Holocene offset and seismicity along the panamint valley fault zone, western basin-and-range province, California

Holocene right-slip along the central segment of the Panamint Valley totals 20 m and dip-slip is somewhat less. The most recent offset, about 2 m right-slip, probably occurred at least several hundred years ago. If a comparable amount of slip occurred during earlier earthquakes, mean seismic recurrence intervals would have been about 700–2500 years during the Holocene.     

Geomorphological analysis of neotectonic deformation,northern Owens Valley,California

At the western edge of the Basin and Range Province, the Owens Valley is the site of active seismicity and deformation. Morphometric analyses of three geomorphological features are used to determine the patterns and rates of neotectonic deformation: (l) a network of Pleistocene channels cut on top of the Bishop Tuff; (2) uplifted terraces of the Owens River; and (3) alluvial fans of the White Mountain front.In the Owens Valley, the three analyses are consistent with the same solution: net eastward tilt of the Owens Valley block at a rate of between 3.5 and 6.1°/Ma. Given the dip on the basement determined from geophysical data and extrapolating the rate of tilt in the Owens Valley back in time, it is inferred that the break-up of the Sierra Nevada and the northern Owens Valley occurred in the Pliocene, between around 2 and 4 Ma ago. The pattern of deformation in the northern Owens Valley matches anticlinal flexure on the Coyote warp, near the front of the Sierra Nevada, and faulting across the Volcanic Tableland is consistent with flexural extension. It is proposed that the Coyote warp is an expression of the tectonic hinge between westward rotation of the Sierra Nevada and eastward rotation of the Owens Valley since the Pliocene.     

Hologene activity and tectonic setting of the Maacama fault zone, Mendocino County, California

The Maacama fault zone is a north-northwest trending, right-lateral zone of structural weakness in eastern Sonoma and Mendocino Counties, California, and fault-related landforms along its trace suggest that it may well have been active during Holocene time. Urbanization and dam construction in the vicinity of the zone have made it especially desirable to determine the extent and history of such geologically recent movements in order to better understand the seismic capability of faults within the zone.

The Maacama fault zone is a segment of one of two north-northwest trending zones of right-lateral faulting that diverge as major branches from the easterly side of the San Andreas fault zone north of Hollister. These branches extend at least as far north as Eureka and may mark the eastern boundaries of slivers of a separate tectonic plate.

This investigation was conducted to evaluate Holocene activity along the part of the Maacama fault zone in Mendocino County. The investigation shows that this zone comprises discontinuous, subparallel fault strands which extend from points south of the Sonoma—Mendocino county line to points north of Laytonville. Some fault segments are expressed by alignments of topographic features clearly caused by Holocene strike-slip movements. Other topographic features are less distinct and may well represent fault segments with pre-Holocene activity.

The Maacama fault zone creeps at a current rate of possibly as high as 2 mm/yr. The total amounts of Holocene offset are unknown.

Evidence obtained from exploratory trenches indicates that at least two surface rupture events have occurred within the past 16,200 years, that at least one has occurred within the past 8,310 years, and that there probably has been no surface rupturing within the past 1,140 years.

I conclude that surface offsets have occurred along major portions of the Maacama fault zone during Holocene time, and that this fault zone should be regarded as capable of producing a moderate to strong future earthquake with accompanying surface rupture in Mendocino County.     

Late quaternary tectonic activity of the Kheiton fault in the northern part of Sakhalin Island

This article considers the problem of the seismic activity of the Kheiton fault located in the northern part of Sakhalin Island. The fault is active, well expressed in relief, displaces Holocene deposits, and is studied by trenching. Its geomorphological expression, as well as the character of displacement of rock strata in the trench walls and the relief was investigated. Convincing evidence is provided for periodic sudden movements along the Kheiton fault with amplitudes of up to several meters, which in their turn have recently caused strong earthquakes.     

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.     

