Late Quaternary deformation and slip rates in the northern San Andreas fault zone at Olema Valley, Marin County, California

Quaternary sedimentary deposits along the structural depression of the San Andreas fault (SAF) zone north of San Francisco in Marin County provide an excellent record of rates and styles of neotectonic deformation in a location near where the greatest amount of horizontal offset was measured after the great 1906 San Francisco earthquake. A high-resolution gravity survey in the Olema Valley was used to determine the depth to bedrock and the thickness of sediment fill along and across the SAF valley. In the gravity profile across the SAF zone, Quaternary deposits are offset across the 1906 fault trace and truncated by the Western and Eastern Boundary faults, whose youthful activity was previously unknown. The gravity profile parallel to the fault valley shows a basement surface that slopes northward toward an area of present-day subsidence near the head of Tomales Bay. Surface and subsurface investigations of the late Pleistocene Olema Creek Formation (Qoc) indicate that this area of subsidence was located further south during deposition of the Qoc and that it has migrated northward since then. Localized subsidence has been replaced by localized contraction that has produced folding and uplift of the Qoc. This apparent alternation between transtension and transpression may be the result of a northward-diverging fault geometry of fault strands that includes the valley-bounding faults as well as the 1906 SAF trace. The Vedanta marsh is a smaller example of localized subsidence in the fault zone, between the 1906 SAF trace and the Western Boundary fault. Analyses of Holocene marsh sediments in cores and a paleoseismic trench indicate thickening, and probably tilting, toward the 1906 trace, consistent with coseismic deformation observed at the site following the 1906 earthquake.New age data and offset sedimentary and geomorphic features were used to calculate four late Quaternary slip rate estimates for the SAF at this latitude. Luminescence dates of 112–186 ka for the middle part of the Olema Creek Formation (Qoc), the oldest Quaternary deposit in this part of the valley, suggest a late Pleistocene slip rate of 17–35 mm/year, which replaces the unit to a position adjacent to its sediment source area. A younger alluvial fan deposit (Qqf; basal age 30 ka) is exposed in a quarry along the medial ridge of the fault valley. This fan deposit has been truncated on its western side by dextral SAF movement, and west-side-down vertical movement that has created the Vedanta marsh. Paleocurrent measurements, clast compositions, sediment facies distributions, and soil characteristics show that the Bear Valley Creek drainage, now located northwest of the site, supplied sediment to the fan, which is now being eroded. Restoration of the drainage to its previous location provides an estimated slip rate of 25 mm/year. Furthermore, the Bear Valley Creek drainage probably created a water gap located north of the Qqf deposit during the last glacial maximum 18 ka. The amount of offset between the drainage and the water gap yields an average slip rate of 21–30 mm/year. Finally, displacement of a 1000-year-old debris lobe approximately 20 m from its hillside hollow along the medial ridge indicates a minimum late Holocene slip rate of 21–25 mm/year. Similarity of the late Pleistocene rates to the Holocene slip rate, and to previous rates obtained in paleoseismic trenches in the area, indicates that the rates may not have changed over the past 30 ka, and perhaps the past 200–400 ka. Stratigraphic and structural observations also indicate that valley-bounding faults were active in the late Pleistocene and suggest the need for further study to evaluate their continued seismic potential.     

Structure and late quaternary activity of the northern Owens valley fault zone, Owens valley, California

The Fish Springs fault is a primary strand in the northern end of the Owens Valley fault zone (OVFZ). The Fish Springs fault is the northwest strand in a 3-km-wide left echelon step of the OVFZ which bounds the Poverty Hills bedrock high. The Fish Springs fault strikes approximately north-south, dips steeply to the east, and is marked by a prominent east-facing scarp. No other faults in the OVFZ have prominent east-facing scarps at the latitude of Fish Springs, which indicates that the Fish Springs fault has accommodated virtually all of the local late Quaternary vertical displacement on the OVFZ.

