Columbia/Snake River—Yellowstone magmatism in the context of Western U.S.A. Cenozoic geodynamics

An attempt is made to calculate the total volume of Middle Cenozoic to Recent igneous rocks in the Columbia—Snake River—Yellowstone region by adding geophysically-derived estimates of the amounts of mafic intrusion to published data on the volumes of volcanic rocks. Recently published radiometric ages allow comparison of rates of basaltic magmatism in these ensialic provinces with those along equivalent lengths of mid-oceanic ridge. The rates of total magmatic activity (extrusive and intrusive) during the genesis of the Columbia River Plateau, Western Snake River Plain and Eastern Snake River Plain—Yellowstone sub-provinces were equivalent to those of mid-oceanic ridges with spreading half-rates of 10, 3 and 0.3 cm per year, respectively.It is shown that the hypothesis that magmatism in this region is the product of a deep-mantle convective plume, situated at present beneath Yellowstone, does not explain adequately several features of the Snake River Plain and becomes untenable when applied to the province as a whole. It is proposed instead that all major post-Eocene tectonic and magmatic features of the western U.S.A., east of the Sierra Nevada and Cascades, are products of comparatively shallow-rooted diapiric upwelling in the mantle; triggered at about 40 m.y. by extraction of mafic silicate melt and volatiles from the Farallon lithospheric plate, subducted at a comparatively low angle beneath the North American plate. During the Oligocene the diapirism appears to have become concentrated beneath the present sites of the Great Basin and Columbia River Plateau. Subsequent annihilation of the Farallon plate by the northward-propagating San Andreas transform fault released the compressive stress field across the Great Basin diapir, so that its heat content could disperse largely through attenuation and melting of the sialic crust, rather than mantle partial fusion and basaltic magmatism. Conversely, constriction of the Columbia River Plateau diapir by the subduction zone to its west led to “run away” mantle fusion and massive production of basic magmas. At 10–13 m.y. the E-W zone of offset at 42–44°N between these diapirs was the sub-sialic analogue of a transform fault. Lateral shearing of uppermantle peridotite within this zone caused the partial fusion which was the source of Western Snake River Plain magmatism. Once established, this upper-mantle thermal disturbance became self-perpetuating and, as the North American plate drifted westward over it, generated the Eastern Snake River Plain—Yellowstone “hot spot track”. The constant position of this hot spot in the mantle, relative to that beneath Hawaii, during the last 10 m.y. or so may indicate that its roots now penetrate down into the mesosphere.     

A crustal-scale integrated geophysical and tectonic study of the Snake River Plain region,northwestern U.S.A.

The Pacific Northwest region of North America is a site of very complex tectonomagmatic activity. This activity is due to subduction of the Pacific plate, the associated Cascade chain of volcanoes, micro-plate interactions, and mantle plume activity to the east of the plate margin that produced the Yellowstone hotspot track along the Eastern Snake River Plain (ESRP). A number of recent geophysical and geological studies have produced new results that have drawn attention to the complex tectonic setting of the region east of the Cascade Range, and its tectonic evolution is the subject of considerable scientific interest and debate. Numerous seismic studies have specifically focused on the crustal and upper mantle structure of the ESRP and Yellowstone area. However, crustal-scale studies of the Western Snake River Plain (WSRP) are limited. We undertook an integrated analysis of new and existing geophysical data and geologic constraints to study the crustal structure of the WSRP and generated two-dimensional crustal models across it. We observed both differences and similarities in the structural and tectonic evolution of the eastern and western arms of the SRP based on our integrated analysis. From a broader perspective based on recent geological and geophysical studies in the surrounding region, the intersection of the two arms of the SRP emerges as a major element of a complex tectonic intersection that includes the High Lava Plains of eastern Oregon, the Northern Nevada rift, a southwestern extension of the ESRP into northern Nevada, as well as, faulting and volcanism extending north-westward to connect with the Columbia River basalt plateau region. Thus, the goal of this study is to advance our understanding of the tectonomagmatic evolution of the region and to encourage further studies in the region.     

Intraplate tectonics of the western North American plate

Fault-plane solutions, Cenozoic geology, and in-situ stress measurements are used to infer contemporary extension between subplates of the western North American plate. Intraplate, northwest extension is accommodated by strike-slip and oblique normal faulting along present-day seismic zones. Cenozoic volcanism, facilitated by regional extension above a subducting plate, may have spread radially outward from the northern Great Basin to form a continental triple junction with the principal arms: the central Great Basin, the Snake River Plain and a southeast-trending zone of rhyolite domes in the southern Columbia Plateau.     

