This observation indicates that a significant portion of the shear stress was released both by the M6.5 foreshock and M7.3 main shock. It is estimated that the stress release by the M6.5 foreshock occurred in the shallower part of the Hinagu fault segment, which brought the stress concentration in its deeper part. This might have caused the M7.3 main shock rupture mainly along the deeper part of the Hinagu fault segment after 28 h.

Stratigraphic record of Pliocene-Pleistocene basin evolution and deformation within the Southern San Andreas Fault Zone, Mecca Hills, California

Science.gov (United States)

McNabb, James C.; Dorsey, Rebecca J.; Housen, Bernard A.; Dimitroff, Cassidy W.; Messé, Graham T.

2017-11-01

A thick section of Pliocene-Pleistocene nonmarine sedimentary rocks exposed in the Mecca Hills, California, provides a record of fault-zone evolution along the Coachella Valley segment of the San Andreas fault (SAF). Geologic mapping, measured sections, detailed sedimentology, and paleomagnetic data document a 3-5 Myr history of deformation and sedimentation in this area. SW-side down offset on the Painted Canyon fault (PCF) starting 3.7 Ma resulted in deposition of the Mecca Conglomerate southwest of the fault. The lower member of the Palm Spring Formation accumulated across the PCF from 3.0 to 2.6 Ma during regional subsidence. SW-side up slip on the PCF and related transpressive deformation from 2.6 to 2.3 Ma created a time-transgressive angular unconformity between the lower and upper members of the Palm Spring Formation. The upper member accumulated in discrete fault-bounded depocenters until initiation of modern deformation, uplift, and basin inversion starting at 0.7 Ma. Some spatially restricted deposits can be attributed to the evolution of fault-zone geometric complexities. However, the deformation events at ca. 2.6 Ma and 0.7 Ma are recorded regionally along 80 km of the SAF through Coachella Valley, covering an area much larger than mapped fault-zone irregularities, and thus require regional explanations. We therefore conclude that late Cenozoic deformation and sedimentation along the SAF in Coachella Valley has been controlled by a combination of regional tectonic drivers and local deformation due to dextral slip through fault-zone complexities. We further propose a kinematic link between the 2.6-2.3 Ma angular unconformity and a previously documented but poorly dated reorganization of plate-boundary faults in the northern Gulf of California at 3.3-2.0 Ma. This analysis highlights the potential for high-precision chronologies in deformed terrestrial deposits to provide improved understanding of local- to regional-scale structural controls on basin

Fuzzy delay model based fault simulator for crosstalk delay fault test ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

In this paper, a fuzzy delay model based crosstalk delay fault simulator is proposed. As design trends move towards nanometer technologies, more number of new parameters affects the delay of the component. Fuzzy delay models are ideal for modelling the uncertainty found in the design and manufacturing steps.

Rupture model of the 2015 M7.2 Sarez, Central Pamir, earthquake and the importance of strike-slip faulting in the Pamir interior

Science.gov (United States)

Metzger, S.; Schurr, B.; Schoene, T.; Zhang, Y.; Sudhaus, H.

2016-12-01

The Pamir mountain range, located in the Northwest of the India-Asia collision zone, accommodates approximately one third of the northward advance of the Indian continent at this longitude (i.e. 34 mm/yr) mostly by shortening at its northern thrust system. Geodetic and seismic data sets reveal here a narrow zone of high deformation and M7+ earthquakes of mostly thrust type with some dextral strike-slip faulting observed, too. The Pamir interior shows sinistral strike-slip and normal faulting indicating north-south compression and east-west extension. In this tectonic setting the two largest instrumentally recorded earthquakes, the M7+ 1911 and 2015 earthquake events in the central Pamir occurred with left-lateral shear along a NE-SW rupture plane. We present the co-seismic deformation field of the 2015 earthquake observed by Radar satellite interferometry (InSAR), SAR amplitude offsets and high-rate Global Positioning System (GPS). The InSAR and offset results reveal that the earthquake created a 50 km long surface rupture with maximum left-lateral offsets of more than two meters on a yet unmapped fault trace of the Sarez Karakul Fault System (SKFS). We further derive a distributed slip-model including a thorough model parameter uncertainty study. Using a two-step approach to first find the optimal rupture geometry and then invert for slip on discrete patches, we show that a data-driven patch resolution produces yields a better representation of the near-surface slip and an increased slip precision than a uniform patch approach without increasing the number of parameters and thus calculation time. Our best-fit model yields a sub-vertical fault plane with a strike of N39.5 degrees and a rupture area of 80 x 40 km2 with a maximum slip of 2 meters in the upper 10 km of the crust near the surface rupture. The 1911 and 2015 earthquakes demonstrate the importance of sinistral strike-slip faulting on the SKFS, contributing both to shear between the western and eastern

Localized fluid discharge in subduction zones: Insights from tension veins around an ancient megasplay fault (Nobeoka Thrust, SW Japan)

Science.gov (United States)

Otsubo, M.; Hardebeck, J.; Miyakawa, A.; Yamaguchi, A.; Kimura, G.

2017-12-01

Fluid-rock interactions along seismogenic faults are of great importance to understand fault mechanics. The fluid loss by the formation of mode I cracks (tension cracks) increases the fault strength and creates drainage asperities along the plate interface (Sibson, 2013, Tectonophysics). The Nobeoka Thrust, in southwestern Japan, is an on-land example of an ancient megasplay fault and provides an excellent record of deformation and fluid flow at seismogenic depths of a subduction zone (Kondo et al., 2005, Tectonics). We focus on (1) Pore fluid pressure loss, (2) Amount of fault strength recovery, and (3) Fluid circulation by the formation of mode I cracks in the post-seismic period around the fault zone of the Nobeoka Thrust. Many quartz veins that filled mode I crack at the coastal outcrops suggest a normal faulting stress regime after faulting of the Nobeoka Thrust (Otsubo et al., 2016, Island Arc). We estimated the decrease of the pore fluid pressure by the formation of the mode I cracks around the Nobeoka Thrust in the post-seismic period. When the pore fluid pressure exceeds σ3, veins filling mode I cracks are constructed (Jolly and Sanderson, 1997, Jour. Struct. Geol.). We call the pore fluid pressure that exceeds σ3 "pore fluid over pressure". The differential stress in the post-seismic period and the driving pore fluid pressure ratio P* (P* = (Pf - σ3) / (σ1 - σ3), Pf: pore fluid pressure) are parameters to estimate the pore fluid over pressure. In the case of the Nobeoka Thrust (P* = 0.4, Otsubo et al., 2016, Island Arc), the pore fluid over pressure is up to 20 MPa (assuming tensile strength = 10 MPa). 20 MPa is equivalent to fluid pressure around the Nobeoka Thrust (depth = 10 km, density = 2.7 kg/m3). When the pore fluid pressure decreases by 4%, the normalized pore pressure ratio λ* (λ* = (Pf - Ph) / (Pl - Ph), Pl: lithostatic pressure; Ph: hydrostatic pressure) changes from 0.95 to 0.86. In the case of the Nobeoka Thrust, the fault strength can

A structural scheme proposal derived from geophysical data in the epicentral area of the Boumerdes (Algeria) earthquake of May 21, 2003

Science.gov (United States)

Samai, Saddek; Idres, Mouloud; Ouyed, Merzouk; Bourmatte, Amar; Boughacha, Mohamed Salah; Bezzeghoud, Mourad; Borges, José Fernando

2017-09-01

In this study, we processed and interpreted gravity and aeromagnetic data of the epicentral area of the Boumerdes earthquake (May 21, 2003). The joint interpretation of both data allowed the development of a structural scheme that shows the basement undulations offshore and onshore. The shape of the eastern part of the Mitidja Basin is better defined; its northern edge is represented by a large ;sub-circular; uplifted basement located offshore. The rise of this basement indicates that this basin does not extend towards the sea. At the eastern part of the study area, aeromagnetic data have revealed that the Sid-Ali-Bounab basement is individualized in a ;sub-circular; shape, while the Dellys basement, located in the NE part, is elongated in the NE-SW direction and extends offshore. The aeromagnetic data also highlighted two EW basement uplifts which divide Isser depression into three parts. The northern part of this depression extends offshore. The southernmost uplift is an extension of the Thenia Fault (TF), suggesting the continuity of this fault to the east. It is important to note that the active Reghaia Fault (RF), which runs through the Boudouaou and Reghaia urban centers, is bounded by two faults suggesting that its length does not exceed 12 km. Moreover, alluvial terraces observed west of the active Zemmouri Fault (ZF) are in agreement with the reverse component of this fault.

Identification of active fault using analysis of derivatives with vertical second based on gravity anomaly data (Case study: Seulimeum fault in Sumatera fault system)

Science.gov (United States)

Hududillah, Teuku Hafid; Simanjuntak, Andrean V. H.; Husni, Muhammad

2017-07-01

Gravity is a non-destructive geophysical technique that has numerous application in engineering and environmental field like locating a fault zone. The purpose of this study is to spot the Seulimeum fault system in Iejue, Aceh Besar (Indonesia) by using a gravity technique and correlate the result with geologic map and conjointly to grasp a trend pattern of fault system. An estimation of subsurface geological structure of Seulimeum fault has been done by using gravity field anomaly data. Gravity anomaly data which used in this study is from Topex that is processed up to Free Air Correction. The step in the Next data processing is applying Bouger correction and Terrin Correction to obtain complete Bouger anomaly that is topographically dependent. Subsurface modeling is done using the Gav2DC for windows software. The result showed a low residual gravity value at a north half compared to south a part of study space that indicated a pattern of fault zone. Gravity residual was successfully correlate with the geologic map that show the existence of the Seulimeum fault in this study space. The study of earthquake records can be used for differentiating the active and non active fault elements, this gives an indication that the delineated fault elements are active.

Seismotectonics of the Armutlu peninsula (Marmara Sea, NW Turkey) from geological field observation and regional moment tensor inversion

Science.gov (United States)

Kinscher, J.; Krüger, F.; Woith, H.; Lühr, B. G.; Hintersberger, E.; Irmak, T. S.; Baris, S.

2013-11-01

The Armutlu peninsula, located in the eastern Marmara Sea, coincides with the western end of the rupture of the 17 August 1999, İzmit MW 7.6 earthquake which is the penultimate event of an apparently westward migrating series of strong and disastrous earthquakes along the NAFZ during the past century. We present new seismotectonic data of this key region in order to evaluate previous seismotectonic models and their implications for seismic hazard assessment in the eastern Marmara Sea. Long term kinematics were investigated by performing paleo strain reconstruction from geological field investigations by morphotectonic and kinematic analysis of exposed brittle faults. Short term kinematics were investigated by inverting for the moment tensor of 13 small to moderate recent earthquakes using surface wave amplitude spectra. Our results confirm previous models interpreting the eastern Marmara Sea Region as an active transtensional pull-apart environment associated with significant NNE-SSW extension and vertical displacement. At the northern peninsula, long term deformation pattern did not change significantly since Pliocene times contradicting regional tectonic models which postulate a newly formed single dextral strike slip fault in the Marmara Sea Region. This area is interpreted as a horsetail splay fault structure associated with a major normal fault segment that we call the Waterfall Fault. Apart from the Waterfall Fault, the stress strain relation appears complex associated with a complicated internal fault geometry, strain partitioning, and reactivation of pre-existing plane structures. At the southern peninsula, recent deformation indicates active pull-apart tectonics constituted by NE-SW trending dextral strike slip faults. Earthquakes generated by stress release along large rupture zones seem to be less probable at the northern, but more probable at the southern peninsula. Additionally, regional seismicity appears predominantly driven by plate boundary

Morphometric study of the Habo dome, Kachchh, Gujarat, India: implications on neotectonic activity

Science.gov (United States)

Bhattacharjee, N.; Mohanty, S. P.

2017-12-01

The Kachchh Basin of western India was developed during the separation of the Indian plate from the Gondwanaland in Mesozoic. Series of E-W striking master faults were generated during this extensional phase. The collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates in Eocene time resulted in the change of stress regime to a compressional setting when the built-up stress developed NNW-SSE to NNE-SSW striking transverse faults and reactivated the earlier E-W master faults. The present work was carried out in the Habo dome, located in the central part of the Kachchh Basin, to analyse the morphometric features such as the bifurcation ratio, circulation ratio, drainage texture, asymmetric factor, hypsometric indices and mountain front sinuosity of selected sub-watersheds of the area to understand the effects of fault reactivation and neotectonic activities on the geometry of the dome. Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM) Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data were used to extract drainage network for morphometric analysis of the Kaswati, Khari, and Pur river basins. The study area is elliptical in outline with the long axis trending approximately E-W. The evolution of this domal structure is interpreted to be the result of fault-bound nature of the block. The northern slope of the dome is bound by the Kachchh Mainland Fault and the eastern and western boundaries are marked by transverse faults. The undulating topography was developed by differential movements along several transverse faults striking NW-SE, N-S, and NE-SW. The earlier interpretation of laccolith intrusion into the sedimentary rocks is not supported by the data analysis and field mapping. Stress propagations from the Himalayan range in the northeast and Sulaiman range in the northwest are identified to be the causative factor for historical seismicity and drainage anomalies in the area. Keywords: Basin morphometry, Geographical Information System, Lineament patterns, Kachchh basin, Neotectonics, Fault reactivation

The recognition of transient compressional fault slow-slip along the northern shore of Hornsund Fjord, SW Spitsbergen, Svalbard

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Stemberk, Josef; Briestenský, Miloš; Cacon, S.

2015-01-01

Roč. 36, č. 2 (2015), s. 109-123 ISSN 0138-0338 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LM2010008 Institutional support: RVO:67985891 Keywords : Arctic * Svalbard * Hornsund * 3-D fault displacement monitoring * transient slow fault slip Subject RIV: DB - Geology ; Mineralogy Impact factor: 1.182, year: 2015

Lateral extrusion of Tunisia : Contribution of Jeffara Fault (southern branch) and Petroleum Implications

Science.gov (United States)

Ghedhoui, R.; Deffontaines, B.; Rabia, M. C.

2012-04-01

to the tectonic accident, located in the south of the Tunisian extrusion, in favour of the eastern migration of the Sahel block toward the free Mediterranean sea boundary. Therefore this geodynamic movement explains the presence, in offshore area, of small elongated NW-SE, N-S &NE-SW petroleum transtensive basins and grabens. To conclude, at the regional scale, the structural geomorphologic approach combined with both field work and reflexion seismic profile analyses appear to be an excellent tool to prove & confirm the east Sahel block extrusion of the central Tunisian part caused by the northward migration of African plate. _______________________________________ Keywords : Geodynamics, Neotectonics, right lateral transtensive fault, Extrusion, Petroleum exploration, Geomorphometry, Digital Elevation Model, Geographic Information System (GIS), Geodatabase, Jeffara, South Tunisia.

