Palaeocene faulting in SE Sweden from U–Pb dating of slickenfibre calcite

Estimating the timing of faulting is crucial to modelling tectonics, palaeoseismicity, landscape evolution and fault mechanics. Four slickenfibre calcite samples from a conjugate strike‐slip fault set in a platformal limestone, SE Sweden, were dated using U–Pb. Three of the samples yielded an average age of 64.8 ± 6.5 Ma, while the fourth yielded a marginally younger age of 54.7 ± 5.5 Ma. Precipitation of the fibres is interpreted as syn‐deformational. Age uncertainty and dispersion reflect incorporation of common Pb and tiny host‐rock components into the dated calcite and/or possible fault reactivation through ca. 55 Ma. We infer from crystal characteristics, stable isotopes (δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C) and rare‐earth elements that fibres formed in an environment rich in deep‐seated fluids, at temperatures of 40–200°C, with shear stresses exceeding 10 MPa and at a maximum burial depth of c. 4 km. This Palaeocene faulting may reflect far‐field stresses from shortening in the Alps.     

Thermal Evolution of the Tanlu Fault Zone on the Eastern Margin of the Dabie Mountains and Its Tectonic Implications

Five samples of muscovite from mylonites of the earlier Tanlu ductile shear zone on the eastern margin of the Dabie Mountains yield 40Ar/39Ar ages ranging from 178 Ma to 196 Ma. Three of them have reliable plateau ages of 188.7±0.7 Ma, 189.7±0.6 Ma and 192.5±0.7 Ma respectively, which indicates a syn-orogenic, sinistral strike-slip thermal event. This displacement movement derived from the continent-continent collision of the North and South China blocks took place in the Early Jurassic and after uplifting of high-pressure to ultrahigh-pressure slabs to the mid-crust. It is suggested that during the collision the Tanlu fault zone was an intracontinental transform fault caused by differential subduction speeds. The 40Ar/39Ar ages of mylonite whole-rock and muscovite from the later Tanlu ductile shear zone suggest another sinistral strike-slip cooling event at 128 Ma. During this strike-slip faulting, large-scale intrusion and doming uplift occurred in the eastern part of the Dabie orogenic belt. Data o     

Morphotectonics and paleoseismology of the eastern end of the Bolnay fault (Mongolia)

The Bolnay (Hangayn) fault is an active shear system which generated the M = 8.2-8.5 Bolnay earthquake of 23 July 1905, one of world’s largest recorded intracontinental event. The fault follows the Mesozoic suture formed during the closure of the Mongolia-Okhotsk ocean. The Late Cenozoic faulting in the region was induced by propagation of strain from the India-Eurasia collision that had reached Mongolia at about 5 ± 3 Ma. The left-lateral strike slip almost all over the fault length is compensated in its western end by Late Quaternary reverse motion. We estimated coseismic slip associated with the event of 1905 and the previous earthquakes in the eastern fault end and checked whether vertical offset compensates the strike slip in this part as well. The 1905 coseismic slip measured from a displaced dry stream bed and pebble bars in the Hasany-Gol river valley was 6.5-7.5 m. The 13 ± 1 m left-lateral displacement of pebble bars in the same valley represents a cumulative slip of two events. Paleoseismological studies across the strike of surface ruptures reveal at least two generations of rupture in two events that postdated the deposition of sediments with a ¹⁴C age of 4689 ± 94 yr. Hypsometry of the alluvial surface in the zone of deformation shows gradual elevation increase toward the mountains, but without abrupt change across the fault. This means the absence of vertical offset and reactivation of the fault as a left-lateral strike slip. The horizontal slip in the eastern extension of the Bolnay fault is compensated rather by parallel fault-bounded pull-apart basins trending northeastward oblique to the principal fault strike. The age of their sedimentary fill suggests no older than middle Pleistocene normal faulting that compensated the Bolnay strike slip.     

Uniform Strike-Slip Rate along the Xianshuihe-Xiaojiang Fault System and Its Implications for Active Tectonics in Southeastern Tibet

