NE-SW Faults Research Articles

Geology of the Tabakoto gold deposit, Kédougou-Kéniéba Inlier, West African Craton, Mali

The Tabakoto gold deposit is part of the highly endowed west-Malian gold belt, which hosts several world-class deposits. This deposit, located in the Paleoproterozoic Kédougou-Kéniéba Inlier (KKI) of the West African Craton (WAC), is contained in Birimian metasedimentary rocks of the Kofi series that are intruded by magmatic dykes. The metasedimentary rocks are characterized by a S0/1 foliation delineated by the alternation of metagreywacke and meta-argillite. This foliation is affected by upright folds with N-S trending axial planes marked by a S2 schistosity and cross-cut by conjugate steep-dipping dextral NE-SW and sinistral NW-SE trending brittle faults. These structures record regional-scale E-W shortening, first associated with crustal thickening and then with N-S stretching, evolving from ductile to brittle deformation. The presence of the pyrrhotite-loellingite assemblage and the presence of scheelite is consistent with temperatures of upper greenshist facies (~ 430°C). Gold mineralization is found in sheared smoky quartz-pyrite veins in subvertical shear zones localized along the S2 schistosity and in S-shaped quartz-carbonate veins located in the NE-SW and NW-SE trending faults. The latter veins are marked by sodic alteration followed by carbonate (i.e., dolomite-ankerite ± calcite ± siderite) and phyllic (i.e., chlorite-muscovite-sericite) alterations. In the quartz-pyrite veins, gold occurs as inclusions in pyrite, arsenopyrite, and pyrrhotite, whereas in quartz-carbonate shear veins, gold is present in fractures cross-cutting pyrite and arsenopyrite and at the contact between pyrite and arsenopyrite or arsenopyrite and pyrrhotite. These features indicate that gold mineralization in the Tabakoto deposit results from hydrothermal fluid circulation during the Eburnean orogeny under ductile to brittle conditions, similar to other orogenic-type deposits in the WAC.

Towards sustainable development goals: Leveraging multi-data remote sensing fusion for monitoring groundwater-induced bedrock subsidence dynamics in Egypt's Nile Valley

Egypt's Golden Triangle megaproject within Egypt's vision 2030, involving land reclamation in Qena Bend's densely populated governorate, develops sustainable land management strategies. Advanced technologies and low-cost remote sensing multi-data fusion are utilized to understand subsidence dynamics influenced by geologic structure, groundwater, climate change, and human activities in Egypt's Nile Valley. This approach identifies environmental hazards and provides a detailed explanation for groundwater-induced bedrock subsidence, aiding in informed decision-making and risk avoidance. Landsat images reveal 13% increased cultivation, 28.28% urban-growth, and decreased water by 8.46%, impacting groundwater resources and controlling the situation. The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment(GRACE) and Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) satellite observations reveal changes in water storage, impacting climate change, groundwater storage dynamics, and aquifer behavior. Historical data indicates a significant southwest-northeast gradient in precipitation from 5 to 60 mm. GLDAS shows soil moisture decline from 0.25 to 0.23 mm. GRACE (total water storage) depleting, then slightly increasing from 2020 to 2023 with an average value (−5 cm/yr). Groundwater storage increases in wet seasons, in 2015 showing (+3–4 mm), less than (+1 mm) in (2018), and (+6–8 mm) in (2020–2023). The NE-SW and NW-SE faults increase hydraulic connection and recharge from aquifers, causing groundwater circulation and karstification in Eocene limestone aquifers, posing risks to urban development and human safety. The InSAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) measures ground subsidence over time, revealing a range of (−0.04 to −0.07m) in the northwest to (+0.03m) in the southeast, with average subsidence (-4 cm), primarily associated with increased groundwater storage motivate the interaction between the carbonate and groundwater. The ArcGIS overlay model divides the region into three zones: northern, middle, and southern, each with varying degrees of displacement and groundwater storage. The findings emphasize the significance of remote sensing in hazard evaluation for development planning due to its cost-effectiveness and accuracy, applicable globally in hydrogeologically similar areas.

