Fracture and stress orientation from borehole image logs: A case study from Cambay basin,India

The Deccan trap basalt, laid down by multiple lava flows during upper Cretaceous to Paleocene times forms the basement of current study in Cambay basin. As such, there is great interest and value in fracture detection and evaluation of fractured basement reservoirs in the Cambay basin. The procedure for identification and evaluation of natural as well as induced fractures in basaltic basement of the Cambay basin is presented in this work. In this study formation micro-imager (FMI) and extended range micro-imager (XRMI) log data for fracture identification is used. The Deccan trap basaltic basement of the study area, comprising five wells in the Tarapur-Cambay block, has potential for holding commercial hydrocarbon due to the presence of fractures and weathered basement. Both image logs (FMI, XRMI) identify three types of fracture including open (conductive), partially open and closed (resistive) fractures, of which open and partially open fractures are important for hydrocarbon accumulation. Fracture dip ranges from 10° to 80°. Image logs have also identified washout, breakout and drilling-induced fracture zones. The strike direction of the open natural fractures for four wells varies from N60°E to N30°E whereas the strike direction of most natural fracture in the fifth well is oriented towards N20°W. The orientations of drilling-induced fractures and breakouts may be interpreted for the in-situ stress direction over the logged interval. Drilling-induced tensile fractures, identified over the depth interval of 1969–1972 m, and borehole breakouts over the interval of 1953–1955 m in one well, suggest an orientation of maximum in-situ horizontal compressive stress (S_H) lies in the north-south direction. The azimuths of open natural fractures in the same well vary from north-south to N30°E. It is expected that the direction of fluid flow will be controlled by open natural fractures and therefore would be in a direction parallel to the S_H direction, which is orthogonal to the minimum horizontal stress (S_h) direction. The orientations observed are consistent with the present day S_H direction in the study area of Cambay basin.     

Observation of surface displacements from GPS analyses before and after the Jiashian earthquake (M = 6.4) in Taiwan

A blind thrust fault with a unique strike, which is orthogonal to the strike of most tectonic structures in Taiwan, triggered the Jiashian earthquake on March 4, 2010 (M = 6.4; 22.96°N, 120.70°E). This study utilizes 100 global positioning system stations to examine changes of surface displacements during the Jiashian earthquake. We mitigate effects of short-term noise and long-term plate movements from surface displacement data using a frequency dependent filter via the Hilbert–Huang transform and compute the horizontal azimuth (i.e. GPS-azimuth) using residual data at the NS component relative to residual data at the EW component. Analytical results show that orientations of horizontal azimuths were aligned and orthogonal to the strike of the blind thrust fault. Meanwhile, inverse orientations are observed before and after the earthquake that agrees well with the seismic rebound theory. As stress disturbed on strata a few days before the earthquake, an impeded region can be clearly identified by disordered orientations of horizontal azimuths for anticipating the mainshock. These results provide an additional view to explore stress disturbance associated with earthquakes and offer more information to examine diverse models of tectonic evolution in this region.     

Temporal change in the structural fabric during pre- and post-26 January 2001 Bhuj earthquake,using remote sensing data

The Bhuj region, Kutch, India, is included in the highly seismic zonation map of India. The Kutch is a rift basin and so far has experienced three major earthquakes that are due to reverse fault mechanism, which in turn have been ascribed to compressive stresses. Origin of these stresses is considered to be due to north–south convergence of the Indian Plate with the Tibetan plate, and this has placed the entire Indian Plate under the compressive stress regime. Analysis of the stress pattern in the Bhuj region, therefore, has been carried out by extracting lineaments with the help of remote sensing data for the pre- and post-earthquake periods of 26 January 2001 earthquake. For this purpose, the area has been segmented into four sectors. The lineament frequency and the percent frequency from each sector and also for the whole area have been worked out. Resolution of stress on the principle of triaxial ellipsoid has been worked out for each sector and also for the whole area. There results a temporal change in the stress pattern in each sector and also for the whole area. However, the direction of horizontal maximum compressive stress for the whole area appears to be in N 10°E in the pre-earthquake period that has changed to N 10°W in the post-earthquake period. Thus, temporal change in the horizontal maximum compressive stress direction as N 23°E, inferred by Gowd et al. (J Geophy Res 97:11879–11888, 1992) to N 10°E prior to and N 10°W in the post-earthquake period, as inferred from lineament analysis and near parallelism of the lineament maxima with that of the North Kathiawar Fault and the Chambal Jamnagar Lineament along with the longer axis of the isoseismals of the Bhuj 2001 earthquake indicates a modification in the structural fabric of the region as well as a possibility of development of a major plane of weakness.     

