A palaeoseismological and geoarchaeological investigation of the Eliki fault,Gulf of Corinth,Greece

Palaeoseismological and morphotectonic analyses enable us to define a 400-m-wide actively deformed zone associated with the active Eliki normal fault, central Greece, bounded on the south by a second-order fault and on the north by a composite and prominent fault scarp. This scarp is further analysed by trenching. Based on colluvium stratigraphy, displacement of distinct horizons and deposition of sedimentary layers, three faulting events have been identified along four fault strands affecting unconsolidated sediments in the trench. The two younger events, with throws of 0.93 and 1.37 m, respectively, the third event, with a throw of 0.44 m, and the penultimate 373 BC event suggest a variable seismic history.The entire alluvial plain of the Kerynitis and Vouraikos rivers, which cross the Eliki fault, has subsided at a rate of 1.4 mm/year, resulting in the burial of the Late Hellenistic–Roman occupation horizons under 3 m of fluvial and colluvial sediments in places.Extension in the broader area is accommodated by the seismically active Eliki and Egion faults. Structural and palaeoseismological analysis of those two faults indicates that they accommodate 1.5 mm/year, or about 10% of the geodetically estimated extension of up to 13 mm/year.     

Late Pleistocene records of littoral processes at the Tyrrhenian Coast (Central Italy): depositional environments and luminescence chronology

Two cliff-sites on the Tyrrhenian coast of central Italy have been investigated in order to investigate late Pleistocene depositional environments by microfacies analysis and chronostratigraphy by luminescence age estimations. Both sections cover the period from the Last Interglacial to the end of the Last Glaciation. In the Buca dei Corvi site an increasing rate of uplift is recognised, which is responsible for significant environmental change and formation of the modern coastal fault scarp at around 9 ka. In the Golfo di Baratti site the vertical succession of three marine horizons, previously recognised by Cortemiglia et al., (1983), is attributed to the OIS stages ⩾5c, 5a and 3 respectively. This cliff-section is affected by NNE–SSW orientated normal faults, confirming that extentional structural processes are still active. The coastal deposit of Stage 3, today located at 7 m a.s.l., suggests abnormal high uplift rate if the position of the palaeo-shoreline was assumed at −40 to −50 m. Both central Mediterranean coastal records strongly suggest that the eustatic sea-level has dropped to a smaller amount than that of the open oceans.     

New geochronological results and structural evolution of the Pataz gold mining district: Implications for the timing and origin of the batholith-hosted veins

The Paleozoic Pataz–Parcoy gold mining area is located in a right-stepping jog on the regional Cordillera Blanca fault, in northern Peru. Most of the 8 million ounces of gold production from this area has come from quartz–carbonate–sulfide veins hosted by the Pataz batholith. Despite a subduction zone setting since at least the Cambrian, the area records several periods of extension and its present structure is that of a rift and graben terrain. The Pataz district (the northern part of the Pataz–Parcoy area) is dominated structurally by northwest to north northwest-striking (NW–NNW) faults and northeast to east northeast-striking (NE–ENE) lineaments, both of which have been active periodically since at least the Mississippian (Early Carboniferous). NW–NNW faults control the margins of a central horst that exposes basement schist and the Pataz batholith, and step across NE–ENE lineaments. The Lavasen graben, to the east of the central horst, contains the Lavasen Volcanics, and the Chagual graben, to the west, contains an allochthonous sedimentary sequence derived from the Western Andean Cordillera.New SHRIMP zircon geochronological data indicate emplacement of the Pataz batholith during the Middle Mississippian, at around 338–336 Ma, approximately 10 Ma earlier than previous estimates based on ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronology. The calc-alkaline, I-type batholith comprises diorite and granodiorite, the latter being the major component of the batholith, and was emplaced as a sill complex within the moderately NE-dipping sequence of the Eastern Andean Cordillera. Moderate- to high-temperature ductile deformation took place on the batholith contacts during or shortly after emplacement. Following emplacement of the batholith, differential uplift occurred along NW–NNW faults forming the Lavasen graben, into which the Lavasen Volcanics were deposited. SHRIMP U–Pb in zircon ages for the Lavasen Volcanics and the Esperanza subvolcanic complex, which was intruded into the western margin of the graben, are within error of one another at ca 334 Ma. The ductile batholith contacts were cut by renewed movement on NW–NNW faults such that the margins of the batholith are now controlled by these steep brittle-ductile faults. The NW–NNW faults were oriented normal to the principal axis of regional shortening (ENE–WSW) during formation of the batholith-hosted, gold-bearing quartz–carbonate–sulfide veins. The misoriented faults were unable to accommodate significant displacement, leading to high fluid pressures, vertical extension in the competent batholith and formation of gold-bearing veins. Brittle failure of the batholith was most extensive in the northern Pataz district where the fault-controlled western contact of the batholith is offset by a swarm of NE–ENE lineaments.The timing of vein formation is not established, despite published ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages of 312 to 314 Ma for metasomatic white mica, which are interpreted as minimum ages of formation. Gold-bearing veins formed during or shortly after uplift of the Pataz batholith and formation of the Lavasen graben; they were therefore broadly coeval with deposition of the Lavasen Volcanics and emplacement of the Esperanza subvolcanic complex. These K-rich, weakly alkalic, ferroan (A-type) magmas may provide a viable source for the ore fluid that deposited gold in the Pataz batholith.     

