Fault Kinematic Analysis Research Articles

Deformation history and characteristics of the Ilgwang Fault in Southeast Korea

The NNE-SSW trending Ilgwang Fault is one of the major structural features in Southeast Korea. It is a high angle, right-lateral strike-slip fault with a displacement of about 1.2 km. The basement around the fault consists of Cretaceous sedimentary and volcanic rocks with younger igneous intrusions, forms part of the Gyeongsang Basin. The fault has not been studied thoroughly due to poor exposures along the fault; however, it is important to understand the characteristics of the Ilgwang Fault, as it is located near nuclear facilities and large cities with tall buildings. In this study, we investigated exposures in new road-cut sections along the Busan–Ulsan Highway. The structural patterns analyzed show wide deformation zones and may indicate various multi-deformation events including reactivation of pre-existing faults. Based on kinematic analysis of faults, joints, and dykes, the deformation history of the study area includes the following phenomena: 1) E-W trend reverse faulting with the intrusion of N-S trending acidic dykes; 2) NNE-SSW trend reverse faulting and folding; 3) ENE-WSW trend left-lateral faulting and NNESSW trend right-lateral faulting with the intrusion of NE-SW trending intermediate dykes; 4) E-W trend normal faulting; 5) N-S or NNE-SSW trend reverse faulting; and 6) NNW-SSE trend reverse faulting and reactivation of pre-existing normal faults. The angular change of the structural elements (e.g., beddings) is used here as an indicator of deformation intensity across the fault. The analysis shows that the deformation zone across the Ilgwang Fault spans about 200 m in volcanic rocks and 1 km in sedimentary rocks, indicating that the deformation is strongly localized in volcanic rocks and more diffused in sedimentary rocks. Numerical modeling supports the conclusion that sedimentary substrate has a wider deformation zone than do massive granitic or volcanic rocks, suggesting that material properties are one of the main factors controlling concentration of stress and possible resultant damage.

Age and geodynamic evolution of the Black Sea Basin: Tectonic evidences of rifting in Crimea

The timing and direction of opening of the Black Sea Basin are debated. However, parts of its margins were inverted during Cenozoic and can be studied onshore. The Crimean Mountains are located in the middle of the northern margin of the basin, and at the onshore prolongation of the mid-Black Sea High. We present the first detailed mapping of large striated normal faults in Crimea. These faults define graben structures that trend parallel to the continental margin. Kinematic analysis of the faults combined with new biostratigraphic data show that the syn-rift sequence is Valanginian to Late Albian in age. It consists of siliciclastic deposits with limestone olistoliths. In contrast, the post-rift Late Cretaceous carbonaceous sequence of Crimea is devoid of normal faults or olistoliths. It unconformably overlies the graben structures. The onset ages, and the trends of extension are quite similar in the northern (Crimea) and the southern (Turkey) inverted margins of the basin. The Early Cretaceous extension directions are normal to the mid-Black Sea High and the Black Sea margins. We conclude that rifting of Black Sea Basin occurred from the Valanginian to the Late Albian (∼39 Ma) and drifting during the Late Cretaceous. Based on the directions of rifting, on the lack of evidence of strike slip motions near the mid-Black Sea High, and on published paleomagnetic data, we propose that the Black Sea opened with rotations accommodated by transform faults at its western and eastern margins, as a response to asymmetric slab rollbacks of the Neo-Tethys plate. The inversion of the Crimean margin results from two successive shortening events: Early Eocene NE-SW compression, Eocene to Present SE-NW compression. Their timing support the idea that compressional stresses generated by continental collisions in Turkey were transmitted through the strong Black Sea lithosphere up to Crimea. • Early Cretaceous graben structures are mapped along the northern margin of the black Sea basin, in Crimea. • Fault kinematic analysis and biostratigraphic data indicate that the rifting of Black Sea Basin occurred from the Valanginian to the Albian (∼35 Ma). • We propose that Black Sea opened with rotations accommodated by transform faults as a response to asymmetric slab rollbacks of the Neo-Tethys plate. • Compressional stresses generated by continental collisions in Turkey were transmitted through the Black Sea lithosphere as soon as the Early Eocene.

