The Schneeberg Normal Fault Zone: Normal faulting associated with Cretaceous SE-directed extrusion in the Eastern Alps (Italy/Austria)

2005 ◽  
Vol 401 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 143-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helmuth Sölva ◽  
Bernhard Grasemann ◽  
Martin Thöni ◽  
Rasmus Thiede ◽  
Gerlinde Habler
Keyword(s):  
Fault Zone ◽  
Normal Fault ◽  
Eastern Alps ◽  
Normal Faulting

Modelling the effects of normal faulting on alluvial river morphodynamics.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hessel Woolderink ◽  
Steven Weisscher ◽  
Maarten Kleinhans ◽  
Cornelis Kasse ◽  
Ronald Van Balen
Keyword(s):  
Fault Zone ◽  
Dynamic Equilibrium ◽  
Normal Fault ◽  
Vertical Displacement ◽  
Normal Faulting ◽  
Alluvial Rivers ◽  
Alluvial River ◽  
River Bed ◽  
Chute Cutoff ◽  
Meander Bends

<p>Normal faulting acts as a forcing on the morphodynamics of alluvial rivers by changing the topographic gradient of the river valley and channel around the fault zone. Normal faulting affects river morphodynamics either instantaneously by surface rupturing earthquakes, or gradually by continuous vertical displacement. The morphodynamic responses to normal faulting range from longitudinal bed profile adjustments to channel pattern changes. However, the effect of faulting on river morphodynamics and morphology is complex, as they also depend on numerous local, non-tectonic characteristics of flow, river bed/bank composition and vegetation cover. Moreover, river response to faulting is often transient. Such time-dependent river response is important to consider when deriving relationships between faulting and river dynamics from a morphological and sedimentological record. To enhance our understanding of river response to tectonic faulting, we used the physics-based, two-dimensional morphodynamic model Nays2D to simulate the responses of a laboratory-scale alluvial river to various faulting and offset scenarios. Our model focusses on the morphodynamic responses at the scale of multiple meander bends around a normal fault zone. Channel sinuosity increases as the downstream meander bend expands as a result of the faulting-enhanced valley gradient, after which a chute cutoff reduces channel sinuosity to a new dynamic equilibrium that is generally higher than the pre-faulting sinuosity. Relative uplift of the downstream part of the river due to a fault leads to reduced fluvial activity upstream, caused by a backwater effect. The position along a meander bend at which faulting occurs has a profound influence on channel sinuosity; fault locations that enhance flow velocities over the point bar result in a faster sinuosity increase and subsequent chute cutoff than locations that cause increased flow velocity directed towards the outer floodplain. Our study shows that inclusion of process-based reasoning in the interpretation of geomorphological and sedimentological observations of fluvial response to faulting improves our understanding of the natural processes involved and, therefore, contributes to better prediction of faulting effects on river morphodynamics.</p>

Fast cooling of normal-fault footwalls: rapid fault slip or thermal relaxation?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reinhard Wolff ◽  
Ralf Hetzel ◽  
István Dunkl ◽  
Aneta A. Anczkiewicz ◽  
Hannah Pomella
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Relaxation ◽  
Normal Fault ◽  
Geothermal Gradient ◽  
Eastern Alps ◽  
Fault Slip ◽  
European Alps ◽  
Normal Faulting ◽  
Heat Advection ◽  
Fast Cooling ◽  
Parallel Extension