Plio-Quaternary stress states in NE Iran: Kopeh Dagh and Allah Dagh-Binalud mountain ranges

NE Iran, including the Kopeh Dagh and Allah Dagh-Binalud deformation domains, comprises the northeastern boundary of the Arabia–Eurasia collision zone. This study focuses on the evolution of the Plio-Quaternary tectonic regimes of northeast Iran. We present evidence for drastic temporal changes in the stress state by inversion of both geologically and seismically determined fault slip vectors. The inversions of fault kinematics data reveal distinct temporal changes in states of stress during the Plio-Quaternary (since ～ 5 Ma). The paleostress state is characterized by a regional transpressional tectonic regime with a mean N140 ± 10°E trending horizontal maximum stress axis (σ₁). The youngest (modern) state of stress shows two distinct strike-slip and compressional tectonic regimes with a regional mean of N030 ± 15°E trending horizontal σ₁. The change from the paleostress to modern stress states has occurred through an intermediate stress field characterized by a mean regional N trending σ₁. The inversion analysis of earthquake focal mechanisms reveals a homogeneous, transpressional tectonic regime with a regional N023 ± 5°E trending σ₁. The modern stress state, deduced from the youngest fault kinematics data, is in close agreement with the present-day stress state given by the inversions of earthquake focal mechanisms. According to our data and the deduced results, in northeast Iran, the Arabia–Eurasia convergence is taken up by strike-slip faulting along NE trending left-lateral and NNW trending right-lateral faults, as well as reverse to oblique-slip reverse faulting along NW trending faults. Such a structural assemblage is involved in a mechanically compatible and homogeneous modern stress field. This implies that no strain and/or stress partitioning or systematic block rotations have occurred in the Kopeh Dagh and Allah Dagh-Binalud deformation domains. The Plio-Quaternary stress changes documented in this paper call into question the extrapolation of the present-day seismic and GPS-derived deformation rates over geological time intervals encompassing tens of millions of years.     

松辽盆地中部深部断层影响浅部次级断层发育的数值研究

利用Poly3D模拟了松辽盆地长垣隆起中部后裂谷期应力场,由此预测浅部次级断层的产状和密度。计算结果表明,深部断层的存在会扰乱浅部应力场,距离深部断层越近,扰动程度越明显,从而导致了浅层次级断层的走向变化和不均匀的密度分布;浅部次级断层的走向和分布与深部断层的形态和空间位置相关,它们在断层的端部、转折段及其附近变化较大。同样地,在施加远场的不同方向水平拉伸、相同应变量下,可计算出相应的浅部次级断层走向和密度的计算值。在不同反射层模拟得到的最佳伸展方向与区域分析基本相同,但此时预测断层走向和密度与实际情况仍有较大差别。考虑到模型中深部断层面的拖曳力分量均设置为零,即不存在独立的断层活动,这一差别暗示出浅部次级断层的发育不仅受远场构造作用影响,而且还受深部断层独立活动的制约。     

Stress analysis and tectonic trends of southern Sinai Peninsula, using potential field data analysis and anisotropy technique