Temporal and spatial changes of the submarine Cretaceous paleoslope in Northern Tunisia, inferred from slump folds analysis

This paper presents the first comprehensive, non-exhaustive, study of the genetic relationship between slump folds and the synsedimentary paleoslope during Cretaceous time in northern Tunisia. Slump folds occur mainly in the Cretaceous marl-dominated lithofacies, which exposes numerous slump folds structures. In addition, fault kinematic analysis is conducted to define the paleostress fields and the stress states characterizing the Cretaceous extension that triggers soft-sediment deformation and slumping. The MAM and the APM methods are used to deduce the paleoslope in several localities. The calculated values of paleoslope trend derived from MAM and APM methods precise the variation of the paleoslope trend during Cretaceous times in northern Tunisia. This paleoslope is ∼NW-dipping during Berriasian, ∼SSW-dipping during Valanginian, ∼NW-dipping during the Barremian and ∼N- to ∼NNE or ∼S- to ∼SSW-dipping during Aptian–Albian period. The results of the back-tilted fault diagram show a ∼North to ∼Northeast-trending tectonics extension. The back-tilting of Cenomanian slump axis and poles of axial planes (MAM and APM methods) give close results with ∼Southward or ∼Northward-dipping paleoslope. The restored fault diagrams show ∼North to ∼Northeast-trending extension during Cenomanian times. Coniacian-Santonian marls deposits seal all the gravity-driven deformation structures. North Tunisian area exposes evidences for abundant soft-sediment deformation and slumping atop a northward facing submarine slope, which was probably dominant from the Early Cretaceous to Santonian with ∼North-South tectonic extension related to the Southern Tethyan rifted continental margin evolution.

Kinematics of Polygonal Fault Systems: Observations from the Northern North Sea

Layer-bound, low-displacement normal faults, arranged into a broadly polygonal pattern, are common in many sedimentary basins. Despite having constrained their gross geometry, we have a relatively poor understanding of the processes controlling the nucleation and growth (i.e., the kinematics) of polygonal fault systems. In this study we use high-resolution 3-D seismic reflection and borehole data from the northern North Sea to undertake a detailed kinematic analysis of faults forming part of a seismically well-imaged polygonal fault system hosted within the up to 1,000 m thick, Early Palaeocene-to-Middle Miocene mudstones of the Hordaland Group. Growth strata and displacement-depth profiles indicate faulting commenced during the Eocene to early Oligocene, with reactivation possibly occurring in the late Oligocene to middle Miocene. Mapping the position of displacement maxima on 137 polygonal faults suggests that the majority (64%) nucleated in the lower 500 m of the Hordaland Group. The uniform distribution of polygonal fault strikes in the area indicates that nucleation and growth were not driven by gravity or far-field tectonic extension as has previously been suggested. Instead, fault growth was likely facilitated by low coefficients of residual friction on existing slip surfaces, and probably involved significant layer-parallel contraction (strains of 0.01–0.19) of the host strata. To summarize, our kinematic analysis provides new insights into the spatial and temporal evolution of polygonal fault systems.

NW-SE Pliocene-Quaternary extension in the Apan-Acoculco region, eastern Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt

The Apan-Acoculco area is located in the eastern portion of the Mexico basin and the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. The area is transected by right-stepping variably dipping NE-SW normal faults. The Apan-Tlaloc Fault System is a major discontinuity that divides the region into two contrasting areas with different structural and volcanic styles. a) The western area is characterized by a horst-graben geometry with widespread Quaternary monogenetic volcanism and scattered outcrops of Miocene and Pliocene rocks. b) The eastern area is dominated by tilted horsts with a domino-like geometry with widespread Miocene and Pliocene rocks, scattered Quaternary monogenetic volcanoes and the Acoculco Caldera. Gravity data suggest that this structural geometry continues into the Mesozoic limestones. Normal faulting was active since the Pliocene with three stages of extension. One of them, an intense dilatational event began during late Pliocene and continues nowadays, contemporaneously with the emplacement of the Apan-Tezontepec Volcanic Field and the Acoculco caldera. Statistical analysis of cone elongation, cone instability, and the kinematic analysis of faults attest for a NW50°SE±7° extensional regime in the Apan-Acoculco area. The activity in some portions of the Apan-Tlaloc Fault System continues today as indicated by earthquake swarms recorded in 1992 and 1996, that disrupted late Holocene paleosols, and Holocene volcanism.

