Extensional transform zones and oblique spreading centers

Abstract

Extensional transform zones (ETZs) are plate boundary segments of order 100 km long that strike at angles between 15° and 45° to the extension direction. They are characterized by neovolcanic/tectonic zones comprising overlapping en echelon volcanic systems and/or faults that trend 30°–75° to the extension direction, sometimes accompanied by a Riedel shear. Below these surficial en echelon structures the deformation is aseismic and ductile, and the plate boundary is probably continuous. ETZs occur in fast and slow spreading and rifting environments and may persist in a stable configuration for several million years. ETZs link oblique spreading segments to transform faults in the Manus and probably the Lau backarc basins. The Reykjanes Peninsula and Tjornes Fracture Zone in Iceland and the Mak'Arrasou in Afar are ETZs that link subaerial to submarine spreading or rifting segments. The Brawley and Cerro‐Prieto seismic zones appear to be ETZs in the Imperial and Mexicali valleys that link the San Andreas, Imperial, and Cerro‐Prieto transform faults. Experimental and analytical models of transtensional deformation in brittle‐ductile systems match many of the observed characteristics of ETZs and oblique spreading centers, including variably sigmoidal to straight en echelon faults that are not parallel to the extension direction. The contrasting fault patterns reflect the rheology of the models and lithosphere: they are more sigmoidal when the strain in the lower ductile layer is more focused, causing the axial faults to curve as they propagate toward parallelism with the less ductile rift margins. The angle (Ø) between the faults and the extension direction decreases with the angle (α) between the strike of the zone and the extension direction. ETZs occur in the range 15° ≤ α ≤ 45°, whereas oblique spreading centers have 45° < α < 90° and transform relay zones have 0° < α < 15°. Oblique fast spreading segments exhibit ridge‐parallel faults and volcanic systems (Ø = α), presumably reflecting locally rotated stress fields, whereas at oblique slow spreading centers, Ø is closer to orthogonal (α < Ø < 90°).