A review of crust and upper mantle structure studies of the Snake River Plain-Yellowstone volcanic system: A major lithospheric anomaly in the western U.S.A.

The Snake River Plain-Yellowstone volcanic system is one of the largest, basaltic, volcanic field in the world. Here, there is clear evidence for northeasterly progression of rhyolitic volcanism with its present position in Yellowstone. Many theories have been advanced for the origin of the Snake River Plain-Yellowstone system. Yellowstone and Eastern Snake River Plain have been studied intensively using various geophysical techniques. Some sparse geophysical data are available for the Western Snake River Plain as well. Teleseismic data show the presence of a large anomalous body with low P- and S-wave velocities in the crust and upper mantle under the Yellowstone caldera. A similar body in which compressional wave velocity is lower than in the surrounding rock is present under the Eastern Snake River Plain. No data on upper mantle anomalies are available for the Western Snake River Plain. Detailed seismic refraction data for the Eastern Snake River Plain show strong lateral heterogeneities and suggest thinning of the granitic crust from below by mafic intrusion. Available data for the Western Snake River Plain also show similar thinning of the upper crust and its replacement by mafic material. The seismic refraction results in Yellowstone show no evidence of the low-velocity anomalies in the lower crust suggested by teleseismic P-delay data and interpreted as due to extensive partial melting. However, the seismic refraction models indicate lower-than-normal velocities and strong lateral inhomogeneities in the upper crust. Particularly obvious in the refraction data are two regions of very low seismic velocities near the Mallard Eake and Sour Creek resurgent domes in the Yellowstone caldera. The low-velocity body near the Sour Creek resurgent dome is intepreted as partially molten rock. Together with other geophysical and thermal data, the seismic results indicate that a sub-lithospheric thermal anomaly is responsible for the time-progressive volcanism along the Eastern Snake River Plain. However, the exact mechanism responsible for the volcanism and details of magma storage and migration are not yet fully understood.     

Contrasting climatic histories for the Snake River Plain, Idaho, resulting from multiple thermal maxima

Ten sites near the Snake River Plain have consistent differences in their climatic histories. Sites at low elevation reflect the “early Holocene xerothermic” of the Pacific Northwest, whereas most climatic chronologies at high elevation indicate maximum warmth or aridity somewhat later, ca. 6000 yr ago. This elevational contrast in climatic histories is duplicated at three sites from the central Snake River Plain. For sites in such close proximity, the different chronologies cannot be explained by changes in atmospheric circulation during the late Quaternary. Rather, the differences are best explained by the autecology of the plants involved and the changing seasonal climate. The seasonal climatic sequence predicted by multiple thermal maxima explains the high- and low-elevation chronologies. During the early Holocene, maximum insolation and intensified summer drought in July forced low-elevation vegetation upward. However, moisture was not a limiting factor at high elevation, where vegetation moved upward in response to increased length of growing season coincident with maximum September insolation 6000 yr ago.     

Recent and active tectonics of the external zone of the Northern Apennines (Italy)

We present a comprehensive study of the recent and active tectonics of the external part of the Northern Apennines (Italy) by using morphotectonic, geological–structural, and stratigraphic analysis, compared with the current seismicity of the region. This analysis suggests that the external part of the Northern Apennines is characterised by presence of three major systems of Quaternary compressive structures corresponding to (1) the Apenninic watershed, (2) the Apennines–Po Plain margin (pede-Apenninic thrust front), and (3) the Emilia, Ferrara, and Adriatic Fold systems buried below the Po Plain. Geological data and interpreted seismic sections indicate a roughly N–S Quaternary deformation direction, with rates <2.5 mm/year. The shortening decreased since the Pliocene, when our data indicate compression in a NNW–SSE direction and rates up to 7 mm/year. The trend and kinematics of the structures affecting the Apennines–Po Plain margin and the Po Plain subsoil fit well the pattern of the current seismicity of the area, as well as recent GPS and geodetic levelling data, pointing to a current activity of these thrust systems controlled by an overall compressive stress field. Close to the Apenninic watershed, earthquake focal mechanisms indicate that shallow extension is associated to deep compression. The extensional events may be related to a secondary extensional stress field developing on the hangingwall of the thrust system affecting the Apenninic watershed; alternatively, this thrust system may have been recently deactivated and overprinted by active normal faulting. Deeper compressive events are related to the activity of both a major basement thrust that connects at surface with the pede-Apenninic thrust front and a major Moho structure.     

