Characterization of slip zone associated with the 1999 Taiwan Chi-Chi earthquake: X-ray CT image analyses and microstructural observations of the Taiwan Chelungpu fault

To characterize the fault-related rocks within the Chelungpu fault, we performed X-ray computed tomography (CT) image analyses and microstructural observations of Hole B core samples from the Taiwan Chelungpu-fault Drilling Project. We identified the slip zone associated with the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake, within the black gouge zone in the shallowest major fault zone, by comparison with previous reports. The slip zone was characterized by low CT number, cataclastic (or ultracataclastic) texture, and high possibility to have experienced a mechanically fluidized state. Taking these characteristics and previous reports of frictional heating in the slip zone into consideration, we suggested that thermal pressurization was the most likely dynamic weakening mechanism during the earthquake.     

Are feldspar-to-mica reactions necessarily reaction-softening processes in fault zones?

Reaction-softening by mineralogical changes from feldspars to sericite has been documented from many fault zones. During external crystalline basement deformation in the Alpine orogeny, the Ser Barbier thrust and splay faults in the Pelvoux Massif experienced ultracataclasis and sericitisation. Microstructural information and geochemical data from the fault rocks suggest that different muscovitisation reactions occurred at different times within the evolution of the fault zone, and each reaction had its own impact on fault rheology. Early cataclasis aided chemical breakdown of orthoclase feldspars to muscovite, yet quartz release accompanying this process resulted in local cementation and consequent hardening of the ultracataclasite. Continued deformation was accompanied by muscovitisation of the albite feldspar, and resulted in the formation of mica-rich fault rocks which experienced progressive silica removal by the fluid with increasing deformation. At this stage, reaction-enhanced ductility dominated. Much of the early cemented ultracataclasites escaped later deformation, and their low permeability allowed preservation of their early geochemical characteristics by preventing later fluid access. Such findings demonstrate how the complex interplay between deformation processes and geochemical reactions may result in a changing rheology during fault zone evolution.     

汶川地震断裂带多次地震活动新证据

虹口乡八角庙出露完整的映秀—北川断裂带剖面断层岩,高分辨率磁化率测试揭示出多个具有高磁化率特征的断层岩带。系统的岩石磁学分析证明一层褐色断层岩相对围岩具有最大的磁化率值,存在新生成的磁铁矿和拥有相似的天然剩磁(NRM)和非磁滞剩磁(ARM)强度衰减过程。高磁化率特征是含铁顺磁性矿物受到断层滑移过程产生摩擦生热作用生成磁铁矿所致。同时断层岩还获得了热剩磁,记录了地震活动磁学信息。结合汶川地震科学钻探项目1号孔(WFSD-1)磁化率和岩石磁学研究结果,说明映秀—北川断裂带包含多层具有高磁化率特征的断层岩,暗示了多次强震的发生。具有高磁化率特征的断层岩可以作为判定地震活动的标志之一。     

The Salado River fault: reactivation of an Early Jurassic fault in a transfer zone during Laramide deformation in southern Mexico

The Salado River fault (SRF) is a prominent structure in southern Mexico that shows evidence of reactivation at two times under different tectonic conditions. It coincides with the geological contact between a structural high characterized by Palaeozoic basement rocks to the north, and an ～2000 m thick sequence of marine and continental rocks that accumulated in a Middle Jurassic–Cretaceous basin to the south. Rocks along the fault within a zone up to 150 m across record crystal-plastic deformation affecting the metamorphic basement of the Palaeozoic Acatlán Complex. Later brittle deformation is recorded by both the basement and the overlying Mesozoic sedimentary rocks. Regional features and structural textures at both outcrop and microscopic scale indicate two episodes of left-lateral displacement. The first took place under low-to medium-grade P-T conditions in the late Early Jurassic (180 Ma) based on the interpretation of ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ratios from muscovite within the fault zone; the second occurred under shallow conditions, when the fault served as a transfer zone between areas with differing magnitudes of shortening north and south of the fault. In the southern block, fold hinges were dragged westward during Laramide tectonic transport to the east, culminating in brittle deformation characterized by strike–slip faulting in the Mesozoic sedimentary rocks. North of the fault, folds are not well defined, and it is clear that the fold hinges observed in the southern block do not continue north of the fault. Although the orientation and kinematics of the SRF are similar to major Cainozoic shear zones in southern Mexico, our new data indicate that the fault had become inactive by the time of Oligocene volcanism.     