Constraints of the regional deformation on the hydrothermal veins in Ousdrat and Aït Ahmane ore deposits (Bou Azzer-El Graara inlier, central Anti-Atlas, Morocco): Implications for mineral exploration

The overlap of tectonic and magmatic events in the Bou Azzer-El Graara inlier causes a complexity for understanding the absolute and/or relative chronology between the deformation and the hydrothermal system. In the central northern part of the Bou Azzer-El Graara inlier, syn-orogenic ca. 650 Ma Aït Ahmane and Ousdrat plutons have been deformed under NE-SW shortening and with metamorphic conditions. These plutons are affected by fault systems with four mains directions: N015, N090, N140, and N040. The last two fault systems are the most mineralized and they are weakly constrained in the frame of deformation phases affecting the Bou Azzer inlier, and filling style. In addition, Pan-African, WACadomian or Hercynian origin of NE-SW faults is not yet reached. This contribution aims to clarify these issues based on structural, textural and morphological of these faults and veins. Our analyses highlight that most of these structures were formed through open-space filling and crack-seal-slip mechanisms. N140 contacts faults between serpentinite and quartz diorite experienced multiple reactivations during the WACadomian stages. The oldest activation was in ductile condition and later reactivated in a transpression to transtension regime leading to the development of N040 faults as sinistral antithetic faults due to NNE stress evolution. Field observations suggest that N040 structures affect late Ediacaran Ouarzazate Group, but not the Adoudounian Formation, highlight their WACadomian origine. The N040 structures preserve metric to microscopic cataclastic shear zones. This evolution suggests that the hydrothermal system in the Bou Azzer inlier shifted from ductile-brittle hydrothermal style along the N140 foliated contact to a brittle regime along the N040 sinistral-normal faults. Some intra-vein microtextures suggest that this hydrothermal fluid was emplaced in a predominantly extensional and tectonically active environment, as evidenced by extensional relay, syntaxial and antiaxial textures, and elongated grains. Consequently, a detailed analysis of the morphology, textures, filling types, and fault movements is an essential and important tool for establishing the relative chronology of deformation in front of the N140 and N040 veins.

Tectonic evolution of the eastern margin of the Northern South Yellow Sea Basin in the Yellow Sea since the Late Cretaceous

The South Yellow Sea Basin is the largest sedimentary basin in the Yellow Sea. The Gunsan Basin in the central eastern part of the Northern South Yellow Sea Basin comprises the Western, Central, and Eastern Subbasins. The Eastern Subbasin marks the eastern margin of the South Yellow Sea Basin. Interpretation of multi-channel seismic profiles and balanced cross-section restoration of depth-converted seismic profiles reveal the structural characteristics and evolution of the Eastern Subbasin. The subbasin comprises three groups of faults: NW-SE, NE-SW, and NNE-SSW trending faults. The subsidence pattern of the subbasin, derived from the cross-section restoration analysis, indicates five distinguished evolution phases: (i) rapid subsidence in the Late Cretaceous, (ii) slow subsidence from the Paleocene to the Eocene, (iii) accelerated subsidence in the Oligocene, (iv) alternation of the uplift and subsidence in the Early Miocene, and (v) gradual subsidence since the Middle Miocene. The main and moderate subsidence can be explained by the combination of extension in the SE and NE-SW directions that formed double duplex structures. We suggest that the NW oblique subduction of the Pacific Plate under the NE Asia margin induced both extension toward the trench and dextral strike-slip parallel to the margin. The extension toward the trench caused SE transtension in a local pull-apart setting, whereas the dextral strike-slip parallel to the margin caused NE-SW extension, inducing more significant subsidence. The combined processes resulted in the progressive development of nested duplex structures. The evolution of the Eastern Subbasin is not compatible with previously suggested models for the western part of the South Yellow Sea Basin including foreland basin formation and transtension induced by branch faults of the Tan-Lu Fault.

Mineralogy and rare earth elements spatial distribution in the carboniferous rocks of the eastern El Galala El Bahariya, Egypt

