Active Fold Belt Research Articles

Structure of the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake rupture and interaction of thrust faults in the active fold belt of western Taiwan

We summarize the structural characteristics of the surface ruptures of the 1999 Mw 7.6 Chi-Chi earthquake in western Taiwan and discuss the geological interaction of the Chelungpu fault with adjacent faults. Based on geological investigations, seismological analyses, and GPS measurements of surface co-seismic displacements, we describe the regional 3-D fault plane and slip distribution of the Chi-Chi earthquake and compare these to the geological features of the Chelungpu fault. We find that one key feature of the Chelungpu fault is the stratigraphy-controlled slip surface: at the level of the uppermost few kilometers, the Chelungpu fault slip plane generally follows the bedding plane of the Pliocene Chinshui shale. The second key feature of the Chelungpu fault is the difference in structurally geometric configuration between its northern and southern segments. The northern Fengyuan segment shows a bedding-parallel thrust fault within east-dipping strata in both footwall and hanging wall. In contrast, the southern Tsaotun segment exhibits east-dipping strata are overthrust onto flat-lying recent alluvial deposits. These two features not only explain a hinterland imbricate thrusting on the hanging-wall of the Fengyuan segment, but also explain the change in strike of the Chi-Chi surface ruptures at the northern end. The southern end of the 1999 Chi-Chi rupture is interpreted to be linked to a series of NW-trending strike-slip faults. In particular, we propose that the Luliao strike-slip fault served as the lateral ramp of the Chelungpu fault, and the Gukeng strike-slip fault acted as a barrier to end the southern propagation of the 1999 rupture. Geomorphic features and paleoseismological data indicate that the range-front Chelungpu fault has generated large earthquakes during the last several thousand years. Alternatively, in the Miaoli area to the north and the Chiayi area to south, historical earthquakes as well as active geomorphic features are not restricted on the range-front thrust faults. Instead, more complicated structures, including tightly spaced folds, duplex structures, and strike-slip faults are involved in seismogenic processes. A more detailed investigation of regional structural characteristics is needed for mitigation against the seismic hazards in the 300-km-long active fold belt in western Taiwan, where several damaging large earthquakes have been documented during the last century.

Tectonics of the San Gabriel Basin and surroundings, southern California

The SanGabriel Basin is a Pliocene–Pleistocene Transverse Ranges structure bounded by the San Gabriel Mountains on the north, the San Jose and Puente Hills on the east, and the Repetto and Montebello Hills on the west. A basement boundary between gneissoid rocks of San Gabriel Mountains aspect and Peninsular Ranges rocks strikes east across the basin and connects with the San Jose fault. This boundary may represent the eastward continuation of the Canton fault, a middle Miocene precursor of the San Gabriel fault system with up to 30 km of right slip. Canton fault displacement is largely canceled by ∼22.5 km of left slip on a precursor to the Raymond fault such that an Oligocene dacite in the San Jose Hills and clasts derived from it show little evidence of large horizontal displacement between the San Gabriel Mountains and Puente Hills. Clockwise rotation in the middle Miocene probably influenced the distribution of lateral slip. The fill in the northeast-trending Pliocene–Pleistocene San Gabriel Basin is a basal shallow-marine sequence overlain by the nonmarine Duarte Conglomerate, in contrast to the deep-water Fernando Formation of the Los Angeles Basin. The paleoslope trends south in the direction of the Repetto and Puente Hills, evidence that uplift of these hills postdated deposition. The triangular San Gabriel Basin is currently a stable block bounded by the right-slip, northwest-striking East Montebello fault on the west and the left-slip(?), northeast-striking Walnut Creek fault on the east. Farther east, the San Jose and Puente Hills are underlain by an east-trending active fold belt, including the San Jose reverse fault and anticline, the Walnut anticline, and the Puente Hills anticline adjacent to the right-lateral Whittier fault. The East Montebello fault is bounded on the west by the Elysian Park anticlinorium, a fold belt in downtown Los Angeles. The left-slip Holocene Raymond fault joins the Sierra Madre reverse fault at its segment boundary marked by the Clamshell-Sawpit fault. The triangular stable block between east-trending fold belts is bounded on the south by the Puente Hills blind thrust and on the north by the Sierra Madre fault, documenting north-south Quaternary convergence. East-west extension is also indicated, although not confirmed by geodetic measurements.