Tectonic implications of damage zone-related fault-fracture networks revealed in drill core through the Nojima fault, Japan

1800 m of drill core through the Nojima fault zone, Japan, reveals subsidiary fault and fracture networks that developed in the fault zone that triggered the 1995 Ms 7.2 Kobe earthquake. The subsidiary fault zones contain a fault gouge of < 1 cm bounded by thin zones of foliated cataclasite or breccia. Fractures are filled with calcite veins, calcite-cemented breccias, clay, and iron-oxide and carbonate alternation of the granitic host rock. These features are typical of extensional fractures that form the conduit network for fluid flux close to a major fault zone. The zone of distributed deformation surrounding the main fault is 50 m in width, and the dip of the Nojima fault at > 1 km depth is 75°. The fault-fracture networks associated with the Nojima fault zone are coseismic and were filled with carbonate and fine-grained material during repeated seismic-related infiltration of the fault zone by carbonate-bearing subsurface water. This study shows that fault-related fracture networks plays an important role as fluid flow conduits within seismically active faults, and can change in character from zones of high permeability to low permeability due to cementation and/or pore collapse.     

Carbon–oxygen isotope and trace element constraints on how fluids percolate faulted limestones from the San Andreas Fault system: partitioning of fluid sources and pathways

Understanding the way fluids flow in fault zones is of prime importance to develop correct models of earthquake mechanics, especially in the case of the abnormally weak San Andreas Fault (SAF) system. Because fluid flow can leave detectable signatures in rocks, geochemistry is essential to bring light on this topic. The present detailed study combines, for the first time, C–O isotope analyses with a comprehensive trace element data set to examine the geometry of fluid flow within a significant fault system hosted by a carbonate sequence, from a single locality across the Little Pine Fault–SAF system. Such a fault zone contains veins, deformation zones, and their host rocks. Stable isotope geochemistry is used to establish a relative scale of integrated fluid–rock ratios. Carbonate δ¹⁸O varies between 28‰ and 15‰ and δ¹³C between 5‰ and −7‰. From highest to lowest delta values, thus from least to most infiltrated, are the host rocks, the vein fillings, and the deformation zone fillings, respectively. Infiltration increases toward fault core. The fluids are H₂O–CO₂ mixtures. Two fluid sources, one internal and the other external, are found. The external fluid is inferred to come essentially from metamorphism of the Franciscan formation underneath. The internal (local) fluid is provided by a 30% volume reduction of the host limestones resulting from pressure solution and pore size reduction. Most trace elements, including the lanthanides, show enrichment at the 100-m scale in host carbonate rocks as fluid–rock ratios increase toward the fault core. In contrast, the same trace element concentrations are low, relative to host rocks, in veins and deformation zone carbonate fillings, and this difference in concentration increases as fluid–rock ratio increases toward the fault core. We suggest that the fluid trace elements are scavenged by complexation with organic matter in the host rocks. Elemental complexation is especially illustrated by large fractionation of Y–Ho and Nb–Ta geochemical pairs. Complexation associated with external fluid flow has a significant effect on trace element enrichment (up to 700% relative enrichment) while concentration by pressure solution associated with volume decrease of host rocks has a more limited effect (up to 40% relative enrichment). Our observations from the millimeter to the kilometer scale call for the partitioning of fluid sources and pathways, and for a mixed focused–pervasive fluid flow mechanism. The fluid mainly flows within veins and deformation zones and, simultaneously, within at least 10 cm from these channels, part of the fluid flows pervasively in the host rock, which controls the fluid composition. Scavenging of the fluid rare earth elements (REE) by host rocks is responsible for the formation of REE-depleted vein and deformation zone carbonate fillings. Fluid flow is not only restricted to veins or deformation zones as commonly believed. An important part of fluid flow takes place in host rocks near fault zones. Hence, the nature of the lithologies hosting fault zones must be considered in order to take into account the role of fluids in the seismic cycle.     