Continental Dynamics in High Tibetan Plateau: Normal Faulting Type Earthquake Activities and Mechanisms

Various earthquake fault types were analyzed for this study on the crust movement in the high region of the Tibetan plateau by analyzing mechanism solutions and stress fields. The results show that a lot of normal faulting type earthquakes are concentrated in the central High Tibetan plateau. Many of them are nearly perfect normal fault events. The strikes of the fault planes of normal faulting earthquakes are almost in an N-S direction based on the analyses of the Wulff stereonet diagrams of fault plane solutions. It implies that the dislocation slip vectors of the normal faulting type events have quite great components in the E-W direction. The extensions probably are an eastward extensional motion, being mainly a tectonic active regime in the plateau altitudes. The tensional stress in the E-W or NWW-SEE direction predominates earthquake occurrences in the normal event region of the central plateau. The eastward extensional motion in the high Tibetan plateau is attributable to the gravitational collapse of the high plateau and the eastward extrusion of hotter mantle materials beneath the east boundary of the plateau. Extensional motions from the relaxation of the topography and/or gravitational collapse in the high plateau hardly occurred along the N-S direction. The obstruction for the plateau to move eastward is rather weak.     

Primary basalts and magma genesis

The Pliocene-Holocene lavas of the Snake River Plain, Idaho, U.S.A., have a bimodal composition range, consisting predominantly of basalts (olivine-tholeiites), with subordinate intercalated tholeiitic andesites but with very few analyses falling between these groups. The more-magnesian of the tholeiitic andesites contain more total Fe, alkalis, TiO₂ and P₂O₅ but less SiO₂ than the less-magnesian basalts. Derivation of the tholeiitic andesites from the basalts by low-pressure fractional crystallization or by major-element crustal contamination does not seem possible, although some minor-element exchange with ancient crust apparently has occurred. Two lavas, representative of the least-magnesian basalts and the most-magnesian tholeiitic andesites, respectively, have been subjected to anhydrous experimental studies within their melting ranges at pressures up to 35kb. Both appear to show four-phase points on their liquidi at about 8kb and these are thought to have genetic significance. Microprobe analyses of the interstitial glasses in partially-crystalline runs on the basalt between 8 and 12kb show that these reproduce all the characteristic features of the Snake River Plain most-magnesian tholeiitic andesites, notably their reduced Si-saturation. The compositions of the most Mg-rich Snake River Plain basalts are such that they may perhaps be primary magmas, produced by partial fusion of a relatively Fe-rich spinel-lherzolite upper mantle at 50 to 60km depth; a proposal which accords well with the geophysics of this currently-active region. Partial crystallization of batches of this magma, delayed during ascent within the crust at depths of about 30 km, is thought to have given rise to the tholeiitic andesites.     

Compressive Tectonics around Tibetan Plateau Edges

Various earthquake fault types, mechanism solutions, stress field, and other geophysical data were analyzed for study on the crust movement in the Tibetan plateau and its tectonic implications. The results show that numbers of thrust fault and strike-slip fault type earthquakes with strong compressive stress near NNE-SSW direction occurred in the edges around the plateau except the eastern boundary. Some normal faulting type earthquakes concentrate in the Central Tibetan plateau. The strikes of fault planes of thrust and strike-slip faulting earthquakes are almost in the E-W direction based on the analyses of the Wulff stereonet diagrams of fault plane solutions. This implies that the dislocation slip vectors of the thrust and strike-slip faulting type events have quite great components in the N-S direction. The compression motion mainly probably plays the tectonic active regime around the plateau edges. The compressive stress in N-S or NE-SW directions predominates earthquake occurrence in the thrust and strike-slip faulting event region around the plateau. The compressive motion around the Tibetan plateau edge is attributable to the northward motion of the Indian subcontinent plate. The northward motion of the Tibetan plateau shortened in the N-S direction encounters probably strong obstructions at the western and northern margins.     

Discontinuous fault zones

Many tectonic faults and tension fractures are, at least initially, composed of separate segments. This note deals with a little explored reason for this phenomenon which, in faulting, has obvious implications both for the migration of hydrocarbons and for the sealing capacity of faults. Theoretical arguments based on CoulombMohr's theory of shear failure and on a theorem for the integrability of vector fields lead to the expectation that, in general, non-uniform and truly three-dimensional stress fields will impede the formation of smooth, coherent fault surfaces; this is in contrast to the stress fields that are associated with plane deformation. Examples are given and special attention is drawn to the role of tectonic stress fields with horizontal principal stresses that change with depth in magnitude and direction.     