The Fish Springs fault exhibits normal dip slip with no measurable lateral slip. Vertical displacements of a Late Pleistocene (0.314 ± 0.036 Ma, 2σ) cinder cone and of an overlying Tahoe-age (0.065–0.195 m.y.) alluvial fan are 76±8 m and 31±3 m, respectively. The maximum vertical 3.3. m. Two nearly equal vertical displacements of the active stream channel in the Tioga-age fan total 2.2. m. Vertical displacement of a stream terrace incised into the cinder cone is 1.2 ± 0.3 m. The minute amount of incision into that terrace indicates that uplift of the terrace probably occurred during the 1872 Owens Valley earthquake.

Three displacements of 1.1 ± 0.2 m each apparently have occurred at the Tioga-age fan since the midpoint of the Tioga interval, allowing an average recurrence interval of 3500 to 9000 years. Based on the age and displacement of the cinder cone, the average late Quaternary vertical displacement rate is 0.24 ± 0.04 mm/yr (2σ). At this rate, and assuming an average vertical displacement of 1.1 ± 0.2 m per event, the average recurrence interval would be 4600 ± 1100 years (2σ). The recurrence interval for the Fish Springs fault is similar to that for a strand in the southern part of the OVFZ which also ruptured in 1872.

Right-lateral, normal oblique slip characterizes the OVFZ. The location of the Poverty Hills bedrock high at a left step in the north-northwest-striking fault zone is consistent with the style of slip of the zone. The pure normal slip on the north-striking Fish Springs fault and the alignment of local cinder cones along north-striking normal faults indicate that the late Quaternary maximum horizontal compression has been oriented north-south at the north end of the OVFZ. Data from southern Owens Valley indicate a similar stress regime there. Late Quaternary slip on the OVFZ is consistent with north-south maximum horizontal compression.     

Late Quaternary activity of the Feldbiss Fault Zone, Roer Valley Rift System, the Netherlands, based on displaced fluvial terrace fragments

The Meuse River crosses the Feldbiss Fault Zone, one of the main border fault zones of the Roer Valley Graben in the southern part of the Netherlands. Uplift of the area south of the Feldbiss Fault Zone forced the Meuse River to incise and, as a result, a flight of terraces was formed. Faults of the Feldbiss Fault Zone have displaced the Middle and Late Pleistocene terrace deposits. In this study, an extensive geomorphological survey was carried out to locate the faults of the Feldbiss Fault Zone and to determine the displacement history of terrace deposits.The Feldbiss Fault Zone is characterized by an average displacement rate of 0.041–0.047 mm a⁻¹ during the Late Pleistocene. Individual faults show an average displacement rate ranging between 0.010 and 0.034 mm a⁻¹. The spatial variation in displacement rates along the individual faults reveals a system of overstepping faults. These normal faults developed by reactivation of Paleozoic strike-slip faults.As fault displacements at the bases of the younger terrace deposits are apparently similar to the tops of the adjacent older terrace, the age of these horizons is the same within thousands of years. This implies that the model of terrace development by rapid fluvial incision followed by slow aggradation does apply for this area.     

Late Quaternary Slip Rate of the Xiugou Segment,Eastern Kunlun Fault Zone

The Eastern Kunlun fault zone (EKLF) is a large left-lateral strike-slip fault, whose slip rate is meaningful to seismic hazard assessment and geodynamics of the Tibetan Plateau. Previous studies suggested that the late Quaternary average slip rate was stable and uniform (10~13 mm/a) in the central and western segment of the EKLF. But there were a few researches of accurate slip rate in the central segment on the EKLF. Therefore, we focused on an offset and well preserved alluvial fan from Xiugou basin, located in the east of Xidatan-Dongdatan, to make it clear. Moreover, we used high-resolution satellite images and digital elevation model extracted from SPOT7 stereo image pairs to restore the offset alluvial fan, and combined terrestrial cosmogenic nuclides method, including 13 quartz-rich samples from this fan surface, 1 quartz-rich sample from the main active channel bed and 1 ¹⁰Be depth profile from this fan edge to eliminate the ¹⁰Be concentration of inheritance accurately, with 1 optically stimulated luminescence sample to obtain the reliable age of this alluvial fan together. Referring to field observations, this alluvial fan was offset left-laterally by (1 862±103) m, and its age is (76.55±3.20)~(106.37±3.38) ka which can be determined through the actual geologic setting and improving chi-square test. Thus, we used the Monte Carlo method to obtain a left-lateral slip rate of (20.3+3.5/-2.3) mm/a with 68% confidence envelopes since the late Pleistocene in the Xiugou basin. As a result, combining with the results of previous studies, the left-lateral slip rate indicated that the obviously decreasing activity transferred from late Pleistocene to Holocene on the central segment of the EKLF.     

