Geology and hazard implications of the Maraunot notch in the Pinatubo Caldera,Philippines

The 1991 Pinatubo eruption left 5–6 km³ of debris on the volcano slopes, much of which has been mobilized into large lahars in the following rainy seasons. Also during the eruption, collapse, localized in part along preexisting faults, left a caldera 2.5 km in diameter that almost immediately began to accumulate a 1.6 × 10⁸ m³ lake. By 2001, the water had risen to the fault-controlled Maraunot Notch, the lowest, northwestern portion of the caldera rim comprising the physiographic sill of the Caldera Lake. That year, a narrow artificial canal dug into an old volcanic breccia underlying the outlet channel failed to induce a deliberate lake breakout, but discharge from heavy rains in July 2002 rapidly deepened the notch by 23 m, releasing an estimated 6.5 × 10⁷ m³ of lake water that bulked up into lahars with a volume well in excess of 1.6 × 10⁸ m³. Lakes in other volcanoes have experienced multiple breakouts, providing practical motivation for this study. Fieldwork and high-resolution digital elevation models reveal andesites and ancient lacustrine deposits, strongly fractured and deformed along a segment of the Maraunot Fault, a prominent, steeply dipping, left-lateral fault zone that trends N35°–40°W within and parallel to the notch. Seismicity in 1991 demonstrated that the Maraunot Fault is still active. The fault zone appears to have previously been the erosional locus for a large channel, filled with avalanche or landslide deposits of an earlier eruption that were exhumed by the 2002 breakout floods. The deformed lacustrine sediments, with an uncalibrated ¹⁴C age of 14,760 ± 40 year BP from a single charcoal sample, attest to the existence of an earlier lake, possibly within the Tayawan Caldera, rim remnants of which survive as arcuate escarpments. That lake may well have experienced one or more ancient breakouts as well. The 2002 event greatly reduced the possibility of another such event by scouring away the erodible breccia, leaving less erodible fractured andesites and lacustrine rocks, and by enlarging the outlet channel and its discharge capacity. Several lines of evidence indicate, however, that future lahar-generating lake breakouts at the notch may keep populations of Botolan municipality downstream at risk: (1) a volume of 9.5 × 10⁷ m³ of lake water remains perched 0.8 km above sea level; (2) seismicity in 1991 demonstrated that the Maraunot Fault is still active and movements of sufficient magnitude could enlarge the outlet and the discharge through it; (3) more likely, however, with or without earthquake activity, landslides from the steep to overhanging channel walls could block the channel again, and a major rainstorm could then cause a rise in lake level and sudden breakouts; (4) intrusion of a new dome into the bottom of the lake, possibly accompanied by phreatic explosions, could expel large volumes of lahar-generating water.     

Fault zone geometry of a mature active normal fault: A potential high permeability channel (Pirgaki fault, Corinth rift, Greece)

We present results from petrophysical analysis of a normal fault zone with the aim of defining the flow pathways and their behavior during seismic and interseismic periods. Data are obtained on porosity geometry, strain structure and mineralogy of different domains of a normal fault zone in the Corinth rift. Data point out a close relationship between mineralogy of the clayey minerals, porosity network and strain structures and allow definition of a macroscopic anisotropy of the flow parameters with a strong control by microscopic ultracataclasite structures. The Pirgaki fault zone, developed within pelagic limestone, has a sharp asymmetric porosity profile, with a high porosity volume in the fault core and in the damage zone of the hanging wall. From porosity volumes and threshold measurements, a matrix permeability variation of 6 orders of magnitude could be expected between the protolith and the fault core. Modifications of this pathway during seismic and interseismic phases are depicted. Healing of cracks formed during seismic slip events occurred in the fault core zone and the porous network in the damage zone is sealed in a second step. The lens geometry of the fault core zone is associated with dissolution surfaces and open conduits where dissolved matter could move out of the fault core zone. These elementary processes are developed in particular along Riedel's structures and depend on the orientation of the strain surfaces relative to the local stress and depend also on the roughness of each surface type. P-surfaces are smooth and control shearing process. R-surfaces are rough and present two wavelengths of roughness. The long one controls localization of dissolution surfaces and conduits; the short one is characteristic of dissolution surfaces. The dissolved matter can precipitate in the open structures of the hanging wall damage zone, decreasing the connectivity of the macroscopic conduit developed within this part of the fault zone.     