Recent studies on the Xianshuihe-Xiaojiang fault system suggest that the Late Quaternary strike-slip rate is approximately uniform along the entire length of the fault zone, about 15±2 mm/a. This approximately uniform strike slip rate strongly supports the clockwise rotation model of the southeastern Tibetan crust. By approximating the geometry of the arc-shaped Xianshuihe-Xiaojiang fault system as a portion of a small circle on a spherical Earth, the 15±2 mm/a strike slip rate corresponds to clockwise rotation of the Southeastern Tibetan Block at the (5.2±0.7)×10-7 deg/a angular velocity around the pole (21°N, 88°E) relative to the Northeast Tibetan Block. The approximately uniform strike slip rate along the Xianshuihe-Xiaojiang fault system also implies that the Longmenshan thrust zone is not active, or at least its activity has been very weak since the Late Quaternary. Moreover, the total offset along the Xianshuihe-Xiaojiang fault system suggests that the lateral extrusion of the Southeastern Tibetan Block relative to Northeastern Tibetan Block is about 160 km and 200-240 km relative to the Tarim-North China block. This amount of lateral extrusion of the Tibetan crust should have accommodated about 13-24% convergence between India and Eurasia based on mass balance calculations. Assuming that the slip rate of 15±2 mm/a is constant throughout the entire history of the Xianshuihe-Xiaojiang fault system, 11±1.5 Ma is needed for the Xianshuihe-Xiaojiang fault system to attain the 160 km of total offset. This implies that left-slip faulting on the Xianshuihe-Xiaojiang fault system might start at 11±1.5 Ma.     

青藏铁路风火山段晚第四纪断裂活动分析

地表地质调查发现,第四纪期间在风火山逆冲-褶皱构造带以发生近东西向的伸展变形为特征。在该构造带中形成切割早期近东西向挤压变形构造带、指示近东西向伸展变形、整体沿北60°东向展布的二道沟断陷盆地。断裂活动的地质、地貌证据表明,控制该盆地晚第四纪断陷的主边界断裂位于其北缘,是一条断续延伸达24 km左右、可能兼具左旋走滑性质的正断层。根据该区晚第四纪沉积物的分布和时代,并对断裂所错动的晚第四纪地质-地貌体进行初步的年代学分析,可以初步断定该断裂的晚第四纪垂直活动速率应该介于0.2~0.4 mm/a之间。     

The onset of the Tan–Lu fault movement in eastern China: constraints from zircon (SHRIMP) and 40Ar/39Ar dating

In eastern China, the Dabie Shan–Su–Lu orogenic belt has been separated by the Tan–Lu sinistral strike–slip fault. Mylonites are exposed along the strike–slip fault system in the southern segment, and along the eastern margin of the Dabie Shan orogenic belt. The country rocks of the mylonites are retrograde UHP eclogites, gneissic granites, muscovite granites and gneisses. The ductile strike–slip shear zone trends 30–40°N (NE30–40°‐trending) and exhibits stretching lineations and nearly vertical, SE‐dipping foliations. Most of the zircon grains separated from mylonites have a weighted average radiometric age of 233 ± 6–225 ± 6 Myr. These data constrain the onset of the Tan–Lu sinistral strike–slip movement and imply that the Tan–Lu sinistral strike–slip motion developed after retrograde UHP metamorphism. The related phengite within the eclogite rocks on the western side of the Tan–Lu fault, with ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar plateau ages of c. 182–190 Myr, is also deformed and aligned parallel to the almost NE trending stretching lineations. Non‐metamorphosed granites exhibit sinistral strike–slip shearing and indicate that the Tan–Lu fault initially developed after 182–190 Myr. Muscovite collected from the mylonite yields ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar plateau ages of 162 ± 1–156 ± 2 Myr. The zircon SHRIMP age data, the muscovite ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar plateau ages, together with structural and petrological field information support the interpretation that the Tan–Lu strike–slip fault was not related to the Yangtze–north China plates collision, but corresponded to the formation of a NE‐trending tectonic framework in eastern China starting c. 165–160 Ma.     

湘赣边区中新生代走滑断裂系统及对热液铀成矿作用的控制

湘赣边区自晚三叠世开始进入全新的陆内走滑造山作用阶段,并在白垩纪早期经历了从会聚走滑向离散走滑的转换。对该走滑断裂系统的构造解析及轴矿床成矿地质特征的综合分析表明,ＮＮＥ向走滑断裂直接控制了区域大规模热液铀成矿作用的发生。对走滑断裂控矿作用的特点进行了详细的讨论。     

走滑变形过程中的流体包裹体研究——以湘东地区为例

走滑断裂是大陆造山带中一种非常重要的构造类型,并常常成为各种流体异常活动的场所。湘东地区自晚三叠世以来的陆内造山作用形成了ＮＮＥ 向走滑断裂系统。该走滑断裂系统经历了从会聚走滑（Ｔ３ － Ｊ） 向离散走滑（Ｋ－ Ｅ１） 的重大构造性质转换,并明显控制了该地区中新生代的岩浆活动、断陷盆地和区域热液铀成矿作用。本文以湘东地区若干走滑断裂为例, 研究了其中各种构造岩的流体包裹体特征。结果表明,走滑变形过程中伴随着显著的流体活动, 而且在不同变形时期或同一变形期不同变形环境,其流体作用有显著不同。走滑断裂中的流体作用对区域热液铀矿床的形成具有重要意义。     