Co-seismic displacements, folding and shortening structures along the Chelungpu surface rupture zone occurred during the 1999 Chi-Chi (Taiwan) earthquake

A nearly 100-km-long surface rupture zone, called Chelungpu surface rupture zone, occurred mostly along the pre-existing Chelungpu fault on the northwestern side of Taiwan, accompanying the 1999 Chi-Chi Ms 7.6 earthquake. The Chelungpu surface rupture zone can be divided into four segments based on the characteristics of co-seismic displacements, geometry of the surface ruptures and geological structures. These segments generally show a right-step en echelon form and strike NE–SW to N–S, and dip to the east with angles ranging from 50 to 85°. The co-seismic flexural-slip folding structures commonly occurred in or near the surface rupture zone from a few meters to a few hundreds of meters in width, which have an orientation in fold axes parallel or oblique to the surface rupture zone. The displacements measured in the southern three segments are approximately 1.0–3.0 m horizontally and 2.0–4.0 m vertically. The largest displacements were measured in the northern segment, 11.1 m horizontally and 7.5 m vertically, respectively. The amount of co-seismic horizontal shortening caused by flexural-slip folding and reverse faulting in the surface rupture zone is generally less than 3 m. It is evident that the co-seismic displacements of the surface rupture zone are a quantitative surface indicator of the faulting process in the earthquake source fault. The relations between the geometry and geomorphology of the surface rupture zone, dips of the co-seismic faulting planes and the striations on the main fault planes generated during the co-seismic displacement, show that the Chelungpu surface rupture zone is a reverse fault zone with a large left-lateral component.     

Principal fault zone width and permeability of the active Neodani fault, Nobi fault system, Southwest Japan

The internal structure and permeability of the Neodani fault, which was last activated at the time of the 1891 Nobi earthquake (M8.0), were examined through field survey and experiments. A new exposure of the fault at a road construction site reveals a highly localized feature of the past fault deformation within a narrow fault core zone. The fault of the area consists of three zone units towards the fault core: (a) protolith rocks; (b) 15 to 30 m of fault breccia, and (c) 200 mm green to black fault gouge. Within the fault breccia zone, cataclastic foliation oblique to the fault has developed in a fine-grained 2-m-wide zone adjacent to the fault. Foliation is defined by subparallel alignment of intact lozenge shaped clasts, or by elongated aggregates of fine-grained chert fragments. The mean angle of 20°, between the foliation and the fault plane suggests that the foliated breccia accommodated a shear strain of γ<5 assuming simple shear for the rotation of the cataclastic foliation. Previous trench surveys have revealed that the fault has undergone at least 70 m of fault displacement within the last 20,000 years in this locality. The observed fault geometry suggests that past fault displacements have been localized into the 200-mm-wide gouge zone. Gas permeability analysis of the gouges gives low values of the order of 10⁻²⁰ m². Water permeability as low as 10⁻²⁰ m² is therefore expected for the fault gouge zone, which is two orders of magnitude lower than the critical permeability suggested for a fault to cause thermal pressurization during a fault slip.     

Spatial variations in damage zone width along strike-slip faults: An example from active faults in southwest Japan

