Venusian novae (Astra): Classification and associations to different geological environments

On the Venusian surface, there can be found a rather large population of structures with prominent radial features. The term “nova” or “astrum/astra” are used to describe this special group of volcanotectonic structures with a stellate fracture pattern radiating around a central summit or fracture. In this paper, we studied the distribution and characteristics of 74 novae to determine if there are suitable ways to categorize them and to find out how this categorization could explain the differences in nova characteristics. The nova locations establish that these structures are not distributed sporadically, but they display both latitudinal and longitudinal concentrations. In addition, it is evident that the geological environments represent the major differences between individual novae. Most of them, in general, are connected to some larger volcanotectonic unit. The differences in geological surroundings can be used as the basis for characterizing novae by dividing them into different categories: (a) novae located either within or close to a rather large deformation zone, (b) novae located on plains, (c) novae located close to tessera terrain, and (d) novae situated within volcanic areas either close to volcanoes or within an area with a high density of coronae. The analysis of this characterization establishes that geological environments are the main cause for divergent nova characteristics, i.e., differences in morphology, volcanism, and topography, which, on the other hand, are possible ways to classify novae. In particular, the morphological classification (Type I, novae with features radiating from the same point; Type II, radial structures radiating from a fissure or other linear structure; Type III, lava flows or fields covering radiant point area; Type IV, semiradial structures which do not radiate from a well-defined radiant point, fissure, or area) shows some correlations between geological environments and the type of nova, indicating that the morphological appearance and the location—and, thereby, the geologic environment—of the novae are correlated to some extent.     

Salt tectonics and tear faulting in the central part of the Zagros Fold-Thrust Belt,Iran

The central part of the Zagros Fold-Thrust Belt is characterized by a series of right-lateral and left-lateral transverse tear fault systems, some of them being ornamented by salt diapirs of the Late Precambrian–Early Cambrian Hormuz evaporitic series. Many deep-seated extensional faults, mainly along N–S and few along NW–SE and NE–SW, were formed or reactivated during the Late Precambrian–Early Cambrian and generated horsts and grabens. The extensional faults controlled deposition, distribution and thickness of the Hormuz series. Salt walls and diapirs initiated by the Early Paleozoic especially along the extensional faults. Long-term halokinesis gave rise to thin sedimentary cover above the salt diapirs and aggregated considerable volume of salt into the salt stocks. They created weak zones in the sedimentary cover, located approximately above the former and inactive deep-seated extensional faults. The N–S to NNE–SSW direction of tectonic shortening during the Neogene Zagros folding was sub-parallel with the strikes of the salt walls and rows of diapirs. Variations in thickness of the Hormuz series prepared differences in the basal friction on both sides of the Precambrian–Cambrian extensional faults, which facilitated the Zagros deformation front to advance faster wherever the salt layer was thicker. Consequently, a series of tear fault systems developed along the rows of salt diapirs approximately above the Precambrian–Cambrian extensional faults. Therefore, the present surface expressions of the tear fault systems developed within the sedimentary cover during the Zagros orogeny. Although the direction of the Zagros shortening could also potentially reactivate the basement faults as strike-slip structures, subsurface data and majority of the moderate-large earthquakes do not support basement involvement. This suggests that the tear fault systems are detached on top of the Hormuz series from the deep-seated Precambrian–Cambrian extensional faults in the basement.