郯庐断裂带渤南段构造特征及其控盆作用

渤南地区郯庐断裂带具有很好的油气勘探前景,但由于其构造特征复杂,目前对渤南地区油气成藏条件、主控因素及富集规律的认识尚不明晰.通过对三维地震和地质资料的分析解释,结合前人研究成果,探讨了渤南地区郯庐断裂带构造特征的时空差异及其对盆地结构的控制作用.研究表明,渤南地区郯庐断裂带具有3组分支断裂,每组分支断裂由2~4条断裂构成,均表现出了明显的走滑特征,整体由东向西、由深至浅走滑程度逐渐减弱.新生代古新世-早始新世郯庐断裂带渤南段左旋走滑,东部分带活动明显、强度大,中带和西带不活动或活动较弱,渤南地区中生代发育的NWW向伸展断裂系统复活,形成北断南超的复式半地堑或南北双断式结构;中始新世以来,渤南地区郯庐断裂带转为右旋走滑,3组分支断裂均开始活动,表现为强烈的走滑兼伸展运动,强度由东向西逐渐减弱,中带分支断裂形成的中央构造脊将黄河口凹陷分割成东、西两个次洼,并开始逐渐发育一系列次级断层,与主断裂构成帚状断裂组合;新近纪-第四纪郯庐断裂渤南段表现为右旋走滑兼挤压,主走滑断裂不连续,代之以大量规模较小的次级断裂系统.太平洋区板块俯冲方向、俯冲速率的变化以及深部动力背景的变迁共同造成了渤南地区郯庐断裂不同分支构造发育演化及其控盆作用的差异性,由于右旋走滑位移量小于先期的左旋走滑,现今渤南地区构造单元分布仍具左旋特征.      

渤海走滑断裂对古近系源－汇体系的控制作用

走滑断裂在渤海海域广泛分布,深刻影响着沉积盆地的形成与演化,同时也深刻影响着源－汇体系的形成和演化.在对渤海海域大量钻井资料和地震资料分析的基础上,认为走滑断裂对渤海古近系源－汇体系的控制作用主要表现在:走滑断裂压扭作用控制了局部物源体系的形成;走滑断裂的张扭作用控制了沟谷低地的形成;走滑断裂的水平运动控制源－汇体系的横向迁移.走滑断裂带源－汇体系发育模式十分复杂,渤海古近系常见的主要有S型走滑断裂带源－汇体系模式、叠覆型走滑断裂带源－汇体系模式、帚状走滑断裂带源－汇体系模式、共轭走滑带源－汇体系模式.开展走滑断裂带源－汇体系特征及其控砂模式的探讨,对含油气盆地的储层预测具有重要的意义.      

Neotectonic transpressional intraplate deformation in eastern Eurasia: Insights from active fault systems in the southeastern Korean Peninsula

Transpression occurs in response to oblique convergence across a deformation zone in intraplate regions and plate boundaries. The Korean Peninsula is located at an intraplate region of the eastern Eurasian Plate and has been deformed under the ENE–WSW maximum horizontal compression since the late Pliocene. In this study, we analyzed short-term instrumental seismic (focal mechanism) and long-term paleoseismic (Quaternary fault outcrop) data to decipher the neotectonic crustal deformation pattern in the southeastern Korean Peninsula. Available (paleo-)seismic data acquired from an NNE–SSW trending deformation zone between the Yangsan and Ulleung fault zones indicate spatial partitioning of crustal deformation by NNW–SSE to NNE–SSW striking reverse faults and NNE–SSW striking strike-slip faults, supporting a strike-slip partitioned transpression model. The instantaneous and finite neotectonic strains, estimated from the focal mechanism and Quaternary outcrop data, respectively, show discrepancies in their axes, which can be attributed to the switching between extensional and intermediate axes of finite strain during the accumulation of wrench-dominated transpression. Notably, some major faults, including the Yangsan and Ulsan fault zones, are relatively misoriented to slip under the current stress condition but, paradoxically, have more (paleo-)seismic records indicating their role in accommodating the neotectonic transpressional strain. We propose that fluids, heat flow, and lithospheric structure are potential factors affecting the reactivation of the relatively misoriented major faults. Our findings provide insights into the accommodation pattern of strain associated with the neotectonic crustal extrusion in an intraplate region of the eastern Eurasian Plate in response to the collision of the Indian Plate and the subduction of the Pacific/Philippine Sea Plates.     

