Mechanics of continental rift architecture

Scholz, Christopher H.; Contreras, Juan

doi:10.1130/0091-7613(1998)026<0967:mocra>2.3.co;2

Cited by 135 publications

(104 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Jackson and McKenzie (1983). This study supports the simple model of rifting, summarised by Scholz and Contreras (1998), in which the rift is initially symmetric, with the formation of conjugate fault sets, but faults are locked by intersection at depth. The fault that reaches the intersection point first will dictate which of the two continues to grow.…”

Section: On the Growth Of The Hangingwall Fault Populationsupporting

confidence: 66%

The propagation and linkage of normal faults: insights from the Strathspey–Brent–Statfjord fault array, northern North Sea

McLeod¹,

Dawers²,

Underhill³

2000

Basin Research

107

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Through examination of the scaling relations of faults and the use of seismic stratigraphic techniques, we demonstrate how the temporal and spatial evolution of the fault population in a half-graben basin can be accurately reconstructed. The basin bounded by the >>62 km long Strathspey-Brent-Statfjord fault array is located on the western flank of the Late Jurassic age northern North Sea rift basin. Alongstrike displacement variations, transverse fault-displacement folds and palaeo-fault tips abandoned in the hangingwall all provide evidence that the fault system comprises a hierarchy of linked palaeo-segments. The displacement variations developed while the fault was in a pre-linkage, multi-segment stage of its growth have not been equilibrated following fault linkage. Using the stratal architecture of syn-rift sediments, we date the main phase of segment linkage as latest Callovian -Middle Oxfordian (10-14 M.yr. after rift initiation). A dense sub-population of faults is mapped in the hangingwall to the Strathspey-Brent-Statfjord fault array. The majority of these faults are short, of low displacement and became inactive within 3-4 M.yr. of the beginning of the extensional event. Subsequently, only the segments of the proto-Strathspey-Brent-Statfjord fault and a conjugate array of antithetic faults located 3.5 km basinward continued to grow to define a graben-like basin geometry. Faults of the antithetic array became inactive approximately 11.5 M.yr. into the rift event, concentrating strain on the linked Strathspey-Brent-Statfjord fault; hence, the basin evolved into a half-graben. As the rift event progressed, strain was localised on a smaller number of active structures with increased rates of displacement. The results of this study suggest that a simple model for the linkage of 2-3 fault segments may not be applicable to a complex multi-segment array.

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Section: On the Growth Of The Hangingwall Fault Populationsupporting

confidence: 66%

The propagation and linkage of normal faults: insights from the Strathspey–Brent–Statfjord fault array, northern North Sea

McLeod¹,

Dawers²,

Underhill³

2000

Basin Research

107

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Alternatively, L c for fault segments remains approximately the same for all values of a. Some studies suggest that segment length is controlled by mechanical layer thickness (Jackson and White, 1989;Scholz and Contreras, 1998). Our results suggest that one or more of the boundary conditions or material properties may control the length of fault segments, but it is fault geometry that controls how those segments link to form longer faults.…”

Section: Cumulative Frequency Of Lengthsmentioning

confidence: 63%

Influence of rift obliquity on fault-population systematics: results of experimental clay models

Clifton

Schlische

Withjack

et al. 2000

Journal of Structural Geology

197

163

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“…6b). Intersection of two faults with opposing dips causes one fault to become inactive and the strain to be taken up by the remaining active fault 53,54]. A fault may also become inactive if it lies in the stress shadow o f a n e i g h boring, more active, fault even if the two faults do not intersect 55].…”

Section: 2mentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatio-temporal evolution of strain accumulation derived from multi-scale observations of Late Jurassic rifting in the northern North Sea: A critical test of models for lithospheric extension

Cowie

Underhill

Behn

et al. 2005

Earth and Planetary Science Letters

155

194

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We integrate observations of lithospheric extension over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales within the northern North Sea basin and critically review the extent to which existing theories of lithospheric deformation can account for these observations. Data obtained through a prolonged periodofhydrocarbon exploration and production has yielded a dense and diverse data set over the entire Viking Graben and its anking platform areas. These data show how syn-rift accommodation within the basin varied in space and time with sub-kilometer-scale spatial resolution and a temporal resolution of 2{3 Myr. Regional interpretations of 2D seismic re ection, refraction and gravity data for this area have also been published and provide an image of total basin wide stretching for the entire crust. These image data are combined with published strain rate inversion results obtained from tectonic subsidence patterns to constrain the spatio-temporal evolution of strain accumulation throughout the lithosphere during the 40 Myr (170{130 Ma) period of Late Jurassic extension across this basin. For the rst 25{30 Myr, strain localisation dominated basin development with strain rates at the eventual rift axis increasing while strain rates over the anking areas declined. As strain rates across the whole basin were consistently very low (< 3x10 ;16 s ;1 ), thermally induced strength loss can not explain this phenomenon. The strain localisation is manifest in the near-surface by a systematic migration of fault activity. The pattern and timing of this migration are inconsistent with exural bending stresses exerting an underlying control, especially when estimates of exural rigidity for this area are Preprint submitted to Elsevier Science 31 January 2005 considered. The best explanation for what is observed in this time period is a coupling between near-surface strain localisation, driven by brittle (or plastic) failure, and the evolving thermal structure of the lithosphere. We demonstrate this process using a continuum mechanics model for normal fault growth that incorporates the strain rate-dependence of frictional strength observed in laboratory studies. During the nal 10 Myr of basin formation, strain accumulation was focused within the axis and strain rates declined rapidly. Replacement of weak crust by stronger mantle material plus crustal buoyancy forces can adequately explain this decline.

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Mechanics of continental rift architecture

Cited by 135 publications

References 4 publications

The propagation and linkage of normal faults: insights from the Strathspey–Brent–Statfjord fault array, northern North Sea

The propagation and linkage of normal faults: insights from the Strathspey–Brent–Statfjord fault array, northern North Sea

Influence of rift obliquity on fault-population systematics: results of experimental clay models

Spatio-temporal evolution of strain accumulation derived from multi-scale observations of Late Jurassic rifting in the northern North Sea: A critical test of models for lithospheric extension

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