Investigation of the relationships between basin morphology, tectonic uplift, and denudation from the study of an active fold belt in the Siwalik Hills, central Nepal

The present study investigates correlations between an extensive range of geomorphic properties that can be estimated from a digital elevation model and the uplift rate on geological timescales. The analysis focuses on an area in the Siwalik Hills (central Nepal), where lithology and climate can be considered as uniform. This area undergoes rapid tectonic uplift at rates of up to 15 mm yr−1, which are derived from the geometric pattern of a fault‐bend model of fold growth. The selected geomorphic properties can be divided in two categories, depending on whether or not the vertical dimension is taken into account. None of the planar properties are significantly correlated to uplift rate, unlike those that include the vertical dimension, such as the mean elevation of basins, hypsometric curve, and hypsometric integral, and relief defined by the amplitude factor of length scaling analysis. Correlation between relief and uplift rate is observed for all length scales of topography shorter than 600 m, which suggests that all orders of the streams are able to adjust to the tectonic signal. Simple mass balance considerations imply that the average elevation is only 10% of surface uplift, suggesting that a dynamic equilibrium has been reached quite rapidly. Using a simple two‐process model for erosion, we find that fairly high diffusion coefficients (order of 10 m2 yr−1) and efficient transport of the material by rivers are required. This unusually high value for mass diffusivity at small length scales may be obtained by either a very efficient linear diffusion or by landsliding. Actually, both processes may be active, which appears likely given the nature of the unconsolidated substratum and the favorable climatic conditions. Local relief in the study area may therefore be used to predict either uplift or denudation, but the prediction is calibrated only for that specific climatic and lithologic conditions and cannot be systematically applied to other contexts.

Geomorphic criteria to determine direction of lateral propagation of reverse faulting and folding

Fault-related folds develop above active faults, and as these faults propagate laterally so do the folds they produce. Geomorphic criteria useful in evaluating rates and direction of lateral propagation of active folds in the direction of propagation are: (1) decrease in drainage density and degree of dissection; (2) decrease in elevation of wind gaps; (3) decrease in relief of the topographic profile along the crest; (4) development of characteristic drainage patterns; (5) deformation of progressively younger deposits or landforms; and (6) decrease in rotation and inclination of forelimb. All these criteria are consistent with lateral propagation, but do not prove it. The presence of more than one wind or water gap formed by the same stream, however, is strong evidence of lateral propagation. Rates of lateral propagation of folding may be several times the rate of uplift and fault slip. Lateral propagation of anticlinal folds allows for a new explanation of how drainage may develop across active fold belts. Development of drainage across an active fold belt is probably a function of relatively long structurally controlled drainage diversion parallel to fold axes and development of relatively short antecedent stream reaches, around the nose (plunge panel) of a fold. Water and/or wind gaps form as uplift, drainage diversion, and stream capture associated with fold growth continue.

Les traces de fission dans l'apatite, un outil thermochronologique adapté à la mesure de la dénudation : panorama des connaissances actuelles/Apatite fission track thermochronology. Its potential in geomorphology: an overview

Abstract A brief presentation of the broad principles governing apatite fission track thermochronolgy, intended primarily for French speaking Earth scientists, is followed by a progress report on its specific potential in geomorphology. Quantitative estimates of denudation rates in the context of passive margins, active fold belts, cratonic interiors, terrigenous sedimentary basins as well as applications in tephrostratigraphy are reviewed, and some of the method's limitations with regard to historical geomorphology are discussed, thereby underlining the importance of using fission track studies alongside auxiliary field techniques.

Tertiary Tectonic and magmatic evolution of western Sulawesi and the Makassar Strait, Indonesia: evidence for a Miocene continent-continent collision

