Middle Pleistocene to Holocene activity of the Gondola Fault Zone (Southern Adriatic Foreland): Deformation of a regional shear zone and seismotectonic implications

Recent seismicity in and around the Gargano Promontory, an uplifted portion of the Southern Adriatic Foreland domain, indicates active E–W strike-slip faulting in a region that has also been struck by large historical earthquakes, particularly along the Mattinata Fault. Seismic profiles published in the past two decades show that the pattern of tectonic deformation along the E–W-trending segment of the Gondola Fault Zone, the offshore counterpart of the Mattinata Fault, is strikingly similar to that observed onshore during the Eocene–Pliocene interval. Based on the lack of instrumental seismicity in the south Adriatic offshore, however, and on standard seismic reflection data showing an undisturbed Quaternary succession above the Gondola Fault Zone, this fault zone has been interpreted as essentially inactive since the Pliocene. Nevertheless, many investigators emphasised the genetic relationships and physical continuity between the Mattinata Fault, a positively active tectonic feature, and the Gondola Fault Zone. The seismotectonic potential of the system formed by these two faults has never been investigated in detail. Recent investigations of Quaternary sedimentary successions on the Adriatic shelf, by means of very high-resolution seismic–stratigraphic data, have led to the identification of fold growth and fault propagation in Middle–Upper Pleistocene and Holocene units. The inferred pattern of gentle folding and shallow faulting indicates that sediments deposited during the past ca. 450 ka were recurrently deformed along the E–W branch of the Gondola Fault Zone.We performed a detailed reconstruction and kinematic interpretation of the most recent deformation observed along the Gondola Fault Zone and interpret it in the broader context of the seismotectonic setting of the Southern Apennines-foreland region. We hypothesise that the entire 180 km-long Molise–Gondola Shear Zone is presently active and speculate that also its offshore portion, the Gondola Fault Zone, has a seismogenic behaviour.     

古地震学的发展和未来

古地震学是适应重大工程建设中地震危险性评价的需要而发展起来的,它以鉴定和研究史前地震为主要内容。在与历史地震类似地质效应对比的基础上,古地震学研究已经提供了大量的不同构造环境下史前地震的证据,并已试图建立了多种断层习性模式。未来的研究重点应集中在检验和发展新的测年技术、系统调查历史地震事件以及阐述长期和短期的断层习性特征等方面。     

中国强震发生带地震构造的几点思考

强震发生带是指全新世（约1．2万年）以来发生过和将来还会发生M≥6级地震的地带。中国强震发生带的动力源主要来自印度板块向NNE的顶撞作用,而太平洋板块向西俯冲则次之。板块、断块及锒嵌其间的缝合线、深大断裂带,组成了窗棂结构,受力时“窗棂”（缝合线、深大断裂）发生错动,而“窗”（板块、断块）的内部则相对稳定。第四纪以来,以我国西南鲜水河－小江断裂带为例,在Q1、Q2时期因断裂带作左旋扭动,在拉张区形成许多断陷盆地;到Q3由于地应力方向改变,运动加剧,使不同方向断裂互相贯通,活动延续至今,称之为活动断裂带。强震多发生在活动断裂的特殊部位,震中区地面强烈变形,表现为毗邻地段猛烈升降、地堑地垒系断头河等。由古地震研究得知Q4以来强震常在原地多次重复,且震级相近。由台湾1999年集集地震和云南1955年鱼Zha地震的加速度等值线和等烈度线图形对比,建筑物破坏程度和昔格达层变形对照,得出强震构造变形机理乃系“夹心饼干”似的三层结构所致,三层即是断层的二盘和其所夹持的断层破碎带,后者是地应国聚集和释放的场所,是地震波的良好通道。     

Indicative Structures of Paleoseismicity in the Acequion River Valley,San Juan Province,Central-Western Argentina

Evidence for paleo-seismicity has been discovered in the Acequión river valley, in West central Argentina. Two Holocene rock avalanches have been observed; the most recent of these dammed a lake, whose sediments contain liquefaction structures. At least five paleo-earthquakes affected this region during the late Quaternary, as deduced from the succession of their secondary effects. The magnitude and the probable tectonic source of these paleo-events are discussed. The observed liquefaction features associated with slumps, joints, fractures, and faults, should be generated by M>5 earthquakes related to the nearby quaternary Cerro Salinas fault, which belongs to the Eastern Precordillera fault system. These data extend the regional seismicity record to the Holocene and highlight the high seismic hazard in this part of Argentina.     

