Changes in fault length distributions due to fault linkage

Xu, Shunshan; Nieto-Samaniego, Ángel F.; Alaniz-Álvarez, Susana A.; Velasquillo-Martínez, Luis Germán; Grajales-Nishimura, J.M.; Garcia-Hernandez, J.; Murillo-Muñetón, Gustavo

doi:10.1016/j.jog.2009.08.002

Cited by 13 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…13; Table 1). These values are well within the range reported in the literature, where C ranges from 0.60 to 2.07 when estimated from all distributions, and from 0.67 to 2.07 when estimated from fault length versus fault rank plots (Cladouhos and Marrett, 1996;Yielding et al, 1996;Bonnet et al, 2001;Xu et al, 2010). However, at R 2 = 0.95, the percentages of the data that fit a power-law distribution are between 72% and 88% for each individual basin and 80% for all basins combined.…”

Section: Trace Length Distributions Of Intrabasin Faultssupporting

confidence: 88%

“…There are a number of approaches for analyzing fault trace length data, and many indicate that such data exhibit a power-law distribution (e.g., Shaw and Gartner, 1986;Main et al, 1990;Davy, 1993;Cladouhos and Marrett, 1996;Nicol et al, 1996;Yielding et al, 1996;Cowie, 1998;Bonnet et al, 2001;Xu et al, 2010). A common approach is to plot fault length versus fault rank on a log-log plot and estimate the power-law exponent C using linear regression of an equation in the form:…”

Section: Aeromagnetic Data and Analysis Of Basin-scale Fault Length Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Aeromagnetic data reveal buried faults and allow for the measurement of the length of their magnetic lineaments as a proxy for fault length, and thus provide a unique assessment of the nature of fault length distributions and fault growth in tectonically linked basins of the Rio Grande rift. Based on numerical modeling by Cladouhos and Marrett (1996) and Xu et al (2010), values of the power-law exponent C have been shown to generally decrease with increasing growth by fault linkage. Fault growth may also reflect strain localization where progressive deformation over time leads to fewer, but longer and weaker, hard-linked faults (Walsh et al, 2003).…”

Section: Trace Length Distributions Of Intrabasin Faultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A comprehensive survey of faults, breccias, and fractures in and flanking the eastern Española Basin, Rio Grande rift, New Mexico

et al. 2017

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A comprehensive survey of geologic structures formed in the Earth's brittle regime in the eastern Española Basin and flank of the Rio Grande rift, New Mexico, reveals a complex and protracted record of multiple tectonic events. Data and analyses from this representative rift flank-basin pair include measurements from 53 individual fault zones and 22 other brittle structures, such as breccia zones, joints, and veins, investigated at a total of just over 100 sites. Structures were examined and compared in poorly lithified Tertiary sedi ments, as well as in Paleozoic sedimentary and Proterozoic crystalline rocks. Data and analyses include geologic maps; field observations and measurements; orientation, kinematic, and paleostress analyses; statistical examination of fault trace lengths derived from aeromagnetic data; mineralogy and chemistry of host and fault rocks; and investigation of fault versus bolideimpact hypotheses for the origin of enigmatic breccias found in the Proterozoic basement rocks. Fault kinematic and paleostress analyses suggest a record of transitional, and perhaps partitioned, strains from the Laramide orogeny through Rio Grande rifting. Normal faults within Tertiary basin-fill sediments are consistent with more typical WNW-ESE Rio Grande rift extension, perhaps de coupled from bedrock structures due to strength contrasts favoring the formation of new faults in the relatively weak sediments. Analyses of the fault-length data indicate power-law length distributions similar to those reported from many geologic settings globally. Mineralogy and chemistry in Proterozoic fault-related rocks reveal geochemical changes tied to hydro thermal alteration and nearly isochemical transformation of feldspars to clay minerals. In sediments, faulted minerals are characterized by mechanical entrainment with minor secondary chemical changes. Enigmatic breccias in rift-flanking Protero zoic rocks are autoclastic and isochemical with respect to their protoliths and exist near shatter cones believed to be related to a previously reported pre-Pennsylvanian impact event. A weak iridium anomaly is associated with the breccias as well as adjacent protoliths, thus an impact shock wave cannot be ruled out for their origin. Major fault zones along the eastern rift-flank mountain front are discontinuous and unlikely to impede regional groundwater flow into Española Basin aquifers. The breccia bodies are not large enough to constitute aquifers, and no fault-or breccia-related geochemical anomalies were identified as potential contamination sources for ground or surface waters. The results of this work provide a broad picture of structural diversity and tectonic evolution along the eastern flank of the central Rio Grande rift and the adjacent Española Basin representative of the rift as a whole and many rifts worldwide.

