scholarly journals Seismic investigation of an active ocean–continent transform margin: the interaction between the Swan Islands Fault Zone and the ultraslow-spreading Mid-Cayman Spreading Centre

2019 ◽  
Vol 219 (1) ◽  
pp. 159-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
C Peirce ◽  
A H Robinson ◽  
A M Campbell ◽  
M J Funnell ◽  
I Grevemeyer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Continental Crust ◽  
Oceanic Crust ◽  
Fault Zone ◽  
Lower Crust ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Transform Fault ◽  
Apparent Lack ◽  
The North ◽  
Transform Margin

SUMMARY The Swan Islands Transform Fault (SITF) marks the southern boundary of the Cayman Trough and the ocean–continent transition of the North American–Caribbean Plate boundary offshore Honduras. The CAYSEIS experiment acquired a 180-km-long seismic refraction and gravity profile across this transform margin, ∼70 km to the west of the Mid-Cayman Spreading Centre (MCSC). This profile shows the crustal structure across a transform fault system that juxtaposes Mesozoic-age continental crust to the south against the ∼10-Myr-old ultraslow spread oceanic crust to the north. Ocean-bottom seismographs were deployed along-profile, and inverse and forward traveltime modelling, supported by gravity analysis, reveals ∼23-km-thick continental crust that has been thinned over a distance of ∼70 km to ∼10 km-thick at the SITF, juxtaposed against ∼4-km-thick oceanic crust. This thinning is primarily accommodated within the lower crust. Since Moho reflections are not widely observed, the 7.0 km s−1 velocity contour is used to define the Moho along-profile. The apparent lack of reflections to the north of the SITF suggests that the Moho is more likely a transition zone between crust and mantle. Where the profile traverses bathymetric highs in the off-axis oceanic crust, higher P-wave velocity is observed at shallow crustal depths. S-wave arrival modelling also reveals elevated velocities at shallow depths, except for crust adjacent to the SITF that would have occupied the inside corner high of the ridge-transform intersection when on axis. We use a Vp/Vs ratio of 1.9 to mark where lithologies of the lower crust and uppermost mantle may be exhumed, and also to locate the upper-to-lower crustal transition, identify relict oceanic core complexes and regions of magmatically formed crust. An elevated Vp/Vs ratio suggests not only that serpentinized peridotite may be exposed at the seafloor in places, but also that seawater has been able to flow deep into the crust and upper mantle over 20–30-km-wide regions which may explain the lack of a distinct Moho. The SITF has higher velocities at shallower depths than observed in the oceanic crust to the north and, at the seabed, it is a relatively wide feature. However, the velocity–depth model subseabed suggests a fault zone no wider than ∼5–10 km, that is mirrored by a narrow seabed depression ∼7500 m deep. Gravity modelling shows that the SITF is also underlain, at >2 km subseabed, by a ∼20-km-wide region of density >3000 kg m−3 that may reflect a broad region of metamorphism. The residual mantle Bouguer anomaly across the survey region, when compared with the bathymetry, suggests that the transform may also have a component of left-lateral trans-tensional displacement that accounts for its apparently broad seabed appearance, and that the focus of magma supply may currently be displaced to the north of the MCSC segment centre. Our results suggest that Swan Islands margin development caused thinning of the adjacent continental crust, and that the adjacent oceanic crust formed in a cool ridge setting, either as a result of reduced mantle upwelling and/or due to fracture enhanced fluid flow.

Petrology of a transform fault zone and adjacent ridge segments

1971 ◽  
Vol 268 (1192) ◽  
pp. 423-441 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Oceanic Crust ◽  
Fault Zone ◽  
Fracture Zone ◽  
Volcanic Eruptions ◽  
Spreading Ridge ◽  
Transform Fault ◽  
Transform Faults ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
The North ◽  
Transform Fault Zone

