Slip sense inversion on active strike-slip faults in southwest Japan and its implications for Cenozoic tectonic evolution

Analyses of deflected river channels, offset of basement rocks, and fault rock structures reveal that slip sense inversion occurred on major active strike-slip faults in southwest Japan such as the Yamasaki and Mitoke fault zones and the Median Tectonic Line (MTL). Along the Yamasaki and Mitoke fault zones, small-size rivers cutting shallowly mountain slopes and Quaternary terraces have been deflected sinistrally, whereas large-size rivers which deeply incised into the Mio-Pliocene elevated peneplains show no systematically sinistral offset or complicated hairpin-shaped deflection. When the sinistral offsets accumulated on the small-size rivers are restored, the large-size rivers show residual dextral deflections. This dextral offset sense is consistent with that recorded in the pre-Cenozoic basement rocks. S–C fabrics of fault gouge and breccia zone developed in the active fault zones show sinistral shear sense compatible with earthquake focal mechanisms, whereas those of the foliated cataclasite indicate a dextral shear sense. These observations show that the sinistral strike-slip shear fabrics were overprinted on dextral ones which formed during a previous deformation phase. Similar topographic and geologic features are observed along the MTL in the central-eastern part of the Kii Peninsula. Based on these geomorphological and geological data, we infer that the slip sense inversion occurred in the period between the late Tertiary and mid-Quaternary period. This strike-slip inversion might result from the plate rearrangement consequent to the mid-Miocene Japan Sea opening event. This multidisciplinary study gives insight into how active strike-slip fault might evolves with time.     

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.     

Weakness and mechanical anisotropy of phyllosilicate-rich cataclasites developed after mylonites of a low-angle normal fault (Simplon Line,Western Alps)

The Simplon Fault Zone is a late-collisional low-angle normal fault (LANF) of the Western Alps. The hanging wall shows evidence of brittle deformation only, while the footwall is characterized by a c. 1 km-thick shear zone (the Simplon Fault Zone), which continuously evolved, during exhumation and cooling, from amphibolite facies conditions to brittle-cataclastic deformations. Due to progressive localization of the active section of the shear zone, the thermal-rheological evolution of the footwall resulted in a layered structure, with higher temperature mylonites preserved at the periphery of the shear zone, and cataclasites occurring at the core (indicated as the Simplon Line). In order to investigate the weakness of the Simplon Line, we studied the evolution of brittle/cataclastic fault rocks, from nucleation to the most mature ones. Cataclasites are superposed on greenschist facies mylonites, and their nucleation can be studied at the periphery of the brittle fault zone. This is characterized by fractures, micro-faults and foliated ultracataclasite seams that develop along the mylonitic SCC′ fabric, exploiting the weak phases mainly represented by muscovite and chlorite. Approaching the fault core, both the thickness and frequency of cataclasite horizons increase, and, as their thickness increases, they become less and less foliated. The fault core itself is represented by a thicker non-foliated cataclasite horizon. No Andersonian faults or fractures can be found in the footwall damage zone and core zone, whilst they are present in the hanging wall and in the footwall further from the fault. Applying a stress model based on slip tendency, we have been able to calculate that the friction coefficient of the Simplon Line cataclasites was <0.25, hence this fault zone is absolutely weak. In contrast with other fault zones, the weakening effect of fluids was of secondary importance, since they accessed the fault zone only after an interconnected fracture network developed exploiting the cataclasite network.     

