Low-angle faults above and below a blueschist belt—Tinos Island, Cyclades, Greece

New observations from the Island of Tinos, Greece, allow a better definition of the structural position of the Alpine (Eocene) blueschist belt exposed in the islands of the Aegean Sea. These blueschists, over a significant part of the Aegean sea, are delimited from below by a low-angle thrust fault, while from above they are delimited by a low-angle, normal-type fault which omits a substantial crustal interval. Both underlying and overlying rocks were not affected by the high? metamorphism. The rapid uplift and exhumation of the high? rocks was therefore mainly the result of fault movements rather than erosion and whole-crust uplifting. The low-angle normal fault apparently had a major role in the uplift of the blueschists.     

电阻率层析成像技术在琼东北活动断裂探测中的应用

琼东北1605年琼山地震发震的中心区域东寨港东侧发育多组近东西向和北西向的活动断裂,且均为隐伏断裂。为探明断裂的分布位置及其活动性,现采用电阻率层析成像技术将其中琼山-铺前断裂(F8)以及F7、F6、F5共四条,北西走向断裂作为此次探测目标断裂。结合前人水文钻孔资料和断裂分布,在珠溪河北岸和罗豆农场北侧部署了三条电法探测线,结果表明区域沉积地层在三条反演剖面上均可以划分出三层视电阻率梯度带,与钻孔资料对应较好。同样,视电阻率对已知四条活动断裂均有明显特征的低阻异常反映,除断裂F7的倾向解释存在争议外,其余三条断裂解释均得到钻孔验证。     

Fault-zone structure and weakening processes in basin-scale reverse faults: The Moonlight Fault Zone,South Island,New Zealand

The >200 km long Moonlight Fault Zone (MFZ) in southern New Zealand was an Oligocene basin-bounding normal fault zone that reactivated in the Miocene as a high-angle reverse fault (present dip angle 65°–75°). Regional exhumation in the last c. 5 Ma has resulted in deep exposures of the MFZ that present an opportunity to study the structure and deformation processes that were active in a basin-scale reverse fault at basement depths. Syn-rift sediments are preserved only as thin fault-bound slivers. The hanging wall and footwall of the MFZ are mainly greenschist facies quartzofeldspathic schists that have a steeply-dipping (55°–75°) foliation subparallel to the main fault trace. In more fissile lithologies (e.g. greyschists), hanging-wall deformation occurred by the development of foliation-parallel breccia layers up to a few centimetres thick. Greyschists in the footwall deformed mainly by folding and formation of tabular, foliation-parallel breccias up to 1 m wide. Where the hanging-wall contains more competent lithologies (e.g. greenschist facies metabasite) it is laced with networks of pseudotachylyte that formed parallel to the host rock foliation in a damage zone extending up to 500 m from the main fault trace. The fault core contains an up to 20 m thick sequence of breccias, cataclasites and foliated cataclasites preserving evidence for the progressive development of interconnected networks of (partly authigenic) chlorite and muscovite. Deformation in the fault core occurred by cataclasis of quartz and albite, frictional sliding of chlorite and muscovite grains, and dissolution-precipitation. Combined with published friction and permeability data, our observations suggest that: 1) host rock lithology and anisotropy were the primary controls on the structure of the MFZ at basement depths and 2) high-angle reverse slip was facilitated by the low frictional strength of fault core materials. Restriction of pseudotachylyte networks to the hanging-wall of the MFZ further suggests that the wide, phyllosilicate-rich fault core acted as an efficient hydrological barrier, resulting in a relatively hydrous footwall and fault core but a relatively dry hanging-wall.     