Rapid cooling of the Yanshan Belt,northern China: Constraints from 40Ar/39Ar thermochronology and implications for cratonic lithospheric thinning

The Yanshan Orogenic Belt is located in the northern part of the North China Craton (NCC), which lost ∼120 km of lithospheric mantle during Phanerozoic tectonic reactivation. Mesozoic magmatism in the Yanshan fold-and-thrust belt began at 195–185 Ma (Early Jurassic), with most of the granitic plutons being Cretaceous in age (138–113 Ma). Along with this magmatism, multi-phase deformational structures, including multiple generations of folds, thrust and reverse faults, extensional faults, and strike-slip faults are present in this belt. Previous investigations have mostly focused on geochemical and isotopic studies of these magmatic rocks, but not on the thermal history of the Mesozoic plutons. We have applied ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar thermochronology to biotites and K-feldspars from several Lower Cretaceous granitic plutons to decipher the cooling and uplift history of the Yanshan region. The biotite ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages of these plutons range from 107 to 123 Ma, indicating that they cooled through about 350 °C at that time. All the K-feldspar step-heating results modeled using multiple diffusion domain theory yield similarly rapid cooling trends, although beginning at different times. Two rapid cooling phases have been identified at ca. 120–105 and 100–90 Ma. The first phase of rapid cooling occurred synchronously with widespread extensional deformation characterized by the formation of metamorphic core complexes, A-type magmatism, large-scale normal faults, and the development of half-graben basins. This suggests rapid exhumation took place in an extensional regime and was a shallow-crustal-level response to lithospheric thinning of the NCC. The second phase of rapid cooling was probably related to the regional uplift and unroofing of the Yanshan Belt, which is consistent with the lack of Upper Cretaceous sediments in most of the Yanshan region.     

Trenching exposures of the surface rupture of 2008 Mw 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake,China: Implications for coseismic deformation and paleoseismology along the Central Longmen Shan thrust fault

The May 12, 2008, Mw 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake was induced by failure of two of the major faults of the Longmen Shan thrust fault zone along the eastern margin of Tibet Plateau. Our study focused on trenches across the Yingxiu–Bichuan fault, the central fault in the Longmen Shan belt that has a coseismic surface break of more than 200 km long. Trenching excavation across the 2008 earthquake rupture on three representative sites reveals the styles and amounts of the deformation and paleoseismicity along the Longmen Shan fault. Styles of coseismic deformation along the 2008 earthquake rupture at these three sites represent three models of deformation along a thrust fault. Two of the three trench exposures reveal one pre-2008 earthquake event, which is coincident with the pre-existing scarps. Based on the observation of exposed stratigraphy and structures in the trenches and the geomorphic expressions on ground surface, we interpret the 2008 earthquake as a characteristic earthquake along this fault. The interval of reoccurrence of large earthquake events on the Central Longmen Shan fault (the Yingxiu–Beichuan fault) can be inferred to be about 11,000 years according to ¹⁴C and OSL dating. The amounts of the vertical displacement and shortening across the surface rupture during the 2008 earthquake are determined to be 1.0–2.8 m and 0.15–1.32 m, respectively. The shortening rate and uplift rate are then estimated to be 0.09–0.12 mm/yr and 0.18–0.2 mm/yr, respectively. It is indicated that the deformation is absorbed mainly not by shortening, but by uplift along the rupture during the 2008 earthquake.     