Conjugate faulting along pre-existing fractures in Bundelkhand granite, Hirapur, central India

Re-examination of the outcrop of conjugate of strike-slip faults mapped by Roday et al. (1989) near forest rest house at Hirapur reveals that the main dextral strike-slip fault that strikes N35°E and is a manifestation of the earliest NE-SW trending subhorizontal σ¹ that produced extensional reef system in the Bundelkhand massif. Although the change in the stress system though 90° rotation of the principal compressive stress σ₁ and σ₃ (with σ₂ maintaining near vertically) is correct, another point of interest is that the σ₁ for the system of faults bisects the obtuse angle between the two sets and not an acute one as required by the brittle failure criterion. The sinistral strike-slip faults were probably formed by rejuvenation of the initial dextral strike-slip faults that were generated when the maximum principal compressive stress was oriented NS. The reversal of fault displacement is seen on all scales in the Bundelkhand massif. The dextral strike-slip fault related to the late stress system was preferentially produced along pre-existing tensile fractures that were generated under NE-SW directed subhorizontal σ₁. Some of these fractures were converted into sinistral strike-slip faults under NS directed maximum principal compression acting subhorizontally.     

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.     

罗布泊形成及演化的地质新说

位于塔里木盆地东北端的罗后是现今塔里木盆地的最低点，其形成受新生代以来塔里木盆地东南缘阿尔金走滑断裂系及东北缘库鲁克塔格走滑断裂系的控制。由于基羌民怪的左行走滑及孔雀河断层的右行走滑，在罗布泊－带产生近东西赂的拉张背景，罗布泊即暗生这一拉背景的一个箕状凹陷。罗布汪周缘及塔里木河下游水系的分布，均受控于该地区新生代以来的断裂构造。     

S–C fabrics developed in cataclastic rocks from the Nojima fault zone,Japan and their implications for tectonic history

S–C fabrics similar to those found in mylonites are observed in foliated cataclastic granitic rocks from the Nojima fault zone, southwest Japan. The foliated cataclastic rocks comprise cataclasite, fault breccia, gouge, and crushing-originated pseudotachylyte. The S–C fabrics observed in these cataclastic rocks involve S-surfaces defined by shape preferred orientation of biotite fragments or aggregates of quartz and feldspar fragments, and C-and C′-surfaces defined by microshears and shear bands, respectively, where fine-grained material is concentrated. Striations on the main fault plane are oriented parallel to the cataclasite lineations. A significant microstructural difference between the foliated cataclastic rocks and S–C mylonites is the absence of dynamically recrystallized grains in the foliated cataclasites. The striations, cataclastic lineations, and the S–C fabrics in the cataclastic rocks formed from the late Tertiary to the late Holocene indicate that the Nojima fault zone has moved as a dextral strike-slip fault, with a minor reverse component since it formed. S–C fabrics in cataclastic rocks provide important information on the tectonic history and are reliable kinematic indicators of the shear sense in brittle shear zones or faults.     

缅甸重要断裂的位置与特征

为了解周边国家的地质构造特征,经实地调研与前人资料整理,将缅甸构造单元边界确认为9条断裂.即：那加山-若开山逆冲断裂（F₁）、平梨铺-卑谬伸展断裂（F₂）、实皆-勃固右行平移断裂（F₃）、葡萄-格杜逆冲断裂（F₄）、英昆-八莫伸展断裂（F₅）、南坎-抹谷右行平移断裂（F₆）、曼德勒-垒固左行平移断裂（F₇）、锡当-三塔左行平移断裂（F₈）、孟宾-清迈逆冲断裂（F₉）.这9条断裂构成钦邦-若开邦结合带（E-N₁）（Ⅰ₁）、西克钦邦结合带（E-N₁）（Ⅰ₂）、蒙育瓦-勃生岛弧带（E-N₁）（Ⅱ₁）、瑞保-仰光弧后盆地（E-N₁）（Ⅱ₂）、密支那岛弧带（E-N₁）（Ⅱ₃）、八莫陆缘弧（T₃-K）（Ⅲ₁）、毛淡棉陆缘弧（T₃-K）（Ⅲ₂）、德林依达地块（Pz₂）（Ⅲ₃）、保山-掸邦陆块（C-T₂）（Ⅳ）、昌宁-孟连-清莱结合带（C-T₂）（Ⅴ）10个一级、二级大地构造单元的边界.     