Seismic faults in the Aegean area

Reliable fault plane solutions of shallow earthquakes and information on surface fault traces in combination with other seismic, geomorphological and geological information have been used to determine the orientation and other properties of the seismic faults in the Aegean and surrounding area.Thrust faults having an about NW-SE strike occur in the outer seismic zone along western Albania-westernmost part of mainland of Greece-Ionian Sea-south of Crete-south of Rhodes.The inner part of the area is dominated by strike-slip and normal faulting. Strike-slip with an about NE-SW slip direction occurs in the inner part of the Hellenic arc along the line Peloponnesus-Cyclades-Dodecanese-southwest Turkey as well as along a zone which is associated with the northern Aegean trough and the northwesternmost part of Anatolia. All other regions in the inner part of the area are characterized by normal faulting. The slip direction of the normal faults has an about SW-NE direction in Crete (N38°E) and an about E-W direction (N81°E) in a zone which trends N-S in eastern Albania and its extension to western mainland of Greece. In all other regions (central Greece-southern Yugoslavia and Bulgaria, western Turkey) the slip of the normal faults has an about N-S direction.     

Quaternary strike-slip faults in southeastern spain

The Gibraltar Arc (Western Mediterranean Sea) is traversed by a NE-trending fault system that extends from northern Morocco to southeastern Spain. In this area, three main faults (the Carboneras, Palomares and Alhama de Murcia faults) have been active in Quaternary time. The faults are characterized by left-lateral strike-slip motion. The Quaternary faulting and current seismicity in this part of the Meditterranean area are related to a collision-type tectonics produced by the northwestward relative motion of the African Plate toward the European Plate.     

Trishear for curved faults

Fault-propagation folds form an important trapping element in both onshore and offshore fold-thrust belts, and as such benefit from reliable interpretation. Building an accurate geologic interpretation of such structures requires palinspastic restorations, which are made more challenging by the interplay between folding and faulting. Trishear (Erslev, 1991; Allmendinger, 1998) is a useful tool to unravel this relationship kinematically, but is limited by a restriction to planar fault geometries, or at least planar fault segments. Here, new methods are presented for trishear along continuously curved reverse faults defining a flat–ramp transition. In these methods, rotation of the hanging wall above a curved fault is coupled to translation along a horizontal detachment. Including hanging wall rotation allows for investigation of structures with progressive backlimb rotation. Application of the new algorithms are shown for two fault-propagation fold structures: the Turner Valley Anticline in Southwestern Alberta, and the Alpha Structure in the Niger Delta.     

地震断层的渗透性

剪切带的流体压力因关系着地震断层的滑动强度以及应力释放过程一直备受重视。断层带的渗透率结构对认识断层带内流体活动状况、断层强度、摩擦稳定性以及同震过程等至关重要。文中介绍了断层带渗透率研究的原理、方法,总结了国内外最新的研究成果。脆性域断层的渗透率表现为核部低、两侧高的典型结构,断层泥通常具有最低的渗透率和强各向异性。在地震周期中,断层带的渗透性表现为突然增强-逐渐降低的过程。胶结、水岩反应及溶解-沉淀是间震期断层愈合的主要方式。热压作用是一种有效的断层弱化机制。当断层泥的渗透率小于10-18 m2量级时,地震会伴随强烈的同震热压效应。     

Ground-penetrating radar investigation of active faults along the Dead Sea Transform and implications for seismic hazards within the city of Aqaba, Jordan

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) was used in an effort to locate a major active fault that traverses Aqaba City, Jordan. Measurements over an exposed (trenched) cross fault outside of the city identify a radar signature consisting of linear events and horizontal offset/flexured reflectors both showing a geometric correlation with two known faults at a control site. The asymmetric linear events are consistent with dipping planar reflectors matching the known direction of dip of the faults. However, other observations regarding this radar signature render the mechanism generating these events more complex and uncertain.GPR measurements in Aqaba City were limited to vacant lots. Seven GPR profiles were conducted approximately perpendicular to the assumed strike of the fault zone, based on regional geological evidence. A radar response very similar to that obtained over the cross fault was observed on five of the profiles in Aqaba City, although the response is weaker than that obtained at the control site. The positions of the identified responses form a near straight line with a strike of 45°. Although subsurface verification of the fault by trenching within the city is needed, the geophysical evidence for fault zone location is strong. The location of the interpreted fault zone relative to emergency services, military bases, commercial properties, and residential areas is defined to within a few meters. This study has significant implications for seismic hazard analysis in this tectonically active and heavily populated region.     