Trends analysis of PM source contributions and chemical tracers in NE Spain during 2004–2014: a multi-exponential approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Pandolfi

2016-09-01

Full Text Available In this work for the first time data from two twin stations (Barcelona, urban background, and Montseny, regional background, located in the northeast (NE of Spain, were used to study the trends of the concentrations of different chemical species in PM10 and PM2.5 along with the trends of the PM10 source contributions from the positive matrix factorization (PMF model. Eleven years of chemical data (2004–2014 were used for this study. Trends of both species concentrations and source contributions were studied using the Mann–Kendall test for linear trends and a new approach based on multi-exponential fit of the data. Despite the fact that different PM fractions (PM2.5, PM10 showed linear decreasing trends at both stations, the contributions of specific sources of pollutants and of their chemical tracers showed exponential decreasing trends. The different types of trends observed reflected the different effectiveness and/or time of implementation of the measures taken to reduce the concentrations of atmospheric pollutants. Moreover, the trends of the contributions of specific sources such as those related with industrial activities and with primary energy consumption mirrored the effect of the financial crisis in Spain from 2008. The sources that showed statistically significant downward trends at both Barcelona (BCN and Montseny (MSY during 2004–2014 were secondary sulfate, secondary nitrate, and V–Ni-bearing source. The contributions from these sources decreased exponentially during the considered period, indicating that the observed reductions were not gradual and consistent over time. Conversely, the trends were less steep at the end of the period compared to the beginning, thus likely indicating the attainment of a lower limit. Moreover, statistically significant decreasing trends were observed for the contributions to PM from the industrial/traffic source at MSY (mixed metallurgy and road traffic and from the industrial (metallurgy

Study geology and uranium mineralization of ririt-amir engkala - tiga dara sector West Kalimantan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bambang Soetopo

2009-01-01

The results of previous research from Ririt, Amir Engkala, Tiga Dara sector which consist of geology, geophysics and drilling data show that all of the areas has similar in geology and Uranium mineralization. The purpose of this study is to know the relationship between geological condition and Uranium mineralization in Ririt, Amir Engkala and Tiga Dara sector. In general the geology of Ririt and Amir Engkala is similar with Tiga Dara sector. Those areas consist of tourmaline quartzite, muscovite quartzite, meta ignimbrite, biotite quartz schist, muscovite quartz schist, and micro diorite. The direction of the stratification is NE - SW and dipping to SE and the direction of the stochasticity is W - E and dipping to N. The dextral faults have WNW-ESE and NNE - SSW trends, while the sinistral one is WSW - ENE direction. There are also a thrust fault and a normal fault with WSW-ESE and NW-SE striking respectively. Uranium mineralization as a uraninite fill in the stochasticity and fracture N2600-30° E37°-59° in orientation which associated with magnetite, chalcopyrite, pyrite, arsenopyrite,. rutile, ilmenite, tourmaline and quartz. Radiometric value of Uranium mineralization is in the range of 500-15.000 c/s. The mineral association and the present of calcite, gypsum and quartz veins suggest that Uranium mineralization was resulted by hydrothermal magmatic processes. (author)

3D implicit modeling of the Sishen Mine: new resolution of the geometry and origin of Fe mineralization

Science.gov (United States)

Stoch, B.; Anthonissen, C. J.; McCall, M.-J.; Basson, I. J.; Deacon, J.; Cloete, E.; Botha, J.; Britz, J.; Strydom, M.; Nel, D.; Bester, M.

2017-12-01

The Sishen deposit is one of the largest iron ore concentrations in current production. Hematite mineralization occurs along a strike length of 14 km, with a width of 3.2 km and a maximum vertical extent of 400 m below the original surface. The 986-Mt reserve incorporates a suite of individual orebodies, beneath a locally preserved tectonized unconformity, with a wide range of geometries, depths, and orientations. Fully constrained, implicit 3D modeling of the entire mining volume (> 70 km3), was undertaken to the original, pre-mining topography. The model incorporates 5287 mapping points and > 21,000 drillholes and provides exceptional insight into the original configuration of ore and its relationship to contacts, unconformities, and structures in the enclosing country rock. The bulk of ore occurs to the west of a strike-extensive, partially inverted normal fault (Sloep Fault), within an asymmetrical synclinal structure on its western flank. This linear, N-S distribution of deep, thick ore is punctuated by palaeosinkholes, wherein base-of-ore dips of greater than 45°, are concentrically arranged. Localized ore volumes also occur along faults and in fault-bounded, downthrown blocks, to the north of NW-SE- and NE-SW-trending strike-slip faults that show relatively minor uplift to the south, probably due to the Lomanian Namaqua-Natal Orogeny. The revised model demonstrates the proximity of ore to a tectonized unconformity and highlights the structural control on ore volumes, implying that Fe mineralization at Sishen cannot be exclusively attributed to supergene enrichment and concentric palaeosinkhole formation.

Integrated geophysical and hydrothermal models of flank degassing and fluid flow at Masaya Volcano, Nicaragua

Science.gov (United States)

Sanford, Ward E.; Pearson, S.C.P.; Kiyosugi, K.; Lehto, H.L.; Saballos, J.A.; Connor, C.B.

2012-01-01

We investigate geologic controls on circulation in the shallow hydrothermal system of Masaya volcano, Nicaragua, and their relationship to surface diffuse degassing. On a local scale (~250 m), relatively impermeable normal faults dipping at ~60° control the flowpath of water vapor and other gases in the vadose zone. These shallow normal faults are identified by modeling of a NE-SW trending magnetic anomaly of up to 2300 nT that corresponds to a topographic offset. Elevated SP and CO2 to the NW of the faults and an absence of CO2 to the SE suggest that these faults are barriers to flow. TOUGH2 numerical models of fluid circulation show enhanced flow through the footwalls of the faults, and corresponding increased mass flow and temperature at the surface (diffuse degassing zones). On a larger scale, TOUGH2 modeling suggests that groundwater convection may be occurring in a 3-4 km radial fracture zone transecting the entire flank of the volcano. Hot water rising uniformly into the base of the model at 1 x 10-5 kg/m2s results in convection that focuses heat and fluid and can explain the three distinct diffuse degassing zones distributed along the fracture. Our data and models suggest that the unusually active surface degassing zones at Masaya volcano can result purely from uniform heat and fluid flux at depth that is complicated by groundwater convection and permeability variations in the upper few km. Therefore isolating the effects of subsurface geology is vital when trying to interpret diffuse degassing in light of volcanic activity.

A geological reconnaissance study of the Dyfi Valley region, Gwynedd/Powys, Wales

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, B.A.; Howells, M.F.; Reedman, A.J.

1981-01-01

A collation of existing maps and data backed up by localised checking, reinterpretation and modification, employing sampling, structural measurements and aerial photograph interpretation, have updated the geological information available on the Dyfi Valley region. The region comprises an argillaceous-dominated Ordovician and Silurian sedimentary pile of approximately 4 km thickness. Thick formations of mudstones and silty mudstones with thin intercalations of silty sandstone and fine-grained sandstone predominate and exhibit fewer variations in thickness and extent than the subordinate formations with a higher proportion of sand-grade material. Three periods of deformation (D 1 -D 3 ) are distinguished, with the D 1 phase dominating the structure of the region by forming upright, asymmetrical, large (km) scale folds (F 1 ) of a NNE-SSW to NE-SW trend and producing an almost ubiquitous slaty cleavage (S 1 ). The succeeding deformations produced localised crenulation cleavages, kink bands and box folds. Data on the faulting and jointing associated with this deformation history are also presented. (author)

Motion of the Bird's Head Block and co-seismic deformation from GPS data

Science.gov (United States)

Tikku, A. A.; Subarya, C.; N/A, M.; McCaffrey, R.; Genrich, J.

2006-05-01

The Bird's Head region of Eastern Indonesia, comprising the western end of New Guinea, behaves as an independent block at a juncture of subduction zones. It is bound on the north by the Manokwari and New Guinea Trenches, on the west by the Sorong fault, on the southwest by the Seram Trough, and on the east and southeast by the Lowland fault. Previous analysis of regional campaign global positioning system [GPS] data collected between 1991 and 1997 revealed rotation of the Bird's Head Block and high shear rates between the Pacific and Australian plates accommodated within the block. We have collected and analyzed additional regional campaign GPS data collected between 1998 and 2005, which includes data from newly established stations in the vicinity of the Cenderwasih Bay and Lowlands fault. During this span of time there were four large (Mw greater than 7.0) earthquakes in the region: a magnitude Mw=7.5 on a historically inactive NW-SE trending strike-slip fault bounding the western end of the Cenderwasih Bay on October 10th, 2002, two events, with magnitudes Mw=7.0 and 7.3, separated by a time span of two days (February 5th and 7th 2004) and a distance of ~100 km on the NE-SW trending Lowlands fault, and a third event (Mw=7.1) on November 26th 2004, coincident with the location of the February 5th 2004 event on the Lowlands fault. Destruction and fatalities were associated with all these large earthquakes. The Lowlands fault is a known seismically active fault. The historically inactive fault active that ruptured in 2002 is in the middle of the Bird's Head Block and disrupted the collection of a long seismically quiescent time-series of deformation within the block, but we have been able to constrain the co-seismic slip on this fault with the GPS data and modeling, and here present these results. We have also estimated the corruption of the co-seismic deformation from the 2002 and 2004 earthquakes and removed these from the campaign data to here present estimates

Fluid activity within the North Anatolian Fault Zone according to 3D marine seismic data on the Sea of Marmara Western High

Science.gov (United States)

Grall, C.; Henry, P.; Thomas, Y.; Marsset, B.; Westbrook, G.; Saritas, H.; Géli, L.; Ruffine, L.; Dupré, S.; Scalabrin, C.; Augustin, J. M.; Cifçi, G.; Zitter, T.

2012-04-01

Along the northern branch of the North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ) within the Sea of Marmara, numerous gas seeps occur. A large part of the gas origin is biogenic but on the Western High, gas bubbles and gas hydrate with a thermogenic signature have been sampled. The expulsion of deep fluids opened new perspective about the permeability, the mechanical properties and the monitoring of the NAFZ. Consequently, the Western High was selected for the deployment of a 3D seismic acquisition layout during the MARMESONET cruise (2009). Thirty-three km2 of high resolution seismic data (with a frequency content of 50-180 Hz) have been collected within the shear band of the fault. The SIMRAD EM-302 was also operated to detect acoustic anomalies related to the presence of gas bubbles in the water column. Within the upper sedimentary cover (seismic penetration ranges from 100 to 500 m bsf), high seismic amplitude variations of the reflectors allow to identify gas traps and gas pathways. Local high amplitude of negative polarity, such as flat spots and bright spots, are observed. Amplitude anomalies are located above and within anticlines and along normal faults. They often correlate with seafloor manifestations of fluid outflow and gas plumes in the water column. This suggests that gas migrates from depth towards the seafloor along normal faults and permeable strata, and part of it is trapped in anticlines. North of the NAF, seabed mounds, corresponding to active hydrocarbon gas seeps, are aligned along a NE-SW direction. They are linked in depth to buried mud volcanoes with an episodic activity. The last mud eruption activity apparently just before or during the Red-H1 horizon deposition which is a prominent reflector of high amplitude and negative polarity occurring all over the Sea of Marmara. It has been interpreted as a stratigraphic horizon, corresponding to slow sedimentation and high sea-level interglacial period.

Evaluation of the Location and Recency of Faulting Near Prospective Surface Facilities in Midway Valley, Nye County, Nevada

Science.gov (United States)

Swan, F.H.; Wesling, J.R.; Angell, M.M.; Thomas, A.P.; Whitney, J.W.; Gibson, J.D.

2001-01-01

Evaluation of surface faulting that may pose a hazard to prospective surface facilities is an important element of the tectonic studies for the potential Yucca Mountain high-level radioactive waste repository in southwestern Nevada. For this purpose, a program of detailed geologic mapping and trenching was done to obtain surface and near-surface geologic data that are essential for determining the location and recency of faults at a prospective surface-facilities site located east of Exile Hill in Midway Valley, near the eastern base of Yucca Mountain. The dominant tectonic features in the Midway Valley area are the north- to northeast-trending, west-dipping normal faults that bound the Midway Valley structural block-the Bow Ridge fault on the west side of Exile Hill and the Paint-brush Canyon fault on the east side of the valley. Trenching of Quaternary sediments has exposed evidence of displacements, which demonstrate that these block-bounding faults repeatedly ruptured the surface during the middle to late Quaternary. Geologic mapping, subsurface borehole and geophysical data, and the results of trenching activities indicate the presence of north- to northeast-trending faults and northwest-trending faults in Tertiary volcanic rocks beneath alluvial and colluvial sediments near the prospective surface-facilities site. North to northeast-trending faults include the Exile Hill fault along the eastern base of Exile Hill and faults to the east beneath the surficial deposits of Midway Valley. These faults have no geomorphic expression, but two north- to northeast-trending zones of fractures exposed in excavated profiles of middle to late Pleistocene deposits at the prospective surface-facilities site appear to be associated with these faults. Northwest-trending faults include the West Portal and East Portal faults, but no disruption of Quaternary deposits by these faults is evident. The western zone of fractures is associated with the Exile Hill fault. The eastern

Evaluation of the location and recency of faulting near prospective surface facilities in Midway Valley, Nye County, Nevada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Swan, F.H.; Wesling, J.R.; Angell, M.M.; Thomas, A.P.; Whitney, J.W.; Gibson, J.D.