Discussion of tectonic models for Cenozoic strike-slip fault-affected continental margins of mainland SE Asia

Understanding the roles of Cenozoic strike-slip faults in SE Asia observed in outcrop onshore, with their offshore continuation has produced a variety of structural models (particularly pull-apart vs. oblique extension, escape tectonics vs. slab-pull-driven extension) to explain their relationships to sedimentary basins. Key problems with interpreting the offshore significance of major strike-slip faults are: (1) reconciling conflicting palaeomagnetic data, (2) discriminating extensional, and oblique-extensional fault geometries from strike-slip geometries on 2D seismic reflection data, and (3) estimating strike-slip displacements from seismic reflection data.Focus on basic strike-slip fault geometries such as restraining vs. releasing bends, and strongly splaying geometries approach the gulfs of Thailand and Tonkin, suggest major strike-slip faults probably do not extend far offshore Splays covering areas 10,000’s km² in extent are characteristic of the southern portions of the Sagaing, Mae Ping, Three Pagodas and Ailao Shan-Red River faults, and are indicative of major faults dying out. The areas of the fault tips associated with faults of potentially 100 km+ displacement, scale appropriately with global examples of strike-slip faults on log–log displacement vs. tip area plots. The fault geometries in the Song Hong-Yinggehai Basin are inappropriate for a sinistral pull-apart geometry, and instead the southern fault strands of the Ailao Shan-Red River fault are interpreted to die out within the NW part of the Song Hong-Yinggehai Basin. Hence the fault zone does not transfer displacement onto the South China Seas spreading centre. The strike-slip faults are replaced by more extensional, oblique-extensional fault systems offshore to the south. The Sagaing Fault is also superimposed on an older Paleogene–Early Miocene oblique-extensional rift system. The Sagaing Fault geometry is complex, and one branch of the offshore fault zone transfers displacement onto the Pliocene-Recent Andaman spreading centre, and links with the West Andaman and related faults to form a very large pull-apart basin.     

索尔库里盆地的形成,演化及其与阿尔金断裂带的关系研究

阿尔金走滑断裂带主要由阿尔金主干断层与和条近于平行的左行走滑断层和斜交断层组成,其空间分布规律可用左行走滑简单剪切模型解释。索尔库里盆地是阿尔金断裂带中一个新生代断陷盆地,属于典型松弛分叉型走滑拉分盆地。索尔库里盆地扩张开始于上新世,至今扩张量约为４０ｋｍ,其扩张速率约为０．８ｃｍ／ａ。按相同的位移速率,本文估算了阿尔金主干断层自始新世晚期以来的走滑量,大约为３２０ｋｍ。     

Review of the tectonics of the Levant Rift system: the structural significance of oblique continental breakup

The Levant Rift system is an elongated series of structural basins that extends for more than 1000 km from the northern Red Sea to southern Anatolia. The system consists of three major segments, the Jordan Rift in the south, El Gharb–Kara-Su Rift in the north, and the Lebanese Fault splay in between. The rifted parts of this structural system are accompanied by intensively uplifted margins that mirror-image the basinal pattern, namely, the deeper the basin—the higher its margins, and vice versa. Uplifts also occur along the fault splay section. The Jordan Rift comprises axial basins that diminish in size from the south northwards, and are separated from each other by shallow threshold zones along the axis of the rift, where the margins are also subdued. The Lebanese Fault splay consists of five faults that emerge from the northern edge of the Jordan Rift and trend like a fan between the north and the northeast. One of these faults connects the Jordan and El Gharb–Kara-Su rifts. The Levant Rift and its uplifted margins started to develop in the middle-late Miocene, and most of the structural development occurred in the Plio-Pleistocene.The Levant Rift system is characterized by its oblique displacement, and evidence for both dip-slip and strike-slip displacement was measured on its faults. Earthquakes also indicate that same mixed pattern, some of them show strike-slip offset, and others normal. It is generally conceded that the amount of normal offset along the boundary faults of the Rift system reaches 8–10 km, but the lateral displacement is disputed, and offsets ranging from 11 to 107 km were suggested. Assessment of the available data led us to suggest that the sinistral offset along the Levant Rift system is approximately 10–20 km. The similarity between the vertical and the lateral displacements, the basin and threshold structural pattern of the Rift, model experiments in oblique rifting, as well as the significant tectonic resemblance to the Red Sea and the East African rifts, indicate that the Levant Rift is the product of continental breakup, and it is probably an emerging oceanic spreading center.     