龙泉山断裂带隐伏断层氡气特征及其活动性分析

龙泉山断裂构造带作为龙门山推覆带的前陆隆起,严格控制了成都平原东边界,其活动性历来受到人们的关注。通过对龙泉山断裂带的氡气进行测量,可以有效地判断隐伏断层的位置及其活动性。测量结果显示,龙泉山断裂带北段东坡活动性强于西坡,主断层的活动性明显强于边缘隐伏断层,4条断层的活动性由强到弱依次为合兴场断层 > 红花塘断层 > 龙泉驿断层 > 松林场断层。龙泉山断裂带同一条断层在地表由多个破碎带组成,其氡气异常特征与断层活动性和破碎带特征呈正相关性,即断层活动性越强,氡气异常特征越显著。龙泉山断裂带氡气平均异常浓度是背景值的9.6倍,将各异常带峰值浓度与背景值进行对比分析,大致归纳出了龙泉山地区隐伏断层活动性的相对判别标准。     

丽江-小金河断裂盐源段断裂带规模、断裂带结构及其历史活动性

2008年汶川地震促使人们思考青藏高原东南缘走向和规模与龙门山断裂带相近的丽江- 小金河断裂的活动历史,但受限于地质条件制约断裂尤其是其北段相关研究极其薄弱。基岩断裂带的物质组成与结构特征是断层长期活动的产物,蕴含丰富的历史活动信息。本文以丽江- 小金河断裂盐源段多个天然剖面为研究对象,通过详细的断裂带宏观结构调查、断层岩显微构造及XRD分析发现：① 断层破碎带以一套厚度>20 m的破裂面密集带为特征,优势破裂面走向为NE20°~30°,推测为丽江- 小金河断裂长期活动形成的张剪性破裂;② 断层带核部以断层角砾岩和断层泥为主,灰岩角砾岩黏土矿物含量~2%,以伊利石和伊蒙混层为主,粉砂岩断层泥黏土矿物含量~52%,以坡缕石和绿泥石为主,石英含量36%,缺失长石类矿物。断裂带宏观结构和断层岩微观结构特征均表现为角砾呈棱角状,砾径差异极大且呈零散状分布,符合快速滑动特征,指示断层滑移方式为黏滑。此外,核部断层岩带统计厚5~8 m,这一规模相对于龙门山映秀- 北川断裂带核部180~280 m和安县- 灌县断裂带核部40~50 m显著偏小,表明前者自形成以来的活动性远低于后者,两者的地震行为并不能简单类比。结合断裂在宏观结构特征、断层岩成分与种类以及所反映的滑动方式与隆升剥蚀量的差异,认为丽江- 小金河断裂更可能是鲜水河断裂切断锦屏山- 龙门山构造带之后形成的,晚新生代与龙门山断裂带具有不同的活动历史。     

沂沭断裂带北段东支断裂的浅部构造特征及活动性

沂沭断裂带北段即潍坊市朱里以北的隐伏构造区,其主要隐伏活动断裂对第四系的发育具有控制作用。沂沭断裂带的活动性具有东强西弱的特点,其东支主干断裂是新构造运动强活动带,对地震的发生具有控制作用。莱州湾地区所开展的1∶5万区域地质调查、工程地质调查,通过大量的地面调查、物探、钻探等工作,对沂沭断裂带北段安丘-莒县断裂、昌邑-大店断裂的空间分布及活动性进行了深入调查研究,结果表明:两条主干断裂呈NNE向大致平行展布延伸,进入莱州湾海域,其中昌邑-大店断裂活动性质表现为走滑为主兼具逆冲运动,倾角近直立,倾向大致以东冢村北为界,由南段的倾向东转为北段的倾向西,该断裂最晚活动时代为晚更新世。安丘-莒县断裂控制了新生代地层的空间分布,新生代以来活动方式以向西正断为主,错断全新世地层并造成地表建筑物的开裂,目前仍处于活动期。本次调查首次确定了昌邑潜凸起的存在,该凸起位于断裂带北段东支两条主断裂之间,凸起区第四系厚度明显变薄,局部基岩出露;以柳疃断裂为界,北段潜凸区第四系下伏地层为新近纪明化镇组、馆陶组;南段潜凸区第四系下伏地层为新近纪八亩地组、牛山组,古近纪朱碧店组和白垩纪红土崖组。昌邑潜凸起区的发现对于莱州湾南岸水文地质、工程地质调查研究工作具有重要意义。     