2002-01-17

Evaluation of surface faulting that may pose a hazard to prospective surface facilities is an important element of the tectonic studies for the potential Yucca Mountain high-level radioactive waste repository in southwestern Nevada. For this purpose, a program of detailed geologic mapping and trenching was done to obtain surface and near-surface geologic data that are essential for determining the location and recency of faults at a prospective surface-facilities site located east of Exile Hill in Midway Valley, near the eastern base of Yucca Mountain. The dominant tectonic features in the Midway Valley area are the north- to northeast-trending, west-dipping normal faults that bound the Midway Valley structural block-the Bow Ridge fault on the west side of Exile Hill and the Paint-brush Canyon fault on the east side of the valley. Trenching of Quaternary sediments has exposed evidence of displacements, which demonstrate that these block-bounding faults repeatedly ruptured the surface during the middle to late Quaternary. Geologic mapping, subsurface borehole and geophysical data, and the results of trenching activities indicate the presence of north- to northeast-trending faults and northwest-trending faults in Tertiary volcanic rocks beneath alluvial and colluvial sediments near the prospective surface-facilities site. North to northeast-trending faults include the Exile Hill fault along the eastern base of Exile Hill and faults to the east beneath the surficial deposits of Midway Valley. These faults have no geomorphic expression, but two north- to northeast-trending zones of fractures exposed in excavated profiles of middle to late Pleistocene deposits at the prospective surface-facilities site appear to be associated with these faults. Northwest-trending faults include the West Portal and East Portal faults, but no disruption of Quaternary deposits by these faults is evident. The western zone of fractures is associated with the Exile Hill fault. The eastern

Evaluation of the location and recency of faulting near prospective surface facilities in Midway Valley, Nye County, Nevada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swan, F.H.; Wesling, J.R.; Angell, M.M.; Thomas, A.P.; Whitney, J.W.; Gibson, J.D.

2002-01-01

Evaluation of surface faulting that may pose a hazard to prospective surface facilities is an important element of the tectonic studies for the potential Yucca Mountain high-level radioactive waste repository in southwestern Nevada. For this purpose, a program of detailed geologic mapping and trenching was done to obtain surface and near-surface geologic data that are essential for determining the location and recency of faults at a prospective surface-facilities site located east of Exile Hill in Midway Valley, near the eastern base of Yucca Mountain. The dominant tectonic features in the Midway Valley area are the north- to northeast-trending, west-dipping normal faults that bound the Midway Valley structural block-the Bow Ridge fault on the west side of Exile Hill and the Paint-brush Canyon fault on the east side of the valley. Trenching of Quaternary sediments has exposed evidence of displacements, which demonstrate that these block-bounding faults repeatedly ruptured the surface during the middle to late Quaternary. Geologic mapping, subsurface borehole and geophysical data, and the results of trenching activities indicate the presence of north- to northeast-trending faults and northwest-trending faults in Tertiary volcanic rocks beneath alluvial and colluvial sediments near the prospective surface-facilities site. North to northeast-trending faults include the Exile Hill fault along the eastern base of Exile Hill and faults to the east beneath the surficial deposits of Midway Valley. These faults have no geomorphic expression, but two north- to northeast-trending zones of fractures exposed in excavated profiles of middle to late Pleistocene deposits at the prospective surface-facilities site appear to be associated with these faults. Northwest-trending faults include the West Portal and East Portal faults, but no disruption of Quaternary deposits by these faults is evident. The western zone of fractures is associated with the Exile Hill fault. The eastern

First results of an INGV project for the integrated analysis of the active tectonics in SW Sicily

Science.gov (United States)

Mattia, Mario; Giovanni, Barreca; Carla, Bottari; Valentina, Bruno; Pierfrancesco, Burrato; Fabrizio, Cultrera; Luigi, Dardanelli; Sofia, De Gregorio; Luigi, Ferranti; Laura, Guzzetta; Paolo, Madonia; Carmelo, Monaco; Claudia, Pipitone; Fabrizio, Pepe; Francesco, Guglielmino

2017-04-01

number of high-angle, NNE-SSW-trending, left-lateral strike slip faults are present offshore the town of Sciacca. The offset of the sea floor suggests that the fault movement is still active. Expulsions of fluids along faults have also been observed along the continental shelf where mount-shaped, cold-seep communities formed. Under the hypothesis that earthquakes related to the Castelvetrano-Campobello di Mazara tectonic lineament could have induced the destruction of the ancient town of Selinunte, a re-analysis of the archaeoseismological data on the seismic collapse of Selinunte temples has been performed. The latest seismic event or seismic sequence has been constrained between the 4th and the 6th century A.D.. This event caused oriented collapse in most of the Selinunte temples (e.g. Temples C, D and E), whereas temple G collapsed inwards upon itself. The type of collapse observed in the temple G was matter of debate among scholars and two different hypothesis have been reported so far. Some archaeologists assumed that the temple G was hypaethral, or unroofed with an open central nave and cella, whereas others that the temple was never completed. As regards the geochemistry, the results of measurements of soil CO2 flux carried out in the north-eastern area of Belice Valley highlights the presence of sites with high degassing level (up to 350 g m-2 d-1) with a CO2 supply of crustal origin. The sites with crustal contribution are mainly aligned along NE-SW direction. The tectonic control on the geochemical characterization and flow path of groundwater is particularly evident in the Santa Ninfa gypsum karst structure, located within the area hit by the 1968 seismic sequence, and close to the epicentres of the most energetic seismic events (M>3.0) occurred in the Belice area during the last 30 years. We also collected GPS data from permanent and episodically surveyed station in SW Sicily with a twofold aim: 1) to retrieve new insights about the geodynamics of this sector

Rifting to India-Asia Reactivation: Multi-phase Structural Evolution of the Barmer Basin, Rajasthan, northwest India

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, M. J.; Bladon, A.; Clarke, S.; Najman, Y.; Copley, A.; Kloppenburg, A.

2015-12-01

The Barmer Basin, situated within the West Indian Rift System, is an intra-cratonic rift basin produced during Gondwana break-up. Despite being a prominent oil and gas province, the structural evolution and context of the rift within northwest India remains poorly understood. Substantial subsurface datasets acquired during hydrocarbon exploration provide an unrivalled tool to investigate the tectonic evolution of the Barmer Basin rift and northwest India during India-Asia collision. Here we present a structural analysis using seismic datasets to investigate Barmer Basin evolution and place findings within the context of northwest India development. Present day rift structural architectures result from superposition of two non-coaxial extensional events; an early mid-Cretaceous rift-oblique event (NW-SE), followed by a main Paleocene rifting phase (NE-SW). Three phases of fault reactivation follow rifting: A transpressive, Late Paleocene inversion along localised E-W and NNE-SSW-trending faults; a widespread Late Paleocene-Early Eocene inversion and Late Miocene-Present Day transpressive strike-slip faulting along NW-SE-trending faults and isolated inversion structures. A major Late Eocene-Miocene unconformity in the basin is also identified, approximately coeval with those identified within the Himalayan foreland basin, suggesting a common cause related to India-Asia collision, and calling into question previous explanations that are not compatible with spatial extension of the unconformity beyond the foreland basin. Although, relatively poorly age constrained, extensional and compressional events within the Barmer Basin can be correlated with regional tectonic processes including the fragmentation of Gondwana, the rapid migration of the Greater Indian continent, to subsequent collision with Asia. New insights into the Barmer Basin development have important implications not only for ongoing hydrocarbon exploration but the temporal evolution of northwest India.

The 2016 south Alboran earthquake (Mw = 6.4): A reactivation of the Ibero-Maghrebian region?

Science.gov (United States)

Buforn, E.; Pro, C.; Sanz de Galdeano, C.; Cantavella, J. V.; Cesca, S.; Caldeira, B.; Udías, A.; Mattesini, M.

2017-08-01

On 25 January 2016, an earthquake of magnitude Mw = 6.4 occurred at the southern part of the Alboran Sea, between southern Spain and northern Morocco. This shock was preceded by a foreshock (Mw = 5.1) and followed by a long aftershock sequence. Focal mechanism of main shock has been estimated from slip inversion of body waves at teleseismic distances. Solution corresponds to left-lateral strike-slip motion, showing a complex bilateral rupture, formed by two sub-events, with most energy propagating along a plane oriented N30°E plane dipping to the NW. Relocation of larger events of the aftershock series, show two alignments of epicentres in NE-SW and NNE-SSW direction that intersect at the epicentre of the main shock. We have estimated the focal mechanisms of the largest aftershocks from moment tensor inversion at regional distances. We have obtained two families of focal mechanisms corresponding to strike slip for the NNE-SSW alignment and thrusting motion for the NE-SW alignment. Among the faults present in the area the Al Idrisi fault (or fault zone) may be a good candidate for the source of this earthquake. The study of Coulomb Failure Stress shows that it is possible that the 2016 earthquake was triggered by the previous nearby earthquakes of 1994 (Mw = 5.8) and 2004 (Mw = 6.3). The possible seismic reactivation of the central part of the Ibero-Maghrebian region is an open question, but it is clear that the occurrence of the 2016 earthquake confirms that from 1994 the seismicity of central part of IMR is increasing and that focal mechanism of largest earthquakes in this central part correspond to complex ruptures (or zone of fault).

From extension to trascurrence: regime transition as a new key to interpret seismogenesis in the southern Apennines (Italy)

OpenAIRE

Fracassi, U.; Vannoli, P.; Burrato, P.; Basili, R.; Tiberti, M. M.; Di Bucci, D.; Valensise, G.

2006-01-01

The backbone of the Southern Apennines is perhaps the largest seismic moment release area in Italy. The region is dominated by an extensional regime dating back to the Middle Pleistocene, with maximum extension striking SW-NE (i.e. orthogonal to the mountain belt). The full length (~ 200 km) of the mountain range has been the locus of several destructive earthquakes occurring in the uppermost 10-12 km of the crust. This seismicity is due to a well documented normal faulting mechanism. Inst...

Study of relief changes related to active doming in the eastern Moroccan Rif (Morocco) using geomorphological indices

Science.gov (United States)

Barcos, L.; Jabaloy, A.; Azdimousa, A.; Asebriy, L.; Gómez-Ortiz, D.; Rodríguez-Peces, M. J.; Tejero, R.; Pérez-Peña, J. V.

2014-12-01

This work studies the influence of active tectonics in the drainage networks and topography of the eastern Rif belt, eastern Middle Atlas, and Rekkame high plateau. We have performed a trend-topographic surface analysis at small to medium scales, several landscape analyses at medium scale, and the slope analysis of the relief. Furthermore, we have determined several geomorphic indices in the drainage networks of the study area: hypsometric curve analysis and normalised stream-length gradient (SLk) estimations. The trend-topography surface analysis identifies a NE-SW trending undulation that correspond to the positive topography of the Middle and High Atlas mountain ranges and the Rekkame high plateau as well as an E-W elongated dome in the eastern Rif-Beni Snassen massif. The geomorphologic indices indicate that drainage network is strongly deformed in the vicinity of the Trougout-Nekor active fault system. Furthermore, the Oued Molouya catchment is deformed in the northern limit of the Beni Snassen massif by active deformations accommodating a roughly N-S shortening. According to the available geochronological data from volcanic rocks as well as from Neogene to Quaternary sediments, the most likely age for the deformation of the drainage network producing the anomalous high geomorphic indexes was Placenzian to Present.

Characteristic and Mixing Mechanisms of Thermal Fluid at the Tampomas Volcano, West Java, Using Hydrogeochemistry, Stable Isotope and 222Rn Analyses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irwan Iskandar

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The Tampomas Volcano is a Quaternary volcano located on Java Island and controlled by a west-northwest–east-southeast (WNW-ESE regional fault trend. This regional structure acts as conduits for the hydrothermal fluids to ascend from a deeper system toward the surface and, in the end, mix with groundwater. In this research, water geochemistry, gas chemistry and isotopes 2H, 18O and 13C were used to explore the subsurface fluid characteristics and mixing mechanisms of the hydrothermal fluids with groundwater. In addition to those geochemical methods, soil-gas and dissolved 222Rn observations were performed to understand the geological control of fluid chemistry. Based on the analytical results, the hydrothermal system of Tampomas is only developed at the northeastern flank of the volcano, which is mainly controlled by NE-SW structures as deep fluid conduits, while the Cimalaka Caldera Rim around Sekarwangi act as the boundary flow of the system. This system is also categorized as an “intermediate temperature system” wherein fluid is derived from the interaction between the volcanic host-rock at 170 ± 10 °C mixed with trace organic gas input from sedimentary formation; afterwards, the fluid flows laterally and is diluted with groundwater near the surface. Soil-gas and dissolved 222Rn confirm that these permeable zones are effective conduits for the ascending thermal fluids. It is found that NE faults carry higher trace elements from the deeper system, while the circular feature of the Caldera Rim acts as the boundary of the hydrothermal system.

Seismotectonics and fault structure of the California Central Coast

Science.gov (United States)

Hardebeck, Jeanne L.

2010-01-01

I present and interpret new earthquake relocations and focal mechanisms for the California Central Coast. The relocations improve upon catalog locations by using 3D seismic velocity models to account for lateral variations in structure and by using relative arrival times from waveform cross-correlation and double-difference methods to image seismicity features more sharply. Focal mechanisms are computed using ray tracing in the 3D velocity models. Seismicity alignments on the Hosgri fault confirm that it is vertical down to at least 12 km depth, and the focal mechanisms are consistent with right-lateral strike-slip motion on a vertical fault. A prominent, newly observed feature is an ~25 km long linear trend of seismicity running just offshore and parallel to the coastline in the region of Point Buchon, informally named the Shoreline fault. This seismicity trend is accompanied by a linear magnetic anomaly, and both the seismicity and the magnetic anomaly end where they obliquely meet the Hosgri fault. Focal mechanisms indicate that the Shoreline fault is a vertical strike-slip fault. Several seismicity lineations with vertical strike-slip mechanisms are observed in Estero Bay. Events greater than about 10 km depth in Estero Bay, however, exhibit reverse-faulting mechanisms, perhaps reflecting slip at the top of the remnant subducted slab. Strike-slip mechanisms are observed offshore along the Hosgri–San Simeon fault system and onshore along the West Huasna and Rinconada faults, while reverse mechanisms are generally confined to the region between these two systems. This suggests a model in which the reverse faulting is primarily due to restraining left-transfer of right-lateral slip.

Geology and geochemistry of the Middle Proterozoic Eastern Ghat mobile belt and its comparison with the lower crust of the Southern Peninsular shield

Science.gov (United States)

Rao, M. V. Subba

1988-01-01

Two prominent rock suites constitute the lithology of the Eastern Ghat mobile belt: (1) the khondalite suite - the metapelites, and (2) the charnockite suite. Later intrusives include ultramafic sequences, anorthosites and granitic gneisses. The chief structural element in the rocks of the Eastern Ghats is a planar fabric (gneissosity), defined by the alignment of platy minerals like flattened quartz, garnet, sillimanite, graphite, etc. The parallelism between the foliation and the lithological layering is related to isoclinal folding. The major structural trend (axial plane foliation trend) observed in the belt is NE-SW. Five major tectonic events have been delineated in the belt. A boundary fault along the western margin of the Eastern Ghats, bordering the low grade terrain has been substantiated by recent gravity and the deep seismic sounding studies. Field evidence shows that the pyroxene granulites (basic granulites) post-date the khondalite suite, but are older than the charnockites as well as the granitic gneisses. Polyphase metamorphism, probably correlatable with different periods of deformation is recorded. The field relations in the Eastern Ghats point to the intense deformation of the terrain, apparently both before, during and after metamorphism.