华熊地块马超营断裂走滑特征及演化

对华熊地块南部的马超营断裂带的几何样式、组成特征及其变形特点等研究结果表明,马超营断裂带经历了韧性变形和脆性变形期。韧性变形分布于该断裂带的南侧,并发生了绿片岩相的动力变质作用,其中的S-C组构特征所指示的运动方向在其南北两侧,分别为向南和向北逆冲,呈现正花状特点,反映了该断裂带具有走滑逆冲性质的断裂。韧性变形主要发生于前印支期。燕山期,全面陆-陆碰撞期间其主要表现为脆性变形特征。脆性变形主要发育于其北侧,北东向的康山-七里坪断裂、红庄-陶村断裂是其次一级的派生断裂。通过对北东向断裂运动方向和前人的成果分析,以及这些构造的平面分布样式对比认为该断裂为一条左行走滑特征的断裂带。在此基础上,结合区域动力学背景,进而讨论了它的演化特征。     

阿尔金盆地群构造类型与演化

阿尔金走滑断裂带主要由阿尔金主干断层与几条近于平行的左行走滑断层和斜交断层组成,其空间分布规律可用左行走滑简单剪切模型解释。     

福建泉州晚中生代伸展构造变形特征与年代学制约

晚中生代福建沿海地区发育多期与古太平洋板块俯冲有关的岩浆活动和构造变形.福建泉州地区伸展构造变形主要表现为高角度正断层和低角度正断层或拆离断层, 古构造应力场反演指示其形成于NW-SE向伸展环境.锆石U-Pb年代学指示泉州地区发育4期岩浆活动, 分别为晚侏罗世(~155 Ma)、早白垩世中期(130~125 Ma)、早白垩世末期(~109 Ma)以及晚白垩世早期(~100 Ma之后).结合构造变形的切割关系和岩浆岩年代学, 长乐-南澳剪切带左旋韧性走滑形成于130~120 Ma, 而右旋脆性剪切形成于120~100 Ma之间.古太平洋板块向华南大陆之下的俯冲角度变化导致福建沿海地区发育晚中生代造山带.造山作用开始于早白垩世之初, 结束于早白垩世末期, 以大规模NW-SE向伸展构造发育为标志, 其从同造山挤压到后造山伸展的转换发生于~120 Ma.      

西秦岭北缘北西向断层特征和形成的构造机制及地质意义

西秦岭北缘构造带不仅发育一系列继承性多期活动或新生的近东西向断层,而且新生代地层中还发育与近东西向断层走向不一致且具有独特构造特征的北西向左旋走滑断层。这种北西向左旋走滑断层带不发育断层角砾岩、磨砾岩、碎粉岩、断层泥、摩擦镜面、擦痕线理、断层阶步等脆性断层中常见的构造现象,仅表现为地层旋转和剪切拉断形成的一定宽度的透镜化带,两条断层之间地层产状发生旋转形成了约1 km宽,平面上类似膝折构造几何形态地层扭折带。该北西向断层横切了渐新统—中新统地层,并被上新统砾岩覆盖和第四纪以来的近东西向左旋走滑断层斜切,指示了其形成于渐新世—中新世沉积地层形成之后,上新世砾岩沉积之前,即上新世早期。北西向断层带不发育脆性断层典型构造现象和断层左旋走滑作用在渐新统—中新统沉积地层中形成了类似膝折构造几何形态地层扭折带,说明其变形具有韧脆性过渡和缓慢剪切变形的特征,是西秦岭北缘一种新的断层类型。其形成机制为基底或中下地壳中大型左旋走滑韧性或韧脆性剪切带向上扩展延伸到上部沉积盖层中之结果,也就是说,新生代沉积盖层中这种北西向断层和地层扭折带是下部韧性剪切带的左旋走滑剪切在盖层中被动构造响应。这种基底或中下地壳北西向左旋韧性剪切带可能指示了上新世初期西秦岭北缘构造带深部韧性地壳物质向南东流变蠕动的构造标志,代表深部地壳缩短增厚向地壳韧性物质侧向扩展流动的转换过程。这种特殊的断层类型对理解青藏高原东北缘新生代构造变形体制转换和地壳隆升具有重要的科学意义。     

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.      