The Verna Fracture Zone in the North Atlantic (9 to 11° N), which has been identified as a transform fault zone, contains exposures of serpentinized peridotites, while its adjacent ridge segments are floored mainly by typical abyssal ocean ridge basalts. This petrologic contrast correlates with the greater frequency of volcanic eruptions along the actively spreading ridge segments compared to the transform fault zone. Where rifting components occur across transform faults, exposures of the deeper zone of oceanic crust may result. The bathymetry of the Verna Fracture Zone suggests that some uplift parallel to the fracture zone as well as rifting led to exposures of deeper rocks. The basalts from the adjacent ridge axes contain ‘xenocrysts’ of plagioclase and olivine and more rarely of chromite. These appear to have a cognate origin, perhaps related to cooling and convection in near surface magma chambers. The basalts from the ridge axes, offset and on opposite sides of the transform fault, have similar features and compositions. The plagioclase peridotites have mineralogical features which indicate equilibration in the plagioclase pyrolite facies, suggesting maximum equilibration depths of around 30 km for a temperature of around 1200 °C. The chemical characteristics of the Vema F.Z. peridotites suggest that they may be undifferentiated mantle, emplaced as a subsolidus hot plastic intrusion or as a crystal mush. The abundance of peridotites and serpentinized peridotites is believed to reflect their abundance in seismic layer three of the oceanic crust.

Magma-rich transform margins: example from the Limpopo transform fault zone between Mozambique and Antarctica

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sylvie Leroy ◽  
Vincent Roche ◽  
François Guillocheau ◽  
Pierre Dietrich ◽  
Sidonie Revillon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fault Zone ◽  
Magnetic Data ◽  
Transform Fault ◽  
Passive Margins ◽  
The North ◽  
Oceanic Spreading ◽  
Transform Margin ◽  
Seismic Reflection Profiles ◽  
Uplift And Erosion ◽  
Transform Fault Zone

<p>Transform continental margins known across the Earth represent 31% of passive margins. Resulting from first-order plate tectonic processes, transform margins record a diachronous evolution mainly defined by three successive stages, including intra-continental transform faulting, active and passive transform margin. Due to their high complexity and a lack of large hydrocarbon discoveries (i.e. not a target for oil industry), they have only been sparsely studied, especially when compared with other margin types (i.e. divergent or convergent).</p><p>                  We present the structure and evolution of the NS-trending Limpopo Transform Fault Zone (LTFZ), corresponding to the main fracture zone from western part of the Africa-Antarctica Corridor (AAC). Here, we combine published and unpublished dataset (seismic reflection profiles, wells, multibeam bathymetry, gravity, magnetic data) in order to propose an interpretation of the LTFZ structure and adjoining segments and their evolution through time, from rifting to spreading.</p><p>The LTFZ is composed of two main segments: the East Limpopo segment and the Astrid conjugate one and the North and South Natal segment including the Dana-Galathea Plateau (Mozambique side) and the Maud rise/east of Grunehogna craton (Antarctica margin). The LTFZ offsets the segments of divergent conjugate margins (Southern Natal-off Grunehogna craton in the west and Beira High Angoche-Riiser Larsen Sea in the east) since 155 Ma (chron M25). We focus on the evolution of the transform fault zone from its initiation at chron M25 up to chron M0 (~126 Ma, Barremian). Oceanic spreading onset at chron M25 in the south of Beira High segment and Dana-Galathea Plateau triggered the uplift and erosion of the proximal parts of the margin and the formation of several seaward dipping reflectors wedges. Plate kinematic implies an NNW-SSE opening of the LTFZ. The oblique component of opening promotes the setting up of several volcanic wedges. These wedges rejuvenate southward trough time, which is consistent with the sliding of Antarctica with respect to Africa and thus confirm the diachronous evolution of the transform fault zone.</p>

Aftershocks of the February 21, 1973 Point Mugu, California earthquake

1976 ◽  
Vol 66 (6) ◽  
pp. 1931-1952
Author(s):  
Donald J. Stierman ◽  
William L. Ellsworth
Keyword(s):  
Fault Zone ◽  
Main Shock ◽  
Fault Plane ◽  
Body Wave ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Wave Radiation ◽  
Fault Plane Solutions ◽  
Complex Deformation ◽  
Transverse Ranges

abstract The ML 6.0 Point Mugu, California earthquake of February 21, 1973 and its aftershocks occurred within the complex fault system that bounds the southern front of the Transverse Ranges province of southern California. P-wave fault plane solutions for 51 events include reverse, strike slip and normal faulting mechanisms, indicating complex deformation within the 10-km broad fault zone. Hypocenters of 141 aftershocks fail to delineate any single fault plane clearly associated with the main shock rupture. Most aftershocks cluster in a region 5 km in diameter centered 5 km from the main shock hypocenter and well beyond the extent of fault rupture estimated from analysis of body-wave radiation. Strain release within the imbricate fault zone was controlled by slip on preexisting planes of weakness under the influence of a NE-SW compressive stress.

