Formation and alteration of plagiogranites in an ultramafic-hosted detachment fault at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (ODP Leg 209)

We examined small-scale shear zones in drillcore samples of abyssal peridotites from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. These shear zones are associated with veins consisting of chlorite + actinolite/tremolite assemblages, with accessory phases zircon and apatite, and they are interpreted as altered plagiogranite melt impregnations, which originate from hydrous partial melting of gabbroic intrusion in an oceanic detachment fault. Ti-in-zircon thermometry yields temperatures around 820°C for the crystallization of the evolved melt. Reaction path modeling indicates that the alteration assemblage includes serpentine of the adjacent altered peridotites. Based on the model results, we propose that formation of chlorite occurred at higher temperatures than serpentinization, thus leading to strain localization around former plagiogranites during alteration. The detachment fault represents a major pathway for fluids through the oceanic crust, as evidenced by extremely low δ¹⁸O of altered plagiogranite veins (+3.0–4.2‰) and adjacent serpentinites (+ 2.6–3.7‰). The uniform oxygen isotope data indicate that fluid flow in the detachment fault system affected veins and adjacent host serpentinites likewise. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Geomorphic expression of neotectonic activity in a low relief area in an Airborne Laser Scanning DTM: A case study of the Little Hungarian Plain (Pannonian Basin)

The NW corner of the Little Hungarian Plain, which lies at the junction of the Eastern Alps, the Pannonian Basin and the Western Carpathians, is a neotectonically active region linking the extrusional tectonics of the Eastern Alps with the partly subsiding Little Hungarian Plain. The on-going deformation is verified by the earthquake activity in the region. An extremely flat part of the area, east of Neusiedlersee, the so-called Seewinkel, has been investigated with Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS, also known as airborne LiDAR) techniques, resulting in a digital terrain model (DTM) with a 1 m grid resolution and vertical precision of better than 10 cm. The DTM has been compared with known and inferred neotectonic features.Potential neotectonic structures of the DTM have been evaluated, together with geological maps, regional tectono-geomorphic studies, geophysical data, earthquake foci, as well as geomorphological features and the Quaternary sediment thickness values of the Seewinkel and the adjacent Parndorfer plateau. A combined evaluation of these data allows several tectonic features with a relief of < 2 m to be recognized in the DTM. The length of these linear geomorphological structures ranges from several hundred meters up to several kilometers. The most prominent feature forms a 15 km long, linear, 2 m high NE–SW trending ridge with gravel occurrences having an average grain size of ca. 5 cm on its top. We conclude this feature to represent the surface expression of the previously recognized Mönchhof Fault. In general, this multi-disciplinary case study shows that ALS DTMs are extremely important for tectono-geomorphic investigations, as they can detect and accurately locate neotectonic structures, especially in low-relief areas.     

Origin of fault domains and fault-domain boundaries (transfer zones and accommodation zones) in extensional provinces: Result of random nucleation and self-organized fault growth

In many extensional provinces, large normal faults dip in the same direction forming fault domains. Features variously named transfer faults, transfer zones, and accommodation zones (hereafter non-genetically referred to as fault-domain boundaries) separate adjacent fault domains. Experimental modeling of distributed extension provides insights on the origin, geometry, and evolution of these fault domains and fault-domain boundaries. In our scaled models, a homogeneous layer of wet clay or dry sand overlies a latex sheet that is stretched orthogonally or obliquely between two rigid sheets. Fault domains and fault-domain boundaries develop in all models in both map view and cross-section. The number, size, and arrangement of fault domains as well as the number and orientation of fault-domain boundaries are variable, even for models with identical boundary conditions. The fault-domain boundaries in our models differ profoundly from those in many published conceptual models of transfer/accommodation zones. In our models, fault-domain boundaries are broad zones of deformation (not discrete strike-slip or oblique-slip faults), their orientations are not systematically related to the extension direction, and they can form spontaneously without any prescribed pre-existing zones of weakness. We propose that fault domains develop because early-formed faults perturb the stress field, causing new nearby faults to dip in the same direction (self-organized growth). As extension continues, faults from adjacent fault domains propagate toward each another. Because opposite-dipping faults interfere with one another in the zone of overlap, the faults stop propagating. In this case, the geometry of the domain boundaries depends on the spatial arrangement of the earliest formed faults, a result of the random distribution of the largest flaws at which the faults nucleate.     

潍北-莱州湾凹陷郯庐断裂带新生代走滑特征

横切潍北-莱州湾凹陷郯庐断裂带的地震反射剖面和断裂带内的凹陷断层、沉积相和油气特征,直接或间接显示了郯庐断裂带的延伸、运动性质和活动时限。郯庐断裂带在海域和陆上的几何形态及其组合基本一致,根据切过断裂带的剖面和平面上断层的组合特征,判断其为兼具垂直位移的走滑运动断层系。走滑断裂带的活动控制着凹陷内同构造沉积以及构造样式,表明郯庐断裂带的活动时限具分段性,相当于渤海湾盆地孔店组(E1?2k)-沙四段(E2?3s4)沉积期(古新世-早始新世)-孔店组-沙二段(E2?3s2)沉积期(古新世-始新世)-孔店组-沙一段(E2?3s1)(古新世-渐新世)沉积时期,走滑拉分活动由南向北迁移; 活动方式也由古新世-早始新世的左旋走滑活动,被早始新世之后的右旋走滑活动所替代。     