Late Quaternary Slip Behavior of the Jinqianghe Fault in the Middle Qilian–Haiyuan Fault Zone, Northeastern Tibetan Plateau

The Qilian–Haiyuan fault zone in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau has been the source of strong earthquakes in the region. In its middle segment, the Jinqianghe fault is an important active fault within the Tianzhu seismic gap; however, little is known about its slip behavior. To present a new horizontal displacement distribution along this fault, we used WorldView-2 stereo pairs and unmanned aerial vehicle-based photogrammetry to construct digital elevation models to obtain a detailed tectono-geomorphic interpretation and geomorphic offsets. The offset marker measurements yielded 135 geomorphic displacements and 8 offset clusters. Radiocarbon dating was used to establish the regional age sequence of the geomorphic units in offset fluvial terraces at four study sites. The displacements and ages linked the offset clusters with the geomorphic unit sequence; the Holocene strike-slip rate of the Jinqianghe fault was estimated to 4.8–5.6 mm/a at ~4–12 ka and 2.9–4.7 mm/a from ~4 ka. Three recent earthquakes (with a recurrence interval of ~1000 years) represent an active seismic period, revealing the potential seismic hazard along this fault because it has not ruptured in the last 1500 years.     

Late Caledonian sinistral strike-slip displacement across the Leannan Fault system,northwest Ireland

The Leannan Fault of north-west Ireland is a sinistral strike-slip fault system which juxtaposes Dalradian metasediments of differing structural trends and metamorphic grades. It probably represents a south-west splay of the Great Glen Fault of Scotland. The recognition and tracing of the Foyle Synform across the fault zone, together with the correlation of regional Dalradian strike swings, lateral sedimentary facies variation and metamorphic grades, suggest a sinistral displacement of 34 km across the fault. Members of the Leannan Fault system displace a Lower Devonian (about 397 Ma) granite, but are overlain by Viséan (about 352 Ma) sandstones, thus constraining major late Caledonian sinistral motions to the Middle to Upper Devonian.     

Anthropogenic subsidence in the Mexicali Valley,Baja California,Mexico, and slip on the Saltillo fault

Deep fluid extraction in the Cerro Prieto geothermal field (CPGF) has caused subsidence and induced slip on tectonic faults in the Mexicali Valley (Baja California, Mexico). The Mexicali Valley is located in the southern part of the Salton Trough, at the boundary between the Pacific and North American plates. The Valley is characterized by being a zone of continuous tectonic deformation, geothermal activity, and seismicity. Within the Cerro Prieto pull-apart basin, seismicity is concentrated mainly in swarms, while strong earthquakes have occurred in the Imperial and Cerro Prieto transform faults, that are the eastern and western bound of the basin. Since 1973, fluid extraction at the CPGF has influenced deformation in the area, accelerating the subsidence and causing rupture (frequently as vertical slip or creep) on the surface traces of tectonic faults. Both subsidence and fault slip are causing damage to infrastructure like roads, railroad tracks, irrigation channels, and agricultural fields. Currently, accelerated extraction in the eastern part of CPGF has shifted eastwards the area of most pronounced subsidence rate; this accelerated subsidence can be observed at the Saltillo fault, a southern branch of the Imperial fault in the Mexicali Valley. Published leveling data, together with field data from geological surveys, geotechnical instruments, and new InSAR images were used to model the observed deformation in the area in terms of fluid extraction. Since the electricity production in the CPGF is an indispensable part of Baja California economy, extraction is sure to continue and may probably increase, so that the problem of damages caused by subsidence will likely increase in the future.     