First tectonic-geomorphology study along the Longmu–Gozha Co fault system,Western Tibet

The Longmu–Gozha Co left-lateral strike-slip fault system (LGCF) is located in remote western Tibet, forming a triple junction with both the Altyn Tagh fault (ATF) and the Karakorum fault (KF), the two major strike-slip faults in the region. The Ashikule, Gozha Co and Longmu Co faults are clear and distinct left-stepping en-echelon faults, together forming the LGCF system. Although poorly documented, quantifying its activity remains a key problem to understand the kinematics and the tectonic history of the westernmost Tibetan Plateau. Indeed, the Karakax fault (NW segment of the ATF), LGCF and KF together control the tectonics of western Tibet which itself controls the extrusion of Tibet towards the east, with the LGCF acting as a natural boundary for eastward motion of the Tibetan Plateau due to India's northward impingement. The LGCF system shows clear and impressive morphological indications of left-lateral active shear, that we quantify using field measurements (terrestrial LIDAR) along with ¹⁰Be surface-exposure dating. Our data suggest a slip-rate < 3 mm/yr, consistent with geodetic and block model studies. While it is on the order of the Karakax fault slip-rate (~ 2 mm/yr), it is smaller than those along the ATF and KF (> 9 and > 8 mm/yr, respectively), yielding a few mm/yr of extension accommodated most likely in the Ashikule graben and surroundings, located between the ATF and Karakax faults. Numerous evidences of recent tectonic-related events are present in the vicinity, such as the 1951 volcanic eruption as well as the 2008 and 2014 Ms 7.3 Yutian earthquakes, attesting of its high activity. In addition, the LGCF's en-echelon geometry and identical direction with the ATF, as well as smaller geological offsets and lower slip-rate compared to those on the surrounding faults, suggest that this segment of the ATF may be the most recent.     

A study on the uplift mechanism of Tongjiezi dam using a coupled hydro-mechanical model

During filling in 1992 of the Tongjiezi reservoir, in Southwest China, it was noticed that the dam body and the rock masses on the right side of the valley were uplifted up to 22.2 mm and 24.3 mm respectively. After reservoir filling in 1993, the uplift continued, but the rate decreased, and the measured maximum uplift increased from 22.2 mm to 27.5 mm in the dam body and from 24.3 mm to 28.9 mm in the rock masses from 1993 to 2004. Based on the geological features of the dam site and observed geomechanics data, a numerical method is used to evaluate the representative elementary volume (REV) and to identify the parameters related to the mechanical and hydraulic properties of the rock mass. Furthermore, a coupled hydro-mechanical model is presented to describe the uplift process. The simulated results agree well with those measured. In addition, the time-dependent deformation is studied in the laboratory and numerically. It is concluded that, with the specific hydrogeological conditions at the Tongjiezi dam site, hydro-mechanical coupling during and after the reservoir impoundment is the main factor contributing to the uplift, and the time-dependent deformation is due to the rheological behavior of rock masses under seepage pressure.     