西南三江构造体系及演化、成因

西南三江构造体系突出表现为以昌都-兰坪-思茅地块为中轴的不对称走滑对冲构造,次为与走滑断裂相伴的伸展滑脱、走滑拉分盆地构造体系,再次为块体内部的近北东、北西向走滑断裂系。西南三江造山带构造体系演化分为挤压收缩变形、走滑深熔热隆、走滑剪切伸展、走滑剥蚀隆升等4个阶段。自晚白垩世开始,印度板块与欧亚板块碰撞,西南三江造山带对冲体构造体系初始形成。自渐新世开始,印度板块持续向北楔入欧亚大陆,印度板块与扬子克拉通构成力偶,两者相向、相对运动,挤压与剪切特提斯大洋缝合带及两大陆边缘弧盆系等地质体,西南三江造山带对冲体构造体系进一步发展,近南北向剪切走滑构造体系形成,构造方向也由近东西转为近南北向。而与近南北向主走滑断裂带之相伴的伸展滑脱构造、拉分盆地,块体内部近北东、北西“X”型剪切走滑断裂同时相伴形成。这样,就形成了西南三江造山带大规模的对冲、走滑、旋转及其伴生的伸展、拉分盆地构造的构造体系。     

A tectonic model for the Tertiary evolution of strike–slip faults and rift basins in SE Asia

Models for the Tertiary evolution of SE Asia fall into two main types: a pure escape tectonics model with no proto-South China Sea, and subduction of proto-South China Sea oceanic crust beneath Borneo. A related problem is which, if any, of the main strike–slip faults (Mae Ping, Three Pagodas and Aliao Shan–Red River (ASRR)) cross Sundaland to the NW Borneo margin to facilitate continental extrusion? Recent results investigating strike–slip faults, rift basins, and metamorphic core complexes are reviewed and a revised tectonic model for SE Asia proposed. Key points of the new model include: (1) The ASRR shear zone was mainly active in the Eocene–Oligocene in order to link with extension in the South China Sea. The ASRR was less active during the Miocene (tens of kilometres of sinistral displacement), with minor amounts of South China Sea spreading centre extension transferred to the ASRR shear zone. (2) At least three important regions of metamorphic core complex development affected Indochina from the Oligocene–Miocene (Mogok gneiss belt; Doi Inthanon and Doi Suthep; around the ASRR shear zone). Hence, Paleogene crustal thickening, buoyancy-driven crustal collapse, and lower crustal flow are important elements of the Tertiary evolution of Indochina. (3) Subduction of a proto-South China Sea oceanic crust during the Eocene–Early Miocene is necessary to explain the geological evolution of NW Borneo and must be built into any model for the region. (4) The Eocene–Oligocene collision of NE India with Burma activated extrusion tectonics along the Three Pagodas, Mae Ping, Ranong and Klong Marui faults and right lateral motion along the Sumatran subduction zone. (5) The only strike–slip fault link to the NW Borneo margin occurred along the trend of the ASRR fault system, which passes along strike into a right lateral transform system including the Baram line.     

渤海南部新生代构造发育与演化特征

利用三维地震资料及钻井资料,在对断裂体系精细刻画的基础上,结合区域地球动力学背景,就渤海湾盆地渤海海域南部地区(包括渤南低凸起、黄河口凹陷、莱北低凸起、莱州湾凹陷)新生代的构造发育演化特征及沉积–沉降中心迁移规律进行了详细分析。研究结果表明:断裂体系存在三组优势发育方向,NNE向断裂属郯庐断裂带渤南段,可分为西、中、东三个分支带,走滑特征明显;近EW向及NE向为伸展性质的控凹、控带断裂;三组断裂相互切割,形成了渤海南部地区"东西分带、南北分块"的构造格局;古近纪具有两个沉积–沉降中心,黄河口凹陷中心受控于近EW向断裂,莱州湾凹陷的沉积中心受近EW向和NNE向断裂共同控制,至新近纪,沉积中心呈由南向北迁移的规律;渤海南部地区构造演化体现了断–拗与走滑的叠加效应,可以划分为孔店组–沙四段沉积期的初始裂陷、沙三段沉积期的伸展裂陷、沙二段–东营组沉积期的走滑–伸展和馆陶组沉积期以来的走滑–裂后拗陷四个阶段。     