<p>Rapid rock exhumation in mountain belts is often associated with crustal-scale normal faulting during late-orogenic extension. The process of normal faulting advects hot footwall rocks towards the Earth's surface, which shifts isotherms upwards and increases the geothermal gradient. When faulting stops, this process is reversed and isotherms move downwards during thermal relaxation. Owing to these temporal changes of the geothermal gradient, it is not straightforward to derive the history of faulting from mineral cooling ages (Braun, 2016). Here, we combine thermochronological data with thermokinematic modeling to illustrate the importance of syntectonic heat advection and posttectonic thermal relaxation for a crustal-scale normal fault in the European Alps. The N–S trending Brenner fault defines the western margin of the Tauern Window and caused the exhumation of medium-grade metamorphic rocks during Miocene orogen-parallel extension of the Alps (Rosenberg & Garcia, 2011; Fügenschuh et al., 2012). We analyzed samples from a 2-km-thick crustal section, including a 1000-m-long drillcore. Zircon and apatite (U-Th)/He ages along this transect increase with elevation from ~8 to ~10 Ma and from ~7 to ~9 Ma, respectively, but differ by only ~1 Myr in individual samples. Thermokinematic modeling of the ages indicates that the Brenner fault became active 19±2 Ma ago and caused 35±10 km of crustal extension, which is consistent with independent geological constraints. The model results further suggest that the fault slipped at a total rate of 4.2±0.9 km/Myr and became inactive 8.8±0.4 Ma ago. Our findings demonstrate that both syntectonic heat advection and posttectonic thermal relaxation are responsible for the cooling pattern observed in the footwall of the Brenner normal fault.</p><p>References</p><p>Braun, J., 2016, Strong imprint of past orogenic events on the thermochronological record: Tectonophysics, v. 683, p. 325–332.</p><p>Fügenschuh, B., Mancktelow, N., Schmid, S., 2012, Comment on Rosenberg and Garcia: Estimating displacement along the Brenner Fault and orogen-parallel extension in the Eastern Alps: Int. J. Earth Sci., v. 101, p. 1451–1455.</p><p>Rosenberg, C.L., Garcia, S., 2011, Estimating displacement along the Brenner Fault and orogen-parallel extension in the Eastern Alps: Int. J. Earth Sci., v. 100, p. 1129–1145.</p><p>Wolff, R., Hetzel, R., Dunkl, I., Anczkiewicz, A.A., Pomella, H. 2020, Fast cooling of normal-fault footwalls: rapid fault slip or thermal relaxation? Geology, v. 48, doi:10.1130/G46940.1.</p>

scholarly journals Morphotectonic Analysis along the Northern Margin of Samos Island, Related to the Seismic Activity of October 2020, Aegean Sea, Greece

Geosciences ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 102
Author(s):  
Paraskevi Nomikou ◽  
Dimitris Evangelidis ◽  
Dimitrios Papanikolaou ◽  
Danai Lampridou ◽  
Dimitris Litsas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fault Zone ◽  
Seismic Activity ◽  
Volcanic Rocks ◽  
Active Tectonics ◽  
Normal Fault ◽  
Aegean Sea ◽  
Northern Margin ◽  
The North ◽  
Eastern Aegean ◽  
Half Graben

On 30 October 2020, a strong earthquake of magnitude 7.0 occurred north of Samos Island at the Eastern Aegean Sea, whose earthquake mechanism corresponds to an E-W normal fault dipping to the north. During the aftershock period in December 2020, a hydrographic survey off the northern coastal margin of Samos Island was conducted onboard R/V NAFTILOS. The result was a detailed bathymetric map with 15 m grid interval and 50 m isobaths and a morphological slope map. The morphotectonic analysis showed the E-W fault zone running along the coastal zone with 30–50° of slope, forming a half-graben structure. Numerous landslides and canyons trending N-S, transversal to the main direction of the Samos coastline, are observed between 600 and 100 m water depth. The ENE-WSW oriented western Samos coastline forms the SE margin of the neighboring deeper Ikaria Basin. A hummocky relief was detected at the eastern margin of Samos Basin probably representing volcanic rocks. The active tectonics characterized by N-S extension is very different from the Neogene tectonics of Samos Island characterized by NE-SW compression. The mainshock and most of the aftershocks of the October 2020 seismic activity occur on the prolongation of the north dipping E-W fault zone at about 12 km depth.