Late Quaternary slip rates and slip partitioning on the Alpine Fault,New Zealand

Published geological data on Late Quaternary offsets on the Alpine Fault, New Zealand, have been assembled into a common format and analysed with respect to uncertainties. Uncertainties arise mainly from measurement of offset features, relating apparent offsets to actual fault slip, and dating the offset features. Despite the considerable uncertainties, the data form a coherent set consistent with a relatively constant rate of strike-slip of 27±5 mm/year between Milford Sound and Hokitika. This rate represents 70–75% of the fault-parallel interplate motion. North of the confluence with the Hope Fault, the rate drops substantially. Dip-slip rates, on the other hand, show considerable variation along strike, rising to a maximum of more than 10 mm/year in the central section and decreasing to zero at the southern end. Partitioning of c. 25% of the interplate slip on to structures east of the Alpine Fault occurs in the central section, consistent with predictions from critical wedge models. The partitioning of all the fault-normal component of displacement on to other structures in the south may be related, in part, to a doubling in width of the deforming wedge to the east. Most probably, however, the fault-normal displacement is mainly accommodated by underthrusting of the Australian plate offshore, due to a change in the nature of the crust from continental to oceanic.     

Late Quaternary activity and dextral strike-slip movement on the Karakax Fault Zone, northwest Tibet

Field observations and interpretations of satellite images reveal that the westernmost segment of the Altyn Tagh Fault (called Karakax Fault Zone) striking WNW located in the northwestern margin of the Tibetan Plateau has distinctive geomorphic and tectonic features indicative of right-lateral strike-slip fault in the Late Quaternary. South-flowing gullies and N–S-trending ridges are systematically deflected and offset by up to ~ 1250 m, and Late Pleistocene–Holocene alluvial fans and small gullies that incise south-sloping fans record dextral offset up to ~ 150 m along the fault zone. Fault scarps developed on alluvial fans vary in height from 1 to 24 m. Riedel composite fabrics of foliated cataclastic rocks including cataclasite and fault gouge developed in the shear zone indicate a principal right-lateral shear sense with a thrust component. Based on offset Late Quaternary alluvial fans, ¹⁴C ages and composite fabrics of cataclastic fault rocks, it is inferred that the average right-lateral strike-slip rate along the Karakax Fault Zone is ~ 9 mm/a in the Late Quaternary, with a vertical component of ~ 2 mm/a, and that a M 7.5 morphogenic earthquake occurred along this fault in 1902. We suggest that right-lateral slip in the Late Quaternary along the WNW-trending Karakax Fault Zone is caused by escape tectonics that accommodate north–south shortening of the western Tibetan Plateau due to ongoing northward penetration of the Indian plate into the Eurasian plate.     

Holocene displacement along branch and secondary faults in the San Andreas fault zone, southern California