Paleostress analysis of the brittle deformations on the northwestern margin of the Red Sea and the southern Gulf of Suez, Egypt

Shear fractures, dip-slip, strike-slip faults and their striations are preserved in the pre- and syn-rift rocks at Gulf of Suez and northwestern margin of the Red Sea. Fault-kinematic analysis and paleostress reconstruction show that the fault systems that control the Red Sea–Gulf of Suez rift structures develop in at least four tectonic stages. The first one is compressional stage and oriented NE–SW. The average stress regime index R' is 1.55 and SHmax oriented NE–SW. This stage is responsible for reactivation of the N–S to NNE, ENE and WNW Precambrian fractures. The second stage is characterized by WNW dextral and NNW to N–S sinistral faults, and is related to NW–SE compressional stress regime. The third stage is belonging to NE–SW extensional regime. The SHmax is oriented NW–SE parallel to the normal faults, and the average stress regime R' is equal 0.26. The NNE–SSW fourth tectonic stage is considered a counterclockwise rotation of the third stage in Pliocene-Pleistocene age. The first and second stages consider the initial stages of rifting, while the third and fourth represent the main stage of rifting.

Prediction of fracture intensity of carbonates based on the results of paleostress estimation by fault kinematic analysis based on the 3D seismic data (Kuyumba Oil Field)

The approach of prediction of fracture intensity of low permeability rocks is presented based on slip and dilation tendency analyses. The input data are faults kinematics data and the stress components that regulate their formation. As an example, data obtained from the Riphean complex of the Kuyumba oilfield and the concentrators of fractured oil reservoirs in the investigated region, is examined. Refs 19. Figs 5. Table 1.

Sedimentology of the Shangoluwe breccias and timing of the Cu mineralisation (Katanga Supergroup, D. R. of Congo)

The origin of breccias in the Neoproterozoic Katanga Supergroup in D.R of Congo is still a matter of debate. At the Shangoluwe Cu deposit located in the Kambove mining district (central part of the Lufilian arc), the sedimentary breccias bearing Cu mineralisation have been investigated for lithological and sedimentological study, quantitative analysis of the breccias fragments and fault kinematic analysis in order to understand the origin of the breccias, their lithostratigraphic position and the timing of mineralisation.At Shangoluwe, three sedimentary breccias sequentially deposited within the Kundelungu rocks can be identified on the basis of the nature of the matrix and fragments; from bottom to the top, the Ferruginous Breccias, the Dolomitic Breccias and the Siliceous Breccias. These breccias were deposited as lenses. The presence of debris and grain flows, a finely laminated matrix, pseudo-stratification, normal and reverse graded-bedding, and the presence of interbedded siltstone, sandy shale, dolomitic shale, shale and dolomite, are considered as evidence of a sedimentary origin of the breccias. The log normal distribution of the fragments indicates that gravity flow was the main deposition mechanism.The Ferruginous and Dolomitic Breccias are regarded as contemporaneous with the Kundelungu Group. They were deposited as lenses interbedded in the Kanianga and Mongwe formations, both affected by the Lufilian orogeny (D1 - Kolwezian and D2 – Monwezian phases). The Siliceous Breccias are post-orogenic as shown by the presence of an erosional and angular unconformity respectively on the Dolomitic Breccias and the Kundelungu formations. Therefore, the Siliceous Breccias are attributed to the Lower Palaeozoic Biano Subgroup and the lithostratigraphy of the Biano Subgroup is proposed for revision accordingly. Copper mineralisation post-dates the deposition of the breccias, the dissolution of dolomite fragments and in-situ fragmentation. This mineralisation occurred during late- to post-orogenic extension of the Lufilian orogeny, and was remobilised during the Cenozoic.