郯庐断裂莱州湾段块体旋转效应及意义

为探究郯庐断裂莱州湾段右行走滑活动的构造响应并约束其起始时期,以最新钻井资料和三维地震资料为基础,深入剖析研究区与右行走滑活动密切相关的构造-沉积响应.结果显示,双轨走滑右行活动开始后,其夹持块因发生顺时针方向的被动旋转而产生差异应变（伸展或挤压）效应.在叠加区域伸展作用的背景下,伸展效应促进沉降作用,致使先存凸起区加速沉降并演变为洼陷区,先存洼陷区沉降幅度更大,现今均为富烃洼陷;挤压效应则抑制沉降作用,致使先存凸起区持续保持凸起状态,而先存洼陷区多沉降减缓甚至转为抬升,生烃潜力减小.综合地层残存信息及区域构造环境表明郯庐断裂带莱州湾段的右行走滑旋转效应最早始于沙三中段沉积时期.      

渤海走滑转换带及其对大中型油气田形成的控制作用

渤海海域郯庐走滑断裂带是重要的油气富集带,但是长期以来,该带对大中型油气田控制作用不明确.利用覆盖渤海郯庐断裂带的三维地震资料和400多口钻井资料对渤海海域走滑转换带特征及其与大中型油田形成关系进行了系统的分析.研究认为,新生代以来,渤海海域发育了多类型、多成因、多级次、多期次的走滑转换带;根据转换带在走滑断裂带中发育的位置,可以将渤海海域走滑转换带划分为断边转换带、断间转换、断梢转换带三大类,进一步根据断层的相互作用以及转换带的形态,可以将渤海海域转换带分为S型转换带、叠覆型转换带、双重型转换带、帚状转换带、叠瓦扇型转换带、共轭转换带以及复合转换带7种类型;根据局部应力状态可以分为增压型转换带和释压型转换带;根据转换带的规模,渤海海域走滑转换带可以分为一级转换带、二级转换带和三级转换带;增压型转换带控制了大型有效圈闭的发育、运移条件通畅等大中型油田基本成藏要素,进而控制了大中型油气田的分布.      

Transpressive Structures in the Ghadir Shear Belt,Eastern Desert,Egypt: Evidence for Partitioning of Oblique Convergence in the Arabian‐Nubian Shield during Gondwana Agglutination

Transpressional deformation has played an important role in the late Neoproterozoic evolution of the ArabianNubian Shield including the Central Eastern Desert of Egypt. The Ghadir Shear Belt is a 35 km-long, NW-oriented brittleductile shear zone that underwent overall sinistral transpression during the Late Neoproterozoic. Within this shear belt, strain is highly partitioned into shortening, oblique, extensional and strike-slip structures at multiple scales. Moreover, strain partitioning is heterogeneous along-strike giving rise to three distinct structural domains. In the East Ghadir and Ambaut shear belts, the strain is pure-shear dominated whereas the narrow sectors parallel to the shear walls in the West Ghadir Shear Zone are simple-shear dominated. These domains are comparable to splay-dominated and thrust-dominated strike-slip shear zones. The kinematic transition along the Ghadir shear belt is consistent with separate strike-slip and thrustsense shear zones. The earlier fabric(S1), is locally recognized in low strain areas and SW-ward thrusts. S2 is associated with a shallowly plunging stretching lineation(L2), and defines ～NW-SE major upright macroscopic folds in the East Ghadir shear belt. F2 folds are superimposed by ～NNW–SSE tight-minor and major F3 folds that are kinematically compatible with sinistral transpressional deformation along the West Ghadir Shear Zone and may represent strain partitioning during deformation. F2 and F3 folds are superimposed by ENE–WSW gentle F4 folds in the Ambaut shear belt. The sub-parallelism of F3 and F4 fold axes with the shear zones may have resulted from strain partitioning associated with simple shear deformation along narrow mylonite zones and pure shear-dominant deformation in fold zones. Dextral ENEstriking shear zones were subsequently active at ca. 595 Ma, coeval with sinistral shearing along NW-to NNW-striking shear zones. The occurrence of upright folds and folds with vertical axes suggests that transpression plays a significant role in the tectonic evolution of the Ghadir shear belt. Oblique convergence may have been provoked by the buckling of the Hafafit gneiss-cored domes and relative rotations between its segments. Upright folds, fold with vertical axes and sinistral strike-slip shear zones developed in response to strain partitioning. The West Ghadir Shear Zone contains thrusts and strikeslip shear zones that resulted from lateral escape tectonics associated with lateral imbrication and transpression in response to oblique squeezing of the Arabian-Nubian Shield during agglutination of East and West Gondwana.     

