L'accident du Toulourenc : une limite tectonique entre la plate-forme provençale et le Bassin vocontien à l'Aptien–Albien (SE France)

The WNW–ESE trending Toulourenc Fault Zone (TFZ) is the western segment of the major Ventoux–Lure Fault Zone, which separates the Provençal platform from the Baronnies Vocontian Basin. The TFZ was subject to polyphased Mid-Cretaceous movements, during the Early Aptian and Middle–Late Albian times. The latter faulting episode generated conglomerates and olistoliths resulting from dismantled faultscarps cutting Barremian–Bedoulian limestones. The deformation is related to compressional wrench faulting (NE–SW sinistral faults; dextral component for the TFZ). It induced the uplift of the northwestern corner of the platform, as indicated by a mid-Cretaceous hiatus (Early Aptian pro parte to Early Albian) narrowly delimited in space. The opening of submeridian grabens within the platform favoured the northward transit of channelised coarse-grained Albian sands originating from a southern area. To cite this article: C. Montenat et al., C. R. Geoscience 336 (2004).     

A new interpretation of terraces in the Taranto Gulf: the role of extensional faulting

The Taranto Gulf of southern Italy provides an excellent case where it is possible to document the importance of normal faults in displacing terraced deposits. The study area is located at the front of the southern Apennines, that is a fold-and-thrust belt developed following the closure of the Mesozoic Tethys Ocean, and the deformation of the Adriatic passive margin during Tertiary and Quaternary times. The outer, eastern parts of the belt were structured in Quaternary, i.e. up to Middle Pleistocene times.The front of the chain is partially sealed by Pliocene–Pleistocene foredeep deposits, which represent the infill of the Bradanic Trough. The upper portion of the middle Pleistocene succession consists of marine sands and conglomerates that in the previous literature have been arranged in several orders of terraces. Analysis of aerial photographs and geomorphological mapping has shown the occurrence of prominent geomorphic lineaments, which appear to control the local drainage pattern. Some of these structures coincide with the map trace of normal faults that produce vertical offsets of the marine terrace surfaces in the order of ca. 10 m each. Many of the fault escarpments reduce their elevation and terminate laterally. In other cases fault escarpments are laterally continuous and can be traced for up to 3–4 km. Scarp height is between 2 and 10 m. Their mean trend ranges from NNE–SSW to ENE–WSW and defines an arcuate pattern that mimics the present coastline.An accurate geomorphological, sedimentological and stratigraphic analysis has been carried out in a selected area of the Bradanic Trough (Pisticci transect) to investigate in detail the relationships between normal faults and the development of the terraces. This analysis allowed us to recognise five facies associations related to the upper and lower beachface and to the neritic clays which represent the substratum of the terraces. More importantly, we observed that all the terraced deposits in the Pisticci transect could be referred to a single sedimentary body displaced by faults. The terraced deposits are related to an event of beach progradation, of Middle Pleistocene age, which has been documented in other areas of the Italian peninsula. These results outline an intimate relationship between the arcuate trend of the recognised fault set and the present coastline pattern. The development of the normal faults can be related to large-scale gravitational processes developed after the general tilting towards the SE of the Bradanic Trough.     

Image processing of 2D resistivity data for imaging faults

A methodology to locate automatically limits or boundaries between different geological bodies in 2D electrical tomography is proposed, using a crest line extraction process in gradient images. This method is applied on several synthetic models and on field data set acquired on three experimental sites during the European project PALEOSIS where trenches were dug. The results presented in this work are valid for electrical tomographies data collected with a Wenner-alpha array and computed with an l₁ norm (blocky inversion) as optimization method. For the synthetic cases, three geometric contexts are modelled: a vertical and a dipping fault juxtaposing two different geological formations and a step-like structure. A superficial layer can cover each geological structure. In these three situations, the method locates the synthetic faults and layer boundaries, and determines fault displacement but with several limitations. The estimated fault positions correlate exactly with the synthetic ones if a conductive (or no superficial) layer overlies the studied structure. When a resistive layer with a thickness of 6 m covers the model, faults are positioned with a maximum error of 1 m. Moreover, when a resistive and/or a thick top layer is present, the resolution significantly decreases for the fault displacement estimation (error up to 150%). The tests with the synthetic models for surveys using the Wenner-alpha array indicate that the proposed methodology is best suited to vertical and horizontal contacts. Application of the methodology to real data sets shows that a lateral resistivity contrast of 1:5–1:10 leads to exact faults location. A fault contact with a resistivity contrast of 1:0.75 and overlaid by a resistive layer with a thickness of 1 m gives an error location ranging from 1 to 3 m. Moreover, no result is obtained for a contact with very low contrasts (1:0.85) overlaid by a resistive soil. The method shows poor results when vertical gradients are greater than horizontal ones. This kind of image processing technique should be systematically used for improving the objectiveness of tomography interpretation when looking for limits between geological objects.     