Geometric and kinematic analysis of structural elements along north front of Bagharan Kuh Mountain, NE Iran

At the end of the western part of Bagharan Kuh Mountain in the northeast of Iran, mountain growth has been stopped toward the west because of the stress having been consumed by the thrusting movements and region rising instead of shear movement. Chahkand fault zone is situated at the western part of this mountain; this fault zone includes several thrust sheets that caused upper cretaceous ophiolite rocks up to younger units, peridotite exposure and fault related fold developing in the surface. In transverse perpendicular to the mountain toward the north, reduction in the parameters like faults dip, amount of deformation, peridotite outcrops show faults growth sequence and thrust sheets growth from mountain to plain, thus structural vergence is toward the northeast in this fault zone. Deformation in the east part of the region caused fault propagation fold with axial trend of WNW-ESE that is compatible with trending of fault plane. In the middle part, two types of folds is observed; in the first type, folding occurred before faulting and folds was cut by back thrust activity; in the second type, faults activity caused fault related folds with N60-90W axial trend. In order to hanging wall strain balance, back thrusts have been developed in the middle and western part which caused popup and fault bend folds with N20-70E trend. Back thrusts activity formed footwall synclines, micro folds, foliations, and uplift in this part of the region. Kinematic analysis of faults show stress axis σ1 = N201.6, 7, σ2 = N292.6, 7.1, σ3 = N64.8, 79.5; stress axis obtained by fold analysis confirm that minimum stress (σ3) is close to vertical so it is compatible with fault analysis. Based on the results, deformation in this region is controlled by compressional stress regime. This stress state is consistent with the direction of convergence between the Arabian and Eurasian plates. Also study of transposition, folded veins, different movements on the fault planes and back thrusts confirm the progressive deformation is dominant in this region that it increases from the east to the west.

Determine Stress Field of the Shirband Area by Geometric and Kinematic Analysis of Faults and Folds (North Damqan, Iran)

In this paper faults and folds of shirband area (north of damqan) investigated to determine the orient of the stress field. The study area is limited between the two faults with E-W strike and northward slip. Investigations result show major faults of the area have sinisteral mechanism. Waterways displacement and slicken slip of faults approve this issue. Three main folds of area has approx-imately same trend along major faults (E-W). Orientation of stress field investigated and classified by using from some large and medium scale faults and folds. Analysis of stress field investigated by inversion method show that compression axis in the study area have approximately NE-SW strike.

Late Cenozoic stress state distributions at the intersection of the Hellenic and Cyprus Arcs, SW Turkey

The history of the Late Cenozoic stress regime was determined for an area between the gulfs of Fethiye and Antalya. Fault kinematic analysis and inversion of focal mechanisms of shallow earthquakes reveal significant evolution of the regional stress regime in SW Anatolia, i.e., the area of interaction between the Hellenic and Cyprus arcs, from the Mio-Pliocene to the present time. Fault kinematic analysis yields two different normal faulting stress regimes along the southwestern part of Fethiye-Burdur Fault zone, e.g., in and around Çameli Basin (Zone A1) and two different strike-slip to normal faulting stress regimes characterized by a roughly orthogonal set of extensional axes between Fethiye and Demre (Zone B) with an older NW–SE σ3 axis for Mio-Pliocene and a younger NE–SW σ3 axis for Plio-Quaternary time. Inversion of focal mechanisms of the earthquakes occurring in Zone A1 provides an extensional stress state with approximately N-S σ3 axis. Inversion of those occurring in Zone B, south of Zone A1, yields a dominantly strike-slip stress state with a NE-SW σ3 axis and a NW-SE σ1 axis respectively. The inversion slip vectors from fault planes yield a consistent normal faulting stress regime in Burdur Basin and its surroundings (i.e., along the northeastern part of Fethiye-Burdur Fault Zone, (Zone A2)) during Plio-Quaternary, continuing into recent time as indicated by earthquake focal mechanism inversions. Both states have a consistent NW–SE σ3 axis. Fault kinematic analysis indicates NW-SE extension acting in Zone C (subarea between Demre and Antalya), south of Zone A2, during Mio-Pliocene time. The inversion of focal mechanisms yields normal faulting also characterized by a consistent NW-SE σ3 axis. The nearly orthogonal extensional stress regimes (NW-SE and NE-SW) obtained by inversion of both measured and seismic faults seem to have been acting contemporaneously with each other at different intensities from the Mio-Pliocene onwards in SW Turkey. This may be attributed to the geodynamic effects related to the subduction of the African plate beneath Anatolia diffusing along the Hellenic and Cyprus arcs and in the west-southwestward extrusion of Anatolia. The cause of the early NW–SE extension is the slab-pull force due to the subduction process along the Cyprus arc, considered to be dominant until the Plio-Quaternary in the western part of the study area in zones A1 and B. The dominant status of the Cyprus arc continues today in the eastern part of study area in zones A2 and C. The later NE–SW to present day approximately N–S extension, dominant since the Plio-Quaternary, is related to the combined forces of the Anatolian extrusion and the subduction process along the Hellenic arc.