Perspectives on the Chaine Des Puys and Limagne Fault UNESCO World Heritage Project

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van Wyk de Vries, Benjamin; Olive, Cécile

2015-04-01

The Chaîne des Puys and Limagne fault project is acknowledged to have Outstanding Universal Value (38th session of the World Heritage UNESCO committee, June 2014). One ongoing challenge for the project is to consolidate the outreach, and to work with other sites to increase the public perception of Earth sciences. The Chaîne des Puys volcanic field in central France, became a celebrated mecca for 18/19th Century scientists, only once the volcanoes were 'discovered'. Beforehand they were only hills, but the ability to interpret landscape with prior knowledge allowed these early geologists to create a popular understanding of the geology. Since that time, the Chaîne des Puys has become a well-known volcanic site to a worldwide audience through textbooks, tourism, and commerce. To the 19th century geologists, the Limagne escarpment was just as fascinating, but lacking the ability to fully interpret this rift margin, the idea of a fault did not percolate down to the general public. With the advent of the current UNESCO project, it became clear that the geological link between the volcanoes and the fault could be exploited, not only to raise the profile of the volcanoes, but to create a greater awareness of the tectonics in the greater public. Not only have the volcanoes, become better known and more clearly understood than previously, but the fault has begun to emerge as a feature in public consciousness. We will demonstrate the many communication techniques at all levels that have been used in the project. We explain the rationale between creating a geological scale model that works on processes as well as landforms to raise the public awareness. The success is that we show how geological features can be made readable by the general public, something highly important for conservation of heritage, but also for risk perception. The increased education efforts of the scientists have also lead to an increase in science. The more informed and participatory the public is

Trends in adverse weather patterns and large wildland fires in Aragón (NE Spain from 1978 to 2010

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A. Cardil

2013-05-01

Full Text Available This work analyzes the effects of high temperature days on large wildland fires during 1978–2010 in Aragón (NE Spain. A high temperature day was established when air temperature was higher than 20 °C at 850 hPa. Temperature at 850 hPa was chosen because it properly characterizes the low troposphere state, and some of the problems that affect surface reanalysis do not occur. High temperature days were analyzed from April to October in the study period, and the number of these extreme days increased significantly. This temporal trend implied more frequent adverse weather conditions in later years that could facilitate extreme fire behavior. The effects of those high temperatures days in large wildland fire patterns have been increasingly important in the last years of the series.

Contributions of gravity and field data on the structural scheme updating of the Tellian domain and its foreland (Nefza-Bizerte region, northern Tunisia)

Science.gov (United States)

Essid, El Mabrouk; Kadri, Ali; Balti, Hadhemi; Gasmi, Mohamed; Zargouni, Fouad

2018-03-01

The Nefza-Bizerte region, eastern part of the Tunisian Alpine chain, covers the thrust sheets domain called the Tell and its Atlassic foreland. The deep structures under the Tellian thrust sheets are not enough explored. The structural interpretation of magmatic rocks, Triassic outcrops and the depressions are still a subject of discussion. In this work, we intend to investigate deep faults and their eventual role in magmatism and Triassic salt setting up and to explain the depression genesis. Analysis of the Bouguer anomaly map and its derivatives reveals the main gravity lineaments, organized in major NE- and NW-trending systems. The NE-trending system, dipping towards the NW, is the main component of the structural scheme and has controlled the tectonic evolution of this area. After the immobilization of the Tellian thrust sheets during the uppermost Langhian, the Tell and its Atlassic foreland were affected by the Tortonian compressive event with a NW-trending maximum horizontal stress. The reverse kinematics of the NE-trending deep-seated faults created at their front continental environments filled later by post-nappes Neogene deposits. After the early Pleistocene, a NNW-directed compressional stress regime deformed the post-nappes Neogene series and generated NW-trending grabens. This coexistence of compression-extension continues until present day.

Centrifugal compressor fault diagnosis based on qualitative simulation and thermal parameters

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Yunsong; Wang, Fuli; Jia, Mingxing; Qi, Yuanchen

2016-12-01

This paper concerns fault diagnosis of centrifugal compressor based on thermal parameters. An improved qualitative simulation (QSIM) based fault diagnosis method is proposed to diagnose the faults of centrifugal compressor in a gas-steam combined-cycle power plant (CCPP). The qualitative models under normal and two faulty conditions have been built through the analysis of the principle of centrifugal compressor. To solve the problem of qualitative description of the observations of system variables, a qualitative trend extraction algorithm is applied to extract the trends of the observations. For qualitative states matching, a sliding window based matching strategy which consists of variables operating ranges constraints and qualitative constraints is proposed. The matching results are used to determine which QSIM model is more consistent with the running state of system. The correct diagnosis of two typical faults: seal leakage and valve stuck in the centrifugal compressor has validated the targeted performance of the proposed method, showing the advantages of fault roots containing in thermal parameters.

Southern San Andreas Fault Slip History Refined Using Pliocene Colorado River Deposits in the Western Salton Trough

Science.gov (United States)

Dorsey, R. J.; Bennett, S. E. K.; Housen, B. A.

2016-12-01

Tectonic reconstructions of Pacific-North America plate motion in the Salton Trough region (Bennett et al., 2016) are constrained by: (1) late Miocene volcanic rocks that record 255 +/-10 km of transform offset across the northern Gulf of California since 6 Ma (average 42 mm/yr; Oskin and Stock, 2003); and (2) GPS data that show modern rates of 50-52 mm/yr between Pacific and North America plates, and 46-48 mm/yr between Baja California (BC) and North America (NAM) (Plattner et al., 2007). New data from Pliocene Colorado River deposits in the Salton Trough provide an important additional constraint on the geologic history of slip on the southern San Andreas Fault (SAF). The Arroyo Diablo Formation (ADF) in the San Felipe Hills SW of the Salton Sea contains abundant cross-bedded channel sandstones deformed in the dextral Clark fault zone. The ADF ranges in age from 4.3 to 2.8 Ma in the Fish Creek-Vallecito basin, and in the Borrego Badlands its upper contact with the Borrego Formation is 2.9 Ma based on our new magnetostratigraphy. ADF paleocurrent data from a 20-km wide, NW-oriented belt near Salton City record overall transport to the SW (corrected for bedding dip, N=165), with directions ranging from NW to SE. Spatial domain analysis reveals radial divergence of paleoflow to the: W and NW in the NW domain; SW in the central domain; and S in the SE domain. Data near Borrego Sink, which restores to south of Salton City after removing offset on the San Jacinto fault zone, show overall transport to the SE. Pliocene patterns of radial paleoflow divergence strongly resemble downstream bifurcation of fluvial distributary channels on the modern Colorado River delta SW of Yuma, and indicate that Salton City has translated 120-130 km NW along the SAF since 3 Ma. We propose a model in which post-6 Ma BC-NAM relative motion gradually accelerated to 50 mm/yr by 4 Ma, continued at 50 mm/yr from 4-1 Ma, and decreased to 46 mm/yr from 1-0 Ma (split equally between the SAF and

Geological mapping of investigation trench OL-TK9 at the Olkiluoto study site, Eurajoki, SW Finland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nordbaeck, N.; Talikka, M.

2006-07-01

and associated granitic leucosome veining usually strike NE-SW and dip gently to the southeast (the mean dip/dip direction is 38/158 deg). The foliation gradually turns from NE-SW striking in the southern part of the trench to E-W striking in the northern part. No pre-D 2B structures were identified in the OL-TK9. The leucosome veins show isoclinal D 2 folds in places. During the third deformation phase (D 3 ), the isoclinal F2 folds of the mica gneiss and the granite leucosome veins were refolded by F 3 folding mainly producing small-scale, tight folds with fold axis moderately plunging towards east and rarely to the west. During the fracture mapping, all fractures intersecting the central thread were measured. Dip direction and dip, rock type, length, form, undulation, character, aperture, and infilling if present were recorded for each fracture. A total of 1197 fractures were measured including several fracture clusters (cluster = many identical fractures in a small area). The mean fracture density of the trench is 3.23 fractures/m. From the fracture orientation data, three different fracture sets were interpreted: Set (I) fractures dip gently to the south-southeast, set (II) fractures dip steeply to the east or west, and set (III) fractures dip moderately towards the north. Partly due to the width of the trench most fractures have trace length less than two metres. Most fractures (51,4 %) are open or partially open and 32.4 % of the fractures have infillings. Fracture infillings include chlorite, calcite, kaolinite, epidote, pyrite, illite, mica minerals, quartz, Fe-oxide (hematite), and soil. Several deformation zone intersections were observed in the investigation trench. Four Brittle Joint cluster Intersections (parallel to the foliation), one N-S striking Brittle Fault zone Intersection, one Semi-brittle Fault zone Intersection, and one N-S striking Ductile Shear zone Intersection intersect the trench. (orig.)

Advective, Diffusive and Eruptive Leakage of CO2 and Brine within Fault Zone

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, N. H.; Han, W. S.

2014-12-01

This study investigated a natural analogue for CO2 leakage near the Green River, Utah, aiming to understand the influence of various factors on CO2 leakage and to reliably predict underground CO2 behavior after injection for geologic CO2 sequestration. Advective, diffusive, and eruptive characteristics of CO2 leakage were assessed via a soil CO2 flux survey and numerical modeling. The field results show anomalous CO2 fluxes (> 10 g m-2 d-1) along the faults, particularly adjacent to CO2-driven cold springs and geysers (e.g., 36,259 g m-2 d-1 at Crystal Geyser), ancient travertines (e.g., 5,917 g m-2 d-1), joint zones in sandstone (e.g., 120 g m-2 d-1), and brine discharge zones (e.g., 5,515 g m-2 d-1). Combined to similar isotopic ratios of gas and progressive evolution of brine chemistry at springs and geysers, a gradual decrease of soil CO2 flux from the Little Grand Wash (LGW; ~36,259 g m-2 d-1) to Salt Wash (SW; ~1,428 g m-2 d-1) fault zones reveals the same CO2 origin and potential southward transport of CO2 over 10-20 km. The numerical simulations overtly exhibit lateral transport of free CO2 and CO2-rich brine from the LGW to SW fault zones through the regional aquifers (e.g., Entrada, Navajo, Kayenta, Wingate, White Rim). CO2 travels predominantly as an aqueous phase (Xco2=~0.045) as previously suggested, giving rise to the convective instability that further accelerates CO2 dissolution. While the buoyant free CO2 always tends to ascend, a fraction of dense CO2-rich brine flows laterally into the aquifer and mixes with the formation fluids during upward migration along the fault. The fault always enhances advective CO2 transport regardless of its permeability (k). However, only the low-k fault scenario engenders development of CO2 anticlinal trap within the shallow aquifers (Entrada and Navajo), concentrating high CO­­­2 fluxes (~1,273 g m-2 d-1) within the northern footwall of the LGW fault similar to the field. Moreover, eruptive CO2 leakage at a well

Efficient fault tree handling - the Asea-Atom approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ericsson, G.; Knochenhauer, M.; Mills, R.

1985-01-01

In recent years there has been a trend in Swedish Probabilistic Safety Analysis (PSA) work towards coordination of the tools and methods used, in order to facilitate exchange of information and review. Thus, standardized methods for fault tree drawing and basic event coding have been developed as well as a number of computer codes for fault tree handling. The computer code used by Asea-Atom is called SUPER-TREE. As indicated by the name, the key feature is the concept of one super tree containing all the information necessary in the fault tree analysis, i.e. system fault trees, sequence fault trees and component data base. The code has proved to allow great flexibility in the choice of level of detail in the analysis

Sembène's Progeny: A New Trend in the Senegalese Novel

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Albert Gérard

1980-01-01

Full Text Available The growth of the Nouvelles Editions Africaines in Senegal has proved favorable to the promotion of a national literature whose grass-roots inspiration is in obvious reaction against the elitist proclivities of earlier writers trained in French universities. The younger novelists follow in the footsteps of Sembène Ousmane, depicting actual living conditions among the under-privileged and usually silent majority in present-day Dakar. Recent examples are Aminata Sow Fall's La Grève des battù (1979, Moussa Ly Sangaré's Sourd-muet, je demande la parole (1978 and Mariama Bâ's Une si longue lettre (1979. Such works are designed for a local readership, which is numerous enough because Senegal has the highest rate of literacy in French of all African countries. While the clinical realism of their narrative technique is similar to Sembène's in many respects, the characteristic feature of those writers is that they do not seem to have any political axe to grind: their detached lucidity and absence of bitterness makes their image of the African megalopolis all the more impressive and depressing.

3D seismic investigation of the structural and stratigraphic characteristics of the Pagasa Wedge, Southwest Palawan Basin, Philippines, and their tectonic implications

Science.gov (United States)

Ilao, Kimberly A.; Morley, Christopher K.; Aurelio, Mario A.

2018-04-01

The Pagasa Wedge is a poorly imaged deepwater orogenic wedge that has been variously interpreted as representing an accretionary prism, a former accretionary prism modified by thrusting onto a thinned continental margin, and a gravity-driven fold-thrust belt. This study, using 2D and 3D seismic data, together with well information indicates that at least the external part of the wedge is dominantly composed of mass transport complexes, capped by syn-kinematic sediments that have thrusts and normal faults superimposed upon them. Drilling shows that despite stratigraphic repetition of Eocene Middle Miocene units, there is stratigraphic omission of Oligocene and Early Miocene units. This absence suggests that mass transport processes have introduced the Eocene section into the wedge rather than tectonic thrusting. The accretionary prism stage (Oligocene) of the Central Palawan Ophiolite history appears to be marked by predominantly north-vergent deformation. The Deep Regional Unconformity (∼17 Ma) likely indicates the approximate time when obduction ceased in Palawan. The Pagasa Wedge is a late-stage product of the convergence history that was active in its final phase sometime above the top of the Nido Limestone (∼16 Ma) and the base of the Tabon Limestone in the Aboabo-A1X well (∼9 Ma). The top of the wedge is traditionally associated with the Middle Miocene Unconformity (MMU), However the presence of multiple unconformities, diachronous formation tops, local tectonic unconformities and regional diachronous events (e.g. migrating forebulges) all suggest simply giving a single age (or assigning a single unconformity, such as the MMU as defining the top of the Pagasa Wedge is inappropriate. The overall NE-SW trend of the wedge, and the dominant NW transport of structures within the wedge diverge from the more northerly transport direction determined from outcrops in Palawan, and also from the Nido Limestone in the SW part of the Pagasa Wedge. Possibly this NW

Characterization of Stream Channel Evolution Due to Extensional Tectonics Along the Western Margin of North Boulder Basin (Bull Mountain), SW Montana with the Use of Geologic Mapping and Thermochronologic (U-Th/He) Dating.