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Section: Trace Length Distributions Of Intrabasin Faultssupporting

confidence: 88%

Section: Aeromagnetic Data and Analysis Of Basin-scale Fault Length Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Trace Length Distributions Of Intrabasin Faultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A comprehensive survey of faults, breccias, and fractures in and flanking the eastern Española Basin, Rio Grande rift, New Mexico

et al. 2017

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“…To address these questions, we use displacement data to infer the fault growth geometries (e.g., Cartwright & Mansfield, ; Ferrill & Morris, ; Muraoka & Kamata, ; Nicol et al, ; Xu et al, ). Displacement plots are applied to investigate fault nucleation, propagation, segmentation, and linkage in the study area (e.g., Baudon & Cartwright, ; Cartwright & Mansfield, ; Mattos et al, ; Mohammedyasin et al, ; Mouslopoulou et al, ; Omosanya & Alves, ; Omosanya et al, ; Peacock & Sanderson, ; Pochat et al, ; Thorsen, ; Walsh & Watterson, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Strike‐Slip Tectonics in the SW Barents Sea During North Atlantic Rifting (Swaen Graben, Northern Norway)

et al. 2017

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This study uses high‐quality, three‐dimensional (3‐D) seismic data to investigate the occurrence of strike‐slip faults in the Swaen Graben, SW Barents Sea. The Swaen Graben is divided into two principal subbasins: SSB1 and SSB2. The along‐strike and along‐dip displacement variations and scale relationships are analyzed for 42 faults. The displacement profiles for these faults are complex in the Swaen Graben, showing clear evidence for polycyclic fault growth and marked synsedimentary activity. The observed variations in the displacement profiles indicate complex along‐strike segmentation, linkage, and mechanical interactions at distinct structural levels. Along‐dip displacement minima indicate fault reactivation by dip linkage. Importantly, geometric evidence for strike‐slip faulting in the Swaen Graben includes the presence of extensional horsetail splay faults, positive flower structures, and minor transfer faults. This study shows that the faults in the Swaen Graben developed under extensional regimes during Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous rifting and were reactivated by regional stresses during the Late Cretaceous. The two principal strike‐slip faults in the Swaen Graben reveal sinistral movement and are linked at a shallow depth by minor transfer faults at a relay zone. Our work further demonstrates the occurrence of Late Mesozoic strike‐slip movements in the SW Barents Sea, which were induced by regional tectonics, halokinesis, and fault block rotation. Importantly, strike‐slip faulting in the region extends perhaps into the Cenozoic interacting with extension during the North Atlantic rifting.

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“…Structural geologists often collect displacement data in order to unravel the mechanism and kinematic of fault growth (Muraoka and Kamata, 1983;Nicol et al, 1996;Cartwright and Mansfield, 1998;Ferrill and Morris, 2001;Xu et al, 2010). Displacement plots such as displacement vs. distance (t-x) (Cartwright and Mansfield, 1998;Baudon and Cartwright, 2008a), displacement vs. depth (t-z) Peacock and Sanderson, 1991;Mouslopoulou et al, 2007), expansion and growth indices (Pochat et al, 2009;Thorsen, 1963), and cumulative throw vs. age (Omosanya and Alves, 2014) can provide information on fault nucleation, propagation, segmentation and linkage.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution and character of supra-salt faults in the Easternmost Hammerfest Basin, SW Barents Sea

Omosanya

Johansen

Harishidayat

2015

Marine and Petroleum Geology

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a b s t r a c tThis study investigates the evolution of supra-salt faults in the Eastern Hammerfest Basin using high equality seismic reflection data. Traditional techniques of displacement analysis, including the variation of fault displacement (throw) against distance (x), depth (z), expansion and growth indices were adopted. Fault reactivation was assessed using bivariate plots of a) cumulative throw vs. age and b) throw (t) vs. depth of nine (9) representative faults.The interpreted faults are supra-salt crestal and synclinal faults striking NE, E and SE. These faults have complicated t-x and t-z plots and are characterized by considerable stratigraphic thickening in their downthrown section. Faults in the study area have developed over the salt structure since latest Paleozoic times; some of them were reactivated by Early to Middle Triassic through dip linkage of initially isolated fault sets. Along strike, the fault exhibit complex segmentation through coalescence of several subunits linked by local throw/displacement minima. Expansion and growth indices show that the faults of the study area developed during the deposition of Paleozoic to Early Cretaceous sediments by polycyclic growth involving both blind and syn-sedimentary activity.An important piece of information from this study is that fault propagation is controlled by lithological heterogeneity and that both lateral and vertical segmentation of faults are important for hydrocarbon migration within the Triassic to Late Cretaceous interval.

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Changes in fault length distributions due to fault linkage

Cited by 13 publications

References 34 publications

A comprehensive survey of faults, breccias, and fractures in and flanking the eastern Española Basin, Rio Grande rift, New Mexico

A comprehensive survey of faults, breccias, and fractures in and flanking the eastern Española Basin, Rio Grande rift, New Mexico

Strike‐Slip Tectonics in the SW Barents Sea During North Atlantic Rifting (Swaen Graben, Northern Norway)

Evolution and character of supra-salt faults in the Easternmost Hammerfest Basin, SW Barents Sea

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