Antithethic and homothetic faults

Antithetic faults are dip slip faults that displace rocks so as to prevent or reduce structural relief, typically producing tilted fault blocks. They may or may not occur in conjugate systems with their opposites, homothetic faults, which serve to increase structural relief. Several examples serve to illustrate the concept and to correct current misunderstandings.

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Zusammenfassung Die Arbeit soll die Begriffe antithetisch und homothetisch klären helfen. Antithetische Verschiebungen wirken dem tektonischen Relief entgegen, homothetische Verwerfungen unterstützen es. Die Begriffe werden an einigen Beispielen erläutert.

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Résumé Ce travail constitue une tentative d'élucider les termes »antithétique« et »homothétique«. Le rejet des failles antithétiques s'oppose à la création d'un relief tectonique. Le rejet des failles homothétiques augmente ce relief. Quelques exemples sont discutés.

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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.     

Displacement variation along thrust faults: implications for the development of large faults

Displacement analyses along thrust faults of different maturity (or size) reveal maxima and minima, often associated with minor folding of the adjacent beds, between the tip points. The results show that these faults are segmented, and that they formed through the linkage of smaller (previously independent) faults, and (or) by propagation of a single fault affected by the existence of barriers. Points of potential linkage (marked by displacement minima) are fault bends or distinct fault breaks. Fault nucleation (marked by displacement maxima) occurs within the planar segments of a fault; only in one of eight examples is the nucleation point seen to occur at a fault bend.Displacement variations along inferred or extrapolated regional-scale thrust faults show a variety of patterns, most of which involve constant displacement or a monotonic increase or decrease away from the basal décollement. These data are not considered to be as reliable as those from observed thrusts due to the necessary subjectivity involved in the extrapolation process.In general, displacement variation appears to be a reflection of the symmetry of the thrust fault system, such that, for example, a flat-ramp geometry ending in a steep tip will show an asymmetrical displacement function skewed toward the surface, with a nucleation point above the basal décollement.     

Active faults in Africa: a review

The active fault database and Map of active faults in Africa, in scale of 1:5,000,000, were compiled according to the ILP Project II-2 “World Map of Major Active Faults”. The data were collected in the Royal Museum of Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium, and in the Geological Institute, Moscow, where the final edition was carried out. Active faults of Africa form three groups. The first group is represented by thrusts and reverse faults associated with compressed folds in the northwest Africa. They belong to the western part of the Alpine–Central Asian collision belt. The faults disturb only the Earth's crust and some of them do not penetrate deeper than the sedimentary cover. The second group comprises the faults of the Great African rift system. The faults form the known Western and Eastern branches, which are rifts with abnormal mantle below. The deep-seated mantle “hot” anomaly probably relates to the eastern volcanic branch. In the north, it joins with the Aden–Red Sea rift zone. Active faults in Egypt, Libya and Tunis may represent a link between the East African rift system and Pantellerian rift zone in the Mediterranean. The third group included rare faults in the west of Equatorial Africa. The data were scarce, so that most of the faults of this group were identified solely by interpretation of space imageries and seismicity. Some longer faults of the group may continue the transverse faults of the Atlantic and thus can penetrate into the mantle. This seems evident for the Cameron fault line.     

Multiple-chain and other unusual faults in amphiboles

A combination of high resolution transmission electron microscopy and computer simulation has revealed the existence of multiple-chain and other faults in nephrite jade. Attention is drawn to the subunit cell reorganization involved with many of these faults, which generally appear to be free from severe structural strain.     