Science.gov (United States)

Cataldo, K.; Douglas, B. J.; Yanites, B.

2017-12-01

Landscape response to active tectonics, such as fault motion or regional uplift, can be recorded in river profiles as changes in slope (i.e. knickpoints) or topography. North Boulder basin region (SW Montana), experienced two separate phases of extension, from 45 - 35 Ma and again beginning 14 Ma to the present, producing basin-and-range style fault-blocks. Focusing on the Bull Mountain region, located on the western margin of the North Boulder basin, data is collected to test the hypothesis that Bull Mountain is located on the hanging wall of a half-graben. Our objective is to elucidate the active tectonics of the study area within a regional context by utilizing river profile analysis and thermochronometric data. High-resolution (distribution of water, which is an important commodity in SW Montana for ranchers and farmers. Thus, the ability to discern the probability of recurring tectonic events and the effects on the regional watersheds, could help facilitate solutions before these events take place.

Evidence of Quaternary and recent activity along the Kyaukkyan Fault, Myanmar

Science.gov (United States)

Crosetto, Silvia; Watkinson, Ian M.; Soe Min; Gori, Stefano; Falcucci, Emanuela; Nwai Le Ngal

2018-05-01

Cenozoic right-lateral shear between the eastern Indian margin and Eurasia is expressed by numerous N-S trending fault systems inboard of the Sunda trench, including the Sagaing Fault. The most easterly of these fault systems is the prominent ∼500 km long Kyaukkyan Fault, on the Shan Plateau. Myanmar's largest recorded earthquake, Mw 7.7 on 23rd May 1912, focused near Maymyo, has been attributed to the Kyaukkyan Fault, but the area has experienced little significant seismicity since then. Despite its demonstrated seismic potential and remarkable topographic expression, questions remain about the Kyaukkyan Fault's neotectonic history.

Geophysical Characterization of the Hilton Creek Fault System

Science.gov (United States)

Lacy, A. K.; Macy, K. P.; De Cristofaro, J. L.; Polet, J.

2016-12-01

The Long Valley Caldera straddles the eastern edge of the Sierra Nevada Batholith and the western edge of the Basin and Range Province, and represents one of the largest caldera complexes on Earth. The caldera is intersected by numerous fault systems, including the Hartley Springs Fault System, the Round Valley Fault System, the Long Valley Ring Fault System, and the Hilton Creek Fault System, which is our main region of interest. The Hilton Creek Fault System appears as a single NW-striking fault, dipping to the NE, from Davis Lake in the south to the southern rim of the Long Valley Caldera. Inside the caldera, it splays into numerous parallel faults that extend toward the resurgent dome. Seismicity in the area increased significantly in May 1980, following a series of large earthquakes in the vicinity of the caldera and a subsequent large earthquake swarm which has been suggested to be the result of magma migration. A large portion of the earthquake swarms in the Long Valley Caldera occurs on or around the Hilton Creek Fault splays. We are conducting an interdisciplinary geophysical study of the Hilton Creek Fault System from just south of the onset of splay faulting, to its extension into the dome of the caldera. Our investigation includes ground-based magnetic field measurements, high-resolution total station elevation profiles, Structure-From-Motion derived topography and an analysis of earthquake focal mechanisms and statistics. Preliminary analysis of topographic profiles, of approximately 1 km in length, reveals the presence of at least three distinct fault splays within the caldera with vertical offsets of 0.5 to 1.0 meters. More detailed topographic mapping is expected to highlight smaller structures. We are also generating maps of the variation in b-value along different portions of the Hilton Creek system to determine whether we can detect any transition to more swarm-like behavior towards the North. We will show maps of magnetic anomalies, topography

Cross-fault pressure depletion, Zechstein carbonate reservoir, Weser-Ems area, Northern German Gas Basin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Corona, F.V.; Brauckmann, F.; Beckmann, H.; Gobi, A.; Grassmann, S.; Neble, J.; Roettgen, K. [ExxonMobil Production Deutschland GmbH (EMPG), Hannover (Germany)

2013-08-01

A cross-fault pressure depletion study in Upper Permian Zechstein Ca2 carbonate reservoir was undertaken in the Weser-Ems area of the Northern German Gas Basin. The primary objectives are to develop a practical workflow to define cross-fault pressures scenarios for Zechstein Ca2 reservoir drillwells, to determine the key factors of cross-fault pressure behavior in this platform carbonate reservoir, and to translate the observed cross-fault pressure depletion to fault transmissibility for reservoir simulation models. Analysis of Zechstein Ca2 cross-fault pressures indicates that most Zechstein-cutting faults appear to act as fluid-flow baffles with some local occurrences of fault seal. Moreover, there appears to be distinct cross-fault baffling or pressure depletion trends that may be related to the extent of the separating fault or fault system, degree of reservoir flow-path tortuosity, and quality of reservoir juxtaposition. Based on the above observations, a three-part workflow was developed consisting of (1) careful interpretation and mapping of faults and fault networks, (2) analysis of reservoir juxtaposition and reservoir juxtaposition quality, and (3) application of the observed cross-fault pressure depletion trends. This approach is field-analog based, is practical, and is being used currently to provide reliable and supportable pressure prediction scenarios for subsequent Zechstein fault-bounded drill-well opportunities.

Seismogenic structures of the 2006 ML4.0 Dangan Island earthquake offshore Hong Kong

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Shaohong; Cao, Jinghe; Sun, Jinlong; Lv, Jinshui; Xu, Huilong; Zhang, Xiang; Wan, Kuiyuan; Fan, Chaoyan; Zhou, Pengxiang

2018-02-01

The northern margin of the South China Sea, as a typical extensional continental margin, has relatively strong intraplate seismicity. Compared with the active zones of Nanao Island, Yangjiang, and Heyuan, seismicity in the Pearl River Estuary is relatively low. However, a ML4.0 earthquake in 2006 occurred near Dangan Island (DI) offshore Hong Kong, and this site was adjacent to the source of the historical M5.8 earthquake in 1874. To reveal the seismogenic mechanism of intraplate earthquakes in DI, we systematically analyzed the structural characteristics in the source area of the 2006 DI earthquake using integrated 24-channel seismic profiles, onshore-offshore wide-angle seismic tomography, and natural earthquake parameters. We ascertained the locations of NW- and NE-trending faults in the DI sea and found that the NE-trending DI fault mainly dipped southeast at a high angle and cut through the crust with an obvious low-velocity anomaly. The NW-trending fault dipped southwest with a similar high angle. The 2006 DI earthquake was adjacent to the intersection of the NE- and NW-trending faults, which suggested that the intersection of the two faults with different strikes could provide a favorable condition for the generation and triggering of intraplate earthquakes. Crustal velocity model showed that the high-velocity anomaly was imaged in the west of DI, but a distinct entity with low-velocity anomaly in the upper crust and high-velocity anomaly in the lower crust was found in the south of DI. Both the 1874 and 2006 DI earthquakes occurred along the edge of the distinct entity. Two vertical cross-sections nearly perpendicular to the strikes of the intersecting faults revealed good spatial correlations between the 2006 DI earthquake and the low to high speed transition in the distinct entity. This result indicated that the transitional zone might be a weakly structural body that can store strain energy and release it as a brittle failure, resulting in an earthquake

Integration of InSAR and GIS in the Study of Surface Faults Caused by Subsidence-Creep-Fault Processes in Celaya, Guanajuato, Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Avila-Olivera, Jorge A.; Farina, Paolo; Garduno-Monroy, Victor H.

2008-01-01

In Celaya city, Subsidence-Creep-Fault Processes (SCFP) began to become visible at the beginning of the 1980s with the sprouting of the crackings that gave rise to the surface faults 'Oriente' and 'Poniente'. At the present time, the city is being affected by five surface faults that display a preferential NNW-SSE direction, parallel to the regional faulting system 'Taxco-San Miguel de Allende'. In order to study the SCFP in the city, the first step was to obtain a map of surface faults, by integrating in a GIS field survey and an urban city plan. The following step was to create a map of the current phreatic level decline in city with the information of deep wells and using the 'kriging' method in order to obtain a continuous surface. Finally the interferograms maps resulted of an InSAR analysis of 9 SAR images covering the time interval between July 12 of 2003 and May 27 of 2006 were integrated to a GIS. All the maps generated, show how the surface faults divide the city from North to South, in two zones that behave in a different way. The difference of the phreatic level decline between these two zones is 60 m; and the InSAR study revealed that the Western zone practically remains stable, while sinkings between the surface faults 'Oriente' and 'Universidad Pedagogica' are present, as well as in portions NE and SE of the city, all of these sinkings between 7 and 10 cm/year

Integration of InSAR and GIS in the Study of Surface Faults Caused by Subsidence-Creep-Fault Processes in Celaya, Guanajuato, Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Avila-Olivera, Jorge A.; Farina, Paolo; Garduño-Monroy, Victor H.

2008-05-01

In Celaya city, Subsidence-Creep-Fault Processes (SCFP) began to become visible at the beginning of the 1980s with the sprouting of the crackings that gave rise to the surface faults "Oriente" and "Poniente". At the present time, the city is being affected by five surface faults that display a preferential NNW-SSE direction, parallel to the regional faulting system "Taxco-San Miguel de Allende". In order to study the SCFP in the city, the first step was to obtain a map of surface faults, by integrating in a GIS field survey and an urban city plan. The following step was to create a map of the current phreatic level decline in city with the information of deep wells and using the "kriging" method in order to obtain a continuous surface. Finally the interferograms maps resulted of an InSAR analysis of 9 SAR images covering the time interval between July 12 of 2003 and May 27 of 2006 were integrated to a GIS. All the maps generated, show how the surface faults divide the city from North to South, in two zones that behave in a different way. The difference of the phreatic level decline between these two zones is 60 m; and the InSAR study revealed that the Western zone practically remains stable, while sinkings between the surface faults "Oriente" and "Universidad Pedagógica" are present, as well as in portions NE and SE of the city, all of these sinkings between 7 and 10 cm/year.

Diurnal, seasonal, and annual trends in tropospheric CO in Southwest London during 2000-2015: Wind sector analysis and comparisons with urban and remote sites

Science.gov (United States)

Hernández-Paniagua, Iván Y.; Lowry, David; Clemitshaw, Kevin C.; Palmer, Paul I.; Fisher, Rebecca E.; France, James L.; Mendoza, Alberto; O'Doherty, Simon; Forster, Grant; Lanoisellé, M.; Nisbet, Euan G.

2018-03-01

Ambient carbon monoxide (CO) and meteorological parameters measured at the Egham (EGH) semi-rural site in SW London during 2000-2015 have permitted wind sector analysis of diurnal and seasonal cycles, and interpretation of long-term trends. CO daily amplitudes are used as a proxy for anthropogenic emissions. At EGH, morning and evening peaks in CO arise from the dominant contribution of road transport sources. Smaller amplitudes are observed during weekends than weekdays due to lower combustion emissions, and for mornings compared to evenings due to the timing of the development and break-up of the nocturnal inversion layer or planetary boundary layer (PBL). A wavelet transform revealed that the dominant mode of CO variability is the annual cycle, with apparent winter maxima likely due to increased CO emissions from domestic heating with summer minima ascribed to enhanced dispersion and dilution during the annual maximum of PBL mixing heights. Over the last two decades, both mitigation measures to reduce CO emissions and also a major switch to diesel cars, have accompanied a change at EGH from the dominance of local diurnal sources to a site measuring close to Atlantic background levels in summer months. CO observed in the S and SW wind sectors has declined by 4.7 and 5.9 ppb yr-1 respectively. The EGH CO record shows the highest levels in the early 2000s, with levels in E and calm winds comparable to those recorded at background stations in Greater London. However, since 2012, levels in S-SW sector have become more comparable with Mace Head background except during rush-hour periods. Marked declines in CO are observed during 2000-2008 for the NE, E, SE (London) and calm wind sectors, with the smallest declines observed for the S, SW and W (background) sectors. For the majority of wind sectors, the decline in CO is less noticeable since 2008, with an apparent stabilisation for NE, E and SE after 2009. The EGH CO data record exhibits a similar but slower exponential

Gravity Anomalies Over The Gongola Arm, Upper Benue Trough ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A regional gravity survey of the Gongola Arm of the Benue trough was carried out with the aim of determining structures of interest. The results of the gravity interpretation showed that the area of study is characterized by negative Bouguer anomalies that trend in the NE-SW direction and range in value from -75 to -15 mGal ...

GEOPHYSICAL INVESTIGATION OF MARBLE OCCURRENCE IN ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The marble deposit is characterised by both local resistivity highs (in the range of 20-61 ohm-m within an immediate background of less than 10 ohm-m and low magnetic effect of less than 800 gammas. The outline of the marble deposit based on the above characteristic has an approximately NE-SW trend with a lateral and ...

Structural and K/Ar Illite geochronological constraints on the brittle deformation history of the Olkiluoto Region, Southwest Finland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Viola, G.; Zwingmann, H.; Todd, A.; Raven, M.