THE LATE QUATERNARY RIGHT LATERAL STRIKE-SLIPPING OF ZHONGDIAN—DAJU FAULT IN NORTHWEST YUNNAN, CHINA

THE LATE QUATERNARY RIGHT LATERAL STRIKE-SLIPPING OF ZHONGDIAN—DAJU FAULT IN NORTHWEST YUNNAN, CHINAthesubject“TherecentdisplacementandDynamicsoflithosphereintheQinghai XizangPlateau”ofnation alclimbingproject“Therecentdisp     

藏南格仁错地区孜桂错断裂的第四纪活动及其构造意义

因印度板块与欧亚板块碰撞,第四纪时青藏高原的拉萨地体内部出现一系列南北向的正断层,拉萨地体的北边界出现一系列近东西向的走滑断层.孜桂错活动断裂就是这些走滑断层中具有典型意义的一条,其活动表现为右行走滑,断裂切过河流、冲积扇、废弃的湖岸等,断裂的水平位移从10 m到375 m不等.它转换连接朋曲-申扎正断层和喀喇昆仑-嘉黎剪切带;同时,孜桂错断裂本身也是喀喇昆仑-嘉黎剪切带的重要组成部分.它的活动反映拉萨地体内部的东西向伸展以及羌塘地体相对拉萨地体的向东运动.     

Active Faulting Pattern,Present‐day Tectonic Stress Field and Block Kinematics in the East Tibetan Plateau

Abstract: This paper examines major active faults and the present-day tectonic stress field in the East Tibetan Plateau by integrating available data from published literature and proposes a block kinematics model of the region. It shows that the East Tibetan Plateau is dominated by strike-slip and reverse faulting stress regimes and that the maximum horizontal stress is roughly consistent with the contemporary velocity field, except for the west Qinling range where it parallels the striking of the major strike-slip faults. Active tectonics in the East Tibetan Plateau is characterized by three faulting systems. The left-slip Kunlun-Qinling faulting system combines the east Kunlun fault zone, sinistral oblique reverse faults along the Minshan range and two major NEE-striking faults cutting the west Qinling range, which accommodates eastward motion, at 10–14 mm/a, of the Chuan-Qing block. The left-slip Xianshuihe faulting system accommodated clockwise rotation of the Chuan-Dian block. The Longmenshan thrust faulting system forms the eastern margin of the East Tibetan Plateau and has been propagated to the SW of the Sichuan basin. Crustal shortening across the Longmenshan range seems low (2–4 mm/a) and absorbed only a small part of the eastward motion of the Chuan-Qing block. Most of this eastward motion has been transmitted to South China, which is moving SEE-ward at 7–9 mm/a. It is suggested from geophysical data interpretation that the crust and lithosphere of the East Tibetan Plateau is considerably thickened and rheologically layered. The upper crust seems to be decoupled from the lower crust through a décollement zone at a depth of 15–20 km, which involved the Longmenshan fault belt and propagated eastward to the SW of the Sichuan basin. The Wenchuan earthquake was just formed at the bifurcated point of this décollement system. A rheological boundary should exist beneath the Longmenshan fault belt where the lower crust of the East Tibetan Plateau and the lithospheric mantle of the Yangze block are juxtaposed.     