The Carboniferous rocks in the eastern part of El Galala El Bahariya were investigated using integrated field and laboratory techniques to determine their mineralogy, rare earth elements (REEs) distribution, and structural lineament density. The succession is mainly composed of argillaceous and minor arenaceous rocks, exhibiting variations in lithology across the study area. The essential minerals of these rocks are quartz, kaolinite, and illite. The accessory minerals include microcline, gypsum, anhydrite, halite, barite, hematite, pyrite, anatase and gibbsite, in addition to, the radioactive and REEs-bearing minerals such as uranophane, xenotime, monazite, and zircon. These minerals are reported in the rocks of the study area for the first time. The types, forms, habits, and modes of occurrence of the recorded minerals indicate multiple origins: allogenic–authigenic, and primary-secondary. REEs in the rocks exhibit enriched patterns with a negative Eu anomaly, likely due to low plagioclase content or and/or Eu removal by alteration processes. The distribution of REEs is influenced by textural attributes, with finer sediments in the southern part showing higher REEs content, ascribed to the high clay content and presence of gibbsite. The preferential mobility of LREEs is evident, explaining elevated LREEs/HREEs ratios in the rocks. Utilizing remote sensing techniques, lithological units and alteration zones were determined using decorrelation stretch and band ratio methods. The structural features, identified by Laplacian filter and edge enhancement, revealed the presence of NW–SE, N–S, and NE–SW faults that structurally regulate alteration zones and REEs distribution. These alteration zones are associated with clay minerals, REEs concentrations, and high lineament structure density. Spatial distribution maps highlight higher REEs concentrations in the southern part of the study area. These findings were validated using various analytical methods, including mineralogical and geochemical investigations, main component analysis, minimum noise fraction, decorrelation stretch, and spectral reflectance studies. They provide new insights into the REEs potential of the Carboniferous rocks and heighten our understanding of REEs genesis and distribution in the region.

Genesis of Rare Metal Granites in the Nubian Shield: Tectonic Control and Magmatic and Metasomatic Processes

The Igla Ahmr region in the Central Eastern Desert (CED) of Egypt comprises mainly syenogranites and alkali feldspar granites, with a few tonalite xenoliths. The mineral potential maps were presented in order to convert the concentrations of total rare earth elements (REEs) and associated elements such as Zr, Nb, Ga, Y, Sc, Ta, Mo, U, and Th into mappable exploration criteria based on the line density, five alteration indices, random forest (RF) machine learning, and the weighted sum model (WSM). According to petrography and geochemical analysis, random forest (RF) gives the best result and represents new locations for rare metal mineralization compared with the WSM. The studied tonalites resemble I-type granites and were crystallized from mantle-derived magmas that were contaminated by crustal materials via assimilation, while the alkali feldspar granites and syenogranites are peraluminous A-type granites. The tonalites are the old phase and are considered a transitional stage from I-type to A-type, whereas the A-type granites have evolved from the I-type ones. Their calculated zircon saturation temperature TZr ranges from 717 °C to 820 °C at pressure < 4 kbar and depth < 14 km in relatively oxidized conditions. The A-type granites have high SiO2 (71.46–77.22 wt.%), high total alkali (up to 9 wt.%), Zr (up to 482 ppm), FeOt/(FeOt + MgO) ratios > 0.86, A/CNK ratios > 1, Al2O3 + CaO < 15 wt.%, and high ΣREEs (230 ppm), but low CaO and MgO and negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.24–0.43). These chemical features resemble those of post-collisional rare metal A-type granites in the Arabian-Nubian Shield (ANS). The parent magma of these A-type granites was possibly derived from the partial melting of the I-type tonalitic protolith during lithospheric delamination, followed by severe fractional crystallization in the upper crust in the post-collisional setting. Their rare metal-bearing minerals, including zircon, apatite, titanite, and rutile, are of magmatic origin, while allanite, xenotime, parisite, and betafite are hydrothermal in origin. The rare metal mineralization in the Igla Ahmr granites is possibly attributed to: (1) essential components of both parental peraluminous melts and magmatic-emanated fluids that have caused metasomatism, leading to rare metal enrichment in the Igla Ahmr granites during the interaction between rocks and fluids, and (2) structural control of rare metals by the major NW–SE structures (Najd trend) and conjugate N–S and NE–SW faults, which all are channels for hydrothermal fluids that in turn have led to hydrothermal alteration. This explains why rare metal mineralization in granites is affected by hydrothermal alteration, including silicification, phyllic alteration, sericitization, kaolinitization, and chloritization.

Structure of the Plio-Quaternary coastal aquifer (Mediterranean Basin, Tunisia): insights from gravity and seismic analysis

This research paper presents an investigation of an aquifer structure using a combination of gravity and seismic analyses, calibrated by hydrogeological data. This work illustrates how crucial it is to study geological structures and fault networks as preliminary work to understand water- and pollutant-flow systems and aquifer vulnerability, especially with the increased frequency of drought events and climate change pressures. A Plio-Quaternary coastal northeastern aquifer in Tunisia was chosen as the study case. First, a hydrogeological approach was performed using water wells, and piezometer data showed an important fluctuation in the piezometric level and a notable depression in the piezometric surface observed in the southern part of the study area. Secondly, gravity data were analysed and calibrated using a seismic profile. The results demonstrated the presence of shallow NE–SW faults less than 300 m below the region's principal wadis, as well as deeper faults of varying depths (from 400 to 2600 m) that influence the basin structure, aquifer geometry and resulting water flow. The combination of these approaches revealed that the variations in the aquifer thickness, piezometric surface depression zones and groundwater flow are mainly controlled by shallow and deep geological structures and their tectonic reactivation.