Studies of quaternary saline lakes—II. Isotopic and compositional changes during desiccation of the brines in Owens Lake,California, 1969–1971

Owens Lake is an alkaline salt lake in a closed basin in southeast California. It is normally nearly dry, but in early 1969, an abnormal runoff from the Sierra Nevada flooded it to a maximum depth of 2·4 m. By late summer of 1971, the lake was again nearly dry and the dissolved salts recrystallized. Changes in the chemistry, pH, and deuterium content were monitored during desiccation.During flooding, salts (mostly trona, halite, and burkeite) dissolved slowly from the lake floor. Their concentration in the lake waters increased as evaporation removed water and salts again crystallized, but winter temperatures caused precipitation of some salts and the following summer warming caused their solution, resulting in seasonal variations in the concentration patterns of some ions. The pH values (9·4–10·4) changed with time but showed no detectable diurnal pattern.The deuterium concentration increased during evaporation and appeared to be in equilibrium with vapor leaving the lake according to the Rayleigh equation. The effective α(D/H in liquid/D/H in vapor) decreased as salinity increased; the earliest measured value was 1·069 [as total dissolved solids (TDS) of lake waters changed from 136,200 to 250,400 mg/1]and the last value (calc.) was 1·025 (as TDS changed from 450,000 to 470,300 mg/1). Deuterium exchange with the atmosphere was apparently small except during late desiccation stages when the isotopic contrast became great. Eventually, atmospheric exchange, combined with decreasing α and lake size and increasing salinity, stopped further deuterium concentration in the lake. The maximum contrast between atmospheric vapor and lake deuterium contents was about 110%.     

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.     

多种方法评价断层封闭性——以金湖凹陷石港断裂带为例

运用断层活动强度、现今应力作用方向与断层封闭效应及模糊综合评判方法,对金湖凹陷石港断裂带地区的断层封闭性进行了评价。研究表明,石港主控断层在不同位置的封闭性存在很大的差异,具有"南开北闭"特征,表现为断层在南部开启,在北部闭合,从而有效地封闭了油气。北部的次级派生断层封闭性较好,在局部形成断层遮挡油气藏。通过模糊综合评判法评价断层封闭性,认识到不同时期各断层封闭成藏情况不同:阜宁组断层封闭性好于戴南组;阜四段主要为泥岩,封闭性最好;阜二段和戴一段封闭性较好。分析结果与实际勘探状况相吻合。     

Segmentation and inversion of the Hangjinqi fault zone,the northern Ordos basin (North China)

This paper deals with the segmentation and inversion of the Hangjinqi fault zone (HFZ), which is the dominant structure in the northern part of the Ordos basin in North China. HFZ was reactivated during the Late Triassic and obliquely inverted during the Middle Jurassic shortening. Subsurface geological mapping and structural analysis were carried out to determine the segmentation and kinematic history of the deformation. The HFZ was a left-stepping fault zone and was made up of three segments: the Porjianghaizi fault (PF), Wulanjilinmiao fault (WF) and Sanyanjing fault (SF), which are separated by two relay ramps. Two distinct phases can be identified in its structural evolution: (1) during the Late Triassic compressional deformation, the HFZ was characterized by shortening and thrusting to the north; and (2) During the Middle Jurassic phase the HFZ was oblique to the extensional fault trends, the reverse faults were reactivated as dextral strike-slip faults as a result of transtensional inversion. The inversion ratio of the HFZ indicates an increase in deformational degree from east to west over the whole region. The first deformation stage resulted from the N–S compression between the South China and North China plates during the Late Triassic. The second deformation stage of compression was related to the west-northwestward subduction of the paleo-Pacific plate during the Middle Jurassic. In the Jurassic deformation framework, the HFZ may be interpreted as an accommodation structure parallel to the Yanshan–Yinshan orogenic belt developed in the northern Ordos area.     