Geochemistry of Pliocene/Pleistocene basalts along the Central Anatolian Fault Zone (CAFZ), Turkey

Abstract

Pliocene-Pleistocene volcanism accompanied strike-slip-related transtensional deformation along the K?z?l?rmak fault segment of the Central Anatolian fault zone (CAFZ) in the west of ?ark??la (Sivas-central Turkey). These volcanic rocks are represented by alkali olivine basalts. They can be divided into four different sub-groups on the basis of their Zr, Nb, TiO₂ contents. A primitive mantle-normalized incompatible trace element diagram for four subgroups shows close similarity to typical OIB pattern. Some of the incompatible trace element ratios (Ce/Y, Zr/Nb, La/Ba, La/Nb) are also akin to OIB values. Highly fractionated REE patterns (La/Yb_N=24.7–9.2) with no Eu anomaly are the main features of the alkali basalts and are comparable to alkaline volcanism in continental rift zones. On the basis of Al₂O₃/TiO₂, Nb/Y, Zr/Y Zr/Nb ratios, the geochemical differences among four sub-groups can be explained by variable degrees of partial melting of compositionally similar mantle source. Th/Nb, Th/Y, Nb/Y ratios and the primitive mantle-normalized trace element diagram suggests significant amount of crustal involvement for most of the alkali olivine basalts erupted along the CAFZ. Rupture of the continental lithosphere by strike-slip-related transtensional deformation might have caused decompressional partial melting of the asthenospheric mantle and generating alkali olivine basalts in this region. © 2001 Éditions scientifiques et médicales Elsevier SAS.     

A 3D structural analysis of the Goliat field,Barents Sea,Norway

The Goliat field consists of Middle to Late Triassic reservoirs which exploit an elongate anticline (the Goliat anticline) in the hanging wall of the Troms-Finnmark Fault Complex (TFFC), offshore Norway. The area is affected by a dense network of multiple trending fault populations which historically have inhibited seismic resolution owing to persistent fault shadow. Seismic investigations utilising a multi-azimuth three-dimensional survey (EN0901) allow much crisper delineation of seismic features previously unattainable by vintage single-azimuth surveys. Three dominant fault populations are identified in the area, two of which parallel TFFC segments, the Alke–Goliat (WSW–ENE) and the Goliat–Tornerose (NNE–SSW) segments. The Goliat field is located within a zone of intersection between both segments. A third E–W trending fault population, the Hammerfest Regional population, is likely influenced by the offshore extension of the Trollfjord-Komagelv Fault Complex (TKFZ). A local NW–SE trending fault population, the Goliat Central, affects the Goliat anticline and partitions Alke–Goliat and Goliat–Tornerose subsidiary faults resulting in curvilinear traces. Several cross-cutting relationships between fault populations are observed and may provide fluid compartmentalisation in the reservoirs. Compilation of regional transects and the EN0901 survey provides new insight into the evolution of the Goliat anticline which is underlain by a fault-bound basement terrace that became established in the Late Palaeozoic. The structure is interpreted to have formed due to vertical segmentation of the TFFC and cores the overlying broad anticline. The western limb of the Goliat anticline likely formed by differential compaction, whereas the eastern limb is primarily a result of hanging wall roll-over linked to variable listric to ramp-flat-ramp fault geometry. Rifting took place in the Palaeozoic (Carboniferous to Permian?), and in the Mesozoic, possibly as early as the Late Triassic, with a major event in the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous. Minor reactivations continued into the Late Cretaceous, and possibly the Early Cenozoic. Mesozoic syn-kinematic geometries in the hanging wall of the Goliat–Tornerose TFFC segment are consistent with deposition during up section propagation of a blind fault, over which, a monocline was established and later breached. Jogs (abrupt orientation changes) in fault traces, transverse folds (associated with displacement maxima/minima) and vertical fault jogs suggest the TFFC existed as a greater number of segments prior to amalgamation during the Late Triassic to Jurassic. A phase of Barremian inversion created local compression structures above blind extensional faults, and deeper seated buttressing against large faults. Polygonal faults affect the Late Cretaceous to Early Cenozoic successions.     

Permian

Summary Late in the Carboniferous Period or early in the Permian ice covered much of Tasmania (Fig. 30b). The sub‐Permian surface had a relief of several thousand feet with particularly low areas near Wynyard and Point Hibbs and high areas near Cradle Mountain, Devonport, Deloraine, Wylds Crag and Ida Bay and a peninsula in eastern Tasmania (Fig. 30a).