Application of Multi-Near-Surface Geophysical Surveys for Geothermal Spring: A Case Study in Kon Tum Province, Vietnam

The occurrence of geothermal spring not only enhances human health, but also plays a crucial role in generating community’s revenue that boosts up the standard living of locals. An endeavor has been made to delineate the prospective areas of geothermal spring in Kon Tum province, Vietnam by the utilization of joint-geophysical techniques. The blended mode as mentioned is opted for its superiority in providing the rapidassesments of temperature in shallow temperature survey, comprehensive understanding the subsurface structure in electrical resistivity tomography in copporating with the validation in well log interpretation. The results found that the overlapping region of high temperature (35°C) region and low resistivity (200 Ωm) is observed in the east in the vicinity of Dlak Bla river, and it probably broadens to the west of the study area. The outcome of geophysical approaches strongly concur with the well log interpretation, revealing the presence of water-bearing zone encountered in fractured granite. The results also corroborated the existence of concealing fault F5 as a branch of the NE-SW fault F2 which is favorable for creating a route to form the geothermal spring. The output of this research could be considered as an intentive consultation for Kon Tum’s planners and makers on expanding the investigation and exploitation.

Cenozoic morphotectonic evolution of the eastern edge of Paraná Sedimentary Basin, southern Brazil

The Paraná Sedimentary Basin (PSB) is one of the most important geotectonic structures on the South American continent and its tectono-sedimentary evolution has been widely investigated, especially during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic. However, the post-rift Cenozoic dynamics need further studies to fully understand its evolution. Hence, this research aims to add data and interpretations regarding the morphostructural features inherent in the Cenozoic tectonic framework, especially in the south/southeast region of Brazil. Here, we explore the Cenozoic processes of tectonic reactivation of preexisting structural features, as well as the neoformation of structural features, considering that Mesozoic sedimentary and volcanic strata of the Serra Geral Group in the Paraná Basin were deformed by Cenozoic joints and faults. For this purpose, structural and geomorphological (morphometric) analyses were used in the Itararé and Cinzas rivers catchments, on the eastern edge of the PSB. The study area is part of the Ponta Grossa Arch domain, in the northeast of Paraná state and southwest of São Paulo state. The structural data collected, when associated with the morphometric analyses (qualitative and quantitative), were compatible, showing the influence of tectonic structuring on the geomorphological framework of the investigated watersheds, resulting in the morphotectonic compartmentalization of the surveyed area. Alterations to the topographic surface, asymmetry patterns in the watersheds, disturbances in the longitudinal river profiles and anomalies in the drainage network patterns are the result of reactivation of ancient NE-SW and NW-SE faults in the crystalline basement and present in the units that fill the sedimentary basin, as well as new families of faults, mainly in N–S and E-W direction. The structural analysis supported the determination of the Cenozoic paleostress fields, defined from the analysis of the fault population, spatial arrangement and through statistical and mechanical treatment of the kinematic structural data. The results of the paleostress tensors indicate a landscape evolution associated with at least four tectonic pulses, which compressive SHmax values are oriented in NE-SW, N–S, NW-SE and E-W directions, respectively. These are in agreement with the main regional scientific studies in southern and southeastern Brazil, which involve tectonic events from the Upper Cretaceous and Paleogene, advancing into the Neogene and up to at least the Pleistocene.