Cation stacking faults in magnesium germanate spinel

Widely extended, cation stacking faults in experimentally deformed Mg₂GeO₄ spinel have been studied using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The faults lie on {110} planes. The displacement vector is of the form \(\frac{1}{4}\left\langle {1\bar 10} \right\rangle \) and is normal to the fault plane. The partial dislocations which bound the stacking fault have colinear Burgers vectors of the form \(\frac{1}{4}\left\langle {1\bar 10} \right\rangle \) which are normal to the fault plane.     

Effect of mineralogy on friction-dilation relationships for simulated faults:Implications for permeability evolution in caprock faults

This paper experimentally explores the frictional sliding behavior of two simulated gouges:one,a series of quartz–smectite mixtures,and the other,powdered natural rocks,aiming to evaluate and codify the effect of mineralogy on gouge dilation and frictional strength,stability,and healing.Specifically,velocity-stepping and slide-hold-slide experiments were performed in a double direct shear configuration to analyze frictional constitutive parameters at room temperature,under normal stresses of 10,20,and 40 MPa.Gouge dilation was measured based on the applied step-wise changes in shear velocity.The frictional response of the quartz–smectite mixtures and powdered natural rocks are affected by their phyllosilicate content.Frictional strength and healing rates decrease with increasing phyllosilicate content,and at 20 wt.%a transition from velocity-weakening to velocity-strengthening behavior was noted.For both suites of gouges,dilation is positively correlated with frictional strength and healing rates,and negatively correlated with frictional stability.Changes in the permeability of gouge-filled faults were estimated from changes in mean porosity,indexed through measured magnitudes of gouge dilation.This combined analysis implies that the reactivation of caprock faults filled with phyllosilicaterich gouges may have a strong influence on permeability evolution in caprock faults.     

内蒙古狼山地区新生代断层活动特征：对正断层生长的限定

阿拉善地块东北缘的狼山地区新生代发育有3期构造,分别为中新世NW-SE向挤压形成的逆断层,NNE向挤压形成的左行走滑断层以及晚新生代NW-SE向伸展形成的高角度正断层。结合阿拉善地块东缘的新生代构造,认为狼山地区新生代断层的活动与青藏高原东北缘的逐步扩展、应力场逐渐调整有关。狼山山前正断层目前是一条贯通的断层,其演化基本符合恒定长度断层生长模型,断层中间部位滑动速率最大,向断层两侧逐渐递减。从不同方法得出的滑动速率来看,进入全新世以来,断层滑动速率有逐渐变小的趋势。结合阿拉善地块内部及东缘断层震源机制解以及断层的几何学、运动学特征,认为河套—吉兰泰盆地和银川盆地属于两个性质不同的伸展盆地,两者通过构造转换带相连,转换区内断层表现为右行走滑。转换区5级以上地震可能是受区域性NE-SW向挤压,近南北向右行断层活动的表现。     

Arterial faults and their role in mineralizing systems

In quartzo-feldspathic continental crust with moderate-to-high heat flow,seismic activity extends to depths of 10-20 km,bounded by isotherms in the 350-450 C range.Fluid overpressuring above hydrostatic in seismogenic crust,is heterogeneous but tends to develop in the lower seismogenic zone(basal seismogenic zone reservoir=b.s.z.reservoir) where the transition between hydrostatically pressured and overpressured crust is likely an irregular,time-dependent.3-D interface with overpressuring concentrated around active faults and their ductile shear zone roots.The term Arterial Fault is applied to fault structures that root in portions of the crust where pore fluids are overpressured(i.e.at hydrostatic pressure) and serve as feeders for such fluids and their contained solutes into overlying parts of the crust.While arterial flow may occur on any type of fault,it is most likely to be associated with reverse faults in areas of horizontal compression where fluid overpressuring is most easily sustained.Frictional stability and flow permeability of faults are both affected by the state of stress on the fault(shear stress,τ;normal stress,σ_n),the level of pore-fluid pressure,P_f,and episodes of fault slip,allowing for a complex interplay between fault movement and fluid flow.For seismically active faults the time dependence of permeability is critical,leading to fault-valve behaviour whereby overpressures accumulate at depth during interseismic intervals with fluid discharged along enhanced fault-fracture permeability following each rupture event.Patterns of mineralization also suggest that flow along faults is non-uniform,concentrating along tortuous pathways within the fault surface.Equivalent hydrostatic head above ground level for near-lithostatic overpressures at depth(1.65×depth of zone) provides a measure of arterial potential.Settings for arterial faults include fault systems developed in compacting sedimentary basins,faults penetrating zones of active plutonic intrusion that encounter overpressured fluids exsolved from magma,together with those derived from contact metamorphism of fluid-rich wallrocks,and/or from regional devolatilisation accompanying prograde metamorphism.Specially significant are active faults within accretionary prisms rooted into overpressured subduction interfaces,and steep reverse faults activated by high overpressures from b.s.z.reservoirs during compressional inversion.     