The 4 December 2015 Mw 7.1 Normal-Faulting Antarctic Plate Earthquake and Its Seismotectonic Implications

2020 ◽  
Vol 110 (3) ◽  
pp. 1090-1100
Author(s):  
Ronia Andrews ◽  
Kusala Rajendran ◽  
N. Purnachandra Rao
Keyword(s):  
Body Wave ◽  
Focal Depth ◽  
Normal Fault ◽  
Normal Faults ◽  
Oceanic Plate ◽  
Normal Faulting ◽  
Transform Faults ◽  
Wave Inversion ◽  
Spreading Ridges ◽  
Southeast Indian Ridge

ABSTRACT Oceanic plate seismicity is generally dominated by normal and strike-slip faulting associated with active spreading ridges and transform faults. Fossil structural fabrics inherited from spreading ridges also host earthquakes. The Indian Oceanic plate, considered quite active seismically, has hosted earthquakes both on its active and fossil fault systems. The 4 December 2015 Mw 7.1 normal-faulting earthquake, located ∼700  km south of the southeast Indian ridge in the southern Indian Ocean, is a rarity due to its location away from the ridge, lack of association with any mapped faults and its focal depth close to the 800°C isotherm. We present results of teleseismic body-wave inversion that suggest that the earthquake occurred on a north-northwest–south-southeast-striking normal fault at a depth of 34 km. The rupture propagated at 2.7  km/s with compact slip over an area of 48×48  km2 around the hypocenter. Our analysis of the background tectonics suggests that our chosen fault plane is in the same direction as the mapped normal faults on the eastern flanks of the Kerguelen plateau. We propose that these buried normal faults, possibly the relics of the ancient rifting might have been reactivated, leading to the 2015 midplate earthquake.

Three-dimensional characterization of a crustal-scale fault zone: The Pusteria and Sprechenstein fault system (Eastern Alps)

2010 ◽  
Vol 32 (12) ◽  
pp. 2022-2041 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Bistacchi ◽  
Matteo Massironi ◽  
Luca Menegon
Keyword(s):  
Fault Zone ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Eastern Alps ◽  
Fault System

scholarly journals Seismic-Scale Evidence of Thrust-Perpendicular Normal Faulting in the Western Outer Carpathians, Poland

Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1252
Author(s):  
Jan Barmuta ◽  
Krzysztof Starzec ◽  
Wojciech Schnabel
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Fault Plane ◽  
Normal Fault ◽  
Normal Faulting ◽  
Seismic Profiles ◽  
Horizontal Movement ◽  
Outer Carpathians ◽  
Differential Uplift ◽  
Seismic Scale ◽  
Detachment Surface

Based on the interpretation of 2D seismic profiles integrated with surface geological investigations, a mechanism responsible for the formation of a large scale normal fault zone has been proposed. The fault, here referred to as the Rycerka Fault, has a predominantly normal dip-slip component with the detachment surface located at the base of Carpathian units. The fault developed due to the formation of an anticlinal stack within the Dukla Unit overlain by the Magura Units. Stacking of a relatively narrow duplex led to the growth of a dome-like culmination in the lower unit, i.e., the Dukla Unit, and, as a consequence of differential uplift of the unit above and outside the duplex, the upper unit (the Magura Unit) was subjected to stretching. This process invoked normal faulting along the lateral culmination wall and was facilitated by the regional, syn-thrusting arc–parallel extension. Horizontal movement along the fault plane is a result of tear faulting accommodating a varied rate of advancement of Carpathian units. The time of the fault formation is not well constrained; however, based on superposition criterion, the syn -thrusting origin is anticipated.

scholarly journals Seismic Activity of the Manisa Fault Zone in Western Turkey Constrained by Cosmogenic 36Cl Dating

Geosciences ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 451
Author(s):  
Nasim Mozafari ◽  
Çağlar Özkaymak ◽  
Dmitry Tikhomirov ◽  
Susan Ivy-Ochs ◽  
Vasily Alfimov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fault Zone ◽  
Normal Fault ◽  
Vertical Displacement ◽  
Historical Records ◽  
Western Turkey ◽  
Slip Rates ◽  
Vertical Displacements ◽  
Surface Ruptures ◽  
Fault Scarps ◽  
Calculated Average