2011-07-01

This study has generated a new conceptual scheme for the > 1.5 Gyr long brittle evolution of southwestern Finland and the Olkiluoto Island. Based on the study of a number of chosen outcrops containing key structural relationships and the analysis of almost two thousands striated fault planes, seven robust paleo stress tensors have been defined. By comparing and contrasting them with known paleostates of stress derived from southeast Sweden and by using absolute and relative geochronological criteria, it was possible to assign them to a number of specific tectonic events that have affected southwest Finland. Uniaxial compression of late Svecofennian age with a regional NNWSSE σ 1 axis was active soon after 1.75 Ga ago, when environmental conditions leading to brittle deformation were first attained in the region. A younger paleostress field with a NE-SW σ 1 axis, transpressive in character, is inferred to have been active soon after and to have caused significant reactivation of some of the structures formed during the first shortening event. A phase of ESE-WNW extension is constrained by a number of stress tensors and direct field evidence and is here tentatively assigned to the Gothian event and the time of rapakivi magmatism. Further NE-SW extension is taken as the last increment of crustal extension in southwestern Finland and is interpreted as having accommodated upper crustal stretching and the formation and infill of the NWSE- elongated Satakunta graben between 1.6 and 1.3 Ga. A significant and wellconstrained phase of c. NE-SW shortening post dated the rapakivi granites as well as the abundant c. 1260 Ma olivine diabase sills in southwestern Finland. A shortening direction of similar age is not described elsewhere in Fennoscandia. We propose that this phase might be the expression of an hitherto unreported phase of compression that caused inversion of the Satakunta graben. Later E-W compression is assigned to the early stages of the Mesoproterozoic

The Control Unit of KM3NeT data acquisition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bozza Cristiano

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The KM3NeT Collaboration is building a new generation of neutrino telescopes in the Mediterranean Sea. With the telescopes, scientists will search for cosmic neutrinos to study highly energetic objects in the Universe, while one neutrino detector will be dedicated to measure the properties of the high-energy neutrino particles themselves. Control of the KM3NeT data acquisition processes is handled by the KM3NeT Control Unit, which has been designed to maximise the detector live time. The Control Unit features software programs with different roles, following the philosophy of having no single point of failure. While all programs are interconnected, each one can also work alone for most of the time in case other services are unavailable. All services run on the Common Language Runtime, which ensures portability, flexibility and automatic memory management. Each service has an embedded Web server, providing a user interface as well as programmatic access to data and functions. Data to and from detector components for monitoring and management purposes are transmitted using a custom designed protocol. The Control Unit is interfaced to one or more Message Dispatchers to control the data acquisition chain. A Data Base Interface provides fast and fault-tolerant connection to a remote Data Base.

Reverse fault growth and fault interaction with frictional interfaces: insights from analogue models

Science.gov (United States)

Bonanno, Emanuele; Bonini, Lorenzo; Basili, Roberto; Toscani, Giovanni; Seno, Silvio

2017-04-01

precut models with isotropic models to evaluate the trends of variability. Our results indicate that the discontinuities are reactivated especially when the tip of the newly-formed fault is either below or connected to them. During the stage of maximum activity along the precut, the faults slow down or even stop their propagation. The fault propagation systematically resumes when the angle between the fault and the precut is about 90° (critical angle); only during this stage the fault crosses the precut. The reactivation of the discontinuities induces an increase of the apical angle of the fault-related fold and produces wider limbs compared to the isotropic reference experiments.

Soil-gas monitoring: A tool for fault delineation studies along Hsinhua Fault (Tainan), Southern Taiwan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Walia, Vivek, E-mail: vivekwalia@rediffmail.com [National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering, National Applied Research Laboratories, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China); Lin, Shih Jung [National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering, National Applied Research Laboratories, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China); Fu, Ching Chou; Yang, Tsanyao Frank; Hong, Wei-Li [Department of Geosciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China); Wen, Kuo-Liang [National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering, National Applied Research Laboratories, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China)] [Department of Earth Sciences and Institute of Geophysics, National Central University, Jhongli 32054, Taiwan (China); Chen, Cheng-Hong [Department of Geosciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China)

2010-04-15

Many studies have shown the soil gas method to be one of the most reliable investigation tools in the research of earthquake precursory signals and fault delineation. The present research is aimed finding the relationship between soil gas distribution and tectonic systems in the vicinity of the Hsinhua Fault zone in the Tainan area of Southern Taiwan. More than 110 samples were collected along 13 traverses to find the spatial distribution of Rn, He, CO{sub 2} and N{sub 2}. The spatial congruence of all the gases shows that N{sub 2} is the most probable carrier gas of He, whereas CO{sub 2} seems to be a good carrier gas of Rn in this area. From the spatial distribution of Rn, He, CO{sub 2} and N{sub 2} the trace of Hsinhua Fault and neotectonic features can be identified. The spatial distribution of studied gases shows a clear anomalous trend ENE-SWS along the Hsinhua Fault.

Soil-gas monitoring: A tool for fault delineation studies along Hsinhua Fault (Tainan), Southern Taiwan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walia, Vivek; Lin, Shih Jung; Fu, Ching Chou; Yang, Tsanyao Frank; Hong, Wei-Li; Wen, Kuo-Liang; Chen, Cheng-Hong

2010-01-01

Many studies have shown the soil gas method to be one of the most reliable investigation tools in the research of earthquake precursory signals and fault delineation. The present research is aimed finding the relationship between soil gas distribution and tectonic systems in the vicinity of the Hsinhua Fault zone in the Tainan area of Southern Taiwan. More than 110 samples were collected along 13 traverses to find the spatial distribution of Rn, He, CO 2 and N 2 . The spatial congruence of all the gases shows that N 2 is the most probable carrier gas of He, whereas CO 2 seems to be a good carrier gas of Rn in this area. From the spatial distribution of Rn, He, CO 2 and N 2 the trace of Hsinhua Fault and neotectonic features can be identified. The spatial distribution of studied gases shows a clear anomalous trend ENE-SWS along the Hsinhua Fault.

Formation and inversion of transtensional basins in the western part of the Lachlan Fold Belt, Australia, with emphasis on the Cobar Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Glen, R. A.

The Palaeozoic history of the western part of the Lachlan Fold Belt in New South Wales was dominated by strike-slip tectonics. In the latest Silurian to late Early Devonian, an area of crust >25,000 km 2 lying west of the Gilmore Suture underwent regional sinistral transtension, leading to the development of intracratonic successor basins, troughs and flanking shelves. The volcaniclastic deep-water Mount Hope Trough and Rast Trough, the siliciclastic Cobar Basin and the volcanic-rich Canbelego-Mineral Hill Belt of the Kopyje Shelf all were initiated around the Siluro-Devonian boundary. They all show clear evidence of having evolved by both active syn-rift processes and passive later post-rift (sag-phase) processes. Active syn-rift faulting is best documented for the Cobar Basin and Mount Hope Trough. In the former case, the synchronous activity on several fault sets suggests that the basin formed by sinistral transtension in response to a direction of maximum extension oriented NE-SW. Structures formed during inversion of the Cobar Basin and Canbelego-Mineral Hill Belt indicate closure under a dextral transpressive strain regime, with a far-field direction of maximum shortening oriented NE-SW. In the Cobar Basin, shortening was partitioned into two structural zones. A high-strain zone in the east was developed into a positive half-flower structure by re-activation of early faults and by formation of short-cut thrusts, some with strike-slip movement, above an inferred steep strike-slip fault. Intense subvertical cleavage, a steep extension lineation and variably plunging folds are also present. A lower-strain zone to the west developed by syn-depositional faults being activated as thrusts soling into a gently dipping detachment. A subvertical cleavage and steep extension lineation are locally present, and variably plunging folds are common. Whereas Siluro-Devonian basin-opening appeared to be synchronous in the western part of the fold belt, the different period of

Effects of irregular basement structure on the geometry and emplacement of frontal thrusts and duplexes in the Quebec Appalachians: Interpretations from well and seismic reflection data

Science.gov (United States)

Konstantinovskaya, E.; Malo, M.; Badina, F.

2014-12-01

Irregular basement geometry may affect thrust propagation in foreland fold-thrust belts creating a perturbation in structural continuity of hydrocarbon fields. Here we investigate how the irregular pattern of normal faults, along with the presence of uplifts and transverse faults in the Grenvillian basement has influenced the geometry and emplacement of frontal thrusts and duplexes in the parautochthonous domain of the southern Quebec Appalachians during the middle-late Ordovician Taconian orogeny. Integration of data from surface geology, wells, and 2D and 3D seismic reflection surveys into a regional-scale structural model is used to reconstruct the 3D geometry and emplacement history of one- and two-horse duplexes in the Joly-Saint-Flavien gas storage area. The normal hinterland to foreland sequence of thrusting in this area is complicated by the differential emplacement of tectonic slices along strike of the orogenic front, starting in the SW and developing subsequently to the NE within each structural level. The shortening related to duplex emplacement decreases laterally over the distance of 20 km from - 49% in the SW (Joly area) to - 31% in the NE (Saint-Flavien area). Duplex emplacement resulted from the differential forward propagation, deflexion and vertical-axis rotation of the roof thrust (Logan's Line), which, in turn, has been induced by the presence of frontal uplift and transverse faults in the basement. The structural-lithological analysis of tectonic slices and restoration of their initial location allows us to consider the lower slice of the Joly duplex as a structural trap comparable to the fractured reservoir in lower Ordovician dolomites of the Saint-Flavien duplex.

Morphotectonic aspects of active folding in Zagros Mountains (Fin, SE of Iran)

Science.gov (United States)

Roustaei, M.; Abbasi, M.

2008-05-01

Active deformation in Iran, structural province of Zagros is a result of the convergence between the Arabian & Eurasian plates. The Zagros Mountains in southern Iran are one of the seismically active region & is introduced as fold-thrust belt trending NW-SE within the Arabian plate. Fin lies in Hormozgan province; the south of Iran. The vastness is surrounded by central Iran in the north, High Zagros in the North West and west, Folded Zagros in the east, Makran in the south east and Persian Gulf in the south. The study area is determined by complex structures, alternation of folding, salt diapers and faulting. The surface geology mainly comprises Neogene; Marls, Conglomerate, Sandstones (Mishan, Aghajari, Bakhtiyari formations), old fans and alluvium as syncline that Shur River cuts its north limb and passes from the middle of core .The older formations( Ghachsaran, Rzak and Guri member) folded into prominent anticlines. The fold axes mostly follow the parallel trends .Folds trending are NW-SE (Tashkend anticline), NE-SW (Khur anticline), E-W (Guniz & Handun anticline) and the trend of axes Baz fold in the main part is E-W. Hormoz salt also outcrops in the cores of many whaleback anticlines. Thus, anticlines may be cored with evaporates, even though no salt is currently exposed at the surface. Reason of selecting this area as an example referred to active seismcity. Release of energy is gradually in every events, this seismic character cusses that there was not earthquake with high magnitude in the area but it can not be a role. Answer to the question concerning relationship between folding of the crust layer and faulting at depth is more difficult. There is 2 terms to describe this relationship; "detachment folds" and" forced folds". In this paper, we try to analysis of different satellite imagery; Aster, spot and digital elevation model with high resolution (10 m) in order to detect geomorphic indicators which can help us to find a relationship between faulting

Contribution of gravity data and Sentinel-1 image for structural mapping. Case of Beni Mellal Atlas and Beni Moussa plain (Morocco).

Science.gov (United States)

Boutirame, Ikram; Boukdir, Ahmed; Akhssas, Ahmed; Boutirame, Fatima; Manar, Ahmed; Aghzzaf, Brahim

2018-05-01

The present work is a combined study of gravity and Sentine-1 data for fracture mapping in the karstic massif of Beni Mellal Atlas and the adjacent plain of Beni Moussa. In order to locate the various faults that contribute to the study area structuring, the gravimetric contacts analysis method, based on the joint use of the horizontal gradient and the upward continuation at different altitudes, has been applied to the gravity data. To optimize the structural mapping in the study area, the gravimetric lineaments obtained were completed and correlated with the lineaments got from Sentinel-1 image. Four faults families of NE-SW; E-O; N-S and NWSE directions have been highlighted. There fault families are perfectly combined with the studied area's surface water network, moreover, they corroborate with the previous geological and structural studies.

Surface faults in the gulf coastal plain between Victoria and Beaumont, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Verbeek, Earl R.

1979-01-01

Displacement of the land surface by faulting is widespread in the Houston-Galveston region, an area which has undergone moderate to severe land subsidence associated with fluid withdrawal (principally water, and to a lesser extent, oil and gas). A causative link between subsidence and fluid extraction has been convincingly reported in the published literature. However, the degree to which fluid withdrawal affects fault movement in the Texas Gulf Coast, and the mechanism(s) by which this occurs are as yet unclear. Faults that offset the ground surface are not confined to the large (>6000-km2) subsidence “bowl” centered on Houston, but rather are common and characteristic features of Gulf Coast geology. Current observations and conclusions concerning surface faults mapped in a 35,000-km2 area between Victoria and Beaumont, Texas (which area includes the Houston subsidence bowl) may be summarized as follows: (1) Hundreds of faults cutting the Pleistocene and Holocene sediments exposed in the coastal plain have been mapped. Many faults lie well outside the Houston-Galveston region; of these, more than 10% are active, as shown by such features as displaced, fractured, and patched road surfaces, structural failure of buildings astride faults, and deformed railroad tracks. (2) Complex patterns of surface faults are common above salt domes. Both radial patterns (for example, in High Island, Blue Ridge, Clam Lake, and Clinton domes) and crestal grabens (for example, in the South Houston and Friendswood-Webster domes) have been recognized. Elongate grabens connecting several known and suspected salt domes, such as the fault zone connecting Mykawa, Friendswood-Webster, and Clear Lake domes, suggest fault development above rising salt ridges. (3) Surface faults associated with salt domes tend to be short (10 km), occur singly or in simple grabens, have gently sinuous traces, and tend to lie roughly parallel to the ENE-NE “coastwise” trend common to regional growth

Deep-Sea Mega-Epibenthic Assemblages from the SW Portuguese Margin (NE Atlantic Subjected to Bottom-Trawling Fisheries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sofia P. Ramalho

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Bottom-trawling fisheries are a common threat to the health of continental margins worldwide. Together with numerous environmental and biological processes, physical disturbance induced by trawlers can largely shape the benthic habitats and their associated assemblages. At the SW Portuguese Margin, crustacean bottom trawlers have exploited deep-sea habitats for a few decades, but its effects on the benthic biodiversity are practically unknown. During the spring-summer of 2013 and 2014, several Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV video transects were used to investigate mega-epibenthic abundance, composition, and diversity in soft-sediment areas subjected to varying trawling pressures off Sines and Setúbal (200–800 m. Differences in mega-epibenthic assemblages were linked with environmental changes (depth, grain size, primary productivity and trawling disturbance. The effect of trawling was assessed between segments with similar habitat characteristics, i.e., muddy-sand bottoms between 300 and 500 m. Areas subjected to intensive trawling pressure showed a generally flattened seabed, with abundant recent trawl marks (up to 3 scars.100 m−1, indicating that the seabed physical integrity was compromised. Significant negative correlations were detected between various mega-epibenthic diversity indices [S, H′, and ET(20] and trawling pressure (h.cell−1.y−1. Furthermore, the distinct mega-epibenthic assemblages and absence of several sessile erect morphospecies at both low and highly disturbed locations by trawling off Sines, namely all seapen morphospecies found in non-trawled areas, demonstrates the negative influence of trawling fisheries on the benthic component of the study area. Also, low dissimilarity between assemblages from the main fishing grounds and the adjacent low-disturbance locations, suggests that the potentially negative influence of trawling can extend beyond the targeted areas (e.g., by the plumes of re-suspended sediments. The

The continuation of the Kazerun fault system across the Sanandaj-Sirjan zone (Iran)

Science.gov (United States)

Safaei, Homayon

2009-08-01

The Kazerun (or Kazerun-Qatar) fault system is a north-trending dextral strike-slip fault zone in the Zagros mountain belt of Iran. It probably originated as a structure in the Panafrican basement. This fault system played an important role in the sedimentation and deformation of the Phanerozoic cover sequence and is still seismically active. No previous studies have reported the continuation of this important and ancient fault system northward across the Sanandaj-Sirjan zone. The Isfahan fault system is a north-trending dextral strike-slip fault across the Sanandaj-Sirjan zone that passes west of Isfahan city and is here recognized for the first time. This important fault system is about 220 km long and is seismically active in the basement as well as the sedimentary cover sequence. This fault system terminates to the south near the Main Zagros Thrust and to the north at the southern boundary of the Urumieh-Dokhtar zone. The Isfahan fault system is the boundary between the northern and southern parts of Sanandaj-Sirjan zone, which have fundamentally different stratigraphy, petrology, geomorphology, and geodynamic histories. Similarities in the orientations, kinematics, and geologic histories of the Isfahan and Kazerun faults and the way they affect the magnetic basement suggest that they are related. In fact, the Isfahan fault is a continuation of the Kazerun fault across the Sanandaj-Sirjan zone that has been offset by about 50 km of dextral strike-slip displacement along the Main Zagros Thrust.