Miocene to Quaternary tectonostratigraphic evolution of the middle section of the Burdur-Fethiye Shear Zone, south-western Turkey: Implications for the wide inter-plate shear zones

The Burdur-Fethiye Shear Zone (BFSZ) is a 75- to 90- km wide and 300-km-long transtensional left-lateral shear zone which is located in one of the most tectonically active regions in south-western Turkey. A considerable number of studies suggested contradictory models of the evolution and Neogene stratigraphy of the BFSZ and in most cases, the local river and alluvial fan deposits were mapped together with the lacustrine sediments and assigned a Pliocene age. We present new field data, fault kinematic analyses, and DEM and earthquake data to characterize the tectonic controls and extent of the middle section of the BFSZ including Acıpayam, Çameli and Gölhisar basins. Our field observations revealed two distinct sedimentary sequences that unconformably overlie the pre-Neogene basement. The first sequence begins with middle-upper Miocene meandering- and braided-river sediments of the Gölhisar Formation, which transition upward into lacustrine sediments of the upper Miocene-lower Pliocene İbecik Formation. This sequence is overlain by upper Pliocene-lower Quaternary alluvial fan conglomerates, mudstones and claystones of the Dirmil Formation. The basin deposits located in the middle section of the BFSZ consist of lacustrine sediments of a late Miocene lake that likely evaporated due to the Messinian salinity crisis. Fault kinematic analysis and DEM and earthquake data indicate that the middle BFSZ can be characterized as a heterogeneous left-lateral transtensional shear zone rather than a major fault system. Our findings suggest that the middle section of the BFSZ developed under the influence of progressive counter clockwise rotation of south-western Turkey, the Aegean graben system and the Cyprus and Hellenic arcs since the middle Miocene.

Late Miocene extension in coastal Sonora, México: Implications for the evolution of dextral shear in the proto-Gulf of California oblique rift

The timing, kinematics, and processes responsible for the rapid transition from subduction to oblique rifting and the localization of the Pacific-North America plate boundary in the Gulf of California are not well understood. Well exposed volcanic rocks deposited between ~15 and 10Ma in the Sierra Bacha (coastal Sonora, México) preserve a record of late Miocene deformation on the eastern rifted margin of the Gulf of California and offer new insights into the timing and kinematic evolution of oblique rifting. Detailed geologic mapping, fault kinematic analysis, U–Pb and 40Ar/39Ar geochronology, and paleomagnetic data reveal that the >2km-thick composite volcanic section is cut by a series of southwest-dipping, domino-style normal faults and uniformly tilted down-to-the-northeast. Palinspastic cross-section restoration suggests that the region experienced ca. 55–60% northeast-southwest-directed extension between ~11.7 and ~10–9Ma. Fault kinematic data reflect relatively minor dextral transtension either following or during the later stages of extension. Paleomagnetic results indicating modest clockwise vertical-axis block rotation suggest that dextral shear was concentrated in the southwest of the study area near the modern coastline.These results support an emerging model in which dextral strain was not ubiquitous across Sonora and did not initiate immediately following the ~12.5Ma transition from subduction to oblique rifting. Instead, strain east of the Baja California microplate at this latitude evolved from extension-dominated transtension prior to ~8Ma to dextral shear-dominated transtension by ~7–6Ma. The onset of dextral shear in coastal Sonora likely resulted from an increase in rift obliquity due to a change in relative plate motion direction at ~8Ma. The increase in rift obliquity and resultant onset of significant strike-slip faulting played a crucial role in facilitating subsequent plate boundary localization and marine incursion in the northern Gulf of California by ~6Ma and continental rupture at ~2–1Ma.