The aim of the present work is to evaluate the stress direction and the tectonic trends of the study area using magnetic anisotropy and potential field data interpretations (Bouguer and aeromagnetic). The specific objective of the gravity and aeromagnetic interpretation is to establish the trend and depth of the structural configuration of the basement rocks. Horizontal gradient techniques could to delineate directions of deep sources and enabled tracing several faults, lineaments and tectonic boundaries of basement rocks. The trend analysis shows N40°?C50°W, N10°?C20°W and N10°?C20°E which may be related to the Gulf of Suez, Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba stresses. However, Euler Deconvolution technique was applied using the aeromagnetic data to provide reliable information about penetrated source depth (100 m and ??10.0 km) and trends of the subsurface sources (principally in NW and NE directions). Moreover, representative 72 oriented rock samples have been collected from seven sites in the study area. The rock magnetic properties and magnetic anisotropy analysis have been determined for all the studied samples. The interpretation clearly defined magnetic lineation at all sites and anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) parameters. The stress direction of the studied area has been evaluated using magnetic anisotropy and geophysical analysis. Generally the estimated geophysical data analysis (Bouguer and aeromagnetic) are well consistent with the AMS interpretations of this study. The results indicated that the directions of predominant faults and foliations are NW-SE (related to the Gulf of Suez and Red Sea rifting) which indicate that the main stress and tectonic trend is NE-SW, which is more predominant in southern Sinai region. Moreover, it is clear that, the studied area was affected also by less predominant sources trended in NE-SW direction, which related to the tectonic activity of Gulf of Aqaba. The least predominant is north 40°?C50° east that is probably due to the Syrian Arc system. Finally, our results are extremely coincided with the previous stress directions derived from geological, seismological and tectonic analysis in northern Red Sea rift, Gulf of Suez and Sinai regions.     

Localization patterns in sandbox-scale numerical experiments above a normal fault in basement

The finite element program ELFEN is used to study the effect of basement fault dip on the evolution of shear band patterns in unconsolidated sand. The material properties and boundary conditions of the model were chosen to correspond to generic sandbox experiments.Model results reproduce the range of structural styles found in corresponding sandbox experiments. With a basement fault dip of 60° and lower, a graben structure is formed, composed of a synthetic shear band followed by one or more antithetic shear bands. With a basement fault dip of 70° and steeper, a reverse (precursor) shear band forms first, followed by a synthetic, normal shear band that accommodates all further displacement. The dip of the synthetic shear band is close to the basement fault dip. For basement fault dips between 60° and 70°, we observe a transition in localization patterns. An analysis of the stress fields and velocity vectors in the model explains the first-order aspects of the relationships observed.We consider the observed ‘precursor-dominated’ and ‘graben-dominated’ structural domains to be important components of normal fault systems in which the first order structural style and deformation patterns are only weakly dependent on the details of the rheology of the model materials and explore the interesting problem of the change in structural style from ‘precursor-dominated’ to ‘graben-dominated’ structural domains above a normal fault in basement. We find similar structural domains in sandbox experiments for the same set of boundary conditions but with slightly different material properties, suggesting that the modeled patterns are robust within these two structural domains, (i.e. will occur over a range of similar material properties and boundary conditions).The results of this study contribute to our ability to validate numerical models against experiments in order to finally better simulate natural systems.     

Seismic reflection imaging of active faults and their tectonic behavior in the Northern Moroccan margin. Is the Nekor fault a pure strike-slip fault?

The study of 1000-km seismic reflection profiles, along the Northern Moroccan margin, allowed browsing new imaging in detail about the regional geological structures and their functioning. To achieve this goal, we elaborated a high-resolution depth model and a global tectonic sketch. The influence of recent tectonic activity is manifested by normal and strike-slip faults, trending mainly 70° N and 125° N. In this segment, the Nekor strike-slip fault seems to be connected to a secondary major fault system that changes direction from 30° N to 70° N, and changing behavior to left-lateral strike-slip fault with normal component. Analysis of local seismic activity recorded from 1990 to 2014 with moderate magnitudes activity shows alignments in clear superposition with the detected active faults in seismic reflection lines.     