Recent and active deformation in the North Evia domain, a diffuse plate boundary between Eurasia and Aegean plates in the Western termination of the North Anatolian Fault. 

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabien Caroir ◽  
Frank Chanier ◽  
Virginie Gaullier ◽  
Julien Bailleul ◽  
Agnès Maillard-Lenoir ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fault Zone ◽  
Plate Boundary ◽  
Fault Zones ◽  
North Anatolian Fault ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Eurasian Plate ◽  
Slip Rates ◽  
The North ◽  
South West ◽  
North Aegean

<p>The Anatolia-Aegean microplate is currently extruding toward the South and the South-West. This extrusion is classically attributed to the southward retreat of the Aegean subduction zone together with the northward displacement of the Arabian plate. The displacement of Aegean-Anatolian block relative to Eurasia is accommodated by dextral motion along the North Anatolian Fault (NAF), with current slip rates of about 20 mm/yr. The NAF is propagating westward within the North Aegean domain where it gets separated into two main branches, one of them bordering the North Aegean Trough (NAT). This particular context is responsible for dextral and normal stress regimes between the Aegean plate and the Eurasian plate. South-West of the NAT, there is no identified major faults in the continuity of the NAF major branch and the plate boundary deformation is apparently distributed within a wide domain. This area is characterised by slip rates of 20 to 25 mm/yr relative to Eurasian plate but also by clockwise rotation of about 10° since ca 4 Myr. It constitutes a major extensional area involving three large rift basins: the Corinth Gulf, the Almiros Basin and the Sperchios-North Evia Gulf. The latter develops in the axis of the western termination of the NAT, and is therefore a key area to understand the present-day dynamics and the evolution of deformation within this diffuse plate boundary area.</p><p>Our study is mainly based on new structural data from field analysis and from very high resolution seismic reflexion profiles (Sparker 50-300 Joules) acquired during the WATER survey in July-August 2017 onboard the R/V “Téthys II”, but also on existing data on recent to active tectonics (i.e. earthquakes distribution, focal mechanisms, GPS data, etc.). The results from our new marine data emphasize the structural organisation and the evolution of the deformation within the North Evia region, SW of the NAT.</p><p>The combination of our structural analysis (offshore and onshore data) with available data on active/recent deformation led us to define several structural domains within the North Evia region, at the western termination of the North Anatolian Fault. The North Evia Gulf shows four main fault zones, among them the Central Basin Fault Zone (CBFZ) which is obliquely cross-cutting the rift basin and represents the continuity of the onshore Kamena Vourla - Arkitsa Fault System (KVAFS). Other major fault zones, such as the Aedipsos Politika Fault System (APFS) and the Melouna Fault Zone (MFZ) played an important role in the rift initiation but evolved recently with a left-lateral strike-slip motion. Moreover, our seismic dataset allowed to identify several faults in the Skopelos Basin including a large NW-dipping fault which affects the bathymetry and shows an important total vertical offset (>300m). Finally, we propose an update of the deformation pattern in the North Evia region including two lineaments with dextral motion that extend southwestward the North Anatolian Fault system into the Oreoi Channel and the Skopelos Basin. Moreover, the North Evia Gulf domain is dominated by active N-S extension and sinistral reactivation of former large normal faults.</p>

The geology and evolution of the Pinchi Fault Zone at Pinchi Lake, central British Columbia

1977 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 1324-1342 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. A. Paterson
Keyword(s):  
Fault Zone ◽  
Subduction Zones ◽  
High Pressures ◽  
Metamorphic Grade ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Late Triassic ◽  
Transform Fault ◽  
The West ◽  
Early Mesozoic ◽  
Complex Fault