Structural architecture and maturity of Val d’Agri faults, Italy: Inferences from natural and induced seismicity

The Val d’Agri Basin is a Quaternary sedimentary basin topping multiple tectonic units of the southern Apennines fold-and-thrust belt and a giant oilfield within deeper Apulian Platform carbonates. This basin is bounded by the seismically active East Agri (EAFS) and Monti della Maddalena (MMFS) extensional fault systems. The reservoir rocks are sealed and separated from shallower thrust sheets by a clay-rich and overpressured mélange. The role of this mélange during fault evolution at shallow crustal levels is widely debated and perhaps underestimated. Here, through multi-scale structural analyses and U–Pb dating of syn-tectonic calcite mineralizations, we gain new insights into the Val d’Agri fault system architecture, their structural maturity, and their relations with both natural and induced seismicity. Consistent with present-day NE-SW crustal stretching, the macro-scale structural architecture of both EAFS and MMFS is controlled by NW-SE and NE-SW fault sets, which displaced and in part re-sheared inherited pre- and syn-orogenic structures. The lack of evident clustering of meso-scale faults and the radial pattern of related slickenlines suggest that polygonal-like faulting occurred, particularly along the EAFS, due to lateral spreading of the Irpinia mélange in the subsurface. Structural data show that the MMFS is characterized by a higher structural maturity (slip longevity), with calcite U–Pb ages indicating the onset of long-lasting extensional tectonics in Early-Middle Miocene time. The original results are discussed in terms of seismotectonic setting of the study area, emphasizing the role played by both the thickness and spatial distribution of plastic mélange in modulating fluid pressure and seismic faulting.

Mechanism of denitrification in subsurface-dammed Ryukyu limestone aquifer, southern Okinawa Island, Japan

Denitrification crucially regulates the attenuation of groundwater nitrate and is unlikely to occur in a fast-flowing aquifer such as the Ryukyu limestone aquifer in southern Okinawa Island, Japan. However, evidences of denitrification have been observed in several wells within this region. This study analyzed environmental isotopes (δ15NNO3 and ẟ18ONO3) to derive the rationale for denitrification at this site. Additionally, the presence of two subsurface dams in the study area may influence the processes involved in nitrate attenuation. Herein, we analyzed 150 groundwater samples collected spatially and seasonally to characterize the variations in the groundwater chemistry and stable isotopes during denitrification. The values of δ15NNO3 and δ18ONO3 displayed a progressive trend up to +59.7 ‰ and + 21 ‰, respectively, whereas the concentrations of NO3−–N decreased to 0.1 mg L−1. In several wells, the enrichment factors of δ15NNO3 ranged from −6.6 to −2.1, indicating rapid denitrification, and the δ15NNO3 to δ18ONO3 ratios varied from 1.3:1 to 2:1, confirming the occurrence of denitrification. Denitrification intensively proceeds under conditions of depleted dissolved oxygen concentrations (<2 mg L−1), sluggish groundwater flow with longer residence times, high concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (>1.2 mg L−1), and low groundwater levels during the dry season with precipitation rates of <100 mm per month (Jun–Sep). SF6 analysis indicated the exclusive occurrence of denitrification in specific wells with groundwater residence times exceeding 30 years. These wells are located in close proximity to the major NE–SW fault system in the Komesu area, where the hydraulic gradient was below 0.005. Detailed geological and lithological investigations based on borehole data revealed that subsurface dams did not cause denitrification while the major NE–SW fault system uplifted the impermeable basement rock of the Shimajiri Group, creating a lithological gap at an equivalent depth that ultimately formed a sluggish groundwater area, promoting denitrification.

EARTH TREMORS - EMERGING THREATS IN NORTHERN NIGERIA

The August 2000 Jushi Kwari, September 2016 Kwoi Kaduna, and September 2018 Mpape (Abuja) seismic events have clearly placed Nigeria's Northern states at high risk of earth tremors. Although the Northern part of Nigeria is far from earthquake-prone zones around the world, recent seismic activity in the region suggests that Northern Nigeria is now vulnerable to earthquakes. As a result, the purpose of this research is to identify the vulnerability and assess the evolution of tremor activities in Nigeria's Northern States. Previous research has revealed dominant NE-SW and NW-SE trending structures distributed throughout Northern Nigeria, with all major regional fault lines (Romanche, Chain Charlot, and St Paul) extending from the Atlantic Ocean linked to NE-SW and SW faults, which are interpreted as conduits of seismic energy that cause earth tremors in Nigeria.

