Active thrust sheet deformation over multiple rupture cycles: A quantitative basis for relating terrace folds to fault slip rates

Abstract

Research Article| May 22, 2017 Active thrust sheet deformation over multiple rupture cycles: A quantitative basis for relating terrace folds to fault slip rates Joseph M. Stockmeyer; Joseph M. Stockmeyer † 1Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, 20 Oxford Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA †Present address: Chevron North America Exploration and Production Company, 1500 Louisiana Street, Houston, Texas 77002, USA; [e-mail]. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar John H. Shaw; John H. Shaw 1Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, 20 Oxford Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Nathan D. Brown; Nathan D. Brown 2Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California–Los Angeles, 595 Charles Young Drive East, Box 951567, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Edward J. Rhodes; Edward J. Rhodes 2Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California–Los Angeles, 595 Charles Young Drive East, Box 951567, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA3Department of Geography, The University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Paul W. Richardson; Paul W. Richardson 4Department of Geological Sciences, University of Oregon, 1272 University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Maomao Wang; Maomao Wang 1Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, 20 Oxford Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Leore C. Lavin; Leore C. Lavin 1Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, 20 Oxford Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Shuwei Guan Shuwei Guan 5Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development (RIPED), PetroChina, 20 Xue Yuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, P.R. China Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Joseph M. Stockmeyer † 1Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, 20 Oxford Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA John H. Shaw 1Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, 20 Oxford Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA Nathan D. Brown 2Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California–Los Angeles, 595 Charles Young Drive East, Box 951567, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA Edward J. Rhodes 2Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California–Los Angeles, 595 Charles Young Drive East, Box 951567, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA3Department of Geography, The University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK Paul W. Richardson 4Department of Geological Sciences, University of Oregon, 1272 University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403, USA Maomao Wang 1Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, 20 Oxford Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA Leore C. Lavin 1Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, 20 Oxford Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA Shuwei Guan 5Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development (RIPED), PetroChina, 20 Xue Yuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, P.R. China †Present address: Chevron North America Exploration and Production Company, 1500 Louisiana Street, Houston, Texas 77002, USA; [e-mail]. Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 10 Jun 2016 Revision Received: 27 Jan 2017 Accepted: 17 Apr 2017 First Online: 23 Jun 2017 Online Issn: 1943-2674 Print Issn: 0016-7606 © 2017 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (2017) 129 (9-10): 1337–1356. https://doi.org/10.1130/B31590.1 Article history Received: 10 Jun 2016 Revision Received: 27 Jan 2017 Accepted: 17 Apr 2017 First Online: 23 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Joseph M. Stockmeyer, John H. Shaw, Nathan D. Brown, Edward J. Rhodes, Paul W. Richardson, Maomao Wang, Leore C. Lavin, Shuwei Guan; Active thrust sheet deformation over multiple rupture cycles: A quantitative basis for relating terrace folds to fault slip rates. GSA Bulletin 2017;; 129 (9-10): 1337–1356. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/B31590.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract Many recent thrust fault earthquakes have involved coseismic surface faulting and surface folding strains. This multifaceted nature of active thrust sheet deformation can make attempts to quantify slip and slip rates from surface strains challenging and uncertain. We present new methods for integrating records of surface deformation, subsurface structure, and geochronology to investigate active deformation over multiple rupture cycles across the Southern Junggar Thrust in the southern Junggar Basin, NW China, from ∼225 ka to present. Fluvial terraces preserve records of surface faulting as a prominent fault scarp where the Southern Junggar Thrust is surface-emergent. Terraces also exhibit progressive folding strains across fold scarps that are spatially coincident with subsurface fault-bend folds—constrained by seismic reflection data—along the Southern Junggar Thrust. We quantify the fault slip at depth implied by fold scarp relief along Holocene-aged terraces, and the results are corroborated by independent estimates of slip implied by fault scarp relief for the same terraces. Older terraces exhibit a distinct fanning of dips across fold scarps, suggesting active fault-bend folding kinematics involving a component of limb rotation. We developed quantitative relations for fault-bend folds between fault slip and fold dip using a mechanical, forward modeling approach. Using this novel method, we show how Southern Junggar Thrust slip rate has decelerated markedly, from ∼4.1 mm/yr in the middle Quaternary to ∼1.2 mm/yr throughout the Holocene. These results provide new insight into natural fault-bend folding kinematics and define innovative methods for elucidating accurate estimates of fault slip and slip rates from terrace folds in active thrust sheets. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.