Field investigations reveal spatial variations in fault zone width along strike-slip active faults of the Arima–Takatsuki Tectonic Line (ATTL) and the Rokko–Awaji Fault Zone (RAFZ) of southwest Japan, which together form a left-stepping geometric pattern. The fault zones are composed of damage zones dominated by fractured host rocks, non-foliated and foliated cataclasites, and a fault core zone that consists of cataclastic rocks including fault gouge and fault breccia. The fault damage zones of the ATTL are characterized by subsidiary faults and fractures that are asymmetrically developed on each side of the main fault. The width of the damage zone varies along faults developed within granitic rocks of the ATTL and RAFZ, from ∼50 to ∼1000 m. In contrast, the width of the damage zone within rhyolitic tuff on the northwestern side of the ATTL varies from ∼30 to ∼100 m. The fault core zone is generally concentrated in a narrow zone of ∼0.5–∼5 m in width, consisting mainly of pulverized cataclastic rocks that lack the primary cohesion of the host rocks, including a narrow zone of fault gouge (<0.5 m) and fault-breccia zones either side of the fault. The present results indicate that spatial variations in the width of damage zone and the asymmetric distribution of damage zones across the studied strike-slip faults are mainly caused by local concentrations in compressive stress within an overstep area between left-stepping strike-slip faults of the ATTL and RAFZ. The findings demonstrate that fault zone structures and the spatial distribution in the width of damage zone are strongly affected by the geometric patterns of strike-slip faults.     

Imaging the ramp–décollement geometry of the Chelungpu fault using coseismic GPS displacements from the 1999 Chi-Chi, Taiwan earthquake

We use coseismic GPS data from the 1999 Chi-Chi, Taiwan earthquake to estimate the subsurface shape of the Chelungpu fault that ruptured during the earthquake. Studies prior to the earthquake suggest a ramp–décollement geometry for the Chelungpu fault, yet many finite source inversions using GPS and seismic data assume slip occurred on the down-dip extension of the Chelungpu ramp, rather than on a sub-horizontal décollement. We test whether slip occurred on the décollement or the down-dip extension of the ramp using well-established methods of inverting GPS data for geometry and slip on faults represented as elastic dislocations. We find that a significant portion of the coseismic slip did indeed occur on a sub-horizontal décollement located at 8 km depth. The slip on the décollement contributes 21% of the total modeled moment release. We estimate the fault geometry assuming several different models for the distribution of elastic properties in the earth: homogeneous, layered, and layered with lateral material contrast across the fault. It is shown, however, that heterogeneity has little influence on our estimated fault geometry. We also investigate several competing interpretations of deformation within the E/W trending rupture zone at the northern end of the 1999 ground ruptures. We demonstrate that the GPS data require a 22- to 35-km-long lateral ramp at the northern end, contradicting other investigations that propose deformation is concentrated within 10 km of the Chelungpu fault. Lastly, we propose a simple tectonic model for the development of the lateral ramp.     

碳酸盐岩断裂破碎带结构、分布与发育机制

断裂带通常包括狭窄的断层核与宽阔的破碎带,并对岩石物理及其水力学、流体与渗透性具有重要作用。根据断裂破碎带结构的差异,将碳酸盐岩断层核划分为颗粒支撑、基质支撑与胶结支撑等3种类型,将碳酸盐岩破碎带划分碎裂带与裂缝带。不同类型碳酸盐岩断层核与破碎带形成多种类型组合,并造成断裂破碎带多种复杂的渗流结构。通过井—震资料的结合,可以判识沉积盆地内部较宽的碳酸盐岩断裂破碎带,其宽度—位移关系可以指示断裂破碎带的不同生长方式与机制。复杂内部结构、多期构造成岩作用与non-Andersonian破裂机制可能导致碳酸盐岩断裂破碎带的异常生长,也是碳酸盐岩断裂破碎带机理研究的重要方向。     

碳酸盐岩断裂破碎带结构、分布与发育机制

断裂带通常包括狭窄的断层核与宽阔的破碎带,并对岩石物理及其水力学、流体与渗透性具有重要作用。根据断裂破碎带结构的差异,将碳酸盐岩断层核划分为颗粒支撑、基质支撑与胶结支撑等3种类型,将碳酸盐岩破碎带划分碎裂带与裂缝带。不同类型碳酸盐岩断层核与破碎带形成多种类型组合,并造成断裂破碎带多种复杂的渗流结构。通过井—震资料的结合,可以判识沉积盆地内部较宽的碳酸盐岩断裂破碎带,其宽度—位移关系可以指示断裂破碎带的不同生长方式与机制。复杂内部结构、多期构造成岩作用与non-Andersonian破裂机制可能导致碳酸盐岩断裂破碎带的异常生长,也是碳酸盐岩断裂破碎带机理研究的重要方向。     

