Stress Rotation in the Kachchh Rift Zone, Gujarat, India

Double difference relocations of the 1402 Kachchh events (2001–2006) clearly delineate two fault zones viz. south-dipping North Wagad fault (NWF) and almost vertical Gedi fault (GF). The relocated focal depths delineate a marked variation of 4 and 7 km in the brittle-ductile transition depths beneath GF and NWF, respectively. The focal mechanism solutions of 464 aftershocks (using 8–12 first motions) show that the focal mechanisms ranged between pure reverse and pure strike-slip except for a few pure dip-slip solutions. The stress inversions performed for five rectangular zones across the Kachchh rift reveal both clockwise and anticlockwise rotation (7–32°) in the σ₁ orientation within the rupture zone, favoring a heterogeneous stress regime with an average N-S fault normal compression. This rotation may be attributed to the presence of crustal mafic intrusives (5–35 km depth) in the rupture zone of the 2001 Bhuj main shock. Results suggest a relatively homogeneous stress regime in the GF zone favoring strike-slip motion, with a fault normal N-S compression.