This study reports on the cosmogenic 36Cl dating of two normal fault scarps in western Turkey, that of the Manastır and Mugırtepe faults, beyond existing historical records. These faults are elements of the western Manisa Fault Zone (MFZ) in the seismically active Gediz Graben. Our modeling revealed that the Manastır fault underwent at least two surface ruptures at 3.5 ± 0.9 ka and 2.0 ± 0.5 ka, with vertical displacements of 3.3 ± 0.5 m and 3.6 ± 0.5 m, respectively. An event at 6.5 ± 1.6 ka with a vertical displacement of 2.7 ± 0.4 m was reconstructed on the Mugırtepe fault. We attribute these earthquakes to the recurring MFZ ruptures, when also the investigated faults slipped. We calculated average slip rates of 1.9 and 0.3 mm yr−1 for the Manastır and Mugırtepe faults, respectively.

Titanium-in-quartz thermometry on synkinematic quartz veins in a retrograde crustal-scale normal fault zone

2013 ◽  
Vol 608 ◽  
pp. 468-481 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mike Haertel ◽  
Marco Herwegh ◽  
Thomas Pettke
Keyword(s):  
Fault Zone ◽  
Normal Fault ◽  
Quartz Veins

Normal fault zone evolution and fault scarp degradation in the Aegean region

2007 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 139-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
IAIN S. Stewart ◽  
PAUL L. Hancock
Keyword(s):  
Fault Zone ◽  
Normal Fault ◽  
Fault Scarp ◽  
Aegean Region

Validation of Coupled FDM-DEM Approach on the Soil-Raft Foundation Interaction Subjected to Normal Faulting

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fang Ru-Ya ◽  
Lin Cheng-Han ◽  
Lin Ming-Lang
Keyword(s):  
Active Fault ◽  
Ground Deformation ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Hanging Wall ◽  
Normal Fault ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Foot Wall ◽  
Normal Faulting ◽  
Raft Foundation ◽  
Overburden Soil

<p>Recent earthquake events have shown that besides the strong ground motions, the coseismic faulting often caused substantial ground deformation and destructions of near-fault structures. In Taiwan, many high-rise buildings with raft foundation are close to the active fault due to the dense population. The Shanchiao Fault, which is a famous active fault, is the potentially dangerous normal fault to the capital of Taiwan (Taipei). This study aims to use coupled FDM-DEM approach for parametrically analyzing the soil-raft foundation interaction subjected to normal faulting. The coupled FDM-DEM approach includes two numerical frameworks: the DEM-based model to capture the deformation behavior of overburden soil, and the FDM-based model to investigate the responses of raft foundation. The analytical approach was first verified by three  benchmark cases and theoretical solutions. After the verification, a series of small-scale sandbox model was used to validate the performance of the coupled FDM-DEM model in simulating deformation behaviors of overburden soil and structure elements. The full-scale numerical models were then built to understand the effects of relative location between the fault tip and foundation in the normal fault-soil-raft foundation behavior. Preliminary results show that the raft foundation located above the fault tip suffered to greater displacement, rotation, and inclination due to the intense deformation of the triangular shear zone in the overburden soil. The raft foundation also exhibited distortion during faulting. Based on the results, we suggest different adaptive strategies for the raft foundation located on foot wall and hanging wall if the buildings are necessary to be constructed within the active fault zone. It is the first time that the coupled FDM-DEM approach has been carefully validated and applied to study the normal fault-soil-raft foundation problems. The novel numerical framework is expected to contribute to design aids in future practical engineering.</p><p><strong>Keywords</strong>: Coupled FDM-DEM approach; normal faulting; ground deformation; soil-foundation interaction; raft foundation.</p>

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