2008年汶川地震破裂的滑移向量

估计同震滑移向量对于认识和理解破裂方式和破裂过程具有重要意义。2008年汶川大地震在青藏高原东缘龙门山推覆构造带的中央断裂和前山断裂上各形成了一条长250 km和72 km的地表破裂带。地震发生后至今,已经发表了大量有关同震位错沿破裂带分布的论文和报告,但绝大部分都仅仅是破裂的走向位错和垂直位错,极少有同震滑移向量的报道。这不仅是因为野外难以直接测量到水平缩短量(或拉张量),而且还因为这些走滑位错实际上是视走滑位错,部分或全部来自水平缩短或拉张。因此,仅仅根据视走滑同震位错和垂直同震位错估计的同震总滑移量肯定包含了相当大的误差。尝试利用据不同走向参考线测量到的一组(两个以上)视走滑位错来计算水平滑移向量的这一新方法,获得了中央破裂带上的7个水平同震滑移向量,并结合垂直位错量进一步计算了走滑、倾滑和水平缩短三个同震滑移分量以及断层倾角和破裂面上的同震滑移向量,综合出露破裂面的擦痕所指示的滑移向量,并对比根据矩张量解获得的震源深度的滑移向量,得出以下认识:(1)破裂南段的地表滑移向量的方位角明显小于震源深度滑移向量的方位角,表明在破裂从震源向地表传播过程中破裂面上的滑移向量发生了逆时针旋转;(2)滑移方位角向北东方向逐渐增大,表明地平面上水平滑移向量表现出顺时针旋转的趋势,而且在破裂向北东方向传播过程中近地表的走滑分量逐渐减小而倾滑分量逐渐增大;(3)几乎在每一个观测点倾滑分量都大于走滑分量,表明汶川地震的破裂方式在任何地点都是以逆冲运动为主;(4)破裂面倾角在10.4°～64.7°,平均值为41°,与天然破裂露头和探槽揭示的结果基本一致;(5)滑移向量沿破裂带的分布显示,走滑分量中段大而两端小,倾滑分量则相反,中段小两端大。     

Deformation style in the damage zone of the Mondy fault: GPR evidence (Tunka basin,southern East Siberia)

The Mondy strike-slip fault connects the W-E Tunka and N-S Hovsgol basins on the southern flank of the Baikal rift system. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) surveys in its damage zone provide constraints on thicknesses, dips, and plunges of fault planes, as well as on the amount and sense of vertical slip. Strike-slip faulting in the southern segment of the Mondy fault within the territory of Russia bears a normal slip component of motion along the W-E and NW planes. These motions have produced negative flower structures in shallow crust appearing as grabens upon Pleistocene fluvioglacial terraces. The amount of normal slip estimated from the displacement of reflection events varies over the area and reaches its maximum of 3.4 m near Mondy Village. In the Kharadaban basin link, left-lateral strike slip displaces valleys of ephemeral streams to 22 m, while normal slip detected by GPR reaches 2.2 m; this normal-to-strike slip ratio corresponds to a direction of ~ 6° to the horizon. The angles of dips of faults are in the range 75°-79°; the thicknesses of fault planes marked by low- or high-frequency anomalies in GPR records vary from 2.5 to 17.0 m along strike and decrease with depth within a few meters below the surface, which is common to near-surface coseismic motions. Many ruptures fail to reach the surface but appear rather as sinkholes localized mainly in fault hanging walls. The deformation style in the damage zone of the Mondy fault bears impact of the NW Yaminshin fault lying between its two segments. According to photoelasticity, the stress field changes locally at the intersection of the two faults, under NE compression at 38°, till the inverse orientations of principal compression and extension stresses. This stress pattern leads to a combination of normal and left-lateral strike slip components.     

Segmentation and kinematics of the North America‐Caribbean plate boundary offshore Hispaniola

We explored the submarine portions of the Enriquillo–Plantain Garden Fault zone (EPGFZ) and the Septentrional–Oriente Fault zone (SOFZ) along the Northern Caribbean plate boundary using high‐resolution multibeam echo‐sounding and shallow seismic reflection. The bathymetric data shed light on poorly documented or previously unknown submarine fault zones running over 200 km between Haiti and Jamaica (EPGFZ) and 300 km between the Dominican Republic and Cuba (SOFZ). The primary plate‐boundary structures are a series of strike‐slip fault segments associated with pressure ridges, restraining bends, step overs and dogleg offsets indicating very active tectonics. Several distinct segments 50–100 km long cut across pre‐existing structures inherited from former tectonic regimes or bypass recent morphologies formed under the current strike‐slip regime. Along the most recent trace of the SOFZ, we measured a strike‐slip offset of 16.5 km, which indicates steady activity for the past ~1.8 Ma if its current GPS‐derived motion of 9.8 ± 2 mm a^?1 has remained stable during the entire Quaternary.     

Stress triggering of normal aftershocks due to strike slip earthquakes in compressive regime

A few cases of occurrence of normal aftershocks after strike slip earthquakes in compressive regime have been reported in the literature. Occurrence of such aftershocks is intriguing as they occurred despite the apparent stabilizing influence of compressive plate tectonic stresses on the normal faults. To investigate the occurrence processes of such earthquakes, we calculate change in static stress on optimally oriented normal and reverse faults in the dilational and compressional step over zones, respectively, due to slip on a vertical strike slip fault under compressive regime. We find that change in static stress is much more pronounced on normal faults as compared to that on reverse faults, for all values of fault friction. Change in static stress on reverse fault is marginally positive only when the fault friction is low, whereas for normal faults it is positive for all values of fault friction, and is maximum for high fault friction. We suggest that strike slip faulting in compressive regime creates a localized tensile environment in the dilational step over zone, which causes normal faulting in that region. The aftershocks on such normal faults are considered to have occurred as an almost instantaneous response of stress transfer due to strike slip motion.     