Late quaternary deformation and palaeoseismicity: Insight into geomorphotectonic evolution of Kachchh, western Indian Subcontinent

Kachchh in western Indian Shield, according to the Bureau of Indian Standard (IS:1893:2002), falls in Seismic Zone V. This is intriguing considering that the region is far away from active Plate margin. Apart from the recent incidences of earthquakes, there are several pre-historic/archaeological records of earthquakes in the region. Beyond these, the geological evidence of earth-movements (causing earthquakes) is provided by the occurrence of several’ active’ faults, which are considered geological markers of palaeoseismicity. There are records of innumerable incidences of faulting in the region in not so distant geological past. Study of fault features especially the scarp faces marking abrupt change in physical relief proves that the different levels of topography in the entire terrain are fault-bound features. Studies also confirm that the topographic difference between the high and ’sunken’ features have formed due to uplift and relative down-sagging during the geomorphotectonic evolution of the terrain. Features that make the region unique are: (i) restriction of fault-related deformation zone to a narrow strip between the southern margin of Thar Desert and the south coast line of the Kachchh Peninsula; (ii) overall sub-horizontality of bedding and other topographic and planation surfaces over the entire region; (iii) evidence of fault-controlled geomorphology indicating vertical movement along fault planes; (iv) evidence constraining the time of geomorphological evolution of the terrain only during the Late Quaternary, making it the youngest neotectonically evolved terrain in the Precambrian Indian Shield.     

青藏高原北部第四纪早期断裂活动的 新生性变化初步研究*

关于第四纪早期构造事件的年代学研究取得了大量数据,但对构造事件的表现形式缺乏认识。文章通过对海原断裂带内拉分盆地演化趋势及年代学研究,认为海原断裂带内的最新拉分盆地形成于1.6MaB.P.之后,代表一次新断裂的形成时期,且新断裂走向与先存断裂有一定的逆时针夹角。通过对青藏高原中部可可西里-东昆仑断裂带构造地貌的遥感解译和强震破裂调查,认为可可西里-东昆仑断裂带是一条具有新生性的强震构造带,新断裂形成时期为1.10~0.65MaB.P.之间,其构造带内的新生性断裂走向与先存断裂亦有一定的逆时针方向夹角。两条断裂带具有一致的演化趋势,说明在早更新世中后期存在区域性的构造事件,该事件表现为一系列新生性断裂的产生。     

Neotectonics of the upper Mississippi embayment

Although the upper Mississippi embayment is an area of low relief, the region has been subjected to tectonic influence throughout its history and continues to be so today. Tectonic activity can be recognized through seismicity patterns and geological indicators of activity, either those as a direct result of earthquakes, or longer term geomorphic, structural, and sedimentological signatures. The rate of seismic activity in the upper Mississippi embayment is generally lower than at the margins of tectonic plates; the embayment, however, is the most seismically active region east of the Rocky Mountains, with activity concentrated in the New Madrid seismic zone. This zone produced the very large New Madrid earthquakes of 1811 and 1812.

Geological and geophysical evidence of neotectonic activity in the upper Mississippi embayment includes faulting in the Benton Hills and Thebes Gap in Missouri, paleoliquefaction in the Western Lowlands of Missouri, subsurface faulting beneath and tilting of Crowley's Ridge in northeastern Arkansas and southeastern Missouri, subsurface faulting along the Crittenden County fault zone near Memphis, Tennessee, faulting along the east flank of the Tiptonville dome, and numerous indicators of historic and prehistoric large earthquakes in the New Madrid seismic zone.

Paleoearthquake studies in the New Madrid seismic zone have used trenching, seismic reflection, shallow coring, pedology, geomorphology, archaeology, and dendrochronology to identify and date faulting, deposits of liquefied sand, and areas of uplift and subsidence. The cause of today's relatively high rate of tectonic activity in the Mississippi embayment remains elusive. It is also not clear whether this activity rate is a short term phenomenon or has been constant over millions of years. Ongoing geodetic and geological studies should provide more insight as to the precise manner in which crustal strain is accumulating, and perhaps allow improved regional neotectonic models.     