越南红河平原区新生代构造应力场特征

红河平原在新生代期间受印度板块、欧亚板块和太平洋板块三大板块的影响,其构造应力场复杂多样.通过研究红河平原新生代构造应力场的变化规律,确定在新生代早期红河平原地区的构造应力场特点为东西的挤压应力场与左旋走滑机制,晚期则转变为南北的挤压应力场与右旋走滑机制,且右旋走滑作用在东南部地区呈增加趋势.红河平原区的这种构造应力场的变化为对红河三角洲的形成和发展提供了条件,控制了红河平原地区的现代构造活动特征.     

Earthquake mechanisms and tectonics in the Assam-Burma region

Eleven new focal mechanisms from earthquakes in the Assam-Burma region have been determined using P-wave first-motion directions reported in the Bulletins of the International Seismological Centre (Edinburgh). Out of them, eight mechanisms indicate thrust faulting, two normal faultings and one strike-slip faulting. In the thrust type of mechanism solutions, sense of motion on the shallow dipping of the two nodal planes is consistent with underthrusting beneath the arc-like mountain ranges. Seismic slip vectors strike in almost northerly direction along the eastern Himalayas and in almost easterly direction along the Burmese arc. A predominance of thrust faulting is consistent with geological evidences of thrusting and uplift in the Himalayas and the Assam-Burma region.     

The 1980, 1997 and 1998 Azores earthquakes and some seismo-tectonic implications

We have studied the focal mechanisms of the 1980, 1997 and 1998 earthquakes in the Azores region from body-wave inversion of digital GDSN (Global Digital Seismograph Network) and broadband data. For the 1980 and 1998 shocks, we have obtained strike–slip faulting, with the rupture process made up of two sub-events in both shocks, with total scalar seismic moments of 1.9 × 10¹⁹ Nm (M_w = 6.8) and 1.4 × 10¹⁸ Nm (M_w = 6.0), respectively. For the 1997 shock, we have obtained a normal faulting mechanism, with the rupture process made up of three sub-events, with a total scalar seismic moment of 7.7 × 10¹⁷ Nm (M_w = 5.9). A common characteristic of these three earthquakes was the shallow focal depth, less than 10 km, in agreement with the oceanic-type crust. From the directivity function of Rayleigh (LR) waves, we have identified the NW–SE plane as the rupture plane for the 1980 and 1998 earthquakes with the rupture propagating to the SE. Slow rupture velocity, about of 1.5 km/s, has been estimated from directivity function for the 1980 and 1998 earthquakes. From spectral analysis and body-wave inversion, fault dimensions, stress drop and average slip have been estimated. Focal mechanisms of the three earthquakes we have studied, together with focal mechanisms obtained by other authors, have been used in order to obtain a seismotectonic model for the Azores region. We have found different types of behaviour present along the region. It can be divided into two zones: Zone I, from 30°W to 27°W; Zone II, from 27°W to 23°W, with a change in the seismicity and stress direction from Zone I. In Zone I, the total seismic moment tensor obtained corresponded to left-lateral strike–slip faulting with horizontal pressure and tension axes in the E–W and N–S directions, respectively. In Zone II, the total seismic moment tensor corresponded to normal faulting, with a horizontal tension axis trending NE–SW, normal to the Terceira Ridge. The stress pattern for the whole region corresponds to horizontal extension with an average seismic slip rate of 4.4 mm/yr.     

Analysis of the Wenchuan Ms8.0 Earthquake’s Co-seismic Stress and Displacement Change by Using the Finite Element Method