马来西亚沙捞越Punda走滑构造及其动力学成因

沙捞越Punda走滑构造为一典型的右旋走滑构造形式，是沿近东西向F断裂(PDZ)发育特征的负花状构造或郁金香构造，并构成走滑伸展双重构造。Luconia陆块与巽他克拉通的碰撞及卢帕断裂的走滑是Punda走滑构造形成的动力学成因。同时，利用Riedel单剪模式和走滑次级构造逐级配套模式可以合理地解释Punda走滑断裂的构造形式。     

Oblique rifting in Salina, Lipari and Vulcano islands (Aeolian islands, southern Italy)

A structural analysis carried out on the volcanic products of the islands of Salina, Lipari and Vulcano (Aeolian archipelago) points out that the large-scale tectonic setting is dominated by NW-SE trending right-lateral extensional strike-slip faults and by N-S to NE-SW trending normal faults and fractures. This fault pattern generates pull-apart type structures, developing between different right-hand overlapping fault segments and a characteristic extensional imbricate fan geometry at the tip of the major strike-slip faults. All the structures, representing the surface expression of an active crustal discontinuity which controls the evolutionary history of the magmatism of the three islands, are kinematically compatible with a N100°E extension related to a rifting process affecting southern Italy.     

The termination of the North Anatolian Fault System (NAFS) in Eastern Turkey

ABSTRACT

The present-day tectonic framework of Turkey comprises mainly two strike-slip fault systems, namely dextral North Anatolian and sinistral East Anatolian faults. They are considered as the main cause of deformation patterns in Anatolia. These two mega shear systems meet at Kargapazar? village of Karl?ova county. The area to the east of the junction has a transpressional tectonic regime between the Eurasian and Arabian plates and is characterized, based on field observation, by a network of faults defining a typical horsetail splay structure. The horsetail splay is interpreted as marking the termination of the North Anatolian Fault System (NAFS), which continues eastward into the Varto Fault Zone (VFZ) and then dies out. The present study reveals that the VFZ is made up of two main parts, namely the principal displacement zone (PDZ) and the transpressional splay zone (TPSZ), both characterized by the right-lateral strike-slip with reverse motion. However, the area to the east of Varto is characterized dominantly by reverse-thrust faults and E–W-trending faults as shown by focal mechanism solutions. The generation of the VFZ as a transpressional termination to the NAFS can be related directly to the block movements of the Eurasian, Anatolian, and Arabian plates.     

玉树地震地表破裂与宏观震中

2010年4月14日07时49分40.7秒, 青海省玉树藏族自治州玉树县发生M_S7.1级地震。通过现场调查发现, 玉树地震形成了东西两条地表破裂带——玉树地表破裂带和隆宝滩地表破裂带, 分别沿玉树活动断裂、隆宝滩活动断裂的上盘发育, 两条地表破裂带均呈NW向延伸, 二者之间相距22km。隆宝滩地表破裂带, 总体走向290°, 长21.5km, 呈左旋走滑运动, 左旋走滑位移量约1m。玉树地表破裂带, 总体走向310°, 长度23km, 可进一步分为三段。西段和中段表现为左旋走滑, 东段表现为左旋走滑逆冲运动。最大左旋走滑位移量在郭央烟宋多附近, 达2.4m。根据地震地表破裂的位移量大小和建筑物破坏情况认为, 玉树地震宏观震中在郭央烟宋多附近, 宏观震中坐标为:北纬33°03′11″、东经96°51′26″。