New palaeomagnetic data from Central Iran and a Triassic palaeoreconstruction

New pole positions for Triassic and Cretaceous times have been obtained from volcanic and sedimentary sequences in Central Iran. These new results confirm the general trend of the Apparent Polar Wander Path (APWP) of the Central-East-Iran microplate (CEIM) from the Triassic through the Tertiary as published by Soffel and Förster (1983, 1984). Two new palaeopoles for the Triassic of the CEIM have been obtained; limestones and tuffs from the Nakhlak region yield a mean direction of 094.0°/25.0°, N=12, k=4.1,α ₉₅=24.7°, after bedding correction, corresponding to a palaeopole position of 310.8°E; 3.9°S, and volcanic rocks from the Sirjan regions yield a mean direction of 114.5°/35.1°, N=44, k=45.9,α ₉₅=3.2° after bedding correction and a palaeopole position of 295.8°E; 10.3°N. Combining these with the two previously published results yields a new palaeopole position of 317.5°E; 12.7°N, for the Triassic of the CEIM, thus confirming that large counterclockwise rotations of the CEIM have occurred since the Triassic time. New results have also been obtained from Cretaceous limestones from the Saghand region of the CEIM. The mean direction of 340.7°/26.3°, N=33, k=44.3,α ₉₅=3.8°, and the corresponding palaeopole position of 283.1°E; 64.4°N, is in agreement with previously determined Cretaceous palaeopole positions of the CEIM. Furthermore, results have also been obtained from Triassic dolomite, limestone, sandstone and siltstone from the Natanz region, which is located to the west of the CEIM. A total of 161 specimens from 44 cores taken at five sites gave a mean direction of the five sites at 033.3°/25.1°, N=5, k=69.0,α ₉₅=9.3° and a palaeopole position of 167.2°E; 53.7°N. They pass the positive fold test of McElhinny (1964) on the level of 99% confidence. This pole position is in fairly good agreement with the mean Triassic pole position of the Turan Plate (149°E; 49°N). It indicates that the area of Natanz has not undergone the large counterclockwise rotation relative to the Turan plate since the Triassic, which has been shown for the CEIM. A Triassic palaeogeographic reconstruction of Iran, Arabia (Gondwana) and the Turan Plate (Eurasia) is also presented.     

Upper mantle anisotropy inferred from shear wave splitting beneath the Eastern Indian Shield region

We estimate the shear wave splitting parameters vis-à-vis the thicknesses of the continental lithosphere beneath the two permanent seismic broadband stations located at Dhanbad (DHN) and Bokaro (BOKR) in the Eastern Indian Shield region. Broadband seismic data of 146 and 131 teleseismic earthquake events recorded at DHN and BOKR stations during 2007–2014 were analyzed for the present measurements. The study is carried out using rotation-correlation and transverse component minimization methods. We retain our “Good”, “Fair” and “Null” measurements, and estimate the splitting parameters using 13 “Good” results for DHN and 10 “Good” results for BOKR stations. The average splitting parameters (ϕ, δt) for DHN and BOKR stations are found to be 50.76°±5.46° and 0.82 ± 0.2 s and 56.30°±5.07° and 0.95 ± 0.17 s, and the estimated average thicknesses of the anisotropic layers beneath these two stations are ∼ 94 and ∼109 km, respectively. The measured deviation of azimuth of the fast axis direction (ϕ) from the absolute motion of the Indian plate ranges from ∼8° to 14°. The measured deviation of azimuth of the fast axis direction (ϕ) from the absolute motion of the Indian plate ranges from ∼8° to 14°. The eastward deviation of the fast axis azimuths from absolute plate motion direction is interpreted to be caused by induced outflow from the asthenosphere. Further, the delay time found in the present analysis is close to the global average for continental shield areas, and also coherent with other studies for Indian shield regions. The five “Null” results and the lower delay time of ∼0.5–0.6 s might be indicating multilayer anisotropy existing in the mantle lithosphere beneath the study area.     

西准噶尔地区多源遥感信息的线性构造提取与定量分析

夹持在近东西向额尔齐斯断裂和天山走滑断裂系统之间的西准噶尔地区,经历了自晚古生代晚期以来长期复杂的陆内构造变形历史。线性构造的长度、方向以及空间分布能够反映构造变形的强度和样式,指示应力作用的方式。本文选取新疆西准噶尔地区为研究区,利用ASTER、Landsat等多源遥感数据通过彩色合成、主成分分析、波段比值和Sobel滤波等增强显示断裂构造在遥感影像上的空间分布和光谱信息,并利用Canny边缘检测与人工解译相结合的方法提取研究区内线性构造;运用地质统计学的原理和方法对提取出的线性构造进行定量分析。结果表明,研究区内依长度优选方位确定的主断裂走向为N50°～60°E,代表了区域一级构造即达拉布特断裂展布的方位;依线性构造数量优选方位确定的次级断裂走向为80°～90°(近东西向),代表了区域三级构造的方位;介于以上两者之间的线性构造,即数量与长度均适中的线性构造,代表了区域二级构造的方位。线性构造的区域分布,揭示了在南北向主压应力作用下,西准噶尔地区构造体系的组成与构造变形特征。由此说明,多源遥感信息提取的线性构造定量分析,对于区域断裂构造体系的厘定具有重要意义。     