The variation of in situ stress before and after earthquakes is an issue studied by geologists. In this paper, on the basis of the fault slip dislocation model of Wenchuan Ms8.0 earthquake, the changes of co-seismic displacement and the distribution functions of stress tensor around the Longmen Shan fault zone are calculated. The results show that the co-seismic maximum surface displacement is 4.9 m in the horizontal direction and 6.5 m in the vertical direction, which is almost consistent with the on-site survey and GPS observations. The co-seismic maximum horizontal stress in the hanging wall and footwall decreased sharply as the distance from the Longmen Shan fault zone increased. However, the vertical stress and minimum horizontal stress increased in the footwall and in some areas of the hanging wall. The study of the co-seismic displacement and stress was mainly focused on the long and narrow region along the Longmen Shan fault zone, which coincides with the distribution of the earthquake aftershocks. Therefore, the co-seismic stress only affects the aftershocks, and does not affect distant faults and seismic activities. The results are almost consistent with in situ stress measurements at the two sites before and after Wenchuan Ms8.0 earthquake. Along the fault plane, the co-seismic shear stress in the dip direction is larger than that in the strike direction, which indicates that the faulting mechanism of the Longmen Shan fault zone is a dominant thrust with minor strike-slipping. The results can be used as a reference value for future studies of earthquake mechanisms.     

珠江口盆地珠一坳陷裂后期断裂作用:迁移、转换及其动力学

珠江口盆地裂后期断裂作用对新近系油气成藏具有重要影响,但人们对其发育特征及动力学演化规律的认识一直不够.利用钻井约束的高精度三维及二维地震资料对珠一坳陷裂后期断裂的几何学与运动学特征进行了分析,结果表明珠一坳陷裂后期存在南海期和东沙期两期断裂作用,从南海期断裂作用到东沙期断裂作用,断裂的几何学、运动学特征以及动力学机制均发生了转换.南海期断裂作用具有从南向北迁移的特征;而东沙期断裂具有由东向西迁移的特征.两期断裂都以伸展为主,其中东沙期断裂具有微弱扭性特征.南海期断裂区域伸展方向为NNE10°～15°,东沙期为NNE20°～25°,区域伸展方向发生了5°～10°的顺时针偏转.南海期断裂作用发生于南海同扩张期,可能与南海扩张期间北部陆缘残留的伸展作用有关.东沙期断裂作用形成于南海后扩张期的东沙运动,该时期区域主应力轴σ₂方向与吕宋岛弧和欧亚大陆的挤压碰撞方向一致.东沙期断裂特征进一步证实了东沙运动是中中新世以来吕宋岛弧与欧亚大陆碰撞的结果.研究结果对整个南海地区裂后期南海运动与东沙运动的进一步认识具有重要意义.      

Tectonic stress regimes,rift extension and transform motion: the South Iceland Seismic Zone

Abstract

The South Iceland Seismic Zone (SISZ) is located at the junction of three rift segments in southwestern Iceland. The presence of different types of faulting and of differently orientated subgroups in Upper Pliocene to Holocene formations indicate polyphase tectonism. We measured 736 minor faults at 25 sites. Two types of relationships between stress regimes are represented. The first type, named IDS (inhomogeneous data set), is characterized by the presence of two types of fault mechanisms, normal and strike-slip, consistent with a single direction of extension. The second type, named OSR (opposite stress regimes), is characterized by the presence of perpendicular directions of extensions for a single type (normal or strike-slip) of faulting. Because of contradictory chronological criteria, we infer that the OSR alternated during the brittle tectonic activity of the SISZ. Two stress regimes, primary and secondary, are characterized by directions of extension NW-SE and NE-SW, respectively. The general fracture pattern characterized for the primary stress regime in the SISZ includes NNE-SSW trending right-lateral strike-slip faults, conjugate ENE-WSW trending left-lateral faults and NE-SW normal faults. This distribution is quite consistent with a Riedel- type model of fault pattern in a left-lateral shear zone. The stress states characterized based on analysis of both the earthquake focal mechanisms and the recent faulting sow great similarity in terms of stress directions. The main difference is the larger ratio of strike-slip motions representing 71% of the total population in the case of earthquake focal mechanisms, whereas for the whole set of faults the proportion of strike-slip faulting was 50 %. We explain that a témpora evolution of the tectonic regime in the SISZ region, accompanied by a gradual change in stress field, starts with rift-type pure extension and progressively leads to development of preferentially strike-slip structures in the kinematic context of left- lateral transform motion. © Elsevier, Paris     

Tectonic stress regimes,rift extension and transform motion: The South Iceland Seismic Zone