Crustal and Lithospheric Variations along the Western Passive Continental Margin of the Indian Peninsula

The western passive continental margin (WPCM) of the Indian Peninsula is one of the world's largest and most remarkable escarpments, signifying a boundary between oceanic and continental lithospheres. It traverses distinct lithological units, majorly the SGT, WDC, and DVP, each characterized by distinct geological structures, geochronological histories, and petro-physical properties. Despite numerous research efforts, the exact mechanisms governing the WPCM evolution and its developmental connections remain unclear due to limited data and significant uncertainties. In our study, we meticulously analyzed global and local models, focusing on the Western Ghats (WG), to examine crust and lithosphere thickness. Our analysis revealed significant uncertainties in crustal and lithospheric variations, with a maximum difference of 10.68% in crust thickness and 20.04% in lithospheric thickness across different major lithological formations in the WG. These differences can have a substantial impact on the geodynamic analysis of lithospheric structures and tectonic evolution. Additionally, we developed a 2-D lithospheric density model over the WG, crossing the major geological units, which delineates the crust and lithospheric structure between the eastern and western sides of the escarpment. Our results, in conjunction with geomorphological data, suggest that the WPCM’s thick lithosphere with elevated topography illustrates a continuous upwarp, supported by flexural compensation of uplifted terrain. The movement of the Indian plate, primarily in the N-S and NW-SE directions, subsequently modified the entire escarpment. This model offers insights into the evolution of the WPCM and potentially contributes to the formation of the NE-SW fault in the southern part of the South Indian Shield, with potential implications for the Palghat gap.

Late Quaternary deformation in the western extension of the North Anatolian Fault (North Evia, Greece): Insights from very high-resolution seismic data (WATER surveys)

Since the Pliocene, rift basins have developed in the North Evia region at the south-western extension of the North Anatolian Fault. North Evia, therefore, is a key area for investigating Plio-Quaternary deformation within the diffuse Anatolian-Aegean–Eurasian plate boundary. In this study, we present a detailed map of offshore faults in the North Evia region based on three seismic reflection surveys: an airgun (2004) and two very high-resolution Sparker (2017 and 2021) single-channel surveys. Careful and systematic interpretation of these datasets revealed i) the identification of a new basin (Skiathos Basin) located at the western extension of the North Anatolian Fault and ii) two main fault sets striking oblique to the active N–S-directed extension. The seismicity analysis of the study area reveals pure strike-slip displacements along faults previously identified as normal. The NW–SE-striking faults bordering the North Evia Gulf rift are characterised by left-lateral displacements, and the NE–SW faults present dextral focal mechanisms, following the kinematic character of the North Anatolian Fault. We show that dextral strike-slip deformation recently occurred (in the late Quaternary) in the south-western extension of the North Anatolian Fault, suggesting the significant role of this fault system in the complex structural development of the North Evia region.

The 2021–2022 Genoa seismic sequences reveal distributed strike-slip deformation in the Alps-Apennines transition zone, NW Italy

The complex tectonic evolution of the Alps-Apennines transition zone in NW Italy is still a matter of debate. In this work, we analyze the 2021–2022 seismic sequences around Genoa to understand how convergence between Africa and Europe is presently accommodated across the Alps-Apennines transition zone. The map-view distribution of HypoDD-relocated seismic events reveals a NE-SW alignment for the Savignone seismic sequence, and NNW-SSE alignments for the Borzonasca and Bargagli sequences. The Borzonasca seismic sequence plots in correspondence of the Villalvernia-Varzi-Ottone Fault, which is often considered as the boundary between the Alps and the Apennines, whereas no seismicity is documented along the Sestri-Voltaggio Fault. The main-shock focal solutions are invariably strike-slip, with near-vertical NNW-SSE and NE-SW to ENE-WSW nodal planes. The evident earthquake alignments in the study area mark active, km-scale fault planes in the upper crust, pointing to a scenario of distributed strike-slip deformation in the transition zone between the Alps and the Apennines. The NE-SW faults are inherited structures that underwent major Neogene rotations and are no longer suitably oriented to accommodate the northward motion of Adria relative to Europe. The Bargagli seismic sequence may reflect the formation of new NNW-SSE strike-slip faults in the upper crust that are more suitably oriented to accommodate the present-day stress field, consistent with the seismotectonic framework outlined by recent works in the nearby regions of the Adria-Europe plate-boundary zone. Our results highlight the important role of strike-slip faulting in the Adria-Europe plate boundary zone not only in the past, but also during its present-day evolution.