The 2012–2013 earthquake swarm in the eastern Guadalquivir basin (South Spain): A case of heterogeneous faulting due to oroclinal bending

From October 2012 to October 2013, a seismic swarm released more than 7000 microearthquakes beneath the eastern Guadalquivir foreland basin. From double-difference relocations of 501 events (m_d > 1.5), we can image the active structures associated with this swarm. Most of the events occurred along two ~ N–S trending lineaments separated ~ 1 km. Relocation places most events at 4–6.5 km depth in the Iberian-massif basement below the basin. Moment tensor inversion yields strike-slip mechanisms consistent with the hypocenter alignments, attributing left-lateral motion to the N–S structures and right-lateral motion to the ESE–WNW ones, in compliance with the ~ NNW direction of the main compressive stress field in the central Betics. These structures respond to a vertical-axis bend in the mountain front associated with the protrusion of Sierra Cazorla east of the epicentral area. This bend is mimicked by concordant, gentle bends in the foreland units, which are evident from the surface geology as well as through structural elements like strike-slip faults, crisscrossing joints. In this context, the right-lateral shear zone responsible for the Torreperogil sequence is taking up deformation in the western limb of the foreland bend.     

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.     

Lithosphere,crust and basement ridges across Ganga and Indus basins and seismicity along the Himalayan front,India and Western Fold Belt,Pakistan

Spectral analysis of the digital data of the Bouguer anomaly of North India including Ganga basin suggest a four layer model with approximate depths of 140, 38, 16 and 7 km. They apparently represent lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary (LAB), Moho, lower crust, and maximum depth to the basement in foredeeps, respectively. The Airy’s root model of Moho from the topographic data and modeling of Bouguer anomaly constrained from the available seismic information suggest changes in the lithospheric and crustal thicknesses from ∼126–134 and ∼32–35 km under the Central Ganga basin to ∼132 and ∼38 km towards the south and 163 and ∼40 km towards the north, respectively. It has clearly brought out the lithospheric flexure and related crustal bulge under the Ganga basin due to the Himalaya. Airy’s root model and modeling along a profile (SE–NW) across the Indus basin and the Western Fold Belt (WFB), (Sibi Syntaxis, Pakistan) also suggest similar crustal bulge related to lithospheric flexure due to the WFB with crustal thickness of 33 km in the central part and 38 and 56 km towards the SE and the NW, respectively. It has also shown the high density lower crust and Bela ophiolite along the Chamman fault. The two flexures interact along the Western Syntaxis and Hazara seismic zone where several large/great earthquakes including 2005 Kashmir earthquake was reported.The residual Bouguer anomaly maps of the Indus and the Ganga basins have delineated several basement ridges whose interaction with the Himalaya and the WFB, respectively have caused seismic activity including some large/great earthquakes. Some significant ridges across the Indus basin are (i) Delhi–Lahore–Sargodha, (ii) Jaisalmer–Sibi Syntaxis which is highly seismogenic. and (iii) Kachchh–Karachi arc–Kirthar thrust leading to Sibi Syntaxis. Most of the basement ridges of the Ganga basin are oriented NE–SW that are as follows (i) Jaisalmer–Ganganagar and Jodhpur–Chandigarh ridges across the Ganga basin intersect Himalaya in the Kangra reentrant where the great Kangra earthquake of 1905 was located. (ii) The Aravalli Delhi Mobile Belt (ADMB) and its margin faults extend to the Western Himalayan front via Delhi where it interacts with the Delhi–Lahore ridge and further north with the Himalayan front causing seismic activity. (iii) The Shahjahanpur and Faizabad ridges strike the Himalayan front in Central Nepal that do not show any enhanced seismicity which may be due to their being parts of the Bundelkhand craton as simple basement highs. (iv) The west and the east Patna faults are parts of transcontinental lineaments, such as Narmada–Son lineament. (v) The Munghyr–Saharsa ridge is fault controlled and interacts with the Himalayan front in the Eastern Nepal where Bihar–Nepal earthquakes of 1934 has been reported. Some of these faults/lineaments of the Indian continent find reflection in seismogenic lineaments of Himalaya like Everest, Arun, Kanchenjunga lineaments. A set of NW–SE oriented gravity highs along the Himalayan front and the Ganga and the Indus basins represents the folding of the basement due to compression as anticlines caused by collision of the Indian and the Asian plates. This study has also delineated several depressions like Saharanpur, Patna, and Purnia depressions.     

