Recent stress field and neotectonics in the Eastern Jura Mountains, Switzerland

Abstract

The regional stress field and its local variation were determined for the northern part of central Switzerland (Fig. 1) by using overcoring techniques (doorstopper, triaxial strain cell) and observations of breakouts in deep boreholes. The results are compared with fault plane solutions of earthquakes and with the orientation of horizontal stylolites. In the northern part of central Switzerland the NW-SE-orientation of the maximum horizontal stress ( S H ) which is characteristic for Central Europe was observed only in the crystalline basement. In the Folded Jura and south of it in one well the greatest principal horizontal stress above the Triassic decollement horizon is oriented approximately in a N-S to NNE-SSW direction. This direction persists into the western Tabular Jura and the southernmost Rhine Graben. Only in the eastern part of the Tabular Jura the greatest principal horizontal stress shows a NNW-SSE to NW-SE orientation. Comparison of the near surface stress field as determined by in situ stress measurements and borehole breakouts with the directions of horizontal stylolites generated during the evolution of the Folded Jura, indicates that the orientation of the recent stress field near the earth's surface is the same as that which prevailed during the Upper Miocene to Lower Pliocene. The central part of northern Switzerland is therefore the first area in Central Europe where it is possible to demonstrate that the near surface stress field is decoupled from that in the crystalline basement. The difference in the orientation of the greatest principal horizontal stress is about 50°.