Comparison of surface slip and focal mechanism slip data along normal faults: an example from the eastern Gulf of Corinth,Greece

Focal mechanism and surface slip data are used to investigate whether kinematics are similar at depth and at the surface along an active normal fault in the Gulf of Corinth, Greece. We present a new database of slip data from the lateral termination of the South Alkyonides fault segment (SAFS) and the en échelon stepover between it and an adjacent fault, and use published data on surface slip and focal mechanism data pertaining to slip at depth during the 1981 Alkyonides earthquake sequence. The focal mechanisms exhibit similar fault plane orientations and kinematics to those measured at the surface. Within the stepover, both data sets show that contemporaneous c. N–S and c. E–W extension is being accommodated by c. E–W- and c. N–S-oriented normal faults, and the overall deformation is distributed oblate vertical flattening. The deviation of the surface slip direction from 350° increases with distance from the centre of the SAFS. The deviation of the focal mechanism T-axes from 350° fit well with the surface data, implying that the coseismic slip on the SAFS at depths of 7–10 km exhibits a similar kinematic pattern as that observed at the surface. Our results imply that it is critical to know the along-strike position of data on a fault if either focal mechanisms or surface slip are to be used to infer regional strain and stress trajectories.     

Tropical northeast Africa in the middle–late Eocene: Paleomagnetism of the marine-mammals sites and basalts in the Fayum province,Egypt

The mid-late Eocene “Valley of Whales” in the Fayum province of Egypt contains hundreds of marine-mammals’ skeletons. Given its paleontological importance, we carried out a paleomagnetic study of the fossil-bearing formations. A sequence of basalts directly overlying the upper Eocene rocks in three distant clusters within a 25 km-long NW–SE graben in the southwestern part of the area was also studied. Thermal demagnetization of three-axis IRM was used to identify and eliminate sites dominated by hematite and/or goethite as potential remanence carriers. Progressive thermal demagnetization of the NRM isolated a characteristic NNE–SSW dual-polarity direction with a shallow inclination that passes both tilt and reversal tests. The mean tilt-corrected direction of the sedimentary formations is D/I = 16°/30° (k = 50, α₉₅ = 3°) yielding a paleomagnetic pole at 70°N/159°E. The anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) indicated that the observed inclinations were free from inclination shallowing, as did the nearly identical characteristic remanence of the overlying basalt flows (with a tilt-corrected reversed-polarity direction of D/I = 198°/−28° (k = 38, α₉₅ = 7°) and a pole at 68°N/158°E). The new paleopoles place the Fayum province at a lower paleolatitude (15–17°N) than today (29.5°N), and point to the possible prevalence of tropical climate in northeast Africa during mid-late Eocene times. This tropical position is nearly identical to the paleolatitudes extrapolated from the mean of 36 coeval poles rotated from the other major cratons and from Africa itself. The declinations show a minor easterly deviation from those predicted by extrapolation from other continents. This is interpreted as due to a small clockwise rotation internal to NE Africa, possibly related to Red Sea/Gulf of Suez rifting after the late Eocene. The alternative explanation that the geomagnetic field had a non-zonal non-dipole field contribution is not favored.     