Relationship of late Quaternary tectonics and volcanism in the Khanarassar active fault zone, the Armenian Upland

The Syunik rhombus-like structure in the Khanarassar active dextral fault zone of Armenia is a typical pull-apart basin, formed between terminal parts of two adjacent en echelon fault segments. Some component of subsidence associated with the faults of the structure is found between the en echelon segments; nevertheless, the dextral component continues to be predominant even on the boundaries of the pull-apart basin. The late Pleistocene and Holocene lava volcanoes of the basin are also associated with those faults that have a component of extension. The relative ages of fault displacements and volcanic eruptions have been identified by the mutual correlation of lavas, moraines and topographic features and by archaeological and radiocarbon dating. According to the interpretation of rupturing and volcanism, major earthquakes and volcanic eruptions appear inter-related and three pulses of such activity during the earlier and middle Holocene have been identified.     

Growth, linkage, and termination processes of a 10-km-long strike-slip fault in jointed granite: the Gemini fault zone, Sierra Nevada, California

Field-based structural analysis of an exhumed, 10-km-long strike-slip fault zone elucidates processes of growth, linkage, and termination along moderately sized strike-slip fault zones in granitic rocks. The Gemini fault zone is a 9.3-km-long, left-lateral fault system that was active at depths of 8–11 km within the transpressive Late-Cretaceous Sierran magmatic arc. The fault zone cuts four granitic plutons and is composed of three steeply dipping northeast- and southwest-striking noncoplanar segments that nucleated and grew along preexisting cooling joints. The fault core is bounded by subparallel fault planes that separate highly fractured epidote-, chlorite-, and quartz-breccias from undeformed protolith. The slip profile along the Gemini fault zone shows that the fault zone consists of three 2–3-km-long segments separated by two ‘zones’ of local slip minima. Slip is highest (131 m) on the western third of the fault zone and tapers to zero at the eastern termination. Slip vectors plunge shallowly west-southwest and show significant variability along strike and across segment boundaries. Four types of microstructures reflect compositional changes in protolith along strike and show that deformation was concentrated on narrow slip surfaces at, or below, greenschist facies conditions. Taken together, we interpret the fault zone to be a segmented, linked fault zone in which geometrical complexities of the faults and compositional variations of protolith and fault rock resulted in nonuniform slip orientations, complex fault-segment interactions, and asymmetric slip-distance profiles.     

郯庐断裂带北段构造特征及构造演化序列

根据大量野外地质调查和盆地地震资料分析,认为郯庐断裂北段在中-新生代发生多期不同性质的活动,形成各具特色的构造变形现象。密山县知一镇敦密断裂韧性剪切带具有左旋走滑特征,其中黑云母~(40)Ar/~(36)Ar-~(39)Ar/~(36)Ar等时线年龄为161±3Ma,是郯庐断裂带被利用发生第二期左旋走滑运动并向北扩展到中国东北-俄罗斯远东地区的产物。四平市叶赫乡佳伊断裂带中负花状断裂形成于早白垩世早中期,是郯庐断裂北段在早白垩世遭受左旋走滑-拉张作用的典型代表。四平市石岭镇佳伊断裂大型走滑-逆冲断褶带、桦甸县敦密断裂"逆地堑"、沈阳-哈尔滨逆冲断裂形成于晚白垩世嫩江运动-晚白垩世末期,这一时期脆性右旋走滑-逆冲事件规模大,影响范围广,导致整个郯庐断裂北段遭受到强烈改造。佳伊断裂带和敦密断裂带中古近纪盆地在横剖面上呈不对称地堑,并且不对称地堑沿断裂带走向发生断、超方向左右变位,是郯庐断裂带北段在古近纪时受右旋走滑、伸展双重机制控制的产物。根据郯庐断裂带北段中-新生代不同地质时期变形特征,建立了郯庐断裂北段构造演化序列。即郯庐断裂北段构造演化分为左旋韧性剪切(J_2末期)、左旋张扭(K_1早中期)、右旋压扭(K_2晚期-末期)、右旋走滑断陷(E)和构造反转(E_3末期)五个阶段。其演化历史主要受控于环太平洋构造域的构造作用。     

Arsenic distribution, speciation and solubility in shallow groundwater of Owens Dry Lake, California