Tectonic Analysis of the Tall Al Qarn Pressure Ridge, Dead Sea Transform Fault, Jordan

Jordan's Dead Sea Transform is made up of three morphotectonic elements: Wadi Araba, Dead Sea Basin, and Jordan Valley. A few pressure ridges and depressions exist in the Jordan Valley Fault. Among these, the Tall Al Qarn pressure ridge is one of the active Dead Sea Transform's morphotectonic features. Stratigraphically, the Waqqas (Miocene), Ghor Al Katar (Early Pleistocene), and Lisan (Late Pleistocene) Formations constitute the rock outcrops in the study area. The ridge was created when the sinistral strike-slip fault of the Jordan Valley bent rightward. The major structures include the Waqqas and Ghor Al Katar inclined beds, the NW-SE oriented normal and NE-SW reverse faults and the ESE-WNW oriented dextral strike-slip faults. Faults and folds indicate a local NW-SE compressional stress caused by the sinistral Jordan Valley Fault's right bending. The steeply dipping Ghor Al Katar strata, which are overlain by the horizontal Lisan beds, display a prominent angular unconformity. Many horizontal Lisan beds exhibit abundant synsedimentary deformational features, indicating the energetic seismic activity at that time.

Assessment of groundwater aquifer using geophysical and remote sensing data on the area of Central Sinai, Egypt

The study aims to assess groundwater resources in Sinai's central area using remote sensing, geoelectric, and well-logging data, utilising techniques for modelling hydrogeological frameworks and evaluating desert regions' groundwater potential. Its utilized satellite image sources, soil maps, and geological maps to map the effects of various factors on groundwater potentiality recharge, dividing it into five zones. Eighteen deep VES stations were used to examine the upper part of the groundwater aquifer in Central Sinai, Egypt, comparing it with available borehole information (Well-1, and JICA-1) to establish subsurface geology and hydro-geology positioning. Borehole data, VES interpretation results, hydro-geophysical maps, and four geoelectrical cross-sections were used to visualize the rearward expansion of eight lithological units, groundwater-bearing sections, and aquifer-filled thicknesses. From interpretation data output reveal three zones with significant recharge and storage potential, including two groundwater aquifers. The shallow aquifer has a saturation thickness of the fractured limestone of 35–250 m, while the deep aquifer Nubian sandstone is detected at depths ranging from 660–1030 m. NW–SE and NE–SW faults likely recharge conduits connecting shallow and deep aquifers, providing sites with acceptable groundwater potential for living, agriculture, and development in Sinai.

Role of inherited fault reactivation in accommodating multistage deformation in the southwestern margin of the Ulleung Basin, East Sea (Sea of Japan): Insights from 3D seismic interpretation

The southwestern margin of the Ulleung Basin, the East Sea (Sea of Japan), preserves complex structural and stratigraphic architectures produced by a multistage tectonic evolution in response to the Cenozoic convergence of the Indian and Pacific/Philippine Sea Plates to the Eurasian Plate. However, the origin, geometry, kinematics, and interrelationship of geological structures that evolved through the multistage tectonic deformation remain elusive, particularly regarding the role of structural inheritance in the evolution of the basin. Based on comprehensive 2D and 3D multichannel seismic reflection and well data, we present structural interpretations of regional-scale faults, folds, and growth strata in the southwestern margin of the Ulleung Basin, with a focus on inherited fault reactivation. In addition, a revisited deformation framework is proposed, involving back-arc extension/normal faulting (stage 1: ca. 23 to 15 Ma), positive inversion/reverse faulting (stage 2: 15 to 10.6 Ma), and strike-slip faulting/local transpression (stage 3: 10.6 Ma to present). Here, we illustrate how the reverse reactivation and propagation of segmented NE–SW normal faults and subsequent strike-slip movement have led to the complex structural and stratigraphic architectures presently evident in the study area. Notably, the final overprinting of a strike-slip deformation on the inherited NE–SW faults during deformation stage 3 has caused significantly damaged stepovers and tips, in which secondary faults and folds might control hydrocarbon migration/trapping and leakage. In this context, we suggest that the gentle antiformal Gorae Ⅰ structure is linked in origin to the Gorae Ⅴ structure, bearing a commercially viable gas trap as a detachment fold system formed by local transpression during deformation stage 3. Our comprehensive 3D structural seismic interpretation increases the understanding of Cenozoic multistage deformation, highlighting the impact of different tectonic drivers affecting the eastern marginal sea of the Eurasian Plate.