Significant resistivity changes in the fault zone associated with the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake, west-central Taiwan

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the possible influence of an earthquake on the resistivity distribution in a fault zone. We collected resistivity image profiles across a proposed fault trace prior to the 7.3 magnitude 1999 shallow earthquake in the Chi-Chi area of Taiwan. Significant positive resistivity anomalies were observed in the hanging wall after the earthquake. However, there were negligible resistivity changes in the footwall. From an examination of geoelectric phenomena and surface rupture in the fault zone, it is believed that geoelectric anomalies are associated with abrupt displacement along the active Chelungpu fault. This result indicates a potential for resistivity methods to provide a basis for the monitoring of an active fault.     

Tomographic image of crustal structures across the Chelungpu fault: Is the seismogenic layer structure- or depth-dependent?

In 1999, a large earthquake (M_w = 7.6) occurred along the Chelungpu fault in the fold-and-thrust belt of western Taiwan. To shed more light on the subsurface structures and the seismogenic layers, three-dimensional velocity structures were inverted by using the travel times of both P- and S-waves from 2391 aftershocks recorded by the Central Weather Bureau during the 15 months that followed. From tomography, a typical image of the large-scale thrusting structures in the upper crust across the Chelungpu fault was obtained. In general, high velocities beneath the Western Foothills and Central Ranges are separated from low velocities beneath the Coastal Plain by an east-dipping boundary that is roughly consistent with the Chelungpu fault on the surface. The contrast in velocity on either side of the Chelungpu fault is indicative of about a 7- to 9-km vertical offset in the upper crust. The relocated hypocenter for the Chi-Chi earthquake shifts by 2.2 km toward the northwest, and its focal depth decreases by 0.7 km. A plot of focal depths versus rock velocities where the aftershocks occurred shows earthquakes are more inclined to occur in rock with a velocity of around 5.6 km/s. This strongly suggests the seismogenic layer in the fold-and-thrust belt of Taiwan is more structure-dependent than depth-dependent.     

鲜水河断裂带乾宁段岩石特征与内部结构及其物理-化学性质

断裂带的变形行为和断层滑移机制是目前地震研究关注的热点,断裂带岩石特征、内部结构与物理化学性质是确定断层蠕滑或粘滑行为以及断层滑移机制的基础和关键。本文以鲜水河断裂带乾宁段地表出露的断裂岩为研究对象,通过野外地质调查、室内光学显微镜、扫描电镜、粒度统计、粉末X射线衍射分析（XRD）和薄片X射线荧光光谱分析（XRF）等多种研究方法,对鲜水河断裂带岩石特征、结构构造、物性、矿物成分及化学元素分布开展了详细的分析,并探讨了相关变形行为和滑移机制。分析表明：（1）断裂带核部主要由黑色断层泥、浅黄色及黄色断层角砾岩和灰色碎裂岩、灰色断层角砾岩组成,呈单核对称结构;（2）黑色断层泥厚3~5cm,具有快速滑动结构特征,表现为断层粘滑行为。断层泥可划分出13个滑移带,最窄滑移带厚约40μm,至少代表13期古地震事件;（3）断层泥主要由伊利石、高岭石和石英等矿物组成,其中边部伊蒙混层含量异常高,为最新一次古地震的主滑移带。由于伊利石和伊蒙混层（或蒙脱石）为主要黏土矿物的断层泥渗透率低、孔隙流体压力大,以及发现断层泥楔入脉,表明地震过程中断层滑动存在热增压弱化机制;（4）从断层泥不同滑动带中碎块蚀变程度和矿物分布特征来看,地震主滑动带有向碎裂岩方向迁移的趋势。推测断层在滑动过程中,更趋向于向弱矿物含量高（如伊利石、伊蒙混层）、强矿物含量低（如方解石、高岭石）的围岩一侧迁移。

     