深部作用在华北中生代陆内造山过程中的主导性 ——对断块构造力源机制的讨论

本文结合笔者对大兴安岭和燕山中生代陆内造山作用的研究,对张文佑先生提出的“断块构造”的力源机制作进一步的探讨。大兴安岭中生代不同深度的两种作用同时控制着岩浆活动和构造变形,即软流圈底辟体上涌与陆缘剪切走滑的共同作用--可称之为构造-岩浆活动的二元机制,其中前者起主导作用。燕山地区中生代的断陷和隆起,是在岩石圈断裂继承性活动的基础上,在地幔物质上升和参与的背景下发生的,其中深部作用也是主导性的。     

Fault detection by reflected surface waves based on ambient noise interferometry

Detecting subsurface fault structure is important for evaluating potential earthquake risks associated with active faults. In this study, we propose a new method to detect faults using reflected surface waves observed in ambient noise cross correlation functions. Ambient noise tomography using direct surface waves obtained from ambient noise interferometry has been widely used to characterize active fault zones. In cases where a strong velocity contrast exists across the fault interface, fault-reflected surface waves are expected. We test this idea using a linear array deployed in the Suqian segment of Tanlu fault zone in Eastern China. The fault-reflected surface waves can be clearly seen in the cross-correlation functions of the ambient noise data, and the spatial position of the fault on the surface is close to the stations where the reflected signals first appear. Potentially reflected surface waves could also be used to infer the dip angle, fault zone thickness and the degree of velocity contrast across the fault by comparing synthetic and observed waveforms.     

冀中坳陷北部河西务断层结构及新近纪以来的活动特征分析

河西务断层是渤海湾盆地冀中坳陷北部地区一条重要的控盆断裂,新近纪-第四纪时期渤海湾盆地整体进入热沉降 阶段后,该断层仍然存在构造活动,2018年在河北永清县发生的地震就是由该断层的活动所引发。文章利用地震数据对河 西务断层的结构特征和新近纪以来的活动特征进行分析,结果表明,河西务断层新近纪以来具有右旋走滑的张扭特征,主 断层在剖面上具有负花状结构,平面上具有分段性,北段和南段兼具右旋走滑和拉张的特征,中段则主要表现为右旋走滑 特征。运动学模型表明,这种分段差异性主要由各段主断层走向和块体走滑运动方向的夹角所决定。     

中生代之前柴达木的演化研究

现今柴达木盆地的形成,中生代以来的构造运动起到了关键性作用。但是柴达木地块在中生代以前的演化,也具有重要的意义。基于前人的研究,系统论述了柴达木在中生代以前的发展演化。柴达木盆地存在一个统一的前震旦系克拉通基底,基底存在双重结构,包括元古宙结晶基底和古生代褶皱基底。柴盆周边老山出露有下元古界区域热变质作用形成的达肯达坂群和金水口群,以及中上元古界的小庙群、冰沟群和丘吉东沟群。柴盆基底,在多登——小柴旦一线可能存在一个东西向的“中央断裂带”,断裂带西北部的基底塑型强、埋深大,新生界地层发育;而东南部基底具刚性,埋深较浅,第三系不发育,地表主要为第四系盖层。自显生宙以来柴达木的演化,是与新元古代联合古陆的裂解,再到二叠纪中期北半球劳亚古陆的形成的大地构造演化背景一致的,寒武纪时,柴达木地块还处于南半球低纬度,后逐渐向北漂移,至二叠纪时已位于北纬12.7&#176;。关于柴达木盆地的形成,特别是中生代后逐渐演化为现今盆—山模式,主要是受到周边断裂带的控制,即柴北缘断裂带、东昆仑断裂带和阿尔金断裂带。因此,柴达木地块的演化,是在与周边地块不断适应、调整过程中实现的。     

Unravelling the evolution of an Alpine to post-glacially active fault in the Swiss Alps

The Gemmi fault is a prominent NW–SE striking lineament that crosses the Gemmi Pass in the central Swiss Alps. A multidisciplinary investigation of this structure that included geological mapping, joint profiling, cathodoluminescence and scanning electron microscopy, stable isotope measurements, luminescence- and U-TH-dating, 3D ground penetrating radar (GPR) surveying and trenching reveals a history of fault movements from the Miocene to the Holocene. The main fault zone comprises a 0.5–3 m thick calcite cataclasite formed during several cycles of veining and brittle deformation. Displaced Cretaceous rock layers show an apparent dextral slip of 10 m along the fault.A detailed study of a small sediment-filled depression that crosses the fault provides evidence for a post-glacial reactivation of the fault. A trench excavated across the fault exposed a Late-Glacial-age loess layer and late Holocene colluvial-like slope-wash deposits that showed evidence for fault displacement of a few centimeters, indicating a recent strike-slip reactivation of the fault. Focal mechanisms of recent instrumentally recorded earthquakes are consistent with our findings that show that the fault at the Gemmi Pass, together with other parallel faults in this area, may be reactivated in today's stress field. Taking together all the observations of its ancient and recent activity, the Gemmi fault can be viewed as a window through geological space and time.