Generation of dust particles from the Owens Lake playa creates a severe air pollution hazard in the western United States. Much of the dust produced from the dry lakebed is derived from salts formed by evaporation of saline groundwater that often contains high concentrations of dissolved arsenic (As). The objectives of this research were to study the spatial distribution of dissolved arsenic in the shallow groundwater, and to examine factors affecting arsenic solubility and speciation. Evapoconcentration, redox potential, pH, and mineral solubility were examined as factors regulating arsenic biogeochemistry. Dissolved arsenic concentrations ranged from 0.1 to 96 mg L⁻¹ and showed a general increase from the shoreline to the center of the lakebed. Arsenic concentrations were strongly correlated to electrical conductivity (EC) and δD suggesting that evapoconcentration is an important process regulating total As concentrations. Arsenite [As(III)] was the dominant form of inorganic arsenic at Eh values less than about −170 mV while arsenate [As(V)] was predominant at higher Eh values. Organic arsenic was negligible (<0.21%) in all shallow groundwater samples. Dissolved arsenic concentrations do not appear to be strongly regulated by solid-phase reactions. Solid-phase arsenic concentrations generally ranged between 4.0 and 42.6 mg kg⁻¹ and a maximum concentration range (20 to 40 mg kg⁻¹) was reached as solution concentration increased up to 80 mg L⁻¹, indicating minimal sorption and/or precipitation of arsenic. Chemical equilibrium modeling indicated that orpiment (As₂S₃) was the only solid phase with a positive saturation index (indicating over-saturation), but only at high arsenic and sulfide concentrations. The findings of this research are important for assessing the potential environmental impacts of elevated arsenic concentrations on dust mitigation efforts taking place at Owens Dry Lake.     

Evidence for Holocene activity of the Yilan-Yitong fault,northeastern section of the Tan-Lu fault zone in Northeast China

The Tan-Lu fault zone (TLFZ) is the largest of the major faults in eastern China. Many strong earthquakes have occurred on its section in North China, but no quake greater than M ⩾ 6 has been documented in history at its northeastern section, the Yilan-Yitong fault (YYF) in Northeast China. It is usually considered that this fault has been inactive since late Quaternary and incapable of generating moderate-sized quakes. This conclusion is, however, questioned by our recent work based on high-resolution satellite image interpretation and field investigation. We found a 70-km-long surface scarp near Fangzheng county in Heilongjiang province (HLJP) and a 20-km-long scarp near Shulan county in Jilin province (JLP), and both are associated with the YYF. The trenches across these two scarps reveal a ¹⁴C displacement date of 1730 ± 40 years BP at Fangzheng and of 4410 ± 30 years BP at Shulan. The dextral offsets of the Songhua River and Second Songhua River and nearly horizontal fault striations indicate that the new activity of the YYF has been dominated by dextral strike slipping with a normal component. These new data suggest that, at least for partial sections, the YYF has been active since the Holocene, implying a potential seismic hazard. However, current quake-protection standards in this region are very low due to the previous view that the YYF fault has not been active since the late Quaternary. If an M ⩾ 7 quake takes place on this fault, it will be a devastating event. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct a detailed study on the whole YYF and to reassess its future seismic risk.     

Structure and neotectonics of the western Santa Ynez fault system in southern California

Geologic, geomorphic and seismologic data indicate that west of Lake Cachuma the Santa Ynez fault branches into several major W- and NW-trending splay faults. Two of the faults bracket the wedge-shaped Santa Maria basin. The most compelling evidence for the existence of these two faults is the fact that the Santa Maria basin is floored by Franciscan basement overlain only by Miocene and younger sedimentary rocks, whereas across the inferred traces of each of these faults, the adjacent terrains consist of Franciscan basement overlain by thick sequences of Early Tertiary strata, as well as by Miocene and younger rocks. The third splay fault strikes northwestward through the central Santa Maria basin. Narrow zones of tightly appressed, left-stepping en-echelon folds are locally adjacent to the faults along the south edge, and through the center of the basin. The geometrical arrangement of these folds is indicative of formation over buried sinistral wrench faults. Evidence for Holocene surface rupturing is lacking or nebulous at best, but epicenters of damaging historical earthquakes are spatially, and by inference, genetically related to the central Santa Maria basin faults, indicating that they comprise the presently active strands among the several splay faults.