四川汶川地震断裂带科学钻探2号孔(WFSD-2)岩性特征和断裂带的结构

以WFSD-2钻孔岩心为研究对象,通过详细的岩心编录和岩石学、构造地质学等研究,识别出该钻孔岩心具有6段岩性,从上向下依次为彭灌杂岩(0~599.31m)、三叠系须家河组二段(599.31~1211.49m)、彭灌杂岩(1211.49~1679.51m)、三叠系须家河组三段(1679.51~1715.48m)、彭灌杂岩(1715.48~2081.47m)、三叠系须家河组四段(2081.47~2283.56m)。彭灌杂岩主要以花岗岩和火山岩为主,三叠系须家河组沉积岩以砂岩、粉砂岩、泥岩、页岩、煤层(线)和砾岩为主。3套彭灌杂岩与三叠系须家河组沉积岩重复出现,时代较老的岩性段逆冲覆盖在新的地层之上,表明龙门山构造带由一系列逆冲岩片叠置而成。岩心中断裂岩较为发育,主要为断层角砾岩、碎裂岩和断层泥,反映出脆性变形作用的特点。通过对断裂岩的统计分析,厘定了20余条产状不同、规模不等的次级断裂带,断裂带宽度和断裂密度峰值显示FZ600、 FZ720、 FZ782、 FZ817、 FZ922、 FZ951、FZ1449、 FZ1681、FZ2082为主要断裂带,其中FZ1681系规模最大的一条断裂。依据断裂岩的组合特征可以将岩心中断裂带的结构以断层泥为核部划分为两大类：对称型断裂带和不对称型断裂带。根据地表破裂带、WFSD-1钻孔岩心中主滑移带位置的几何关系、岩性分层等因素,可推断汶川地震主滑移带应位于FZ1134、FZ1449或FZ1681之中,同时也暗示该地区经常发生类似汶川地震的大地震活动。研究表明,龙门山地区经历了强烈的构造缩短和快速隆升作用,暗示龙门山地区构造活动非常强烈。     

四川汶川地震断裂带科学钻探2号孔(WFSD-2)岩性特征和断裂带的结构

以WFSD-2钻孔岩心为研究对象,通过详细的岩心编录和岩石学、构造地质学等研究,识别出该钻孔岩心具有6段岩性,从上向下依次为彭灌杂岩(0~599.31m)、三叠系须家河组二段(599.31~1211.49m)、彭灌杂岩(1211.49~1679.51m)、三叠系须家河组三段(1679.51~1715.48m)、彭灌杂岩(1715.48~2081.47m)、三叠系须家河组四段(2081.47~2283.56m)。彭灌杂岩主要以花岗岩和火山岩为主,三叠系须家河组沉积岩以砂岩、粉砂岩、泥岩、页岩、煤层(线)和砾岩为主。3套彭灌杂岩与三叠系须家河组沉积岩重复出现,时代较老的岩性段逆冲覆盖在新的地层之上,表明龙门山构造带由一系列逆冲岩片叠置而成。岩心中断裂岩较为发育,主要为断层角砾岩、碎裂岩和断层泥,反映出脆性变形作用的特点。通过对断裂岩的统计分析,厘定了20余条产状不同、规模不等的次级断裂带,断裂带宽度和断裂密度峰值显示FZ600、FZ720、FZ782、FZ817、FZ922、FZ951、FZ1449、FZ1681、FZ2082为主要断裂带,其中FZ1681系规模最大的一条断裂。依据断裂岩的组合特征可以将岩心中断裂带的结构以断层泥为核部划分为两大类:对称型断裂带和不对称型断裂带。根据地表破裂带、WFSD-1钻孔岩心中主滑移带位置的几何关系、岩性分层等因素,可推断汶川地震主滑移带应位于FZ1134、FZ1449或FZ1681之中,同时也暗示该地区经常发生类似汶川地震的大地震活动。研究表明,龙门山地区经历了强烈的构造缩短和快速隆升作用,暗示龙门山地区构造活动非常强烈。     

Polyphase movement on the Lavanttal Fault Zone (Eastern Alps): reconciling the evidence from different geochronological indicators