Source characteristics of the Yutian earthquake in 2008 from inversion of the co-seismic deformation field mapped by InSAR

On 21 March 2008, an Ms7.3 earthquake occurred at Yutian County, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which is in the same year as 2008 Mw 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake. These two earthquakes both took place in the Bayar Har block, while Yutian earthquake is located in the west edge and Wenchuan earthquake is in the east. The research on source characteristics of Yutian earthquake can serve to better understand Wenchuan earthquake mechanism. We attempt to reveal the features of the causative fault of Yutian shock and its co-seismic deformation field by a sensitivity-based iterative fitting (SBIF) method. Our work is based on analysis and interpretation to high-resolution satellite (Quickbird) images as well as D-InSAR data from the satellite Envisat ASAR, in conjunction with the analysis of seismicity, focal mechanism solutions and active tectonics in this region. The result shows that the 22 km long, nearly NS trending surface rupture zone by this event lies on a range-front alluvial platform in the Qira County. It is characterized by distinct linear traces and a simple structure with 1–3 m-wide individual seams and maximum 6.5 m width of a collapse fracture. Along the rupture zone are seen many secondary fractures and fault-bounded blocks by collapse, exhibiting remarkable extension. The co-seismic deformation affected a big range 100 km × 40 km. D-InSAR analysis indicates that the interferometric deformation field is dominated by extensional faulting with a small strike-slip component. Along the causative fault, the western wall fell down and the eastern wall, that is the active unit, rose up, both with westerly vergence. The maximum subsidence displacement is ～2.6 m in the LOS, and the maximum uplift is 1.2 m. The maximum relative vertical dislocation reaches 4.1 m, which is 10 km distant from the starting rupture point to south. The 42 km-long seismogenic fault in the subsurface extends in NS direction as an arc, and it dipping angle changes from 70° near the surface to 52° at depth ～10 km. The slip on the fault plane is concentrated in the depth range 0–8 km, forming a belt of length 30 km along strike on the fault plane. There are three areas of concentrating slip, in which the largest slip is 10.5 m located at the area 10 km distant from the initial point of the rupture.     

The mechanism of post-rift fault activities in Baiyun sag,Pearl River Mouth basin

Post-rift fault activities were often observed in deepwater basins, which have great contributions to oil and gas migration and accumulation. The main causes for post-rift fault activities include tectonic events, mud or salt diapirs, and gravitational collapse. In the South China Sea continental margin, post-rift fault activities are widely distributed, especially in Baiyun sag, one of the largest deepwater sag with its main body located beneath present continental slope. During the post-rift stage, large population of faults kept active for a long time from 32 Ma (T70) till 5.5 Ma (T10). Seismic interpretation, fault analysis and analogue modeling experiments indicate that the post-rift fault activities in Baiyun sag between 32 Ma (T70) and 13.8 Ma (T30) was mainly controlled by gravity pointing to the Main Baiyun sag, which caused the faults extensive on the side facing Main Baiyun sag and the back side compressive. Around 32 Ma (T70), the breakup of the continental margin and the spreading of the South China Sea shed a combined effect of weak compression toward Baiyun sag. The gravity during post-rift stage might be caused by discrepant subsidence and sedimentation between strongly thinned sag center and wing areas. This is supported by positive relationship between sedimentation rate and fault growth index. After 13.8 Ma (T30), fault activity shows negative relationship with sedimentation rate. Compressive uplift and erosion in seismic profiles as well as negative tectonic subsiding rates suggest that the fault activity from 13.8 Ma (T30) to 5.5 Ma (T10) might be controlled by the subductive compression from the Philippine plate in the east.     