按大地构造观点进行中国地震地质区划的尝试

在先前的几篇文章中,著者把自中生代以来中国的大地构造格局划分为三大构造域：滨太平洋构造城,特提斯喜马拉雅构造域和古亚洲构造域,并简略地讨论了它们的发展特点。新构造运动,包括有史以来的地震活动在内,是三大构造域活动的继续,所以我们认为中国的地震地质区划也和大地构造区划一样,,表现为三大构造地震域,简称三大地震域,即滨太平洋地震域,特提斯喜马拉雅地震域和古亚洲地震域。既然滨太平洋构造域是太平洋板块向亚洲俯冲的结果,那么,滨太平洋地震域也应当是太平洋板块向亚洲俯冲的结果;特提斯喜马拉雅构造城既然是印度板块向亚洲板块碰撞的结果,那么,特提斯喜马拉雅地震域也应当是印度板块向亚洲板块碰撞的结果,它们两者之间的分界就是有名的南北地震带,后者是太平洋板块和印度洋板块两个应力场所形成的干涉带。这样的地震地质区划是和一些地球物理学家的观点完全一致的。古亚洲构造域的主体是西伯利亚地台和蒙古皱褶系。整个说来它的地震活动性表现得很微弱,只有蒙古西部,特别是阿尔泰地区有若干强震,这可能仍是受印度板块碰撞的结果。而贝加尔裂谷型地震活动可能是北冰洋中脊地震活动带的南延。因为这些地区已不再中国境内,本文不作讨论。下文仅就大地构造观点来谈谈中国的地震地质区别。     

The 1984 Abruzzo earthquake (Italy): an example of seismogenic process controlled by interaction between differently oriented synkinematic faults

The evolution of the seismogenic process associated with the M_s 5.8 Sangro Valley earthquake of May 1984 (Abruzzo, central Italy) is closely controlled by the Quaternary extensional tectonic pattern of the area. This pattern is characterised by normal faults mainly NNW striking, whose length is controlled by pre-existing Mio–Pliocene N100±10° left-lateral strike-slip fault zones. These are partly re-activated as right-lateral normal-oblique faults under the Quaternary extensional regime and behave as transfer faults.Integration of re-located aftershocks, focal mechanisms and structural features are used to explain the divergence between the alignment of aftershocks (WSW–ENE) and the direction of seismogenic fault planes defined by the focal mechanisms (NNW–SSE) of the main shock and of the largest aftershock (M_s=5.3).The faults that appear to be involved in the seismogenic process are the NNW–SSE Barrea fault and the E–W M. Greco fault. There is field evidence of finite Quaternary deformation indicating that the normal Barrea fault re-activates the M. Greco fault as right-lateral transfer fault. No surface faulting was observed during the seismic sequence. The apparently incongruent divergence between aftershocks and nodal planes may be explained by interpreting the M. Greco fault as a barrier to the propagation of earthquake rupturing. The rupture would have nucleated on the Barrea fault, migrating along-strike towards NNW. The sharp variation in direction from the Barrea to the M. Greco fault segments would have represented a structural complexity sufficient to halt the rupture and subsequent concentration of post-seismic deformation as aftershocks around the line of intersection between the two fault planes.Fault complexities, similar to those observed in the Sangro Valley, are common features of the seismic zone of the Apennines. We suggest that the zones of interaction between NW–SE and NNW–SSE Plio-Quaternary faults and nearly E–W transfer faults, extending for several kilometres in the same way as M. Greco does, might act as barriers to the along-strike propagation of rupture processes during normal faulting earthquakes. This might have strong implications on seismic hazard, especially for the extent of the maximum magnitude expected on active faults during single rupture episodes.     

Structure of a normal seismogenic fault zone in carbonates: The Vado di Corno Fault,Campo Imperatore,Central Apennines (Italy)

The Vado di Corno Fault Zone (VCFZ) is an active extensional fault cutting through carbonates in the Italian Central Apennines. The fault zone was exhumed from ∼2 km depth and accommodated a normal throw of ∼2 km since Early-Pleistocene. In the studied area, the master fault of the VCFZ dips N210/54° and juxtaposes Quaternary colluvial deposits in the hangingwall with cataclastic dolostones in the footwall. Detailed mapping of the fault zone rocks within the ∼300 m thick footwall-block evidenced the presence of five main structural units (Low Strain Damage Zone, High Strain Damage Zone, Breccia Unit, Cataclastic Unit 1 and Cataclastic Unit 2). The Breccia Unit results from the Pleistocene extensional reactivation of a pre-existing Pliocene thrust. The Cataclastic Unit 1 forms a ∼40 m thick band lining the master fault and recording in-situ shattering due to the propagation of multiple seismic ruptures. Seismic faulting is suggested also by the occurrence of mirror-like slip surfaces, highly localized sheared calcite-bearing veins and fluidized cataclasites. The VCFZ architecture compares well with seismological studies of the L'Aquila 2009 seismic sequence (mainshock M_W 6.1), which imaged the reactivation of shallow-seated low-angle normal faults (Breccia Unit) cut by major high-angle normal faults (Cataclastic Units).     