Abstract New field and laboratory data from western Sulawesi, Indonesia, integrated with available data establish its Late Cenozoic igneous framework and a new model for its tectonic evolution. Western Sulawesi contains three major Neogene N-S-trending tectonic domains (from W to E): (1) an active foldbelt, in which Pliocene and Miocene volcanogenic rocks are involved in W-vergent thrusting which extends into the Makassar Strait; (2) a central belt comprised of a deformed submarine Miocene volcanoplutonic arc built on an Oligocene-Eocene clastic and carbonate platform with Latimojong Mesozoic basement metamorphic and sedimentary rocks thrust over its eastern margin on W-vergent faults; and (3) an accreted Cretaceous-Palaeogene(?) ophiolite (Lamasi Complex) between the Latimojong basement block and Bone Bay. The Lamasi Complex ophiolite includes dioritic plutons, basaltic sheeted dykes, pillow lavas, greenstones, tuffs and volcanic agglomerates with depleted (MORB-like) Sr & Nd isotope and REE characteristics of probable normal oceanic crust with possible subduction-related or back-arc affinity. New K-Ar, 40 Ar- 39 Ar, Rb-Sr, and Nd-Sm isotope data suggest Cretaceous to Eocene crystallization and Oligocene to Miocene obduction. Late Miocene to Poliocene extrusive and intrusive rocks form a cogenetic volcanoplutonic complex of calc-alkalic to mildly alkalic, potassic, and shoshonitic felsic and mafic magmatic rocks of bimodal composition which were erupted and intruded during a short episode of Middle Miocene to Pliocene (3–18 Ma) lithospheric melting. Based on new Rb-Sr, Nd-Sm, and U-Pb isotope, and major and trace element geochemical data, parental source rocks of the Miocene melts were Late Proterozoic to Early Palaeozoic crustal and mantle lithospheric assemblages which became heated and melted owing to a continent-continent collision in which west-vergent continental lithosphere derived from the Australian-New Guinea plate was subducted beneath eastern-most Sundaland. The timing of this magmatism and subsequent cooling and denudation history are constrained by 113 new K-Ar, 40 Ar- 39 Ar, and fission track ages. The new tectonic model differs significantly from previous models: the Makassar Strait is now interpreted as a foreland basin bound on both sides by converging Neogene thrust belts, in contrast to previous models suggesting Late Tertiary oceanic spreading or continental rifting. West-vergent obduction of a pre-Eocene oceanic, primitive arc, or back-arc crust onto western Sulawesi occurred during late Oligocene to Miocene times. The Late Miocene western Sulawesi magmatic arc is envisioned as a continent-continent collision product, in contrast to previous models involving a normal ocean-continent or ocean-ocean subduction-related magmatic arc (west or east vergent) or post-subduction rifting. The east Sulawesi ophiolite extends into western Sulawesi, suggesting that Bone Bay resulted from collapse of the over-thickened Miocene orogen. The new tectonic model illustrates the central role western Sulawesi plays in unlocking the complex evolution of Indonesia as well as the temporal and magmatic details of a continent-continent collision zone.

Late Quaternary folding of coral reef terraces, Barbados

Uplifted late Ouaternary coral reefs on the island of Barbados record folding of the emergent crest of the Lesser Antilles accretionary prism (Barbados Ridge complex) since ca. 1 Ma. Three northeast striking folds are defined by systematic changes in altitudes in the crest of First High Cliff, a mostly constructional reef terrace about 125 ka, and Second High Cliff, a partially erosional reef terrace about 500 ka. The folds have wavelengths of 6 to 8 km and fold axes extend about 10 km. The largest anticline rises to the northeast, where it has been breached by erosion exposing highly deformed Eocene to lower Miocene rocks of the Scotland District. Uplift rates based on heights of the last interglacial First High Cliff range from 0.07 to 0.44 mm/yr. Quaternary folding on Barbados indicates that the crest of the accretionary prism continues to be an active fold belt undergoing northwestsoutheast shortening.

Sedimentology of proximal to distal volcaniclastics dispersed across an active foldbelt: Ellensburg Formation (late Miocene), central Washington

ABSTRACTLate Miocene volcaniclastics of the Ellensburg Formation (Washington, northwestern USA) are exposed in basins within an integrated palaeodrainage over the depositional reach from 15 to 120 km eastward from a Cascade Range source area. Two facies associations are recognized. The first is composed of laterally restricted, well‐sorted, polymictic conglomerates representing a gravel‐bedload regime during inter‐eruption periods. The second comprises laterally extensive sheets, bounded by deeply‐developed paleosols, composed of monomictic pebbly, pumiceous dacitic sandstones with intercalated debris‐flow and hyperconcentrated flood‐flow deposits. These sheets aggraded in response to eruptive events that are sometimes recorded by air‐fall tephras at the bases of sequences. Debris‐flow and hyperconcentrated flood‐flow deposits occur as far as 120 km from source, but are uncommon beyond 50 km. Hyperconcentrated flood‐flow deposits initially increase in abundance away from source as debris‐flow deposits diminish, suggesting formation of hyperconcentrated flood flows by dilution of debris flows. Sandy facies form broad sheets dominated by scour‐fill bedding, in proximal and medial settings, and grade to narrower, trough cross‐bedded sheets in distal settings, suggesting moderation of flood discharges with distance. Base‐level changes associated with episodic sediment influx caused incision‐aggradation cycles in mainstream settings, and episodic impoundment of tributaries to form lakes or rapidly aggrading, poorly drained floodplains. Although volcanism was the primary control on depositional style, concurrent development of the Yakima fold belt produced a structure‐consequent drainage pattern that determined sediment dispersal, and basin subsidence permitted preservation of both syn‐eruption and inter‐eruption facies. Detritus from rising anticlines was generally diluted by the volumetrically superior extrabasinal volcaniclastics, but dominates deposits of small tributary streams flowing toward, rather than from, the Cascades.