Regional forecast model for the Olea pollen season in Extremadura (SW Spain)

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández-Rodríguez, Santiago; Durán-Barroso, Pablo; Silva-Palacios, Inmaculada; Tormo-Molina, Rafael; Maya-Manzano, José María; Gonzalo-Garijo, Ángela

2016-10-01

The olive tree ( Olea europaea) is a predominantly Mediterranean anemophilous species. The pollen allergens from this tree are an important cause of allergic problems. Olea pollen may be relevant in relation to climate change, due to the fact that its flowering phenology is related to meteorological parameters. This study aims to investigate airborne Olea pollen data from a city on the SW Iberian Peninsula, to analyse the trends in these data and their relationships with meteorological parameters using time series analysis. Aerobiological sampling was conducted from 1994 to 2013 in Badajoz (SW Spain) using a 7-day Hirst-type volumetric sampler. The main Olea pollen season lasted an average of 34 days, from May 4th to June 7th. The model proposed to forecast airborne pollen concentrations, described by one equation. This expression is composed of two terms: the first term represents the resilience of the pollen concentration trend in the air according to the average concentration of the previous 10 days; the second term was obtained from considering the actual pollen concentration value, which is calculated based on the most representative meteorological variables multiplied by a fitting coefficient. Due to the allergenic characteristics of this pollen type, it should be necessary to forecast its short-term prevalence using a long record of data in a city with a Mediterranean climate. The model obtained provides a suitable level of confidence to forecast Olea airborne pollen concentration.

Active faults, paleoseismology, and historical fault rupture in northern Wairarapa, North Island, New Zealand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schermer, E.R.; Van Dissen, R.; Berryman, K.R.; Kelsey, H.M.; Cashman, S.M.

2004-01-01

Active faulting in the upper plate of the Hikurangi subduction zone, North Island, New Zealand, represents a significant seismic hazard that is not yet well understood. In northern Wairarapa, the geometry and kinematics of active faults, and the Quaternary and historical surface-rupture record, have not previously been studied in detail. We present the results of mapping and paleoseismicity studies on faults in the northern Wairarapa region to document the characteristics of active faults and the timing of earthquakes. We focus on evidence for surface rupture in the 1855 Wairarapa (M w 8.2) and 1934 Pahiatua (M w 7.4) earthquakes, two of New Zealand's largest historical earthquakes. The Dreyers Rock, Alfredton, Saunders Road, Waitawhiti, and Waipukaka faults form a northeast-trending, east-stepping array of faults. Detailed mapping of offset geomorphic features shows the rupture lengths vary from c. 7 to 20 km and single-event displacements range from 3 to 7 m, suggesting the faults are capable of generating M >7 earthquakes. Trenching results show that two earthquakes have occurred on the Alfredton Fault since c. 2900 cal. BP. The most recent event probably occurred during the 1855 Wairarapa earthquake as slip propagated northward from the Wairarapa Fault and across a 6 km wide step. Waipukaka Fault trenches show that at least three surface-rupturing earthquakes have occurred since 8290-7880 cal. BP. Analysis of stratigraphic and historical evidence suggests the most recent rupture occurred during the 1934 Pahiatua earthquake. Estimates of slip rates provided by these data suggest that a larger component of strike slip than previously suspected is occurring within the upper plate and that the faults accommodate a significant proportion of the dextral component of oblique subduction. Assessment of seismic hazard is difficult because the known fault scarp lengths appear too short to have accommodated the estimated single-event displacements. Faults in the region are

Dating of movements along thrusts and faults in the Himalaya

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saini, H.S.

1982-01-01

Radiometric dating of movements along the MCT (Vaikrita Thrust), two local but deep seated thrust and the Sumdoh Fault Zone bordering the Kinnar Kailas Granite in the Baspa and Satluj valleys, NE Himachal Himalaya, has been attempted for the first time by fission track method. Garnet and apatite fission track ages suggest the age of the latest phase of movements around 14 and 7 m.y. respectively along the MCT and Sumdoh Fault. The vertical uplift rates along them were 1.1mm/year from 14 to 7 m.y. and 0.6 mm/year from 7 m.y. to recent geologic past respectively, as against the value 0.036 mm/year during the period from 210 to 17 m.y. in the undisturbed area. (author)

Soil gas anomalies along the Watukosek fault system, East Java, Indonesia

Science.gov (United States)

Sciarra, A.; Ruggiero, L.; Bigi, S.; Mazzini, A.

2017-12-01

Two soil gas surveys were carried out in the Sidoarjo district (East Java, Indonesia) to investigate the gas leaking properties along fractured zones that coincide with a strike-slip system in NE Java, the Watukosek Fault System. This structure has been the focus of attention since the beginning of the spectacular Lusi mud eruption on the 29th May 2006. This fault system appear to be a sinistral strike-slip system that originates from the Arjuno-Welirang volcanic complex, intersects the active Lusi eruption site displaying a system of antithetic faults, and extends towards the NE of Java where mud volcanic structures reside. In the Lusi region we completed two geochemical surveys (222Rn and 220Rn activity, CO2 and CH4 flux and concentration) along four profiles crossing the Watukosek fault system. In May 2015 two profiles ( 1.2 km long) were performed inside the 7 km2 embankment area framing the erupted mud breccia zone and across regions characterized by intense fracturing and surface deformation. In April 2017 two additional profiles ( 4 km long) were carried out in the northern and southern part outside the Lusi embankment mud eruption area, intersecting the direction of main Watukosek fault system. All the profiles highlight that the fractured zones have the highest 222Rn activity, CO2 and CH4 flux and concentration values. The relationship existing among the measured parameters suggest that the Watukosek fault system acts as a preferential pathway for active rise of deep fluids. In addition the longer profiles outside the embankment show very high average values of CO2 (5 - 8 %,v/v) and 222Rn (17 - 11.5 kBq/m3), while soil gas collected along the profiles inside the Lusi mud eruption are CH4-dominant (up to 4.5%,v/v).This suggests that inside the embankment area (i.e. covered by tens of meters thick deposits of erupted mud breccia) the seepage is overall methane-dominated. This is likely the result of microbial reactions ongoing in the organic-rich sediments

Magnetic anomalies in the Cosmonauts Sea, off East Antarctica

Science.gov (United States)

Nogi, Y.; Hanyu, T.; Fujii, M.

2017-12-01

Identification of magnetic anomaly lineations and fracture zone trends in the Southern Indian Ocean, are vital to understanding the breakup of Gondwana. However, the magnetic spreading anomalies and fracture zones are not clear in the Southern Indian Ocean. Magnetic anomaly lineations in the Cosmonauts Sea, off East Antarctica, are key to elucidation of separation between Sri Lanka/India and Antarctica. No obvious magnetic anomaly lineations are observed from a Japanese/German aerogeophysical survey in the Cosmonauts Sea, and this area is considered to be created by seafloor spreading during the Cretaceous Normal Superchron. Vector magnetic anomaly measurements have been conducted on board the Icebreaker Shirase mainly to understand the process of Gondwana fragmentation in the Indian Ocean. Magnetic boundary strikes are derived from vector magnetic anomalies obtained in the Cosmonauts Sea. NE-SW trending magnetic boundary strikes are mainly observed along the several NW-SE oriented observation lines with magnetic anomaly amplitudes of about 200 nT. These NE-SW trending magnetic boundary strikes possibly indicate M-series magnetic anomalies that can not be detected from the aerogeophysical survey with nearly N-S observation lines. We will discuss the magnetic spreading anomalies and breakup process between Sri Lanka/India and Antarctica in the Cosmonauts Sea.

Helium, neon, and argon composition of the solar wind as recorded in gold and other Genesis collector materials

Science.gov (United States)

Pepin, Robert O.; Schlutter, Dennis J.; Becker, Richard H.; Reisenfeld, Daniel B.

2012-07-01

We report compositions and fluxes of light noble gases in the solar wind (SW), extracted by stepped pyrolysis and amalgamation from gold collector materials carried on the Genesis Solar Wind Sample Return Mission. Results are compared with data from other laboratories on SW-He, Ne and Ar distributions implanted in Genesis aluminum, carbon, and silicon collectors and extracted by laser ablation. Corrections for mass-dependent losses (“backscatter”) of impinging SW ions due to scattering from the collector material are substantially larger for gold than for these lower atomic weight targets. We assess such losses by SRIM simulation calculations of SW backscatter from gold which are applied to the measurements to recover the composition of the incident SW. Averaged results of integrated stepped pyrolysis and single-step amalgamation measurements, with 1σ errors, are as follows: for SW-Ne and Ar isotope ratios (3He/4He was not measured), 20Ne/22Ne = 14.001 ± 0.042, 21Ne/22Ne = 0.03361 ± 0.00018, 36Ar/38Ar = 5.501 ± 0.014; for SW element ratios, 4He/20Ne = 641 ± 15, 20Ne/36Ar = 51.6 ± 0.5; and for SW fluxes in atoms cm-2 s-1 at the Genesis L1 station, 4He = 1.14 ± 0.04 × 107, 20Ne = 1.80 ± 0.06 × 104, 36Ar = 3.58 ± 0.11 × 102. Except for the 21Ne/22Ne and 20Ne/36Ar ratios, these values are in reasonable accord (within ∼1-3σ) with measurements on different collector materials reported by one or both of two other Genesis noble gas research groups. We further find, in three stepped pyrolysis experiments on gold foil, that He, Ne and Ar are released at increasing temperatures without elemental fractionation, in contrast to a pyrolytic extraction of a single non-gold collector (Al) where the release patterns point to mass-dependent thermal diffusion. The pyrolyzed gold foils exhibit enhancements, relative to sample totals, in 20Ne/22Ne and 21Ne/22Ne ratios evolved at low temperatures. The absence of elemental fractionation in pyrolytic release from gold

Geomorphologic, stratigraphic and sedimentologic evidences of tectonic activity in Sone-Ganga alluvial tract in Middle Ganga Plain, India

Science.gov (United States)

Sahu, Sudarsan; Saha, Dipankar

2014-08-01

The basement of the Ganga basin in the Himalayan foreland is criss-crossed by several faults, dividing the basin into several sub-blocks forming horsts, grabens, or half-grabens. Tectonic perturbations along basement faults have affected the fluvial regime and extent of sediment fill in different parts of the basin during Late Quaternary. The East Patna Fault (EPF) and the West Patna Fault (WPF), located in Sone-Ganga alluvial tract in the southern marginal parts of Middle Ganga Plain (MGP), have remained tectonically active. The EPF particularly has acted significantly and influenced in evolving the geomorphological landscape and the stratigraphic architecture of the area. The block bounded by the two faults has earlier been considered as a single entity, constituting a half-graben. The present investigation (by morpho-stratigraphic and sedimentologic means) has revealed the existence of yet another fault within the half-graben, referred to as Bishunpur-Khagaul Fault (BKF). Many of the long profile morphological characters (e.g., knick-zone, low width-depth ratio) of the Sone River at its lower reaches can be ascribed to local structural deformation along BKF. These basement faults in MGP lie parallel to each other in NE-SW direction.

"Ne kreshtshenogo, ne otpetogo..." : [luuletused] / Marina Petrova

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Petrova, Marina

2001-01-01

Sisu: "Ne kreshtshenogo, ne otpetogo..." ; "Inogo mesta vstretshi v mire net..." ; "Moi put lezhit tsherez Moskvu..." ; "Osvoboditelnaja ossen - ..." ; Pjuhtitskim aistam ; "Vesjolõje svetshi kanona..." ; Vjuga ; Materi Bozhijei Pjuhtitskoi ; "Pustõnja moja, pustõnja..." ; "Odinnadtsat let v mojo serdtse gljadjat kupola..."

Fault plane solutions as related to known geological faults in and near India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. SRIVASTAVA

1975-05-01

Full Text Available Based on the focal mechanism solutions of newly determined solutions, and other recent workers the correlation between one of the nodal planes and the geological faults has been discussed for three regions namely Kashmir, Central Himalayas and northeast India including Assam. The variability between multiple solutions reported for some earthquakes and the limitations in the choice of the nodal plane from /'-wave solutions have been brought out. It is seen that no standard criteria either on the basis of isoseismals or of aftershocks can be used to distinguish the fault plane from the auxiliary plane. It has been found that in general there is good agreement between one of the nodal planes and the geological faults in Kashmir and the Central Himalayas. In northeast India, the strike directions obtained from the mechanism solutions generally agree with the trends of the main thrusts but the dip direction for shocks originating in the India-Burma border

Spectra of the earthquake sequence February-March, 1981, in south-central Sweden

OpenAIRE

O. Kulhánek; T. van Eck; N. John; K. Meyer; Rutger Wahlström

1983-01-01

On February 13, 1981, a relatively strong earthquake occurred in the Lake Vanern region in south-central Sweden. The shock had a magnitude of M"SUB L" = 3.3 and was followed within three weeks by three aftershocks, with magnitudes 0.5 = or < M"SUB L" = or < 1.0. The focal mechanism solution of the main shock indicates reverse faulting with a strike in the N-S or NE-SW direction and a nearly horizontal compressional stress. The aftershocks were too small to yield data for a full mechanism solu...