Neogene volcanism and Holocene earthquakes in the Tanlu fault zone, eastern China

In this paper, we study the relationship between Neogene volcanism and Holocene earthquakes in the Tanlu fault, eastern China. We find that fault segments through which Neogene and Quaternary magma have extruded do not show Holocene slip because they are covered by unfaulted basalts. In contrast, fault branches that are away from the Quaternary volcanic centers display Quaternary faulting and are responsible for earthquakes as recorded both historically and geomorphologically. Therefore, magma intrusion appears to modify fault activity in two different ways: (1) within the faults, the cooling magma serves as a cohesion or barrier, welding the faults so that they become stronger in resisting slip; (2) beneath the faults, the upwelling magma promotes slip of faults above the magma body, and hence generation of earthquakes. Physically, the first case results from contraction of the cooling magma, which causes a relative increase in fault-normal stress so that the fault failure resistance is enhanced. The second case results from the upward dynamic force and the heat brought in by the magma body, both of which cause the effective fault-normal stress to decrease so that the fault failure resistance is reduced. That could explain why earthquakes occur on faults bypassing the volcanic centers as typified in the Yishu fault zone and in the regions where heat flows are relatively high as shown in the Bohai Bay area.     

Tectonic stress regimes,rift extension and transform motion: The South Iceland Seismic Zone

The South Iceland Seismic Zone (SISZ) is located at the junction of three rift segments in southwestern Iceland. The presence of different types of faulting and of differently orientated subgroups in Upper Pliocene to Holocene formations indicate polyphase tectonism. We measured 736 minor faults at 25 sites. Two types of relationships between stress regimes are represented. The first type, named IDS (inhomogeneous data set), is characterized by the presence of two types of fault mechanisms, normal and strike-slip, consistent with a single direction of extension. The second type, named OSR (opposite stress regimes), is characterized by the presence of perpendicular directions of extensions for a single type (normal or strike-slip) of faulting. Because of contradictory chronological criteria, we infer that the OSR alternated during the brittle tectonic activity of the SISZ. Two stress regimes, primary and secondary, are characterized by directions of extension NW-SE and NE-SW, respectively. The general fracture pattern characterized for the primary stress regime in the SISZ includes NNE-SSW trending right-lateral strike-slip faults, conjugate ENE-WSW trending left-lateral faults and NE-SW normal faults. This distribution is quite consistent with a Riedeltype model of fault pattern in a left-lateral shear zone. The stress states characterized based on analysis of both the earthquake focal mechanisms and the recent faulting show great similarity in terms of stress directions. The main difference is the larger ratio of strike-slip motions representing 71 % of the total population in the case of earthquake focal mechanisms, whereas for the whole set of faults the proportion of strike-slip faulting was 50 %. We explain that a temporal evolution of the tectonic regime in the SISZ region, accompanied by a gradual change in stress field, starts with rift-type pure extension and progressively leads to development of preferentially strike-slip structures in the kinematic context of leftlateral transform motion.     

海南琼华-莲塘断裂带第四纪活动特征

位于琼北福山凹陷与海口隆起边界的琼华-莲塘断裂带,是调节北东向北部湾陆内裂谷不均匀伸展的结果,该断裂带穿过海口市长流新区与环岛高铁重大工程,对海南自贸区规划建设具有直接影响。文章采用构造地貌调查、地球物理探测与钻孔联合剖面等方法,揭露琼华–莲塘断裂带由五源河–道心村断裂、永庄水库断裂及海口砖瓦厂断裂共3条北西向平行展布的高角度活动断裂组成,呈隐伏或半隐伏状态,总体表现为正断层性质。断裂带宽约1.8 km,长度约17 km,第四纪以来断裂垂直位移为8.7～41.6 m,均属于较强活动断裂。3条断裂最新活动时代均为晚更新世,垂直位移速率<0.1 mm/a,其中以海口砖瓦厂断裂错动速率最大。结合琼华–莲塘断裂带的形成构造背景、最新活动时代,及其与第四纪火山活动的关系,文章提出了海南自贸区规划建设及工程避让活动断裂的建议。     