Stress triggering of normal aftershocks due to strike slip earthquakes in compressive regime

A few cases of occurrence of normal aftershocks after strike slip earthquakes in compressive regime have been reported in the literature. Occurrence of such aftershocks is intriguing as they occurred despite the apparent stabilizing influence of compressive plate tectonic stresses on the normal faults. To investigate the occurrence processes of such earthquakes, we calculate change in static stress on optimally oriented normal and reverse faults in the dilational and compressional step over zones, respectively, due to slip on a vertical strike slip fault under compressive regime. We find that change in static stress is much more pronounced on normal faults as compared to that on reverse faults, for all values of fault friction. Change in static stress on reverse fault is marginally positive only when the fault friction is low, whereas for normal faults it is positive for all values of fault friction, and is maximum for high fault friction. We suggest that strike slip faulting in compressive regime creates a localized tensile environment in the dilational step over zone, which causes normal faulting in that region. The aftershocks on such normal faults are considered to have occurred as an almost instantaneous response of stress transfer due to strike slip motion.     

湘东─赣西NNE向走滑构造

湘东─赣西构造岩浆带位于郯庐断裂南延的关键性部位。中生代以来，该区 NNE向左旋走滑构造主要由会聚走滑和 K─ E离散走滑构造叠加而成。会聚走滑作用造就了 NNE向雁列式剪切断裂系、剪切弯曲和旋转构造、压剪性煤盆地以及断层动热变质─剪切重熔型花岗岩；而离散走滑作用则控制了该区广泛发育的张剪性红盆地、盆岭式构造地貌、以及大规模中低温热液矿床的形成。湘东─赣西复杂的平移构造型式很可能与该区地壳结构分层特征、前期断裂构造格局、平移幅度和多期走滑构造作用四个因素有关。     

大别-郯庐-苏鲁造山带复合旋转拼贴作用

郯庐断裂带的成生演化与含超高压变质带(UHP)的大别及苏鲁造山带存在较密切的时空关系。郯庐断裂带所在的构造位置应是晚二叠世华北与扬子地块碰撞时的根带。UHP岩石的折返过程可能发生于华北、扬子地块的大角度旋转、拼合过程中。在华北与扬子地块的造山后期或者造山期后的构造变形中所记录的构造形迹经晚中生代以来的中国东部构造变形叠加而逐渐呈现复杂的构造组合,所谓“郯庐断裂带”的走滑平移即其中的一种运动方式。华北与扬子地块碰撞造山作用与陆内变形最终造就了大别—郯庐—苏鲁复合造山带。     

青藏高原大型走滑断裂带晚新生代构造地貌生长及水系响应

大型走滑断裂带对调节印度板块和亚洲板块碰撞后产生的陆内构造变形和地貌生长起着非常重要作用。本文分析了沿青藏高原北缘主要大型左旋走滑断裂带：东昆仑、康西瓦和鲜水河-小江断裂带发育的错断地质体、大型错断水系或水系拐弯等新构造地貌特征,表明这些大型走滑断裂带在晚新生代以来发生了大规模的左旋走滑运动：前新生代地质体错位距离为80～120 km,大型水系累积的位移量可达80～90 km。根据这些走滑断裂带的长期走滑速率为8～12 mm/a,估算上述大型走滑断裂带的左旋走滑运动开始于中新世晚期：东昆仑和康西瓦断裂带左旋走滑运动开始于10±2 Ma; 鲜水河-小江断裂带甘孜-玉树段的左旋走滑运动的开始时间约为8～115 Ma。同样,如果大型水系的沿断裂带出现的大型错位或拐弯能够代表断裂带累积错位的上限,表明发源于青藏高原的黄河、金沙江、喀拉喀什河和玉龙喀什河等一级水系上游大致开始形成于9～7 Ma±。西昆仑山前盆地中河流相沉积的最早响应时间为8～6 Ma,与喀拉喀什河和玉龙喀什河等西昆仑山地区一级水系的形成时间基本一致,表明这些大型水系初始形成时间与左旋走滑构造运动的开始时间准同时。这表明中新世中晚期青藏高原构造演化发生了重要转变。     

TECTONIC TRANSFER ON THE EASTERN EDGE OF PAMIR

TECTONIC TRANSFER ON THE EASTERN EDGE OF PAMIR