渤海湾盆地黄河口凹陷东洼断裂体系发育特征及其变形过程的构造物理模拟

黄河口凹陷东洼是渤海盆地典型的盆缘洼陷,基于新一轮区域三维地震精细解释资料,采用构造解析与构造物理模拟技术相结合的方式,对黄河口凹陷东洼的断裂体系特征与构造演化过程进行研究.研究表明,受走滑和伸展变形的共同作用,研究了发育了以NNE-NE走向为主的走滑断裂体系和以EW-NEE走向为主的伸展断裂体系,断裂构造演化经历了孔...     

渤海中部郯庐断裂带的近期活动与渤海新近纪新生断裂

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

渤海湾盆地晚中生代-新生代伸展和走滑构造及深部背景

渤海湾盆地是一个在早白垩世被动裂陷盆地基础上发育起来的新生代主动裂陷盆地, 走滑作用贯穿始终, 特别是在兰聊-盐山断层以东, 使这个裂陷盆地具有鲜明的走滑特征。伸展和走滑作用此消彼长, 伸展构造和走滑构造相互叠加、转换, 垂向上相互叠置、交切, 并由此导致变换带的产生。晚中生代以来太平洋板块向欧亚板块俯冲的方向和速度变化、后撤以及板片窗效应、中始新世印欧板块碰撞导致的地幔上涌是控制盆地形成的深部背景, 郯庐断裂带早白垩世强烈的左行走滑、古新世-早始新世弱的左行走滑以及中始新世后的右行走滑活动也深刻地控制和影响着盆地的发育, 盆地内晚中生代-新生代的伸展和走滑构造的演化则是其浅部响应, 并由此控制着岩浆活动以及油气生成、运聚和分布的时空迁移。     

郯庐断裂带的演化及其对西太平洋板块运动的响应

首次从郯庐断裂带走滑糜棱岩中获得了白云母127.62±0.19Ma的40Ar-39Ar年龄,其与糜棱岩的全岩40Ar-39Ar年龄相吻合。这些年代学研究成果以及同走滑期岩浆活动,表明郯庐断裂带于早白垩世发生了大规模的左行平移。这一早白垩世构造—岩浆事件是伊泽纳崎板块突然发生高速、斜向俯冲的结果。晚白垩世早第三纪郯庐断裂带转变成巨型的伸展构造,普遍控制发育了断陷盆地。太平洋板块的高角度正向俯冲使中国东部出现软流圈上涌、岩石圈拆沉,从而造成了郯庐断裂带与整个中国东部卷入了强烈的伸展活动。晚第三纪初期起动的挤压活动,使郯庐断裂带上的断陷盆地同步抬升和闭合;断裂带的逆冲活动则断续延至今日,成为中国东部最大的近代地震活动带。郯庐断裂带晚第三纪以来的挤压活动是西太平洋弧后扩张的响应,而印度板块碰撞的构造挤出起着辅助作用。     

潍北-莱州湾凹陷郯庐断裂带新生代走滑特征

横切潍北-莱州湾凹陷郯庐断裂带的地震反射剖面和断裂带内的凹陷断层、沉积相和油气特征,直接或间接显示了郯庐断裂带的延伸、运动性质和活动时限。郯庐断裂带在海域和陆上的几何形态及其组合基本一致,根据切过断裂带的剖面和平面上断层的组合特征,判断其为兼具垂直位移的走滑运动断层系。走滑断裂带的活动控制着凹陷内同构造沉积以及构造样式,表明郯庐断裂带的活动时限具分段性,相当于渤海湾盆地孔店组(E1?2k)-沙四段(E2?3s4)沉积期(古新世-早始新世)-孔店组-沙二段(E2?3s2)沉积期(古新世-始新世)-孔店组-沙一段(E2?3s1)(古新世-渐新世)沉积时期,走滑拉分活动由南向北迁移; 活动方式也由古新世-早始新世的左旋走滑活动,被早始新世之后的右旋走滑活动所替代。     