The glaciers from an ice centre north‐west of Zeehan diverged about a higher area near Cradle Mountain. One tongue occupied a deep valley near Wynyard and a lobe fanned out south of the high area to occupy parts of northern and central Tasmania and to override some parts of the east coast peninsula.

West of Maydena the ice scoured shell beds and dumped the shell fragments in the till on the Styx Range. Thus the base of the ice may well have been below sea‐level. Carey and Ahmad (1961) suggested that the Wynyard Tillite was deposited below a “wet‐base” glacier. David (1908, p. 278) suggested deposition from “land ice in the form of a piedmont or of an ice‐sheet” but that near Wynyard the ice came down very close to, if not actually to, sea‐level. The extent of the glaciation and the distribution of erratics of western Tasmanian origin in eastern Tasmania make it seem likely that either a piedmont glacier or an ice‐sheet rather than mountain glaciation was involved.

Following retreat of the glaciers the sea covered the till, probably to a considerable depth, eustatic rise of sea‐level being much more rapid than isostatic readjustment.

The Quamby Group is underlain by or passes laterally into thin conglomerates and sandstones in a number of places, but most of the group appears to be of deep water, partially barred basin origin. Marine oil shales accumulated close to islands. Shallowing of the sea during deposition of the upper part of the Quamby Group seems to be indicated by the fauna and increasing sandiness in marginal areas. Instability in the source areas is shown by the presence of turbidity current deposits in the higher parts of the group. The Golden Valley Group, of Upper Sakmarian and perhaps Lower Artinskian age, was deposited in a shallower sea than the Quamby Group but the deposits are more extensive along the east coast peninsula and on the flanks of the Cradle Mountain island. This anomaly may be explained if the rate of deposition exceeded the rate of rise of sea‐level. The sediments of the Golden Valley Group became finer‐grained upwards in most parts of Tasmania probably indicating reduction in relief of the source area. Some instability is indicated by turbidity current deposits. Uplift of source areas in north‐western Tasmania early in Artinskian time resulted in the spreading of sand over the shallow silts of the Golden Valley Group onto the east coast peninsula and over the Cradle Mountain area. The sand formed a wide coastal plain containing lakes and swamps and the sea was restricted to a small gulf in southern Tasmania during the deposition of the lower part of the Mersey Group. During deposition of this group the sea rose once to form a long, narrow gulf extending as far north as Port Sorell and then retreated. This inundation resulted in the development of two cyclothems in many parts of Tasmania.

A little later in Lower Artinskian time the sea rose and covered most of Tasmania except perhaps the far north‐west. This wide transgression probably resulted from down‐warping as an eustatic rise in sea‐level would be expected to produce thickest deposition over the old gulf in southern Tasmania and along the axis of Mersey Group inundation but the zone of thickest Cascades Group crosses these at a high angle. During deposition of the Cascades Group marine life became very abundant in the shallow sea over which a few icebergs floated. During the Artinskian tectonic instability increased as shown by the increasing number of turbidites in the upper part of the Grange Mudstone and the lower part of the Malbina Formation. The sea became less extensive and the source areas in north‐western and north‐eastern Tasmania were uplifted. The zone of thickest deposition of the Malbina Formation trended north‐north‐westerly. The rapid succession of turbidity currents killed the benthonic fauna and it was only during deposition of the upper part of the formation possibly in Lower Kungurian time that life became abundant again in the Hobart area. The sea spread a little over the east coast peninsula and further instability is recorded in the Risdon Sandstone. The resulting turbidity currents killed the benthonic fauna and it never became properly established again in any part of Tasmania during the Permian. A wide shallow sea covered much of Tasmania and was bordered by low source areas during deposition of the Ferntree Group. The axis of greatest thickness had an almost meridional trend and lay west of that of the Malbina Formation. Late in the Permian, probably in the Tartarian, rejuvenation of the source areas, particularly in western Tasmania, and withdrawal of the sea, resulted in deposition of sands and carbonaceous silts of the Cygnet Coal Measures. The zone of greatest thickness was almost parallel to but west of that of the Ferntree Group.

The thickness of the Permian System and the sheet‐like character of many of the members and formations suggest shelf rather than geosynclinal deposition. The average rate of deposition was of the order of 1 ft. in ten thousand years (about 0–003 mm./annum). However, the sediments differ markedly from those on stable shelves in that many of them are poorly‐sorted. Some of the poor sorting may be attributed to deposition from drifting icebergs but some is due to tectonic instability.