The Lavanttal Fault Zone (LFZ) is generally considered to be related to Miocene orogen-parallel escape tectonics in the Eastern Alps. By applying thermochronological methods with retention temperatures ranging from ~450 to ~40°C we have investigated the thermochronological evolution of the LFZ and the adjacent Koralm Complex (Eastern Alps). ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating on white mica and zircon fission track (ZFT) thermochronology were carried out on host rocks (HRs) and fault-related rocks (cataclasites and fault gouges) directly adjacent to the unfaulted protolith. These data are interpreted together with recently published apatite fission track (AFT) and apatite (U-Th)/He ages. Sample material was taken from three drill cores transecting the LFZ. Ar release spectra in cataclastic shear zones partly show strongly rejuvenated incremental ages, indicating lattice distortion during cataclastic shearing or hydrothermal alteration. Integrated plateau ages from fault rocks (~76 Ma) are in parts slightly younger than plateau ages from HRs (>80 Ma). Incremental ages from fault rock samples are in part highly reduced (~43 Ma). ZFT ages within fault gouges (~65 Ma) are slightly reduced compared to the ages from HRs, and fission tracks show reduced lengths. Combining these results with AFT and apatite (U-Th)/He ages from fault rocks of the same fault zone allows the recognition of distinct faulting events along the LFZ from Miocene to Pliocene times. Contemporaneous with this faulting, the Koralm Complex experienced accelerated cooling in Late Miocene times. Late-Cretaceous to Palaeogene movement on the LFZ cannot be clearly proven. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar muscovite and ZFT ages were probably partly thermally affected along the LFZ during Miocene times.     

The role of bedding in the evolution of meso- and microstructural fabrics in fault zones

To investigate the role of bedding in the evolution of meso- and microstructural fabrics in fault zones, detailed microscopic, mineralogical, and geochemical analyses were conducted on bedding-oblique and bedding-parallel faults that cut a folded Neogene siliceous mudstone that contains opal-CT, smectite, and illite. An analysis of asymmetric structures in the fault gouges indicates that the secondary fractures associated with each fault exhibit contrasting characteristics: those of the bedding-oblique fault are R₁ shears, whereas those of the bedding-parallel fault are reactivated S foliation. The bedding-oblique fault shows the pervasive development of S foliation, lacks opal-CT, and has low SiO₂/TiO₂ ratios only in gouge, whereas the bedding-parallel fault exhibits these characteristics in both gouge and wall rocks. The development of S foliation and the lack of silica can result from local ductile deformation involving the sliding of phyllosilicates, coupled with pressure solution of opal-CT. Although such deformation can occur in gouge, the above results indicate that it may occur preferentially along bedding planes, preceding the formation of a gouge/slip surface. Thus, in sedimentary rocks that contain phyllosilicates and soluble minerals, bedding can influence the rheological evolution of meso- and microstructural fabrics in fault zones.     

Fracture systems in normal fault zones crosscutting sedimentary rocks,Northwest German Basin

Field studies of fracture systems associated with 58 normal fault zones crosscutting sedimentary rocks were performed in the Northwest German Basin. Fracture orientations, densities, apertures and lengths, as well as fault zone structural indices, were analysed separately for fault damage zones and host rocks. The results show a pronounced difference between carbonate and clastic rocks: mainly in carbonate rocks we found presence of clear damage zones, characterized by higher fracture densities than in the host rocks. While the maximum aperture is similar for both units, the percentage of fractures with large apertures is much higher in the damage zones than in the host rocks.Based on laboratory measurements of Young's moduli and field measurements of fracture densities, we calculate effective stiffnesses E_e, that is the Young's moduli of the in situ rock masses, within the normal fault zones. Compared with carbonate rocks, E_e computed for clastic-rock damage zones decreases significantly less due to lower fracture densities. We conclude that normal fault zones in carbonate rocks have more profound effects on enhancing permeability in fluid reservoirs than those in clastic rocks. The results are of great importance for modelling the hydromechanical behaviour of normal fault zones in subsurface fluid reservoirs.