THREE-DIMENSIONAL DEFORMATION ALONG THE ALTYN TAGH FAULT ZONE AND UPLIFT OF THE ALTYN MOUNTAIN, NORTHERN TIBET

THREE-DIMENSIONAL DEFORMATION ALONG THE ALTYN TAGH FAULT ZONE AND UPLIFT OF THE ALTYN MOUNTAIN, NORTHERN TIBET     

滇西澜沧江构造带及邻区几何学、运动学和构造年代学分析

滇西澜沧江构造带自北向南沿碧螺雪山和崇山连续延伸; 按照构造几何学特点和运动学特征我们把该构造带分为3段：北段、中段和南段; 本文对各段的构造、组构、运动学及构造年代学进行了翔实研究,得到以下认识：构造带呈双变质岩带,核部为强变形高级变质岩带,两侧为强变形低级变质岩带,部分剖面几何形态似“花状”构造; 宏观和微观组构特征均指示构造带北段和中?南段存在明显的运动学差异,北段为右旋走滑剪切,中、南段为左旋走滑剪切; 同构造浅色花岗质糜棱岩中分选出白云母(北段)和黑云母(中段),进行单颗粒矿物的激光熔化40Ar?39Ar定年,结果显示,糜棱岩化造成了花岗质岩石同位素时钟的重置和部分重置; 表面年龄指示了该构造带中新世的构造变形事件; 其中,北段右旋韧性剪切作用年龄为17.8～13.4 Ma或更早,至少持续到13.4 Ma,构造带中段记录了17.9～13.1 Ma的左行韧性剪切事件; 构造变形时代表现出同时代和同期次特点。综合分析认为,位于印度与欧亚大陆斜向汇聚带东缘的澜沧江构造带,是调节印支块体陆内变形的重要变形区域,为典型的新生代剪压应变区; 与区内哀牢山-红河构造带新生代左旋走滑相对应; 剪压应变和应变分解过程中,构造带东-西向减薄作用通过韧性物质垂向挤出和沿剪切方向的挤出平衡,垂向挤出导致地壳增厚和高应变体的抬升,形成现今的地貌高位,统一的陡立面理和亚水平拉伸线理是韧性物质沿剪切方向挤出的流变学响应; 构造带南段和北段运动学差异是澜沧江构造带新生代左旋剪压应变分解的必然产物和运动学要求。     

黄骅坳陷横向变换带的构造特征及成因

讨论了黄骅坳陷横向变换带的构造特征和成因。根据利用地震反射剖面对盆地构造几何学的研究，圈定了不同尺度的横向变换带，确定了伸展构造背景下的横向变换带是为了保持区域伸展应变调节构造变形的一种调节体系。这种伸展应变守恒是靠三维空间上断层位移沿走向的变化实现的。横向变换带的构造样式为横向地垒状凸起和鼻状凸起或鼻状背斜，并具伸展性质的正断层。横向凸起与非叠复的和叠复的分段断层系伴生及发育在断层位移最小处等事实表明，横向凸起或横向鼻状背斜是由于分段断层系位移沿走向变化形成的。     