40Ar/39Ar age pattern associated with differential uplift along the Eastern Highlands shear zone,Cape Breton Island,Canadian Appalachians

The Eastern Highlands shear zone in Cape Breton Island is a crustal scale thrust. It is characterized by an amphibolite-facies deformation zone ∼5 km wide formed deep in the crust that is overprinted by a greenschist-facies mylonite zone ∼1 km wide that formed at a more shallow level. Hornblende ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar plateau ages on the hanging wall decrease towards the centre of the shear zone. In the older zone (over 7.8 km from the centre), the ages are between ∼565 and ∼545 Ma; in the younger zone (within 4.5 km of the centre), they are between ∼425 and ∼415 Ma; and in the transitional zone in between, they decrease abruptly from ∼545 to ∼425 Ma. Pressures of crystallization of plutons in the hanging wall, based on the Al-in-hornblende barometer and corresponding to depth of emplacement, increase towards the centre of the shear zone and indicate a differential uplift of up to ∼28 km associated with movement along the shear zone. The age pattern is interpreted to have resulted from the differential uplift. The pressure data show that rocks exposed in the younger zone were buried deep in the crust and did not cool through the hornblende Ar blocking temperature (∼500°C) until differential uplift occurred. The ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages in the zone (∼425–415 Ma) thus date shear zone movement or the last stage of it. In contrast, rocks in the older zone were more shallowly buried before differential uplift and cooled through the blocking temperature soon after the emplacement of ∼565–555 Ma plutons in the area, long before shear zone movement. The transitional zone corresponds to the Ar partial retention zone before differential uplift. The ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age pattern thus reflects a Neoproterozoic to Silurian cooling profile that was exposed as a result of differential uplift related to movement along the shear zone. A similar K–Ar age pattern has been reported for the Alpine fault in New Zealand. It is suggested that such isotopic age patterns can be used to help constrain the ages, kinematics, displacements and depth of penetration of shear zones.     

ESR dating of the Wangsan fault,South Korea

The Wangsan fault is exposed at Kyeongju, Korea. The andesite is unconformably covered by Quaternary alternating conglomerate and sandstone deposits. The unconformity is cut by the thrust fault which displaces a hanging wall block of about 30 m. Exposed at the surface of this fault is a light gray and brown fault gouge, about 40–120 cm thick. In order to test the consistency of ESR ages from a single fault gouge zone, we collected six gouge samples systematically along and across the Wangsan fault. We found that six samples collected from the same gouge zone show consistent ESR date estimates (average 550 ka). Because fault rock is rare along faults in unconsolidated sediments due to low confining stress near the surface, we consider that this fault gouge has been moved up with the hanging wall block along the fault. The estimated average uplift rate of the hanging wall block is about 0.04 cm/year based on the age of the displaced Quaternary deposits (vertical separation; about 20 m) dated by OSL dating methods. The depth of the fault gouge at the time of reactivation, which was estimated from uplift rate and the ESR ages, is about 220 m. Therefore, we conclude that the results of ESR age estimates represent the time of reactivation of the fault gouge at a depth of 220 m in the past during fault movement, because later movements which occurred during uplift near the surface may not have zeroed ESR signals significantly for ESR dating of fault movements.     

Rapid late Pleistocene/Holocene uplift and coastal evolution of the southern Arabian (Persian) Gulf

The coastline along the southern Arabian Gulf between Al Jubail, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Dubai, UAE, appears to have risen at least 125 m in the last 18,000 years. Dating and topographic surveying of paleo-dunes (43–53 ka), paleo-marine terraces (17–30 ka), and paleo-marine shorelines (3.3–5.5 ka) document a rapid, > 1 mm/a subsidence, followed by a 6 mm/a uplift that is decreasing with time. The mechanism causing this movement remains elusive but may be related to the translation of the coastal area through the backbasin to forebulge hinge line movement of the Arabian plate or, alternatively, by movement of the underlying Infracambrian-age Hormuz salt in response to sea-level changes associated with continental glaciation. Independent of the mechanism, rapid and episodic uplift may impact the design of engineering projects such as nuclear power plants, airports, and artificial islands as well as the interpretation of sedimentation and archeology of the area.     