渤海中部郯庐断裂带的近期活动与渤海新近纪新生断裂

渤海中部的郯庐断裂带在平面上表现为不连续的几条北北东走向断层,地震反射剖面和钻探资料显示断层两侧沉积厚度的巨大差异,表明新近纪以来它们是在沉降运动背景下活动的具有大幅度倾滑位移的正断层,构成渤海盆地内凹陷与凸起的边界。这些断层在剖面上有一定弯曲和倾斜,向下延伸深度不超过10~12km。在此深度以上的地壳浅部,没有水平方向位移以及其它直接变形证据表明郯庐断裂带有走滑运动分量。从地震机制解得到的走滑断层运动反映渤海地区地壳深部的变形及相应的构造应力状态,与浅部残留的伸展构造应力同时存在。根据断裂力学分析,认为中新世末以来渤海浅层新近系内出现的大量近东西向小断裂可能是现代构造应力场作用的结果,与郯庐断裂带或其它基底老断裂没有继承性或派生的成因关系。     

青藏高原中部第四纪左旋剪切变形的地表地质证据

在青藏铁路的格尔木—拉萨段进行的活动断裂调查发现,在沱沱河—五道梁之间宽约150km的地段内发育了多条由北西西向次级断层左列分布构成的北西西向和北西向左旋张扭性断裂带,在断裂带之间则发育"S"型的北东向裂陷盆地和雁列分布的菱形裂陷盆地,盆地边界断裂也为左旋张扭性质。上述断裂带和裂陷带主要形成于第四纪,它们构成了宽约150km的不均匀的左旋简单剪切变形域,该变形域的整体活动性较弱,属于弱的不均匀剪切变形域。但其中的二道沟断陷盆地是个例外,该盆地边界断裂的垂直活动速率约为0 5mm/a,左旋活动速率介于0 8～1 0mm/a之间。而在整个左旋剪切变形带累计的左旋走滑速率不会超过6mm/a,它们所调节的昆仑山与唐古拉山之间的地壳南北缩短量也可能仅占总缩短量的15%～30%。上述弱剪切变形域与强烈左旋走滑的昆仑断裂系共同构成了高原中部的左旋剪切变形带,它们在印度板块与欧亚板块强烈碰撞的构造动力学背景下,起着调节青藏高原南北向缩短的重要作用。     

西秦岭北缘断裂带漳县—车厂断层的结构及构造演化

西秦岭北缘断裂带是青藏高原东北缘主要构造边界断裂带之一, 其构造变形历史和运动学特征研究可以为西秦岭中新生代构造过程和印度—亚洲板块碰撞动力学的远程构造响应提供约束。漳县—车厂断层是西秦岭北缘断裂带的重要组成部分, 通过对工程开挖所揭露的断层带内丰富构造现象的观测与分析, 至少可以辨别出3期性质、规模、运动学特征各异的构造变形事件。第一期为向北北东陡倾的伸展正断层作用; 第二期为向南南西倾的由南向北的逆冲断层作用; 第三期为沿近直立断面左旋走滑作用。尽管每期变形的时代尚缺乏构造物质测年的约束, 但根据其与白垩系、新近系的空间关系以及已有第四纪以来沿断层地貌位错和相关沉积物测年以及地震活动历史研究对断层左旋走滑作用的时代约束, 认为第一期伸展正断层作用起始于早白垩纪, 可能持续到渐新世; 第二期向北逆冲断层作用起始于渐新世初, 可能持续到早第四纪; 第三期左旋走滑断层作用起始于晚第四纪, 持续至今。漳县—车厂断层是一条典型的多期变形的脆性断层, 其变形特征与历史, 如果代表了西秦岭北缘断裂带特征与构造变形过程, 那么现今西秦岭北缘断裂带仅是起始于早白垩纪、新生的脆性断裂带, 并非是印支主造山期大规模韧性逆冲推覆作用的边界断层。     

Tectonic stress regimes,rift extension and transform motion: the South Iceland Seismic Zone