Episodic Mesozoic constructional events of central South China: constraints from lines of evidence of superimposed folds, fault kinematic analysis, and magma geochronology

ABSTRACTThe South China block (SCB), located in the convergence zones of the western Pacific subduction tectonic domain and Tethyan tectonic domain, has experienced complex tectonic processes, including the continent–continent collision caused by the closure of the Palaeo-Tethys Ocean, and the subduction of the Palaeo-Pacific plate. However, due to complex intracontinental deformation and abundant magmatism, there are serious divergences in the corresponding records of the tectonic transformation from Palaeo-Tethys to Palaeo-Pacific. We have analysed the map-scale superimposed fold system developed in central SCB and also inverted the palaeo-stress field based on the fault–slip vectors. On this basis, the deformation styles and superposition mechanism of two-stage folds were recovered to establish the tectonic stress field in early Mesozoic and tectono-magmatic events by combining the chronology of the accompanying syntectonic magma. The early E–W/WNW-trending folds and Triassic magmatic system were identified; these were controlled by the NE–SW-trending compressive stress field, to coordinate with the collisions between the SCB and the Indochina block in the southwest, and the North China block in the north. The late NE/NNE-trending folds superimposed on the early folds in an orthogonal way to form a large-scale dome-basin superimposed fold system, which were controlled by the WNW–ESE-trending compressive stress field. According to the strata relations involved in deformation and the chronology data of magmatic rocks, it could be determined that NE/ENE-trending folds would be formed during the Mid- to Late Jurassic, corresponding to the westward subduction events of the Palaeo-Pacific plate. The establishment of the large-scale superimposed fold styles and the identification of fold deformation in the Triassic and Jurassic are important for understanding the early Mesozoic tectonics of South China, and even for all East Asia continent. In particular, it can provide important temporal and spatial constraints to explain the complex deformation process and geodynamic settings of South China in the early Mesozoic.

Active Crustal Faults in the Forearc Region, Guerrero Sector of the Mexican Subduction Zone

This work explores the characteristics and the seismogenic potential of crustal faults on the overriding plate in an area of high seismic hazard associated with the occurrence of subduction earthquakes and shallow earthquakes of the overriding plate. We present the results of geomorphic, structural, and fault kinematic analyses conducted on the convergent margin between the Cocos plate and the forearc region of the overriding North American plate, within the Guerrero sector of the Mexican subduction zone. We aim to determine the active tectonic processes in the forearc region of the subduction zone, using the river network pattern, topography, and structural data. We suggest that in the studied forearc region, both strike-slip and normal crustal faults sub-parallel to the subduction zone show evidence of activity. The left-lateral offsets of the main stream courses of the largest river basins, GPS measurements, and obliquity of plate convergence along the Cocos subduction zone in the Guerrero sector suggest the activity of sub-latitudinal left-lateral strike-slip faults. Notably, the regional left-lateral strike-slip fault that offsets the Papagayo River near the town of La Venta named “La Venta Fault” shows evidence of recent activity, corroborated also by GPS measurements (4–5 mm/year of sinistral motion). Assuming that during a probable earthquake the whole mapped length of this fault would rupture, it would produce an event of maximum moment magnitude Mw = 7.7. Even though only a few focal mechanism solutions indicate a stress regime relevant for reactivation of these strike-slip structures, we hypothesize that these faults are active and suggest two probable explanations: (1) these faults are characterized by long recurrence period, i.e., beyond the instrumental record, or (2) they experience slow slip events and/or associated fault creep. The analysis of focal mechanism solutions of small magnitude earthquakes in the upper plate, for the period between 1995 and 2008, revealed that frequent normal faults, sub-parallel to the trench, could be reactivated in the current stress field related to the Cocos subduction. Moreover, these features could also be reactivated by subduction megathrust earthquakes.

