Active faulting within a megacity: the geometry and slip rate of the Pardisan thrust in central Tehran, Iran

Talebian, Morteza; Copley, Alex; Fattahi, Morteza; Ghorashi, M; Jackson, James; Nazari, Hamid; Sloan, R. A.; Walker, R. T.

doi:10.1093/gji/ggw347

Cited by 33 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…However, recent advances in remote sensing have meant that highly accurate and precise vertical displacements can be measured using satellite images and digital elevation models (DEMs) (e.g. Westoby et al, 2012, Bemis et al, 2014, Johri et al, 2014, Zhou et al, 2015, Roux-mallouf et al, 2016, Talebian et al, 2016. Depending on resolution, DEMs are categorised as low (≥ 30 m), intermediate (∼ 10 m) or high resolution (≤ 5 m).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…With the current drive toward acquisition of high-resolution DEMs for paleoseismological studies (e.g. Zhou et al, 2015;Roux-mallouf et al, 2016;Talebian et al, 2016), two scientific questions arise: (1) what DEM resolution is required to successfully locate, calculate and accurately analyse significant changes in displacement along a fault scarp; and (2) does our interpretation of the distribution of displacement scale with DEM resolution (i.e. how much more are we able to infer using an expensive, high-resolution DEM compared to a free, lower-resolution alternative)?…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A semi-automated algorithm to quantify scarp morphology (SPARTA): application to normal faults in southern Malawi

et al. 2019

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Abstract. Along-strike variation in scarp morphology reflects differences in a fault's geomorphic and structural development and can thus indicate fault rupture history and mechanical segmentation. Parameters that define scarp morphology (height, width, slope) are typically measured or calculated manually. The time-consuming manual approach reduces the density and objectivity of measurements and can lead to oversight of small-scale morphological variations that occur at a resolution impractical to capture. Furthermore, inconsistencies in the manual approach may also lead to unknown discrepancies and uncertainties between, and also within, individual fault scarp studies. Here, we aim to improve the efficiency, transparency and uniformity of calculating scarp morphological parameters by developing a semi-automated Scarp PARameTer Algorithm (SPARTA). We compare our findings against a traditional, manual analysis and assess the performance of the algorithm using a range of digital elevation model (DEM) resolutions. We then apply our new algorithm to a 12 m resolution TanDEM-X DEM for four southern Malawi fault scarps, located at the southern end of the East African Rift system: the Bilila–Mtakataka fault (BMF) and three previously unreported scarps – Thyolo, Muona and Malombe. All but Muona exhibit first-order structural segmentation at their surface. By using a 5 m resolution DEM derived from high-resolution (50 cm pixel−1) Pleiades stereo-satellite imagery for the Bilila–Mtakataka fault scarp, we quantify secondary structural segmentation. Our scarp height calculations from all four fault scarps suggest that if each scarp was formed by a single, complete rupture, the slip–length ratio for each earthquake exceeds the maximum typical value observed in historical normal faulting earthquakes around the world. The high slip–length ratios therefore imply that the Malawi fault scarps likely formed in multiple earthquakes. The scarp height distribution implies the structural segments of both the BMF and Thyolo fault have merged via rupture of discrete faults (hard links) through several earthquake cycles, and the segments of the Malombe fault have connected via distributed deformation zones (soft links). For all faults studied here, the length of earthquake ruptures may therefore exceed the length of each segment. Thus, our findings shed new light on the seismic hazard in southern Malawi, indicating evidence for a number of large (Mw 7–8) prehistoric earthquakes, as well as providing a new semi-automated methodology (SPARTA) for calculating scarp morphological parameters, which can be used on other fault scarps to infer structural development.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A semi-automated algorithm to quantify scarp morphology (SPARTA): application to normal faults in southern Malawi

et al. 2019

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“…With the launch of a new generation of high‐resolution image acquisition satellites, such as Quickbird (0.61 m panchromatic), GeoEye‐1 (0.41 m panchromatic), Pleiades 1A/1B (0.7 m panchromatic), WorldView‐1/2 (0.46 m panchromatic), and WorldView‐3/4 (0.31 m panchromatic), satellite images with submeter spatial resolution can be obtained, thus enabling fine‐scale mapping of fault ruptures as well as detailed measurement of along‐fault slip distribution (Klinger et al, , ; Le Roux‐Mallouf et al, ; Middleton et al, ; Talebian et al, ; Zhou et al, ). However, only the horizontal component of the displacement can be acquired using 2‐D images.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Constraining the Distribution of Vertical Slip on the South Heli Shan Fault (Northeastern Tibet) From High‐Resolution Topographic Data