Characterisation of interactions between a pre-existing polygonal fault system and sandstone intrusions and the determination of paleo-stresses in the Faroe-Shetland basin

Detailed analysis of 3D seismic data shows how hundreds of large scale conical sandstone intrusions interact with a polygonal fault network in the Faroe-Shetland basin. The intrusions were injected upwards during the Late Miocene through polygonally faulted claystones of Eocene–Oligocene age. Three types of interactions are recognized: (1) intrusions that are unaffected by polygonal faults, (2) intrusions partially or fully intruded into fault planes, and (3) intrusions arrested by polygonal faults. Type 2 intrusions are generally thinner, taller and wider, whereas those unaffected by faults are thicker and characterized by low dips of intrusive limbs (wings). It was found that Type 2 intrusions preferentially intruded into faults striking NW–SE, whereas Type 3 intrusions were arrested by faults striking NE–SW. Comparison of structural data and simple mechanical predictions allows paleostresses to be reconstructed at the time of intrusion. We have established that the basin was undergoing anisotropic horizontal stresses at the time of intrusions in which σ_H and σ_h were oriented N145°E and N055°E, respectively. Intrusion depth, polygonal fault dips and strikes have been used to quantify paleostress intensity and to give a σ_H/σ_V ratio close to 0.95 and a σ_h/σ_H ratio of 0.8. These ratios support the conclusion that sandstone intrusion emplacement occurred just after a Mid-Late Miocene SSE–NNW (N145°E) compressional phase when the compression direction had decreased in intensity and became smaller than lithostatic stress (σ_v).     

Slickenlines and the kinematics of the Crowsnest Deflection in the southern Rocky Mountains of Canada

In the vicinity of the Crowsnest Pass, in the southern Rocky Mountains of Canada, the strike of the structural grain deviates significantly from the regional 325° Bow Valley–northern Montana trend. This deviation is known as the Crowsnest Deflection.The preferred azimuths for slickenlines on bedding north and south of the deflection is 056°; that is almost exactly perpendicular to the Bow Valley–northern Montana trend. Within the deflection, however, the preferred azimuth appears to be composite, ranging from 051° (Beaver Mines) to 082° (Frank, Alberta). The temporal relations of intersecting striae in the coal measures of Bow Valley would suggest, moreover, that these preferred slip directions are not sequential but may be partially or wholly concurrent.These kinematic fabric data, in conjunction with the alignment of remanent magnetic dipoles in mid-Proterozoic (Helikian) rocks, support the hypothesis that within the Crowsnest Deflection the curviplanar shape of contraction faults in the eastern Cordillera of Canada was controlled by the ancestral shape of the Cordilleran shelf-miogeocline.The proposed origin and tectonic significance of the Crowsnest Deflection may be similar to that of other great arcs, including the northeastward salient of the Mackenzie Mountains in the northern Cordillera of Canada, and of the northwestward salient of the central Appalachians of Pennsylvania.     

Late Cenozoic fault pattern and stress fields in the Barguzin rift (Baikal region)

New structural and tectonophysical data, combined with the published geophysical and seismological evidence, were used to map the Late Cenozoic fault pattern and crustal stress in the Barguzin rift. Faults striking in the NE direction are the most abundant elements of the rift structure. A special part in the Late Cenozoic patterns of faults and stresses belongs to an over 400 km long N-S lineament which shows up as a system of separate fault segments between 110° and 110°30′ E. The Late Cenozoic evolution of the rift has been controlled mainly by extension punctuated with local shear stresses derived from the regional extension stress and accommodated by strike slip, combined with the dominant normal motion, along NE or N-NE faults and/or along their cross faults. Extension was of a relatively stable NW-SE direction, almost rift-orthogonal. The obtained fault pattern and stress maps can be used for reference in mapping seismic hazard associated with ongoing faulting in an active and changeable stress field.     

Comparison between deformation deduced from the analysis of recent faults and from focal mechanisms of earthquakes (An example: The Paphos region,Cyprus)

The authors have made a comparative study of surface deformations deduced from the analysis of recent faults, and deformation in depth deduced from, focal mechanisms associated with shallow earthquakes. The initial results obtained in the Paphos region of Cyprus are presented.Study of striations on centi- to decametric-scale fracture surfaces which affect Plio-Quaternary beaches in the Paphos region has enabled the authors to determine statistically the position of the principal axes of Plio-Quaternary deformation: lengthening X (strike N32°, dip 12°NE), shortening Z (N297°, 23°NW) and intermediate Y (N138°, 65°SE).On the 10th of September 1953 a superficial earthquake (depth 6 km) of 6.5 magnitude occurred near Paphos (location 34.9°N, 32.2°E) whose focal mechanism has been studied. Fault-plane solutions were obtained using 36 data points relating to the initial movements of the P-waves measured by longand short-period seismographs. Unfortunately the distribution of data with respect to the focus is such that it does not permit a single, but rather three possible solutions. Two of these are compatible with the model of deformation deduced from surface study. While the most probable solution favours a normal fault (solution no. 3), the system of deep strike-slip faults (solution no. 2) is equally compatible with the existence of predominantly normal surface faults.The preliminary results constitute part of a more regional study of the eastern Mediterranean. The authors consider it fundamental to establish this type of correlation when studying neotectonics.     