Detailed geologic mapping of the San Andreas fault zone in Los Angeles County since 1972 has revealed evidence for diverse histories of displacement on branch and secondary faults near Palmdale. The main trace of the San Andreas fault is well defined by a variety of physiographic features. The geologic record supports the concept of many kilometers of lateral displacement on the main trace and on some secondary faults, especially when dealing with pre-Quaternary rocks. However, the distribution of upper Pleistocene rocks along branch and secondary faults suggests a strong vertical component of displacement and, in many locations, Holocene displacement appears to be primarily vertical. The most recent movement on many secondary and some branch faults has been either high-angle (reverse and normal) or thrust. This is in contrast to the abundant evidence for lateral movement seen along the main San Andreas fault. We suggest that this change in the sense of displacement is more common than has been previously recognized.The branch and secondary faults described here have geomorphic features along them that are as fresh as similar features visible along the most recent trace of the San Andreas fault. From this we infer that surface rupture occurred on these faults in 1857, as it did on the main San Andreas fault. Branch faults commonly form “Riedel” and “thrust” shear configurations adjacent to the main San Andreas fault and affect a zone less than a few hundred meters wide. Holocene and upper Pleistocene deposits have been repeatedly offset along faults that also separate contrasting older rocks. Secondary faults are located up to 1500 m on either side of the San Andreas fault and trend subparallel to it. Moreover, our mapping indicates that some portions of these secondary faults appear to have been “inactive” throughout much of Quaternary time, even though Holocene and upper Pleistocene deposits have been repeatedly offset along other parts of these same faults. For example, near 37th Street E. and Barrel Springs Road, a limited stretch of the Nadeau fault has a very fresh normal scarp, in one place as much as 3 m high, which breaks upper Pleistocene or Holocene deposits. This scarp has two bevelled surfaces, the upper surface sloping significantly less than the lower, suggesting at least two periods of recent movement. Other exposures along this fault show undisturbed Quaternary deposits overlying the fault. The Cemetery and Little Rock faults also exhibit selected reactivation of isolated segments separated by “inactive” stretches.Activity on branch and secondary faults, as outlined above, is presumed to be the result of sympathetic movement on limited segments of older faults in response to major movement on the San Andreas fault. The recognition that Holocene activity is possible on faults where much of the evidence suggests prolonged inactivity emphasizes the need for regional, as well as detailed site studies to evaluate adequately the hazard of any fault trace in a major fault zone. Similar problems may be encountered when geodetic or other studies, Which depend on stable sites, are conducted in the vicinity of major faults.     

Latest Miocene to Quaternary horizontal and vertical displacement rates during simultaneous contraction and extension in the Southern Apennines orogen, Italy

Foreland contraction and hinterland extension in the Southern Apennines orogen of Italy produced a complex spatial and temporal pattern of vertical and horizontal displacement. Remarkably, Late Miocene to mid-Pleistocene foreland migration of the contractional front at ∼16 mm yr⁻¹ was not accompanied by uplift and the frontal thrust belt remained at or below sea level. Only following a mid-Pleistocene reduction in horizontal displacement did the frontal thrust belt and foreland begin uplift at ∼0.5 mm yr⁻¹, a rate that increased to ∼1 mm yr⁻¹ after 125 ka. Although the extensional hinterland experienced net subsidence during formation of the Tyrrhenian basin, an extensional transition zone adjacent to the frontal thrust belt records sustained uplift at ∼0.3 mm yr⁻¹. The interaction of preexisting crustal structure and deep tectonic processes resulted in time-integrated displacement rates suggesting steady-state deformation for periods of 10⁶ years. Displacement rate changes were abrupt and occurred over intervals of 10⁵ years or less.     

柴达木盆地北缘断裂(阿木尼克山段)构造地貌及晚第四纪活动速率研究

柴达木盆地北缘断裂是控制盆地东北部的重要边界活动断裂,其晚第四纪活动特性的研究,对理解南祁连山应变分配模式及断裂活动向柴达木盆地内部挤压扩展过程具有重要意义。柴达木盆地北缘断裂在阿木尼克山段遥感影像线性特征明显,发育一系列断层陡坎、断层三角面、水系扭错等地貌现象。本研究通过遥感解译、地质调查、探槽开挖、GPS地形剖面测量、OSL地质测年等研究表明:在阿木尼克山山前存在长约30 km的地震地质遗迹,连续性好,发育断层陡坎、断层凹槽、地震鼓梁(包)、水系扭错等地貌现象。通过对典型地貌面GPS测量及OSL测年,得到全新世平均垂直速率为0.43±0.02 mm/a。通过DEM图解译得到Fan2洪积扇地貌面最大水平走滑量达48 m,得到13 ka以来走滑速率为3.38～4.21 mm/a; Fan1洪积扇地貌面最大水平走滑量达14 m,计算得到5.1 ka以来走滑速率2.50～2.75 mm/a。     

Quaternary Tholeiitic to Alkaline Volcanism in the Karasu Valley,Dead Sea Rift Zone,Southeast Turkey: Sr-Nd-Pb-O Isotopic and Trace-Element Approaches to Crust-Mantle Interaction