Abstract

The South Iceland Seismic Zone (SISZ) is located at the junction of three rift segments in southwestern Iceland. The presence of different types of faulting and of differently orientated subgroups in Upper Pliocene to Holocene formations indicate polyphase tectonism. We measured 736 minor faults at 25 sites. Two types of relationships between stress regimes are represented. The first type, named IDS (inhomogeneous data set), is characterized by the presence of two types of fault mechanisms, normal and strike-slip, consistent with a single direction of extension. The second type, named OSR (opposite stress regimes), is characterized by the presence of perpendicular directions of extensions for a single type (normal or strike-slip) of faulting. Because of contradictory chronological criteria, we infer that the OSR alternated during the brittle tectonic activity of the SISZ. Two stress regimes, primary and secondary, are characterized by directions of extension NW-SE and NE-SW, respectively. The general fracture pattern characterized for the primary stress regime in the SISZ includes NNE-SSW trending right-lateral strike-slip faults, conjugate ENE-WSW trending left-lateral faults and NE-SW normal faults. This distribution is quite consistent with a Riedel- type model of fault pattern in a left-lateral shear zone. The stress states characterized based on analysis of both the earthquake focal mechanisms and the recent faulting sow great similarity in terms of stress directions. The main difference is the larger ratio of strike-slip motions representing 71% of the total population in the case of earthquake focal mechanisms, whereas for the whole set of faults the proportion of strike-slip faulting was 50 %. We explain that a témpora evolution of the tectonic regime in the SISZ region, accompanied by a gradual change in stress field, starts with rift-type pure extension and progressively leads to development of preferentially strike-slip structures in the kinematic context of left- lateral transform motion. © Elsevier, Paris     

中国西部及邻区大地震时空特征、地质背景及发展趋势分析

在中国西部及邻区有一个以中国南北地震带—蒙古东部地震带、喜马拉雅地震带和帕米尔—天山—阿尔泰山—蒙古西部地震带为3条边而组成的巨型中亚三角形地震带,其大地震发生的强度之大、频度之高以及重复率之高、重复周期之短,在世界大陆上绝无仅有。这些大地震在空间上受到大地构造位置、构造应力场-滑移线场、介质力学条件、壳内低阻流变层和先存力学脆弱带等五位一体的复合控制,震中主要分布于3条边与活动断裂带交叉处的中—上地壳中;在时间上存在以21.5 a±为最小单元的多种周期。印度板块的持续顶撞和推挤,是该带大地震孕育的能源,而太阳黑子活动和地球自转速率变化可能是该带地震的触发因素。以2001年昆仑山大地震和2008年汶川大地震为标志,中亚三角形地震带可能进入了一个新的107.5 a活动中周期。果真如此,则未来数十年内在该三角形的3条边及其周缘,可能分别发生若干个M≥8.0级大地震和多个M≥7.0级强地震。     

青藏高原东北缘祁连山地区古地震记录与区域构造意义

青藏高原东北缘的地质地貌特征与基本构造格架受阿尔金左行走滑断裂、东昆仑左行走滑断裂和海源左行走滑断裂控制,在青藏高原的碰撞造山过程中地震作用贯穿始终.2011至2012年,作者对青藏高原东北缘东起靖远(海原断裂东段)西至昌马盆地(阿尔金断裂东南)的软沉积物变形(震积岩)进行的系统调研表明,青藏高原东北缘祁连山地区从三叠纪至第四纪各时代(侏罗纪以外)的地层中,均发现丰富的古地震纪录(震积岩).代表性震积岩发现点和层位有:靖远宝积山上三叠统、靖远糜滩乡下白垩统、昌马盆地下白垩统以及赤金堡和酒泉磁窑口附近的第四系.主要的震积岩类型有:液化脉、负载、球-枕构造、液化卷曲、层间微断裂等.根据区域地质资料分析,这些震积岩均分布于区域性大断裂附近.本文简单讨论了主要震积岩发现点与其相邻的区域构造(地震)活动之间的关系,根据靖远附近上三叠统普遍发育震积岩,提出海原断裂带的初始活动时间很可能就在晚三叠世,与青藏高原东缘龙门山地区印支期的造山地震同时期.     

Field evidence of Quaternary seismites in the Mostaganem-Relizane (western Algeria) region: seismotectonic implication

Northwestern Algeria, Tell Atlas chain, belongs to the converging Africa-Eurasia plate boundary. Several active faults have been previously identified and several earthquakes occurred in the past. In the present study, seismites are observed in the Quaternary deposits. The identified seismites include injection sand dykes, pillar structures, pillow structures, load-cast structures, water escape structures, sismoslumps, thixotropic wedges, and thixotropic bowls. The following arguments support their seismic origin: (i) presence of active faults able of producing strong earthquakes, (ii) the granulometric characteristics of the deposits are favorable to liquefaction, (iii) the observed features, mainly those related to water escape structures, are comparable to those observed in modern earthquakes. Therefore, such features are evidence of the occurrence of earthquakes of M?>?5.5 magnitude in this study area, which may occur in the future.