Western Indian Ocean - A glimpse of the tectonic scenario

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Bhattacharya, G.C.; Chaubey, A.K.

is the en echelon displacement of the NW-SE trending ridge axis by numerous NE-SW trending fracture Western Indian Ocean - A Glimpse of the Tectonic Scenario 693 Table 1. Some information from the scientific drilling campaigns in the western Indian Ocean...: Raman Seamount; P: Panikkar Seamount; W: Wadia Guyot; S: SagarKanya Seamount; SR: ShebaRidge; CR: Carlsberg Ridge; CIR: Central Indian Ridge; SWIR: Southwest Indian Ridge; RTJ: Rodrigues Triple Junction; OFZ: Owen Fracture Zone; LR: Laxmi Ridge; MR...

Assessment of the geodynamical setting around the main active faults at Aswan area, Egypt

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Radwan; Hosny, Ahmed; Kotb, Ahmed; Khalil, Ahmed; Azza, Abed; Rayan, Ali

2013-04-01

The proper evaluation of crustal deformations in the Aswan region especially around the main active faults is crucial due to the existence of one major artificial structure: the Aswan High Dam. This construction created one of the major artificial lakes: Lake Nasser. The Aswan area is considered as an active seismic area in Egypt since many recent and historical felted earthquakes occurred such as the impressive earthquake occurred on November 14, 1981 at Kalabsha fault with a local magnitude ML=5.7. Lately, on 26 December 2011, a moderate earthquake with a local magnitude Ml=4.1 occurred at Kalabsha area too. The main target of this study is to evaluate the active geological structures that can potentially affect the Aswan High Dam and that are being monitored in detail. For implementing this objective, two different geophysical tools (magnetic, seismic) in addition to the Global Positioning System (GPS) have been utilized. Detailed land magnetic survey was carried out for the total component of geomagnetic field using two proton magnetometers. The obtained magnetic results reveal that there are three major faults parallel {F1 (Kalabsha), F2 (Seiyal) and F3} affecting the area. The most dominant magnetic trend strikes those faults in the WNW-ESE direction. The seismicity and fault plain solutions of the 26 December 2011 earthquake and its two aftershocks have been investigated. The source mechanisms of those events delineate two nodal plains. The trending ENE-WSW to E-W is consistent with the direction of Kalabsha fault and its extension towards east for the events located over it. The trending NNW-SSE to N-S is consistent with the N-S fault trending. The movement along the ENE-WSW plain is right lateral, but it is left lateral along the NNW-SSE plain. Based on the estimated relative motions using GPS, dextral strike-slip motion at the Kalabsha and Seiyal fault systems is clearly identified by changing in the velocity gradient between south and north stations

Utilizing potential field data to support delineation of groundwater aquifers in the southern Red Sea coast, Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elawadi, Eslam; Mogren, Saad; Ibrahim, Elkhedr; Batayneh, Awni; Al-Bassam, Abdulaziz

2012-01-01

In this paper potential field data are interpreted to map the undulation of the basement surface, which represents the bottom of the water bearing zones, and to delineate the tectonic framework that controls the groundwater flow and accumulation in the southern Red Sea coastal area of Saudi Arabia. The interpretation reveals that the dominant structural trend is a NW (Red Sea) trend that resulted in a series of faulted tilted blocks. These tilted blocks are dissected by another cross-cut NE trend which shapes and forms a series of fault-bounded small basins. These basins and the bounded structural trends control and shape the flow direction of the groundwater in the study area, i.e. they act as groundwater conduits. Furthermore, the present results indicate that volcanic intrusions are present as subsurface flows, which hinder the groundwater exploration and drilling activities in most of the area; in some localities these volcanic flows crop out at the surface and cover the groundwater bearing formations. Furthermore, the gravity and magnetic data interpretation indicates the possible existence of a large structural basin occupying the southeastern side of the study area. This basin is bounded with NW and NE trending faults and is expected to be a good host for groundwater aquifers; thus it is a promising site for hydrogeological investigation. (paper)

The 2008 Puipui eruption and morphology of the Northeast Lau Spreading Center between Maka and Tafu (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Clague, D. A.; Caress, D. W.; Rubin, K. H.; Paduan, J. B.

2010-12-01

An event plume was discovered in the water column between Maka and Tafu volcanoes on the Northeast Lau Spreading Center in Nov. 2008. A Rapid Response cruise in May 2009 found that eruptive activity had ceased after observations on two Jason II ROV dives and one MBARI Mapping AUV survey that mapped most of the axis and flanks at 1.5-m resolution. Jason II located a recent lava flow, which was named Puipui. The small ridge of mounds aligned along two overlapping fissures extend for 1.8 km. The pillow ridge cuts obliquely across the ridge axis. The dive observations show mainly pillow lavas near the NE end and sheet flows near the SE end. A central 340 m portion observed by Jason II as predominantly ponded lobate flows was not mapped by the AUV. The Puipui and prior eruptions produced abundant vesicular angular glass fragments, Pele’s hair, and less abundant limu o Pele pyroclasts that thinly blanket the axial plateau and cascade down the steep flanks, mixing debris from many eruptions. Electron probe analyses of 91 fragments show that 15 Puipui pyroclasts are compositionally variable (normalized 6.5-7.2% MgO, ~49.6% SiO2) and distinct from prior eruptions in the area that have lower TiO2, K2O, Na2O, and K2O; and 52.3-53.7% SiO2. Pyroclasts of all compositions are highly degassed (<0.025% S) prior to eruption. The NE-trending segment, anchored by Maka volcano at the SE end, includes the Puipui flow. The morphology changes dramatically over short distances. The 1 km SW end is characterized by multiple extensional faults that parallel the ridge axis. The AUV survey ends on a sheet flow with drained ponds. To the NE, Maka is a 1.2 km diameter central volcano rising 300 m above the adjacent ridge to a summit at 1515 m. The ridge axis deepens steadily to 2140 m at the NE survey end and 1900 m to the SW. Rift zones on Maka parallel the ridge axis and are constructed of overlapping lava deltas. The NW and SE flanks are smooth like those at actively erupting West Mata

Seismotectonics of Western Turkey: A Synthesis of Source Parameters and Rupture Histories of Recent Earthquakes

Science.gov (United States)

Taymaz, T.; Tan, O.; Yolsal, S.

2004-12-01

The Aegean region, including western Turkey and Greece, is indeed one of the most seismically active and rapidly deforming continental domains in the Earth. The wide range of deformational processes occurring in this region means that the eastern Mediterranean provides a unique opportunity to improve our understanding of the complex kinematics of continental collision, including strike-slip faulting and crustal extension, as well as associated seismicity and volcanism. The tectonic evolution of the Eastern Mediterranean region is dominated by effects of subduction along the Hellenic (Aegean) arc and of continental collision in eastern Anatolia and the Caucasus. Northward subduction of the African plate beneath western Anatolia and the Aegean region is causing crustal extension in the overlying Aegean province. The interplay between dynamic effects of the relative motions of adjoining plates thus controls large-scale crustal deformation and the associated earthquake activity in Turkey. The Aegean region has been subject to extension since Miocene time, and this extension has left a pronounced expression in the present-day topography. It is further widely accepted that the rapid extension observed in western Turkey is mainly accommodated by large active normal faults that control the geomorphology which is dominated by a series of E-W trending normal-fault-bounded horst and graben structures; the N-S extension inferred from these structures is consistent with regional earthquake focal mechanisms. The E-W trending Menderes graben, the NE-SW trending Burdur, Acigol and Baklan, and NW-SE trending Dinar and Sultandag-Aksehir basins all bounded by large faults form a system of half-graben whose orientation is evident in both the topography and the tilting of Neogene sediments adjacent to them. We have studied source mechanisms and rupture histories of ˜20 earthquakes using body-waveform modelling, and have compared the shapes and amplitudes of teleseismic long-period P

Structural analysis of the northeast nevado del Ruiz volcano area, Colombia - a contribution to geothermal exploration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mejia, Eliana L; Velandia, Francisco; Zuluaga, Carlos A; Lopez, Julian A; Cramer, Thomas

2012-01-01

The structural geology studies around the Nevado del Ruiz Volcano (NRV), based on aerial photographs and digital terrene models interpretation, in conjunction with analysis of morphological, tectonic features, striated fault planes data and stress field calculation allow to propose a structural scheme that explains the pattern of location of hot springs and fluid released in the western part of the NRV. Structures and kinematics in the region are closely related to the dominant tectonic features of the NVR, nominally longitudinal NE-SW and N-S faults (Palestina, Santa Rosa and San Jeronimo) and a transverse NW-SE to E-W system (Villamaria-Termales,Campoalegrito, San Ramon faults). Quaternary stress tensor was obtained with a WSW-ENE direction of contraction, and dextral strike slip deformation by simple shear along main longitudinal faults, while left lateral displacement is transmitted to most of the NW transverse structures. A WSW-ENE direction of compression was also calculated from striated planes of Cretaceous-Paleocene and older rocks, meaning previous right lateral displacements along longitudinal faults (i.e. Palestina or San Jeronimo).

Structural interpretation of the Ifal Basin in north-western Saudi Arabia from aeromagnetic data: hydrogeological and environmental implications

Science.gov (United States)

Elawadi, Eslam; Zaman, Haider; Batayneh, Awni; Mogren, Saad; Laboun, Abdalaziz; Ghrefat, Habes; Zumlot, Taisser

2013-09-01

The Ifal (Midyan) Basin is one of the well defined basins along the Red Sea coast, north-western Saudi Arabia. Location, geometry, thick sedimentary cover and structural framework qualify this basin for groundwater, oil and mineral occurrences. In spite of being studied by two airborne magnetic surveys during 1962 and 1983, structural interpretation of the area from a magnetic perspective, and its uses for hydrogeological and environmental investigations, has not been attempted. This work thus presents interpretation of the aeromagnetic data for basement depth estimation and tectonic framework delineation, which both have a role in controlling groundwater flow and accumulation in the Ifal Basin. A maximum depth of 3.5km is estimated for the basement surface by this study. In addition, several faulted and tilted blocks, perpendicularly dissected by NE-trending faults, are delineated within the structural framework of the study area. It is also observed that the studied basin is bounded by NW- and NE-trending faults. All these multi-directional faults/fracture systems in the Ifal Basin could be considered as conduits for groundwater accumulation, but with a possibility of environmental contamination from the surrounding soils and rock bodies.

Three-armed rifts or masked radial pattern of eruptive fissures? The intriguing case of El Hierro volcano (Canary Islands)

Science.gov (United States)

Becerril, L.; Galindo, I.; Martí, J.; Gudmundsson, A.

2015-04-01

Using new surface structural data as well as subsurface structural data obtained from seventeen water galleries, we provide a comprehensive model of the volcano-tectonic evolution of El Hierro (Canary Islands). We have identified, measured and analysed more than 1700 volcano-structural elements including vents, eruptive fissures, dykes and faults. The new data provide important information on the main structural patterns of the island and on its stress and strain fields, all of which are crucial for reliable hazard assessments. We conducted temporal and spatial analyses of the main structural elements, focusing on their relative age and association with the three main cycles in the construction of the island: the Tiñor Edifice, the El Golfo-Las Playas Edifice, and the Rift Volcanism. A radial strike distribution, which can be related to constructive episodes, is observed in the on-land structures. A similar strike distribution is seen in the submarine eruptive fissures, which are radial with respect to the centre of the island. However, the volcano-structural elements identified onshore and reflecting the entire volcano-tectonic evolution of the island also show a predominant NE-SW strike, which coincides with the main regional trend of the Canary archipelago as a whole. Two other dominant directions of structural elements, N-S and WNW-ESE, are evident from the establishment of the El Golfo-Las Playas edifice, during the second constructive cycle. We suggest that the radial-striking structures reflect comparatively uniform stress fields during the constructive episodes, mainly conditioned by the combination of overburden pressure, gravitational spreading, and magma-induced stresses in each of the volcanic edifices. By contrast, in the shallower parts of the edifice the NE-SW, N-S and WNW-ESE-striking structures reflect local stress fields related to the formation of mega-landslides and masking the general and regional radial patterns.

Fotointerpretation and geological integration of San Diego-El Naranjo thermal zone in the Nayarit State, Mexico; Fotointerpretacion e integracion geologica de la zona termal de San Diego-El Naranjo, Nayarit, Mexico

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Castillo H, Daniel [Gerencia de Proyectos Geotermoelectricos de la Comision Federal de Electricidad, Morelia (Mexico)

1996-01-01

The lithological, structural and thermal characteristics of a zone located in the State of Nayarit, Mexico between the Sierra Madre Occidental (SMO) and the Llanura Costera del Pacifico (PCP) are presented. The SMO is constituted by both extrusive and intrusive rocks of Oligo-Miocene age whereas the PCP is formed by conglomerates and erosional products derived from the disintegration of these rocks. Nine thermal superficial manifestations were observed at the site, with temperatures ranging from 35 degrees celsius to 80 degrees celsius. The chemical nature of these geothermal fluids is sodium-sulfate with estimated deep temperatures of 185 degrees celsius. From the structural view point, the zone is affected by faults and fractures aligned NE-SW and NW-SE; these structural trends control the thermalism. On the other hand, a 20 x 20 km ring-shaped geologic feature was identified within the area, which may be associated with the SMO. [Espanol] Se presentan las caracteristicas litologicas, estructurales y termales de una zona del Estado de Nayarit, comprendida entre las Provincias de la Sierra Madre Occidental (SMO) y la Llanura Costera del Pacifico (PCP). La primera comprende rocas igneas, intrusivas y extrusivas, de edad oligomiocenica. La segunda agrupa productos erosivos y conglomeraticos producidos por la desintegracion de las rocas; su edad se considera del Cuaternario. En la zona existen nueve localidades termales con un intervalo de temperatura de 35 grados celsius a 80 grados celsius, y un caracter quimico sulfatado-sodico. Por geotermometria se obtuvo una temperatura de 185 grados celsius. Estructuralmente dominan las fallas y fracturas NE-SW y NW-SE, que afectan a todas las rocas expuestas y controlan tambien al termalismo. Dentro del area se identifico una geoforma circular de 20 x 20 km, que se considera asociada y controlada geneticamente por la SMO.

Fault diagnosis of nuclear-powered equipment based on HMM and SVM