Listric growth faults in the Kenya Rift Valley

Many of the major faults in the Kenya Rift Valley are curved in section, were active over considerable periods and form sets which are related in space and time. They can, therefore, be regarded as systems of listric growth faults. The Elgeyo Fault marks the western limit of rift structures at this latitude and displaces the basement surface by up to about 6 km. The Kamasia Hills are a block rotated above this fault plane. Movement on the Elgeyo Fault has been grossly continuous since at least 16 Ma ago but deposition of volcanics and sediments has generally kept pace with the growth of the escarpment. The Kaparaina Arch is a rollover anticline on the downthrown side of the Saimo Fault on the eastern side of the Kamasia Hills. On the eastern side of the rift, the block between the Bogoria and Wasages-Marmanet Faults has shown continued rotation since about 15 Ma. The Pleistocene lavas on the rift floor here show rollover into the Bogoria Fault and have formed a facing near the top of the escarpment. Area balancing calculations suggest depths to décollement of 25 km for the Elgeyo Fault, 6 km for the Saimo Fault and 12 km for the Bogoria Fault. The most direct evidence for the listric nature of the faults is provided by microearthquakes near Lake Manyara which appear to lie on fault planes connected to surface escarpments.     

哈山地区撕裂断层发育特征

正准噶尔盆地西北缘哈山山前带形成过程中受到强烈的挤压作用,形成逆冲推覆叠加构造,断裂和裂缝非常发育,南邻玛湖生烃凹陷,成藏条件非常有利。近几年来,相继发现了春晖油田和阿拉德油田,哈浅101井、哈深2井等多口井也见到了良好的油气显示,勘探潜力非常大。但不同区段构造变形和油气分布存在明显差异,前人研究主要集中在挤压构造的发育特征、演化过程及控藏作用(薛雁等,2017),对分隔不同区段的撕裂断层(杨勇等,2014;王勇,2010)研究较少。     

Active faults in the Zagros and central Iran

Active tectonic movements in the northwestern Zagros include right lateral slip at the rate of about 10 mm/a along the Main Recent Fault, which inherits the position of the Main Thrust, now inactive, and active thrusting and accompanying folding distributed between several zones southwest of the Main Recent Fault. In the southeastern Zagros (the Fars Province), there are several right lateral faults that extend N–S obliquely to the overall trend of the Zagros fault-and-fold belt. These may be either branches of the Main Recent Fault, or faults accommodating relative broadening of the outer Zagros in its southeastern segment. The Main Thrust in the southeastern Zagros also remains inactive.

The Ipak, North Tehran, and Mosha fault zones and several minor structures in the eastern Alborz form the E–W-trending active fault system with combined reverse and left lateral slip. On the Ipak and Mosha zones, lateral movements with the late Quaternary mean rate exceeding 1 mm/a dominate over vertical fault movements. Together with right lateral faults stretching northeast of Zagros, the faults of the Alborz may accommodate east-directed motion of the Iranian microplate.