Evolution of Ataúro Island: Temporal constraints on subduction processes beneath the Wetar zone, Banda Arc

Ataúro is a key to understanding the late stage volcanic and subduction history of the Banda Arc to the north of Timor. A volcanic history of bi-modal subaqueous volcanism has been established and new whole rock and trace element geochemical data show two compositional groups, basaltic andesite and dacite–rhyolite. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronology of hornblende from rhyo-dacitic lavas confirms that volcanism continued until 3.3 Ma. Following the cessation of volcanism, coral reef marine terraces have been uplifted to elevations of 700 m above sea level. Continuity of the terraces at constant elevations around the island reflects regional-scale uplift most likely linked to sublithospheric processes such as slab detachment. Local scale landscape features of the eastern parts of Ataúro are strongly controlled by normal faults. The continuation of arc-related volcanism on Ataúro until at least 3.3 Ma suggests that subduction of Australian lithosphere continued until near this time. This data is consistent with findings from the earthquake record where the extent of the Wetar seismic gap to a depth of 350 km suggests slab breakoff, as a result of collision, commenced at ∼4 Ma, leading to subsequent regional uplift recorded in elevated terraces on Ataúro and neighbouring islands.     

Surface deformation related to the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake,and mountain building of the Longmen Shan,eastern Tibetan Plateau

The 12 May 2008 M_s 8.0 Wenchuan earthquake, China, was one of largest continental thrusting events worldwide. Based on interpretations of post-earthquake high-resolution remote sensing images and field surveys, we investigated the geometry, geomorphology, and kinematics of co-seismic surface ruptures, as well as seismic and geologic hazards along the Longmen Shan fold-and-thrust belt. Our results indicate that the Wenchuan earthquake occurred along the NE–SW-trending Yingxiu–Beichuan and Guanxian–Anxian faults in the Longmen Shan fold-and-thrust belt. The main surface rupture zones along the Yingxiu–Beichuan and Guanxian–Anxian fault zones are approximately 235 and 72 km in length, respectively. These sub-parallel ruptures may merge at depth. The Yingxiu–Donghekou surface rupture zone can be divided into four segments separated by discontinuities that appear as step-overs or bends in map view. Surface deformation is characterized by oblique reverse faulting with a maximum vertical displacement of approximately 10 m in areas around Beichuan County. Earthquake-related disasters (e.g., landslides) are linearly distributed along the surface rupture zones and associated river valleys.The Wenchuan earthquake provides new insights into the nature of mountain building within the Longmen Shan, eastern Tibetan Plateau. The total crustal shortening accommodated by this great earthquake was as much as 8.5 m, with a maximum vertical uplift of approximately 10 m. The present results suggest that ongoing mountain building of the Longmen Shan is driven mainly by crustal shortening and uplift related to repeated large seismic events such as the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. Furthermore, rapid erosion within the Longmen Shan fold-and-thrust belt occurs along deep valleys and rupture zones following the occurrence of large-scale landslides triggered by earthquakes. Consequently, we suggest that crustal shortening related to repeated great seismic events, together with isostatic rebound induced by rapid erosion-related unloading, is a key component of the geodynamics that drive ongoing mountain building on the eastern Tibetan Plateau.     

Transpressional imbricate thrust zones controlling gold mineralization in the Central Eastern Desert of Egypt

