Tectonic stresses in France: In situ measurements with a flat jack

Froidevaux, C.; Paquin, C.; Souriau, Marc

doi:10.1029/jb085ib11p06342

Cited by 27 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…Ahorner [1975] suggested that the distribution of seismicity and large-scale block movements along the major crustal fracture zones of the Rhine rift system were consistent with the present-day stress field. Other studies of the present-day stress field in specific areas generally confirmed this NW-SE SHmax orientation [e.g., Froidevaux et al, 1980;BhSimling, 1986;Clauss, 1987], although local structures, such as salt domes, were shown to perturb the regional trend [Schneider, 1985]. Numerous local studies of earthquakes and the interaction of stress and tectonics exist: for the Rhine rift system [e.g., Ahorner, 1975;Illies, 1975;Prodehl et al, 1976]; for the Alps [Pavoni, 1980]; for Scandinavia [Bungum and Fyen, 1980; 1Geophysical Institute, University of Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe, Ger- The European subset of the World Stress Map data base contains 1478 entries (February 1991).…”

Section: Previous Regional Compilations Of Present-day Stress Indicatsupporting

confidence: 65%

Regional patterns of tectonic stress in Europe

Müller¹,

Zoback²,

Fuchs³

et al. 1992

J. Geophys. Res.

407

219

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Nearly 1500 stress orientation determinations are now available for Europe. The data come from earthquake focal mechanisms, overcoring measurements, well bore breakouts, hydraulic fracturing measurements, and young fault slip studies and sample the stress field from the surface to seismogenic depths. Three distinct regional patterns of maximum compressive horizontal stress (SHmax) orientation can be defined from these data: a consistent NW to NNW SHmax stress orientation in western Europe; a WNW‐ESE SHmax orientation in Scandinavia, similar to western Europe but with a larger variability of SHmax orientations; and a consistent E‐W SHmax orientation and N‐S extension in the Aegean Sea and western Anatolia. The different stress fields can be attributed to plate‐driving forces acting on the boundaries of the Eurasian plate, locally modified by lithospheric properties in different regions. On average, the orientation of maximum stress in western Europe is subparallel to the direction of relative plate motion between Africa and Europe and is rotated 17° clockwise from the direction of absolute plate motion. The uniformly oriented stress field in western Europe coincides with thin to medium lithospheric thickness (approximately 50–90 km) and high heat flow values (>80 m W/m2). In western Europe a predominance of strike‐slip focal mechanisms implies that the intermediate principal stress is vertical. The more irregular horizontal stress orientations in Scandinavia coincide with thick continental lithosphere (110–170 km) and low heat flow (<50 m W/m2). The cold thick lithosphere in this region may result in lower mean stresses associated with far‐field tectonic forces and allow the stress field to be more easily perturbed by local effects such as déglaciation flexure and topography. The stress field of the Aegean Sea and western Anatolia is consistent with N‐S extension in a back arc setting behind the Hellenic trench subduction zone. The stress field is influenced in places by regional geologic structures, e.g., in the Western Alps, where SHmax directions show a slight tendency toward a radial stress pattern. Not all major geologic structures, however, appear to affect the SHmax orientation, e.g., in the vicinity of the Rhine rift system horizontal stress orientations are continuous.

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Section: Previous Regional Compilations Of Present-day Stress Indicatsupporting

confidence: 65%

Regional patterns of tectonic stress in Europe

Müller¹,

Zoback²,

Fuchs³

et al. 1992

J. Geophys. Res.

407

219

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Van Vliet-Lanoë et al 2002a;Mansy et al 2003). The latter suggest right-lateral strike-slip deformation, which is in good agreement with the NNW-SSE orientation of the maximum horizontal stress measured near Boulogne by Froidevaux et al (1980). However, it disagrees with the direction of the deformation suggested by the focal mechanism calculated for the 2007 Folkestone earthquake (Ottemöller et al 2009), which indicates a left-lateral rupture along a WNW-SES fault (see Ottemöller et al 2009).…”

Section: T E C T O N I C a N D G E O L O G I C A L S E T T I N G Ssupporting

confidence: 74%

Fault activity in the epicentral area of the 1580 Dover Strait (Pas-de-Calais) earthquake (northwestern Europe)

García-Moreno

Verbeeck

Camelbeeck

et al. 2015

Geophysical Journal International

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S U M M A R YOn 1580 April 6 one of the most destructive earthquakes of northwestern Europe took place in the Dover Strait (Pas de Calais). The epicentre of this seismic event, the magnitude of which is estimated to have been about 6.0, has been located in the offshore continuation of the North Artois shear zone, a major Variscan tectonic structure that traverses the Dover Strait. The location of this and two other moderate magnitude historical earthquakes in the Dover Strait suggests that the North Artois shear zone or some of its fault segments may be presently active. In order to investigate the possible fault activity in the epicentral area of the AD 1580 earthquake, we have gathered a large set of bathymetric and seismic-reflection data covering the almost-entire width of the Dover Strait. These data have revealed a broad structural zone comprising several subparallel WNW-ESE trending faults and folds, some of them significantly offsetting the Cretaceous bedrock. The geophysical investigation has also shown some indication of possible Quaternary fault activity. However, this activity only appears to have affected the lowermost layers of the sediment infilling Middle Pleistocene palaeobasins. This indicates that, if these faults have been active since Middle Pleistocene, their slip rates must have been very low. Hence, the AD 1580 earthquake appears to be a very infrequent event in the Dover Strait, representing a good example of the moderate magnitude earthquakes that sometimes occur in plate interiors on faults with unknown historical seismicity.

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“…In sifu stress measurements in the thick limestone layers of the Paris Basin yield a homogeneous stress field NNW-SSE (Froidevaux, Paquin & Souriau 1980), similar to that found elsewhere in central and NW Europe associated with the Alpine orogeny.…”

Section: Geologymentioning

confidence: 72%

Paris Basin VSPs: case history establishing combinations of fine-layer (or lithologic) anisotropy and crack anisotropy from modelling shear wavefields near point singularities

Bush

Crampin

1991

Geophysical Journal International

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S U M M A R Y This paper examines shear-wave splitting in multi-offset VSPs at a borehole site in the Paris Basin, and demonstrates that the sedimentary structure must have, at least, orthorhombic anisotropic symmetry. It is suggested that the most likely cause for such an orthorhombic symmetry is the combination of fine-layer (or lithologic) anisotropy and crack anisotropy. Transition zones (close to shear-wave singularities), where there are rapid changes of shear-wave polarizations and delays, can account for the anomalous observed waveforms. Observations of large variations in shear-wave polarizations in propagation directions close to point singularities, are probably the first positive identification of the effects of singularities in sedimentary basins.

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Tectonic stresses in France: In situ measurements with a flat jack

Cited by 27 publications

References 8 publications

Regional patterns of tectonic stress in Europe

Regional patterns of tectonic stress in Europe

Fault activity in the epicentral area of the 1580 Dover Strait (Pas-de-Calais) earthquake (northwestern Europe)

Paris Basin VSPs: case history establishing combinations of fine-layer (or lithologic) anisotropy and crack anisotropy from modelling shear wavefields near point singularities

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