Zheng

et al. 2018

JGR Solid Earth

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Reconstruction of the along‐fault slip distribution provides an insight into the long‐term rupture patterns of a fault, thereby enabling more accurate assessment of its future behavior. The increasing wealth of high‐resolution topographic data, such as Light Detection and Ranging and photogrammetric digital elevation models, allows us to better constrain the slip distribution, thus greatly improving our understanding of fault behavior. The South Heli Shan Fault is a major active fault on the northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau. In this study, we built a 2 m resolution digital elevation model of the South Heli Shan Fault based on high‐resolution GeoEye‐1 stereo satellite imagery and then measured 302 vertical displacements along the fault, which increased the measurement density of previous field surveys by a factor of nearly 5. The cumulative displacements show an asymmetric distribution along the fault, comprising three major segments. An increasing trend from west to east indicates that the fault has likely propagated westward over its lifetime. The topographic relief of Heli Shan shows an asymmetry similar to the measured cumulative slip distribution, suggesting that the uplift of Heli Shan may result mainly from the long‐term activity of the South Heli Shan Fault. Furthermore, the cumulative displacements divide into discrete clusters along the fault, indicating that the fault has ruptured in several large earthquakes. By constraining the slip‐length distribution of each rupture, we found that the events do not support a characteristic recurrence model for the fault.

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“…Fault-related folds, and the blind faults they are associated with, are being increasingly recognised as extremely important both from a scientific and a socio-economic viewpoint [1][2][3][4][5][6]. Much research has been directed toward understanding the manner in which they grow over geological timescales to produce the topographic features observed today [7][8][9][10][11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Of specific interest here, the geomorphic expression of active fault-related fold structures provides a potential opportunity to decipher both fold kinematics and mechanisms of lateral growth, although data from natural examples is not abundant [4,6,15,19,23,24]. Recently, the geometry of drainage basins and river networks (including stream profile analysis) has been used to interpret the spatial and temporal evolution of fault-related structures in both extensional [25][26][27] and contractional settings [10,18,23,[28][29][30][31][32] due to the strong control that fault-or fold-related uplift has on drainage basin development, stream initiation and diversion.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Three-Dimensional Growth of Flexural Slip Fault-Bend and Fault-Propagation Folds and Their Geomorphic Expression

Bernal¹,

Hardy

Gawthorpe³

2018

Geosciences

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Abstract:The three-dimensional growth of fault-related folds is known to be an important process during the development of compressive mountain belts. However, comparatively little is known concerning the manner in which fold growth is expressed in topographic relief and local drainage networks. Here we report results from a coupled kinematic and surface process model of fault-related folding. We consider flexural slip fault-bend and fault-propagation folds that grow in both the transport and strike directions, linked to a surface process model that includes bedrock channel development and hillslope diffusion. We investigate various modes of fold growth under identical surface process conditions and critically analyse their geomorphic expression. Fold growth results in the development of steep forelimbs and gentler, wider backlimbs resulting in asymmetric drainage basin development (smaller basins on forelimbs, larger basins on backlimbs). However, topographies developed above fault-propagation folds are more symmetric than those developed above fault-bend folds as a result of their different forelimb kinematics. In addition, the surface expression of fault-bend and fault-propagation folds depends both on the slip distribution along the fault and on the style of fold growth. When along-strike plunge is a result of slip events with gently decreasing slip towards the fault tips (with or without lateral propagation), large plunge-panel drainage networks are developed at the expense of backpanel (transport-opposing) and forepanel (transport-facing) drainage basins. In contrast, if the fold grows as a result of slip events with similar displacements along strike, plunge-panel drainage networks are poorly developed (or are transient features of early fold growth) and restricted to lateral fold terminations, particularly when the number of propagation events is small. The absence of large-scale plunge-panel drainage networks in natural examples suggests that the latter mode of fold growth may be more common. The advective component of deformation (implicit in kink-band migration models of fault-bend and fault-propagation folding) exerts a strong control on drainage basin development. In particular, as drainage lengthens with fold growth, more linear, parallel drainage networks are developed as compared to the dendritic patterns developed above simple uplifting structures. Over the 1 Ma of their development the folds modelled here only attain partial topographic equilibrium, as new material is continually being advected through active axial surfaces on both fold limbs and faults are propagating in both the transport and strike directions. We also find that the position of drainage divides at the Earth's surface has a complex relationship to the underlying fold axial surface locations.

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Active faulting within a megacity: the geometry and slip rate of the Pardisan thrust in central Tehran, Iran

Cited by 33 publications

References 38 publications

A semi-automated algorithm to quantify scarp morphology (SPARTA): application to normal faults in southern Malawi

A semi-automated algorithm to quantify scarp morphology (SPARTA): application to normal faults in southern Malawi

Constraining the Distribution of Vertical Slip on the South Heli Shan Fault (Northeastern Tibet) From High‐Resolution Topographic Data

Three-Dimensional Growth of Flexural Slip Fault-Bend and Fault-Propagation Folds and Their Geomorphic Expression

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