Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 99 |
| Journal | Communications Earth and Environment |
| Volume | 3 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 2022 |
Abstract
Hidden, blind faults have a strong seismic hazard potential. Consequently, there is a great demand for a robust geological indicator of neotectonic activity on such faults. Here, we conduct field measurements of disaggregation bands above known underlying blind faults at several locations in Central Europe. We observe that the disaggregation bands have the same orientation as that of the faults, indicating their close connection. Disaggregation bands develop in unconsolidated, near-surface, sandy sediments. They form by shear-related reorganization of the sediment fabric, as a consequence of grain rolling and sliding processes, which can reduce the porosity. Using an analogue shearing experiment, we show that disaggregation bands can form at a velocity of 2 cm h−1, which is several orders of magnitude slower than seismogenic fault-slip velocities. Based on the field data and the experiments, we infer that disaggregation bands can form in the process zone of active blind faults and serve as an indicator of neotectonic activity, even if the fault creeps at very low slip velocity. Disaggregation bands could open a new path to detect hidden active faults undergoing aseismic movements.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Environmental Science(all)
- General Environmental Science
- Earth and Planetary Sciences(all)
- General Earth and Planetary Sciences
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In: Communications Earth and Environment, Vol. 3, No. 1, 99, 12.2022.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Disaggregation bands as an indicator for slow creep activity on blind faults
AU - Brandes, Christian
AU - Tanner, David C.
AU - Fossen, Haakon
AU - Halisch, Matthias
AU - Müller, Katharina
N1 - Funding Information: We are grateful to Peter Blisniuk (Stanford University) and Jutta Winsemann (Leibniz Universität Hannover) for discussions on this subject. Sabine Mogwitz (LIAG) weighed the sieve samples. We thank Juliet G. Crider, Jess McBeck and an anonymous reviewer for thorough and constructive reviews to the manuscript. We thank the owner of the Ulrich sand-pit, Freden for access to their property and permission to sample the sand.
PY - 2022/12
Y1 - 2022/12
N2 - Hidden, blind faults have a strong seismic hazard potential. Consequently, there is a great demand for a robust geological indicator of neotectonic activity on such faults. Here, we conduct field measurements of disaggregation bands above known underlying blind faults at several locations in Central Europe. We observe that the disaggregation bands have the same orientation as that of the faults, indicating their close connection. Disaggregation bands develop in unconsolidated, near-surface, sandy sediments. They form by shear-related reorganization of the sediment fabric, as a consequence of grain rolling and sliding processes, which can reduce the porosity. Using an analogue shearing experiment, we show that disaggregation bands can form at a velocity of 2 cm h−1, which is several orders of magnitude slower than seismogenic fault-slip velocities. Based on the field data and the experiments, we infer that disaggregation bands can form in the process zone of active blind faults and serve as an indicator of neotectonic activity, even if the fault creeps at very low slip velocity. Disaggregation bands could open a new path to detect hidden active faults undergoing aseismic movements.
AB - Hidden, blind faults have a strong seismic hazard potential. Consequently, there is a great demand for a robust geological indicator of neotectonic activity on such faults. Here, we conduct field measurements of disaggregation bands above known underlying blind faults at several locations in Central Europe. We observe that the disaggregation bands have the same orientation as that of the faults, indicating their close connection. Disaggregation bands develop in unconsolidated, near-surface, sandy sediments. They form by shear-related reorganization of the sediment fabric, as a consequence of grain rolling and sliding processes, which can reduce the porosity. Using an analogue shearing experiment, we show that disaggregation bands can form at a velocity of 2 cm h−1, which is several orders of magnitude slower than seismogenic fault-slip velocities. Based on the field data and the experiments, we infer that disaggregation bands can form in the process zone of active blind faults and serve as an indicator of neotectonic activity, even if the fault creeps at very low slip velocity. Disaggregation bands could open a new path to detect hidden active faults undergoing aseismic movements.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85130440597&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/s43247-022-00423-8
DO - 10.1038/s43247-022-00423-8
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85130440597
VL - 3
JO - Communications Earth and Environment
JF - Communications Earth and Environment
IS - 1
M1 - 99
ER -