Rare-earth-element, radiogenic and oxygen isotope, and mineral chemical data are presented for tholeiitic and alkaline Quaternary volcanism from Karasu Valley (Hatay, southeastern Turkey). Karasu Valley is the northern segment of the Dead Sea transform fault and is filled with flood-basalt type volcanics of Quaternary age. This valley is an active fault zone that is known as “Karasu fault,” extending in a NE-SW direction. The Karasu Valley basaltic volcanics (KVBV) are subaphyric to porphyritic, with variable amounts of olivine, clinopyroxene, and plagioclase phenocrysts. Alkali basalts are generally characterized by high contents of olivine, clinopyroxene, and plagioclase phenocrysts. Their groundmass contains olivine, clinopyroxene, plagioclase, and Fe-Ti oxides. Tholeiitic basalts are subaphyric to porphyritic (high contents of olivine, clinopyroxene, and plagioclase). Their groundmass is similar to that of alkali basalts. The range of olivine phenocryst and microlite compositions for all analyzed samples is Fo₈₁ to Fo₄₃. Plagioclase compositions in both tholeiitic and alkali basalts range from andesine, An₃₈ to bytownite, An₇₂. Clinopyroxene compositions range from diopside to calcic augite. Most of the olivine, plagioclase, and clinopyroxene phenocrysts are normally zoned and/or unzoned. Fe-Ti oxides in both series are titanomagnetite and ilmenite.

Based on normative and geochemical data, the Karasu Valley basaltic volcanics are mostly olivine and quartz-tholeiites, and relatively lesser amount of alkali olivine-basalts. KVBV have low K₂O/Na₂O ratios, typically between 0.25 and 0.45. Olivine- and quartz-tholeiites are older than alkali olivine-basalts. Olivine tholeiites have Zr/Nb and Y/Nb ratios similar to alkaline rocks, but their Ba/Nb, Ba/La, and La/Nb ratios are slightly higher than alkali olivine-basalts. In contrast, quartz-tholeiites have the highest Ba/Nb, Ba/La, Zr/Nb, and Y/Nb and the lowest Nb/La ratios among the KVBV. Alkali basalts have ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ratios ranging from 0.703353 to 0.704410 and 0.512860 to 0.512910, respectively. In contrast, quartz-tholeiites have higher ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and lower ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ratios, which vary from 0.704410 to 0.705490 and 0.512628 to 0.512640, respectively. Olivine tholeiites have intermediate isotopic compositions ranging from 0.703490 to 0.704780 and 0.512699 to 0.512780, respectively. ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb isotopic ratios of KVBV range from 18.817 to 19.325, 15.640 to 15.718, and 39.054 to 39.223, respectively. The range of O isotope values is between +5.84 and +7.97‰. The higher O and Sr isotopes in olivine- and quartz-tholeiites relative to alkali olivine-basalts can be explained by contamination of magmas by crustal materials.

The KVBV have intraplate chemistry similar to that of other tholeiitic and alkaline basalts in other within-plate environments, and isotopes range from isotopically depleted mantle to enriched isotope compositions similar to some enriched ocean islands. Trace-element and isotope data indicate that the KVBV are derived from a common OIB-like asthenospheric mantle source, but they have experienced different degrees of crustal contamination during their ascent to the surface, contemporaneous with little fractional crystallization. Although quartz-tholeiites display significant effects of crustal contamination, alkali olivine-basalts appear to have negligible or no crustal contamination in their geesis.     

Uppermost Tortonian to Quaternary depocentre migration related with segmentation of the strike-slip Palomares Fault Zone,Vera Basin (SE Spain)

The Palomares Fault Zone (PFZ) is one of the main strike-slip brittle shear zones found in the Betics. It is segmented in several faults that have been active between the Upper Tortonian and present day. Data from drill cores in the Palomares area have permitted us to define the geometry and location of sedimentary depocentres related with the PFZ. These data show an eastward displacement between the Upper Tortonian to Messinian and the Pliocene–Quaternary sedimentary depocentres, towards the presently active Arteal fault, which bounds the western mountain front of Sierra Almagrera, showing that deformation along this fault zone has migrated towards the east, from the Palomares segment, with its main activity during the Upper Tortonian and Messinian, towards the Arteal fault, active during the Pliocene and Quaternary. To cite this article: G. Booth-Rea et al., C. R. Geoscience 335 (2003).     