At Pinchi Lake, the Pinchi Fault Zone separates the early Mesozoic Takla Group to the east from the late Paleozoic Cache Creek Group to the west. Between these regions a complex fault system involves a series of elongate fault-bounded blocks of contrasting lithology and metamorphic grade. These blocks consist of: (a) highly deformed aragonite–dolomite limestone and blueschist, (b) pumpellyite–aragonite greenstone, (c) a harzburgite–gabbro–diabase–basalt ophiolite sequence, (d) serpentinized alpine ultramafite, and (e) Cretaceous (?) conglomerate. The blueschist probably formed at 8–12 kbar (8 × 105–12 × 105 kPa) and 225–325 °C during a penetrative early deformation which was closely followed by a later deformation associated with a Late Triassic uplift and cooling event. The ophiolite sequence is overlain by Late Triassic sediments which locally contain aragonite suggesting that at least part of the Takla Group may have also undergone high pressure – low temperature metamorphism.The evolution of the 450 km fault zone is discussed and a model is proposed which involves right lateral transform faulting on the Pinchi Fault and underthrusting along northerly dipping subduction zones during the Late Triassic. The blueschist formed at high pressures in such a subduction zone and leaked to the surface in zones of low pressure along an active transform fault.

scholarly journals On the Segmentation of the Cephalonia–Lefkada Transform Fault Zone (Greece) from an InSAR Multi-Mode Dataset of the Lefkada 2015 Sequence

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (16) ◽  
pp. 1848
Author(s):  
Nikos Svigkas ◽  
Simone Atzori ◽  
Anastasia Kiratzi ◽  
Cristiano Tolomei ◽  
Andrea Antonioli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fault Zone ◽  
Surface Displacement ◽  
Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar ◽  
Transform Fault ◽  
Earthquake Relocation ◽  
The North ◽  
Available Information ◽  
Multi Mode ◽  
Additional Constraints ◽  
Transform Fault Zone

We use Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) to study the Cephalonia–Lefkada Transform Fault Zone (CTF) in the Ionian Sea. The CTF separates continental subduction to the north from oceanic subduction to the south, along the Hellenic Subduction Zone. We exploit a rich multi-modal radar dataset of the most recent major earthquake in the region, the 17 November 2015 Mw 6.4 event, and present new surface displacement results that offer additional constraints on the fault segmentation of the area. Based on this dataset, and by exploiting available information of earthquake relocation, we propose a new rupture process for the 2015 sequence, complementary to those published already. Our modelling includes an additional southern fault segment, oblique to the segment related with the mainshock, which indicates that the CTF structure is more complex than previously believed.

Distributed deformation in the lower crust and upper mantle beneath a continental strike-slip fault zone: Marlborough fault system, South Island, New Zealand

Geology ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 32 (10) ◽  
pp. 837 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles K. Wilson ◽  
Craig H. Jones ◽  
Peter Molnar ◽  
Anne F. Sheehan ◽  
Oliver S. Boyd
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Fault Zone ◽  
Upper Mantle ◽  
Lower Crust ◽  
Strike Slip ◽  
Strike Slip Fault ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Crust And Upper Mantle

Transpressional deformation in the mantle below the North Anatolian fault system, Turkey

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Basil Tikoff ◽  
Vasili Chatzaras ◽  
Timothy Chapman ◽  
Naomi Barshi ◽  
Ercan Aldanmaz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fault Zone ◽  
Electron Backscatter Diffraction ◽  
Preferred Orientation ◽  
North Anatolian Fault ◽  
Mantle Xenoliths ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Alkali Basalts ◽  
Crystallographic Preferred Orientation ◽  
The North ◽  
Backscatter Diffraction