Uplift and downwarping and movement of zones of maximum thickness have been deduced above and it is probable that the tectonic instability started as early as Lower Artinskian and it may have started during Sakmarian (upper part of Quamby Group). Maximum instability seems to have occurred in Middle or Upper Artinskian time (Malbina Formation) and it is probably significant that this was a time of considerable orogenic movement in New South Wales (part of the Hunter‐Bowen Orogeny, Osborne, 1950). Progressive westward movement of zones of maximum thickness of units in Upper Permian time seems to have occurred and this again is reminiscent of the situation at the time in New South Wales (Voisey, 1959, p. 201) but seems to have started later. Uplift and development of a major synclinal structure with a trend approximately north‐north‐westerly occurred late in Permian time.     

Unknown large ancient earthquakes along the Kurai fault zone (Gorny Altai): new results of palaeoseismological and archaeoseismological studies

Palaeoseismological and archaeoseismological studies in the Kurai fault zone, along which the Kurai Range is thrust onto Cenozoic deposits of the Chuya intramontane basin, led to the identification of a long reverse fault scarp 8.0 m high. The scarp segments are primary seismic deformations of large ancient earthquakes. The scarp’s morphology, results of trenching investigations, and deformations of Neogene deposits indicate a thrusting of the piedmont plain onto the Kurai Range, which is unique for the Gorny Altai. Similarly for Northern Tien Shan, we explain this by the formation of both a thrust transporting the mountain range onto the depression and a branching thrust dislocation that forms the detected fault scarp. In a trench made in one of the scarp segments, we identified the parameters of the seismogenic fault – a thrust with a 30° dipping plane. The reconstructed displacement along the fault plane is 4.8 m and the vertical displacement is 2.4 m, which indicates a 7.2–7.6 magnitude of the ancient earthquake. The ¹⁴C age of the humus-rich loamy sand from the lower part of the colluvial wedge constrains the age of the earthquake at 3403–3059 years BP. Younger than 2500 years seismogenic displacements along the fault scarp are indicated by deformations of cairn structures of the Turalu–Dzhyurt-III burial mound, which was previously dated as iron age between the second half of I BC and I AD.     

活断层活动度和危险度评定

研究活断层活动度和危险度的定量评定标准和方法,对活断层潜在地震危险性评估具有重要意义,在地震预报和工程地震研究中有广泛应用。作者提出了对活断层活动度和危险度概念含义的看法及其划分标准和评定方法;主张用下次大震迫近时间作为评定活断层危险度的标准。     

黑山峡大柳树坝址区断裂构造格局与F201断层活动性研究

黑山峡大柳树坝址区主干活动断裂F201的规模及活动强度是影响坝址稳定的主要因素,通过分析坝址区基本断裂构造格局,阐述了F201断层活动对坝区内另一条主干断层F7(8)以及位于坝址上的数条次级断层的控制牵动效应.通过对F201现代活动规模及强度的讨论,认为该断层现代活动规模大于60 km以上.探槽显示,晚第四纪以来至少发生过7次震级古地震事件.其中大于7级的至少有4次.     

基于构造应力场识别震源机制解节面中发震断层面——以盈江地区为例

为了识别震源机制解节面中的实际发震断层面,本研究在反演震源处应力场的基础上,进一步计算震源机制解两个节面的不稳定系数,将其中最不稳定的节面视为实际发震断层面.本研究将上述方法应用于地震资料丰富且中强震发震构造研究较为深入的云南盈江地区,获得以下结论: (1) 2008年3月21日和2011年3月10日地震发震断层为震源机制解中NEE向节面,对应震中附近的大盈江断裂; 2008年8月21日地震的发震断层为震源机制解中NS向节面,对应震中附近近NS向苏典断裂; 2014年5月23日地震断层面识别结果为NEE向节面,其发震断层可能为昔马—盘龙山断裂; 2014年5月30日地震的发震断层为震源机制解中NS向节面,其发震断层可能是与苏典断裂平行的断裂.(2)盈江地区总体断层面识别结果显示盈江地区发震断层走向优势分布为近NS向和NEE向,呈现出共轭断层,研究区最大主压应力方向为NNE向; 断层走向和最大主压应力轴走向关系符合安德森断层理论.(3)本研究表明基于应力场识别震源机制解节面中发震断层面方法物理意义明确,实际应用结果合理可靠.