南海北部新生代盆地断裂系统及构造动力学影响因素

利用地震资料、油气勘探资料分析了南海北部大陆边缘珠江口-琼东南新生代盆地断裂系统的时空差异及动力学成因机制.珠江口-琼东南盆地古近系裂陷构造层以NE向、近EW向基底正断层构成的伸展断裂系统的几何学、运动学沿着盆地走向有明显变化,盆地内部隐伏的区域性和局部的NW向断裂及相关构造变形带构成伸展断裂系统之间的构造变换带.在空间上,区域性的云开、松涛-松南等NW向构造变换带以西为NE-NEE向正断层构成的"非拆离"伸展断层系,以东为NE向正断层、近EW向正断层(走滑正断层)复合而成的拆离伸展断层系.在时间上,古近纪裂陷作用可划分为早(文昌组沉积期)、中(恩平组/崖城组沉积期)、晚(珠海组/陵水组沉积期)3个有明显差异的裂陷期.裂陷早期,盆地西部以平面式正断层控制的简单地堑、半地堑为主,伸展量相对较小,东部则以铲式正断层控制的复式地堑、半地堑为主,伸展量相对大,断层向深部收敛在中地壳韧性层构成拆离的伸展断层系统.裂陷中期,琼东南盆地、珠江口盆地西部断裂具有继承性活动特点,珠江口盆地东部发育NWW-EW向伸展断层,并向深层切割早期浅层拆离断层,形成深层拆离伸展断层系统,而沿着云开构造变换带发育反转构造.裂陷晚期,琼东南盆地、珠江口盆地西部断裂具有活动性减弱特点,琼东南盆地东部发育NWW-EW向伸展断层,形成深层拆离伸展断层系统,而沿着琼中央构造变换带发育反转、走滑构造.珠江口-琼东南盆地不同区段断裂系统及其构造演化的差异性受盆地基底先存构造、地壳及岩石圈结构及伸展量等多方面因素的影响,拆离伸展断层系统与发育NWW向"贯穿"断裂的基底构造薄弱带、现今地壳局部减薄带相关,南海扩展由东而西的迁移诱导北部大陆边缘块体沿着先存NW向深大断裂发生走滑旋转是导致变换构造带两侧差异伸展的动力学原因,应力场及岩石圈热结构变化是引起拆离断层深度变化的重要因素.     

东至断裂带构造变形特征及其构造演化

东至断裂带是皖西南一条重要的北北东向断裂带。详细的构造解析表明,该断裂带主要经过3期构造变形,分别是发生在晚侏罗世末—早白垩世初的左行平移断层、早白垩世期间的伸展构造和晚白垩世—新生代的右行平移断层。通过断层擦痕矢量反演和断层叠加改造关系分析,认为东至断裂带及其两侧多期构造变形对应的区域应力场分别为近南北向挤压、北北西—南南东向挤压、北西—南东向伸展和近东西向挤压应力场。东至断裂带的形成和演化与郯庐断裂带相似,主要与华南与华北板块俯冲碰撞、伊泽奈崎板块和古太平洋板块向欧亚板块俯冲碰撞与弧后扩张、及印度板块向北碰撞后产生向东的构造挤出等多构造体制共同作用有关。     

Accretion of oceanic crust under conditions of oblique spreading

The accretion of oceanic crust under conditions of oblique spreading is considered. It is shown that deviation of the normal to the strike of mid-ocean ridge from the extension direction results in the formation of echeloned basins and ranges in the rift valley, which are separated by normal and strike-slip faults oriented at an angle to the axis of the mid-ocean ridge. The orientation of spreading ranges is determined by initial breakup and divergence of plates, whereas the within-rift structural elements are local and shallow-seated; they are formed only in the tectonically mobile rift zone. As a rule, the mid-ocean ridges with oblique spreading are not displaced along transform fracture zones, and stresses are relaxed in accommodation zones without rupture of continuity of within-rift structural elements. The structural elements related to oblique spreading can be formed in both rift and megafault zones. At the initial breakup and divergence of continental or oceanic plates with increased crust thickness, the appearance of an extension component along with shear in megafault zones gives rise to the formation of embryonic accretionary structural elements. As opening and extension increase, oblique spreading zones are formed. Various destructive and accretionary structural elements (nearly parallel extension troughs; basin and range systems oriented obliquely relative to the strike of the fault zone and the extension axis; rhomb-shaped extension basins, etc.) can coexist in different segments of the fault zone and replace one another over time. The Andrew Bain Megafault Zone in the South Atlantic started to develop as a strike-slip fault zone that separated the African and Antarctic plates. Under extension in the oceanic domain, this zone was transformed into a system of strike-slip faults divided by accretionary structures. It is suggested that the De Geer Megafault Zone in the North Atlantic, which separated Greenland and Eurasia at the initial stage of extension that followed strike-slip offset, evolved in the same way.