DEM-based morphometry of range-front escarpments in Attica, central Greece, and its relation to fault slip rates

In this paper, we apply current geological knowledge on faulting processes to digital processing of Digital Elevation Models (DEM) in order to pinpoint locations of active faults. The analysis is based on semiautomatic interpretation of 20- and 60-m DEM and their products (slope, shaded relief). In Northern–Eastern Attica, five normal fault segments were recognized on the 20-m DEM. All faults strike WNW–ESE. The faults are from west to east: Thriassion (THFS), Fili (FIFS), Afidnai (AFFS), Avlon (AVFS), and Pendeli (PEFS) and range in length from 10 to 20 km. All of them show geomorphic evidence for recent activity such as prominent range-front escarpments, V-shaped valleys, triangular facets, and tilted footwall areas. However, escarpment morphometry and footwall geometry reveal systematic differences between the “external” segments (PEFS, THFS, and AVFS) and the “internal” segments (AFFS and FIFS), which may be due to mechanical interaction among segments and/or preexisting topography. In addition, transects across all five escarpments show mean scarp slope angles of 22.1°±0.7° for both carbonate and metamorphic bedrock. The slope angle equation for the external segments shows asymptotic behaviour with increasing height. We make an empirical suggestion that slope angle is a function of the long-term fault slip rate which ranges between 0.13 and 0.3 mm/yr. The identified faults may rupture up to magnitude 6.4–6.6 earthquakes. The analysis of the 60-m DEM shows a difference in fault patterns between Western and Northern Attica, which is related to crustal rheology variations.     

Normal faulting as a control on the stratigraphic development of shallow marine syn-rift sequences: the Nukhul and Lower Rudeis Formations, Hammam Faraun fault block, Suez Rift, Egypt

Tectono-stratigraphic analysis of the East Tanka fault zone (ETFZ), Suez Rift, indicates that the evolution of normal fault segments was an important control on syn-rift depositional patterns and sequence stratigraphy. Sedimentological and stratigraphic analysis of the Nukhul Formation indicates that it was deposited in a narrow (ca 1–2 km), elongate (ca 5 km), fault-bounded, tidally influenced embayment during the low subsidence rift-initiation phase. The Nukhul Formation is composed of transgressive (TST) and highstand (HST) systems tract couplets interpreted as reflecting fault-driven subsidence and the continuous creation of accommodation in the hangingwall to the ETFZ. The overlying Lower Rudeis Formation was deposited during the high subsidence rift-climax phase, and is composed of forced regressive systems tract (FRST) shallow marine sandbodies, and TST to HST offshore mudstones. Activity on the ETFZ led to marked spatial variability in stratal stacking patterns, systems tracts and key stratal surfaces, as footwall uplift, coupled with regressive marine erosion during deposition of FRST sandbodies, led to the removal of intervening TST–HST mudstone-dominated units, and the amalgamation of FRST sandbodies and the stratal surfaces bounding these units in the footwall. This study indicates that the evolution of normal fault segments over relatively short (i.e. <1 km) length-scales has the potential to enhance or suppress a eustatic sea-level signal, leading to marked spatial variations in stratal stacking patterns, systems tracts and key stratal surfaces. Crucially, these variations in sequence stratigraphic evolution may occur within time-equivalent stratal units, thus caution must be exercised when attempting to correlate syn-rift depositional units based solely on stratal stacking patterns. Furthermore, local, tectonically controlled variations in relative sea level can give rise to syn-rift stacking patterns which are counterintuitive in the context of the structural setting and perceived regional subsidence rates.     

Morphological and microtectonic analysis of Quaternary deformation from Puná and Santa Clara Islands, Gulf of Guayaquil, Ecuador (South America)

This paper presents the neotectonic study of Santa Clara and Puná Islands sited in the Gulf of Guayaquil eastern part. Both islands are located on the south-western segment of the fault zone bounding to the east the North Andean Block. Fault motion and morphostructural analysis were carried out from Pleistocene age terrain. A two step deformation characterises the South Puná tectonics. The first step involves the Zambapala Cordillera uplift that post-dates Pleistocene sediments and pre-dates a marine terrace correlated with the M.I.S. 11 or 13 (440–550 ka). The second step is the formation of a pull-apart that shows evidence of 2.9 km dextral offset since the M.I.S. 11 or 13, giving an offset mean rate of 5.3 to 6.6 mm/yr. This rate is higher than the one calculated on the Pallatanga Fault northeast of the study area, in the Western Andean Cordillera, suggesting that deformation is split in different fault segments from the Gulf of Guayaquil to the continent. The Zambapala Cordillera uplift and transpression deformation requires a compressive event that may have been induced by the subduction process during the early Pleistocene.     

Migrating pingos in the permafrost region of the Tibetan Plateau, China and their hazard along the Golmud–Lhasa railway

Most pingos in the permafrost region of the high northern Tibetan Plateau form along active fault zones and many change position annually along the zones and thus appear to migrate. The fault zones conduct geothermal heat, which thins permafrost, and control cool to hot springs in the region. They maintain ground-water circulation through broken rock in an open system to supply water for pingo growth during the winter in overlying fluvial and lacustrian deposits. Springs remain after the pingos thaw in the summer. Fault movement, earthquakes and man's activities cause the water pathways supplying pingos to shift and consequently the pingos migrate.

The hazard posed to the new Golmud–Lhasa railway across the plateau by migrating pingos is restricted to active fault zones, but is serious, as these zones are common and generate large earthquakes. Pingos have damaged the highway and the oil pipeline adjacent to the railway since 2001. One caused tilting and breaking of a bridge pier and destroyed a highway bridge across the Chumaerhe fault. Another has already caused minor damage to a new railway bridge. Furthermore, the construction of a bridge pier in the North Wuli fault zone in July–August 2003 created a conduit for a new spring, which created a pingo during the following winter. Measures taken to drain the ground-water via a tunnel worked well and prevented damage before the railway tracks were laid. However, pier vibrations from subsequent train motion disrupted the drain and led to new springs, which may induce further pingo growth beneath the bridge.

The migrating pingos result from active fault movement promoting artesian ground-water circulation and changing water pathways under the seasonal temperature variations in the permafrost region. They pose a serious hazard to railway construction, which, in turn can further disturb the ground-water conduits and affect pingo migration.