Present-day deformation of the Dauphine Alpine and Subalpine massifs (SE France)

Abstract

The positions of 20 geodetic points surveyed in 1946–1952 by the Institut Géographique National in the Grenoble area (western Alps) were remeasured in 1993–1994 using GPS. We evaluate the displacements of the common points of the networks between the two surveys, and calculate the strain-rate tensors for different sets of three adjacent points. The significant N70° shortening direction observed at the boundary of the Belledonne and Taillefer massifs suggests that the dextral strike-slip motion between the External Crystalline Massifs (ECM) and the Subalpine domain is still active. Geological evidence suggests that this deformation, which is compatible with the few focal mechanisms available for the area, occurred throughout the late Neogene. Our data also suggest a roughly 3–5 mm yr−1 active shortening concentrated at the external front of the Subalpine chains. This thrust motion results in a principal axis of compression orientated N130°, oblique to the direction of shortening observed in the ECM. This change in direction is also seen in in situ stress measurements. This motion may mark the southward continuation of the active fault observed in the Jura mountains by Jouanne, Ménard & Darmendrail (1995).