Patterns and velocities of recent crustal movements in the Dutch part of the Roer Valley rift system.

Abstract

An integration of geomorphological and geodetic data from the area of the 1992 Roermond earthquake is presented. A dense network of lineaments is evident from major and minor terrain features. Drainage patterns also show structural control on a kilometre scale. These discontinuous terrain lineaments suggest that the upper crust is subdivided into many wedge-shaped blocks. The lineament distribution is consistent with patterns predicted by idealized strain ellipses. It shows a right-lateral component in the motion along major faults within the Lower Rhine Embayment. Analysis of a 117-year data set of vertical movements at 2922 geodetic benchmarks evidences significant differential movements.