Superposed deformation in the Helanshan Structural Belt: Implications for Mesozoic intracontinental deformation of the North China Plate

The North China Plate (NCP) underwent multi-phase intracontinental deformation during the Mesozoic, which is a much-debated research subject. Here we present a case study of this deformation inferred from regional-scale Helanshan superposed folds in the west of the NCP. New structural analyses and fault kinematic analyses in the Helanshan Structural Belt (HSB) indicate a two-stage syn-folding paleo-stress field, comprising early NNE–SSW compression, with mean orientations 190°/01° (plunge direction/plunge) for σ1, 283°/26° for σ2, and 100°/63° for σ3, and later WNW–ESE compression with mean orientations of σ1, σ2, and σ3 at 124°/07°, 213°/04°, and 001°/75°, respectively. These results, combined with geochronological analysis, indicate two episodes of shortening in this belt during the Mesozoic. Late Triassic–Early Jurassic NNE–SSW shortening, which produced ∼8.1km of horizontal shortening, led to the development of open WNW-trending fold structures. Subsequent Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous WNW–ESE shortening, which produced ∼18.7km of horizontal shortening, reshaped the early WNW-trending structures and generated close, overprinting NNE-trending folds that resulted in the development of the regional-scale superposed folds in this area. In terms of geodynamics, the early NNE–SSW shortening is likely to be related to Indosinian intercontinental convergence between the North China Plate and the Yangtze Plate, and the later WNW–ESE shortening is likely to have been related to subduction of the Paleo-Pacific Plate. The regional structural analysis indicates that the whole of the western North China Plate experienced two-phase contractional deformation during the Mesozoic, as manifest by the early NNE–SSW and the late WNW–ESE shortening that characterized Mesozoic intracontinental deformation in the western NCP.

Inversion of fault data with low diversity for stress: Principles and applications

Although a minimum of four independent, single-phase fault data are required to solve for a unique reduced stress tensor, we prove in this paper that a smaller number of fault data are sufficient in some instances to solve for part of the reduced stress tensor. One of the principal stress directions is determinable from either two faults with a common null shear direction on the fault planes or three faults with a common intersection in a principal stress plane of the fault planes. This direction is combined with the fault data to determine the possible ranges of other principal stress directions. Determining whether the direction is for the maximum, intermediate or minimum principal stress depends upon constraints provided by slip tendency or more fault data. This approach can also be applied to a set of four or more fault data with low orientation diversity. This new method is finally applied to two different sets of fault data from along the active Chelungpu fault, western Taiwan. The stress orientations determined from the method lie in acceptable ranges for the maximum/minimum principal stresses using other existing and comparable methods, such as the right dihedra/trihedra methods. They differ moderately in the maximum/minimum principal stress directions when compared to the moment tensor method for fault kinematic analysis. The new method has advantages over the right dihedra/trihedra methods in the accuracy of stress estimate and the independence of stress estimate upon the small number of faults that are not parallel to the dominant fault set(s).

Evolution of the late Cenozoic tectonic stress regime in the Shanxi Rift, central North China Plate inferred from new fault kinematic analysis