Strongly deformed volcaniclastic metasediments and ophiolitic slices hosting the Sukari gold mineralization display evidence of a complex structural evolution involving three main ductile deformational events (D₁–D₃). D₁ produced ENE-trending folds associated with NNW-propagating thrust slices and intrusion of the Sukari granite (689 ± 3 Ma). D₂ formed a moderately to steeply dipping, NNW-trending S₂ foliation curved to NE and developed arcuate structure constituting the Kurdeman shear zone (≤ 595 Ma) and East Sukari imbricate thrust belt. Major NE-trending F₂ folds, NW-dipping high-angle thrusts, shallow and steeply plunging mineral lineation and shear indicators recorded both subhorizontal and subvertical transport direction during D₂. D₃ (560–540 Ma) formed NNE-trending S₃ crenulation cleavage, tight F₃ folds, Sukari Thrust and West Sukari imbricate thrust. The system of NW-trending sinistral Kurdeman shear zone (lateral ramps and tear faults) and imbricate thrusts (frontal ramps) forming the actuate structure developed during SE-directed thrusting, whereas the prevailing pattern of NNE-trending dextral Sukari shear zone and imbricate thrusts forming Sukari thrust duplex developed during NE-directed tectonic shearing. Sukari granite intruded in different pluses between 689 and 540 Ma and associated with at least four phases of quartz veins with different geometry and orientation. Structural analysis of the shear fabrics indicates that the geometry of the mineralized quartz veins and alteration patterns are controlled by the regional NNW- and NE-trending conjugate zones of transpression. Gold-bearing quartz veins are located within NNW-oriented sinistral shear zones in Kurdeman gold mine area, within steeply dipping NW- and SE dipping thrusts and NE- and NS-oriented dextral and sinistral shear zones around Sukari mine area, and along E-dipping backthrusts and NW-SE and N-S fractures in Sukari granite. The high grade of gold mineralization in Sukari is mainly controlled by SE-dipping back-thrusts branched from the major NW-dipping Sukari Thrust. The gold mineralization in Sukari gold mine and neighboring areas in the Central Eastern Desert of Egypt is mainly controlled by the conjugate shear zones of the Najd Fault System and related to E-W directed shortening associated with oblique convergence between East and West Gondwana.     

Evolution of fault zones in carbonates with mechanical stratigraphy – Insights from scale models using layered cohesive powder

We present analogue models of the formation of dilatant normal faults and fractures in carbonate fault zones, using cohesive hemihydrate powder (CaSO₄·½H₂O). The evolution of these dilatant fault zones involves a range of processes such as fragmentation, gravity-driven breccia transport and the formation of dilatant jogs. To allow scaling to natural prototypes, extensive material characterisation was done. This showed that tensile strength and cohesion depend on the state of compaction, whereas the friction angle remains approximately constant. In our models, tensile strength of the hemihydrate increases with depth from 9 to 50 Pa, while cohesion increases from 40 to 250 Pa. We studied homogeneous and layered material sequences, using sand as a relatively weak layer and hemihydrate/graphite mixtures as a slightly stronger layer. Deformation was analyzed by time-lapse photography and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) to calculate the evolution of the displacement field. With PIV the initial, predominantly elastic deformation and progressive localization of deformation are observed in detail. We observed near-vertical opening-mode fractures near the surface. With increasing depth, dilational shear faults were dominant, with releasing jogs forming at fault-dip variations. A transition to non-dilatant shear faults was observed near the bottom of the model. In models with mechanical stratigraphy, fault zones are more complex. The inferred stress states and strengths in different parts of the model agree with the observed transitions in the mode of deformation.     

Origin of glacial ridges (OIS 6) in the Kaskaskia Sublobe,southwestern Illinois,USA

The origin of Illinois Episode (OIS 6) glacial ridges (formerly: ‘Ridged Drift’) in the Kaskaskia Basin of southwestern Illinois is controversial despite a century of research. Two studied ridges, containing mostly fluvial sand (OSL ages: ~ 150 ± 19 ka), with associated debris flows and high-angle reverse faults, are interpreted as ice-walled channels. A third studied ridge, containing mostly fine-grained till, is arcuate and morainal. The spatial arrangement of various ridge types can be explained by a glacial sublobe in the Kaskaskia Basin, with mainly fine-grained ridges along the sublobe margins and coarse-grained glaciofluvial ridges in a paleodrainage network within the sublobe interior. Illinois Episode till fabric and striation data demonstrate southwesterly ice flow that may diverge near the sublobe terminus. The sublobe likely formed as glacial ice thinned and receded from its maximum extent. The Kaskaskia Basin contains some of the best-preserved Illinois Episode constructional glacial landforms in the North American midcontinent. Such distinctive features probably result from ice flow and sedimentation into this former lowland, in addition to minimal postglacial erosion. Other similar OIS 6 glacial landforms may exist in association with previously unrecognized sublobes in the midcontinent, where paleo-lowlands might also have focused glacial sedimentation.