<p>The North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ) is a 1200-km-long, dextral intracontinental transform fault zone, and initiated ca. 13–11 Ma ago.  The NAFZ formed in response to the N-S convergence of the Eurasian and Arabian plates, accommodated by the westward motion of the Anatolia plate relative to Eurasia plate.  Mantle xenoliths were sampled in late Miocene (11.68±0.25 to 6.47±0.47 Ma) alkali basalts and basanites, immediately N of the trace of the North Anatolian fault, and were previously interpreted to sample the mantle portion of the North Anatolian fault/shear zone at depth.  The studied xenoliths are mainly spinel lherzolites and harzburgites.  Equilibration temperatures estimated from two-pyroxene geothermometers range from 775 to 975 °C, while pressures estimated from the Cr in clinopyroxene geobarometer and pseudosection modelling range from 12 to 22 kbar, which correspond to depths of 40–80 km.  We used high‐resolution X-ray computed tomography to quantify the xenolith fabric defined by the 3D shape preferred orientation of spinel grains.  Spinel displays dominantly oblate fabric ellispoids, consistent with flattening strain.  Olivine has two main crystallographic preferred orientation patterns, the axial-[010] and the A-type, determined with electron backscatter diffraction.  The axial-[010] pattern is consistent with the spinel fabric and other microstructures that show flattening strains.  To further constrain the strain path, we analyze the crystallographic vorticity axes in olivine, which show a complex pattern.  Our results are consistent with an interpretation of transpressional deformation in the upper mantle below the NAFZ, during the early stages of the development of the transform system.  Transpressional deformation is consistent with collision-induced, strike-slip extrusion of Anatolia.</p>

Crustal structure across the Southwest Newfoundland Transform Margin

1988 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 744-759 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. J. Todd ◽  
I. Reid ◽  
C. E. Keen
Keyword(s):  
Continental Crust ◽  
Transition Zone ◽  
Crustal Structure ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Ocean Bottom ◽  
Ocean Bottom Seismometer ◽  
Structure Information ◽  
Grand Banks ◽  
Air Gun ◽  
Transform Margin

A seismic-refraction survey providing deep crustal structure information of the continent–ocean boundary across the South-west Newfoundland Transform Margin was carried out using large air-gun sources and ocean-bottom seismometer receivers. Continental crust ~30 km thick beneath the southern Grand Banks (P-wave velocity = 6.2–6.5 km/s) thins oceanward to a 25 km wide transition zone. In the transition zone, Paleozoic basement of the Grand Banks (5.5–5.7 km/s) is replaced by a basement of oceanic volcanics and synrift sediments (4.5–5.5 km/s). Seaward of the transition zone the crust is oceanic in character, with a velocity gradient from 4.7 to 6.5 km/s and a thickness of 7–8 km. Oceanic layer 3 is absent. No significant thickness of intermediate-velocity (>7 km/s) material is present at the continent–ocean transition, indicating that no under-plating of continental crust has taken place. The continent–ocean transition across the transform margin is much narrower than across rifted margins, supporting the theory that formation of the transform margin is by shearing of continental plates.

scholarly journals Bien Dong seafloor spreading and its influence to formation & development of sedimentary basins

2014 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 132-138
Author(s):  
Hung Nguyen Manh ◽  
Tieng Hoang Dinh
Keyword(s):  
Continental Crust ◽  
Oceanic Crust ◽  
Sedimentary Basins ◽  
Seafloor Spreading ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Basalt Magma ◽  
Deep Fault ◽  
Thermal Anomalies ◽  
South West ◽  
Favorable Conditions

The paper presents the characteristics of Bien Dong seafloor spreading which including two parts: The Eastern part is quite large, in which developed by Eastern- Western orientation (spreading on N-S). The Southern- Western part gradually changed its orientation from E-W into East- North and in to South- West at the end (spreading SE- NW). There are two main dynamic resources created the spreading and deformation: The appearance of thermal abnormality by mantle plume occurred 36 M.a. until 14 M.a. The Eastern thermal anomalies continued to develop follow this orientation. In the SW- part the thermal anomalies changed it orientation from E-W into NE- SW 26 M.a and gradually developing toward S-W. Since 14 M.a, both two these trends been stopped, began to cooling and shrinkage. The abnormal existence caused pinchout and rifting the continental crust in Bien Dong Center and generating new oceanic crust as well. The uplift and variation of thermal abnormality (basalt magma) raised up the favorable conditions to forming, developing and varying the axis of Bien Dong spreading seafloor. The all above synthetic activities created favorable conditions for generation and development a series of deep fault systems with E-W direction in Eastern part and NE- SW direction in Southern-Western direction in remain part, and created and evolved the sedimentary basins in margins of Bien Dong with along the main deep fault system.

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