Geometric and kinematic analysis of faults bordering the Andaman sea continental shelves: a 3D seismic case study

To clarify the tectonic evolution of M15 block in the Andaman Sea, we perform a delicate study of fault geometry and dynamics using a 3D seismic data. The data reveal eight sequence interfaces from the Early Oligocene to the Quaternary, large scale and multi angle extensional strike-slip faults, and a series of normal faults. The two large scale faults F1 and F2 start in the Eocene and end in the Quaternary, controlling the regional structure. The NNE-SSW strike-slip F1 fault belongs to the South Sagaing fault and the NNE-SSW strike-slip F2 is the eastern Andaman fault, the strike-slip movement of which are controlled by the impact of the collision between the Indian plate and the Eurasian plate. Through the analysis of the fault development history by the method of the ancient drop and the growth index, we find that most of the large or secondary scale faults reach the maximum drop and growth index in the Miocene, indicating that the Miocene is a significant period of plate collision enhancing and faults generating. The regional stress field is dominated by E-W tension. The continental crust has expanded rapidly from the Oligocene to the Miocene which results in the rapid subsidence of the crust. This regional stress intensity becomes weak after the Miocene. The activities of the faults caused a large difference in terrain height between the west and the east in the study area, forming a pattern of the western depression and the eastern terrace. Many NNE-SSW, NE-SW or NEE-SWW trend strike-slip faults and minor faults develop in the Miocene. It echoes the event that the convergence and subduction of the Indian plate from SW to NE direction led to the right rotation and N-NNE strike-slip of the West Myanmar block in the Miocene, thus forming a regional large strike-slip fault. All of the faults affect the structure of the region.

A multidisciplinary geochemical approach to geothermal resource exploration: The Spezzano Albanese thermal system, southern Italy

This work aims to define the geothermal conceptual model of the Spezzano Albanese thermal system located in the northern sector of the Calabria Region, along the western edge of the Sibari Plain. The study confirms that the deep thermal reservoir of Spezzano Albanese is mainly hosted within the permeable levels of the evaporite deposits of the Messinian succession including siltstones with manganese mineralisation, halite, and gypsum-arenites. The thermal waters show discharging temperature between 20.2 and 26.6 °C and a high compositional variability, from Na–Cl to Na–Ca–HCO3. The compositional evolution (from Na–Cl to Na–HCO3) is accompanied by a decrease in both salinity and the concentrations of most dissolved constituents, including Cl, Br, B, Li, Na, K, Mg, Ca, and Ba. These variations are due to mixing between the thermal endmember, rich in Cl and related components, and low-salinity, cold shallow waters (temperature between 17.5 and 22.7 °C). The study points out that the thermal endmember derives by halite dissolution and more complex water-rock interaction processes involving (1) the dissolution of other solid phases of the Messinian deposits, as also confirmed by δ34S values of dissolved sulphate and sulphide, and (2) the precipitation of secondary solid phases (e.g., barite). The geothermometric modelling suggests that the thermal groundwaters in the deep reservoir are probably in equilibrium with either (i) quartz, calcite, disordered dolomite, low-albite, and K-feldspar, as well as with pyrophyllite and poorly crystalline kaolinite (as proxies of clay minerals) at temperatures of 65.5 ± 4.5 °C or (ii) quartz, calcite, disordered dolomite, low-albite, disordered adularia, laumontite and saponites at temperatures of 56.1 ± 4.3 °C, based on the first and second geothermometric model, respectively.The δ18O and δ2H values of water confirm a meteoric origin for the thermal waters with average recharge altitudes between 745 and 857 m a.s.l. These elevations are compatible with the recharge from the western side of the Esaro valley where evaporite successions are found close to the surface.The isotopic value of the dissolved CO2 associated to the Spezzano Terme water highlights its likely microbial origin, as recognised for other thermal circuits hosted in sedimentary rocks of the southern Apennines. Furthermore, the thermal endmember shows a noteworthy enrichment in CH4 with respect to air due to the interaction of groundwater with sediments rich in organic matter. Although methane could have a biogenic origin, the presence of a minor component of thermogenic methane in the gas phase dissolved in the Spezzano Terme waters cannot be completely excluded.The data obtained in this study allow to assume that the recharge meteoric waters descend to a maximum depth of about 1.1–1.4 km below the main emergence area and then the regional NE-SW fault systems probably act as a preferential pathway for the ascent of the thermal waters towards the surface. These waters discharge at Spezzano Albanese, where the crystalline-metamorphic units cropping out immediately upstream of the emergence area act as cap-rock favouring the final ascent towards the surface of the thermal waters.