The Shanxi Rift, an intracontinental belt along the eastern margin of the Ordos Block, North China Plate, has undergone multi-stage extensional deformation during the late Cenozoic. In this study, new fault kinematic analysis of boundary faults in the Shanxi Rift, constrained by geochronological data, defines a three-stage tectonic stress regime since the late Miocene, providing new structural evidence for deciphering the northeastward growth of the Tibetan Plateau. The earliest stage involved a transtensional stress regime of NW–SE extension and NE–SW compression in the late Miocene–early Pleistocene (ca. 10–1.8Ma) and characterized by mean principal stress axes of σ1 at 344.7°/87.2°, σ2 at 217.6°/01.1°, and σ3 at 128.1°/01.0°. The early transtensional stress regime was responsible for the opening of the Shanxi Rift and was very likely associated with intensive right-lateral pull-apart activity in the eastern Ordos Block due to the northeastward growth of the Tibetan Plateau. During the second stage, the stress regime changed to less intense NE–SW extension, with mean stress orientations of 323.3°/85.2° for σ1, 127.5°/02.9° for σ2, and 214.9°/02.6° for σ3 in the early late Pleistocene (ca. 1.8–0.11Ma). This stage is marked by a distinct shift from fluvio-lacustrine to fluvio-piedmont sedimentary facies at the end of the early Pleistocene, and the widespread eruption of basalt in the Datong Basin north of the Shanxi Rift. This short-lived extension appears to be the result of relaxation in the midst of crustal shortening during growth of the Tibetan Plateau. The third stage was transtensional, characterized by NNW–SSE extension and WNW–ESE compression (σ1 at 060°/88.9°, σ2 at 074.9°/03.9°, and σ3 at 164°/00°) since the late Pleistocene (ca. 0.11Ma), causing dextral shear deformation in the Shanxi Rift and the disappearance of its paleo-lake. This stage resulted from regional ENE–WSW shortening due to northeastward growth of the Tibetan Plateau.

Cenozoic tectonic evolution of the South Ningxia region, northeastern Tibetan Plateau inferred from new structural investigations and fault kinematic analyses

The northeastward growth process of the Tibetan Plateau has been a key issue to be long-termly debated, which is well documented by the South Ningxia region at the northeasternmost periphery of the Tibetan Plateau due to its Cenozoic convex-to-the-northeast arcuate range-and-basin structures. Here new structural measurements and fault kinematic analysis, together with new geochronological results, delineate a two-stage Cenozoic tectonic evolution in the region, providing the new structural evidences to decipher the northeastward growth process of the Tibetan Plateau. The first stage is marked by widespread sedimentary basin formation during the Oligocene to Late Miocene (ca. 30–10.5Ma) under NW-SE extensional regime, and subsequent basin inversion triggered by NW-SE compression in the Late Miocene (ca. 10.5–9.5Ma); these events were probably associated mainly with the far-field effect of the northwestward subduction of the Pacific Plate, a little related to the plateau growth. The second stage largely presents an intensive mountain building process and following re-deformation since the Late Miocene (ca. 9.5Ma), which was predominantly a result of the far-field responses to the northeastward growth of the Tibetan Plateau, and partially to the Pacific subduction. The second stage further comprises three alternating episodes of shortening and extension events. The earliest episode of NE-SW compression caused intensive crustal shortening in a long period from the Late Miocene to Early Pleistocene (ca. 9.5–1.8Ma), leading to a significant mountain building process in this region. A gentle NE-SW extension subsequently dominated here in the Late Pleistocene (?–ca. 18ka), as manifested by the widespread appearance of paleo-lakes along the NW-striking boundary faults. Since the end of the Late Pleistocene (ca. 18ka), a youngest tectonic regime affected this region, characteristic of a tectonic transpression, causing evidently strike-slip activities on the primary faults and the development of small-scale pull-apart basins along the Haiyuan Fault.

Fault‐controlled fluid flow inferred from hydrothermal vents imaged in 3D seismic reflection data, offshore NW Australia

AbstractFluid migration pathways in the subsurface are heavily influenced by pre‐existing faults. Although studies of active fluid‐escape structures can provide insights into the relationships between faults and fluid flow, they cannot fully constrain the geometry of and controls on the contemporaneous subsurface fluid flow pathways. We use 3D seismic reflection data from offshore NW Australia to map 121 ancient hydrothermal vents, likely related to magmatic activity, and a normal fault array considered to form fluid pathways. The buried vents consist of craters up to 264 m deep, which host a mound of disaggregated sedimentary material up to 518 m thick. There is a correlation between vent alignment and underlying fault traces. Seismic‐stratigraphic observations and fault kinematic analyses reveal that the vents were emplaced on an intra‐Tithonian seabed in response to the explosive release of fluids hosted within the fault array. We speculate that during the Late Jurassic the convex‐upwards morphology of the upper tip‐lines of individual faults acted to channelize ascending fluids and control where fluid expulsion and vent formation occurred. This contribution highlights the usefulness of 3D seismic reflection data to constraining normal fault‐controlled subsurface fluid flow.