Timing and mechanism of late-Pleistocene calcite vein formation across the Dead Sea Fault Zone,northern Israel

The emplacement of calcite-filled veins perpendicular to the Dead Sea Fault Zone in northern Israel reflects strain partitioning during transpression. We present structural, geochemical, and U–Th geochronological data that constrain the mechanism, conditions and timing of vein formation. Vein walls are strongly brecciated and commonly cemented with coarsely crystalline calcite, whereas calcite-filled veins are composed of wall-parallel bands of calcite crystals. Elongated blocky and fibrous calcite crystals grew perpendicular to the vein walls and are characterised by a truncate sealing-hiatus morphology, indicating episodes of partial or complete sealing of the fractures during calcite precipitation. Stable isotope and rare-earth element and yttrium (REY) analyses indicate that calcite-filled veins precipitated by karst processes, involving meteoric water and limited fluid-rock interactions. U–Th dating results show a prolonged history of vein growth. While some veins initiated prior to 500 ka, the majority of the veins were active between 358 and 17 ka. Age constraints on vein activity correspond to an ∼E–W regional shortening phase in this sector of the Dead Sea Fault Zone, associated with an increased component of convergence during the late-Pleistocene.     

Recurrent events on a Quaternary fault recorded in the mineralogy and micromorphology of a weathering profile, Yangsan Fault System, Korea

Recurrence characteristics of a Quaternary fault are generally investigated on the basis of field properties that are rapidly degraded by chemical weathering and erosion in warm humid climates. Here we show that in intense weathering environments, mineralogical and micromorphological investigations are valuable in paleoseismological reconstruction. A weathering profile developed in Late Quaternary marine terrace deposits along the southeastern coast of the Korean Peninsula was disturbed by tectonic movement that appears to be a simple one-time reverse faulting event based on field observations. A comparative analysis of the mineralogy, micromorphology, and chemistry of the weathering profile and fault gouge, however, reveals that both the microfissures in the deformed weathering profile and larger void spaces along the fault plane were filled with multi-stage accumulations of illuvial clay and silt minerals of detrital origin, suggesting a repetition of fissuring and subsequent sealing in the weathering profile as it underwent continuous mineralogical transformation and particle translocation. We reconstruct a sequence of multiple faulting events unrecognized in previous field surveys, which requires revision of the view that the Korean Peninsula was tectonically stable, during the Late Quaternary.     

A new geological slip rate estimate for the Calico Fault,eastern California: implications for geodetic versus geologic rate estimates in the Eastern California Shear Zone

ABSTRACT

Accurate estimation of fault slip rate is fundamental to seismic hazard assessment. Previous work suggested a discrepancy between short-term geodetic and long-term geologic slip rates in the Mojave Desert section of the Eastern California Shear Zone (ECSZ). Understanding the origin of this discrepancy can improve understanding of earthquake hazard and fault evolution. We measured offsets in alluvial fans along the Calico Fault near Newberry Springs, California, and used several techniques to date the offset landforms and determine a slip rate. Our preferred slip rate estimate is 3.2 ± 0.4 mm/yr, representing an average over the last few hundred thousand years, faster than previous estimates. Seismic hazard associated with this fault may therefore be higher than previously assumed. We discuss possible biases in the various slip rate estimates and discuss possible reasons for the rate discrepancy. We suggest that the ECSZ discrepancy is an artefact of limited data, and represents a combination of faster slip on the Calico Fault, off-fault deformation, unmapped fault strands, and uncertainties in the geologic rates that have been underestimated. Assuming our new rate estimate is correct and a fair amount (40%) of off-fault deformation occurs on major ECSZ faults, the summed geologic rate estimate across the Mojave section of the ECSZ is 10.5 ± 3.1 mm/yr, which is equivalent within uncertainties to the geodetic rate estimate.