The South Iceland Seismic Zone (SISZ) is located at the junction of three rift segments in southwestern Iceland. The presence of different types of faulting and of differently orientated subgroups in Upper Pliocene to Holocene formations indicate polyphase tectonism. We measured 736 minor faults at 25 sites. Two types of relationships between stress regimes are represented. The first type, named IDS (inhomogeneous data set), is characterized by the presence of two types of fault mechanisms, normal and strike-slip, consistent with a single direction of extension. The second type, named OSR (opposite stress regimes), is characterized by the presence of perpendicular directions of extensions for a single type (normal or strike-slip) of faulting. Because of contradictory chronological criteria, we infer that the OSR alternated during the brittle tectonic activity of the SISZ. Two stress regimes, primary and secondary, are characterized by directions of extension NW-SE and NE-SW, respectively. The general fracture pattern characterized for the primary stress regime in the SISZ includes NNE-SSW trending right-lateral strike-slip faults, conjugate ENE-WSW trending left-lateral faults and NE-SW normal faults. This distribution is quite consistent with a Riedeltype model of fault pattern in a left-lateral shear zone. The stress states characterized based on analysis of both the earthquake focal mechanisms and the recent faulting show great similarity in terms of stress directions. The main difference is the larger ratio of strike-slip motions representing 71 % of the total population in the case of earthquake focal mechanisms, whereas for the whole set of faults the proportion of strike-slip faulting was 50 %. We explain that a temporal evolution of the tectonic regime in the SISZ region, accompanied by a gradual change in stress field, starts with rift-type pure extension and progressively leads to development of preferentially strike-slip structures in the kinematic context of leftlateral transform motion.     

Geometric and kinematic analysis of structural elements along north front of Bagharan Kuh Mountain,NE Iran

At the end of the western part of Bagharan Kuh Mountain in the northeast of Iran, mountain growth has been stopped toward the west because of the stress having been consumed by the thrusting movements and region rising instead of shear movement. Chahkand fault zone is situated at the western part of this mountain; this fault zone includes several thrust sheets that caused upper cretaceous ophiolite rocks up to younger units, peridotite exposure and fault related fold developing in the surface. In transverse perpendicular to the mountain toward the north, reduction in the parameters like faults dip, amount of deformation, peridotite outcrops show faults growth sequence and thrust sheets growth from mountain to plain, thus structural vergence is toward the northeast in this fault zone. Deformation in the east part of the region caused fault propagation fold with axial trend of WNW-ESE that is compatible with trending of fault plane. In the middle part, two types of folds is observed; in the first type, folding occurred before faulting and folds was cut by back thrust activity; in the second type, faults activity caused fault related folds with N60-90W axial trend. In order to hanging wall strain balance, back thrusts have been developed in the middle and western part which caused popup and fault bend folds with N20-70E trend. Back thrusts activity formed footwall synclines, micro folds, foliations, and uplift in this part of the region. Kinematic analysis of faults show stress axis σ₁ = N201.6, 7, σ₂ = N292.6, 7.1, σ₃ = N64.8, 79.5; stress axis obtained by fold analysis confirm that minimum stress (σ₃) is close to vertical so it is compatible with fault analysis. Based on the results, deformation in this region is controlled by compressional stress regime. This stress state is consistent with the direction of convergence between the Arabian and Eurasian plates. Also study of transposition, folded veins, different movements on the fault planes and back thrusts confirm the progressive deformation is dominant in this region that it increases from the east to the west.     

The tectonic regime in Italy inferred from borehole breakout data

In Italy, the horizontal stress directions are well constrained in many regions, but the tectonic regime is not well known because the stress magnitudes are unknown. Our intention is to improve the knowledge of crustal stress in Italy, both at shallow depth and in low seismicity areas. Therefore, we inferred the tectonic regime from the comparison between the depth of breakout occurrence and the physical properties of the rocks in 20 boreholes. The critical value of the maximum horizontal stress, for which the effective tangential stress at the borehole wall overcomes the rock strength to form breakouts, could be computed from rock strength and density. Comparing the theoretical stress distributions for different tectonic regimes with the depth distribution of breakout occurrence, it is possible to infer the tectonic regime that fits best to the breakout depth distribution. We investigated boreholes up to 6 km deep located in different tectonic environments over the Italian peninsula: the Po Plain, the Apenninic chain, the Adriatic foredeep and the Tyrrhenian Quaternary volcanic region. These wells are characterised by breakout data of good quality (A, B and C, according to World Stress Map quality ranking system). The results are in general agreement with the style of faulting derived from earthquake focal mechanisms and other stress indicators. Our results show a predominance of a normal faulting (NF) regime in the inner Apennines and both normal faulting and strike–slip faulting (SS) style in the surrounding regions, possibly also associated with changes in the tectonic regime with depth.