Subsurface structural trends of the offshore Nile Delta area, Egypt: evidences from gravity and magnetic data

Subsurface structural trends and tectonics affecting the offshore Nile Delta area, Egypt, have been studied through the interpretations of gravity and magnetic data. Reduced to the pole, regional–residual separation, Tilt derivative and Euler deconvolution techniques are applied for the processing and interpretations of the magnetic and gravity data. The average depth of the sedimentary cover, estimated from the two-dimensional power spectrum technique ranges between 8 km and 13 km. The interpretation of the gravity and magnetic data indicates that the study area is affected by many subsurface structural trends. The NW–SE is the major trend related to El-Temsah and Misfaq-Bardwil trend. The NE–SW direction is the second dominant trend, related to the Rosetta trend. Other trends defined through the interpretation of gravity and magnetic data include: the N–S direction, related to the Baltim fault trend, the E–W direction, related to the Neogene hinge line and the NNE–SSW related to the Gulf of Aqaba. Accessory trends include the ENE–WSW, WNW–ESE and finally the NNW–SSW.     

Sequential granite emplacement: a structural study of the late Variscan Strzelin intrusion, SW Poland

The Strzelin Massif in SW Poland (Central European Variscides) records a protracted igneous evolution, with three main magmatic stages: (1) tonalitic I, (2) granodioritic and (3) tonalitic II/granitic. In the northern part of this Massif, the Strzelin intrusion proper comprises three successively emplaced rock types: a medium-grained biotite granite (303 ± 2 Ma), a fine-grained biotite granite (283 ± 8 Ma) and a fine-grained biotite-muscovite granite; based on field evidence, the third variety postdates both types of the biotite granites. The structural data from the three granites, including their parallel, approximately E–W striking and steeply dipping lithological contacts and ENE–WSW trending subhorizontal magmatic lineations, suggest that the emplacement of all three successive granite varieties was controlled by an active, long-lived strike-slip fault, striking ESE–WNW, with a dextral sense of movement. After the emplacement of the youngest biotite-muscovite granite, the intrusion underwent brittle extension which produced “Q joints” striking NNW–SSE to N–S and dipping at 55–70° WSW to W, and showing evidence of broadly N–S directed sinistral displacements. The structural observations, supported by new geochronological data, indicate that the internal structure of the composite granitoid intrusion, including the faint magmatic foliation and lineation, formed in a long-lived strike-slip setting, different from the subsequent, post-emplacement extensional tectonics that controlled the development of brittle structures.     

Geologic and geometric constraints on a kinematic model of the Bolivian orocline

The “Bolivian orocline” is the change in trend of the Andes from NW to N near 18°S. Paleomagnetic data have been used to infer that this bend was in part produced by wholesale opposed rotations (15–20° counterclockwise north of the bend and 15–20° clockwise south of it) of the two limbs of the orocline. Besides paleomagnetic data, shortening estimates from balanced cross-sections and variations in crustal cross-sectional area provide quantitative information on rotations and translations. The three sets of data do not agree closely, and therefore only loosely constrain the kinematics of the orocline. A map view kinematic model incorporating the major faults gives a more detailed picture. The resulting displacement field suggests that movement perpendicular to the orogen increases toward the bend, whereas the component of orogen-parallel movement increases away from it. Only weak rotations are indicated for the bend region. It is speculated that large-scale regional rotations of the limbs of the orocline are markedly lower than previously suggested, probably of the order of 5–10°. Stronger rotations are associated with strong lateral shortening gradients or may result from superimposed local phenomena.