Geophysical characterisation of two segments of the Møre-Trøndelag Fault Complex, Mid Norway

The Møre-Trøndelag Fault Complex (MTFC) has controlled the tectonic evolution of Mid Norway and its shelf for the past 400 Myr through repeated reactivations during Palaeozoic, Mesozoic and perhaps Cenozoic times, the very last phase of reactivation involving normal to oblique-slip faulting. Despite...

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Main Authors: A. Nasuti, C. Pascal, J. Ebbing, J. F. Tønnesen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2011-07-01
Series:Solid Earth
Online Access:http://www.solid-earth.net/2/125/2011/se-2-125-2011.pdf
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author A. Nasuti
C. Pascal
J. Ebbing
J. F. Tønnesen
author_facet A. Nasuti
C. Pascal
J. Ebbing
J. F. Tønnesen
author_sort A. Nasuti
collection DOAJ
description The Møre-Trøndelag Fault Complex (MTFC) has controlled the tectonic evolution of Mid Norway and its shelf for the past 400 Myr through repeated reactivations during Palaeozoic, Mesozoic and perhaps Cenozoic times, the very last phase of reactivation involving normal to oblique-slip faulting. Despite its pronounced signature in the landscape, its deep structure has largely remained unresolved until now. We focused on two specific segments of the MTFC (i.e. the Tjellefonna and Bæverdalen faults) and acquired multiple geophysical datasets (i.e. gravity, magnetic, resistivity and shallow refraction profiles). <br><br> A 100–200 m-wide zone of gouge and/or brecciated bedrock steeply dipping to the south is interpreted as being the Tjellefonna fault sensu stricto. The fault appears to be flanked by two additional but minor damage zones. A secondary normal fault also steeply dipping to the south but involving indurated breccias was detected ~1 km farther north. The Bæverdalen fault, ~12 km farther north, is interpreted as a ~700 m-wide and highly deformed zone involving fault gouge, breccias and lenses of intact bedrock. As such, it is probably the most important fault segment in the studied area and accommodated most of the strain during presumably Late Jurassic normal faulting. Our geophysical data are indicative of a Bæverdalen fault dipping steeply towards the south, in agreement with the average orientation of the local tectonic grain. Our findings suggest that the influence of Mesozoic normal faulting along the MTFC on landscape development is more complex than previously thought.
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spelling doaj.art-8e772bb387f94992ae26c8dfe7ad1e062022-12-21T19:25:52ZengCopernicus PublicationsSolid Earth1869-95101869-95292011-07-012212513410.5194/se-2-125-2011Geophysical characterisation of two segments of the Møre-Trøndelag Fault Complex, Mid NorwayA. NasutiC. PascalJ. EbbingJ. F. TønnesenThe Møre-Trøndelag Fault Complex (MTFC) has controlled the tectonic evolution of Mid Norway and its shelf for the past 400 Myr through repeated reactivations during Palaeozoic, Mesozoic and perhaps Cenozoic times, the very last phase of reactivation involving normal to oblique-slip faulting. Despite its pronounced signature in the landscape, its deep structure has largely remained unresolved until now. We focused on two specific segments of the MTFC (i.e. the Tjellefonna and Bæverdalen faults) and acquired multiple geophysical datasets (i.e. gravity, magnetic, resistivity and shallow refraction profiles). <br><br> A 100–200 m-wide zone of gouge and/or brecciated bedrock steeply dipping to the south is interpreted as being the Tjellefonna fault sensu stricto. The fault appears to be flanked by two additional but minor damage zones. A secondary normal fault also steeply dipping to the south but involving indurated breccias was detected ~1 km farther north. The Bæverdalen fault, ~12 km farther north, is interpreted as a ~700 m-wide and highly deformed zone involving fault gouge, breccias and lenses of intact bedrock. As such, it is probably the most important fault segment in the studied area and accommodated most of the strain during presumably Late Jurassic normal faulting. Our geophysical data are indicative of a Bæverdalen fault dipping steeply towards the south, in agreement with the average orientation of the local tectonic grain. Our findings suggest that the influence of Mesozoic normal faulting along the MTFC on landscape development is more complex than previously thought.http://www.solid-earth.net/2/125/2011/se-2-125-2011.pdf
spellingShingle A. Nasuti
C. Pascal
J. Ebbing
J. F. Tønnesen
Geophysical characterisation of two segments of the Møre-Trøndelag Fault Complex, Mid Norway
Solid Earth
title Geophysical characterisation of two segments of the Møre-Trøndelag Fault Complex, Mid Norway
title_full Geophysical characterisation of two segments of the Møre-Trøndelag Fault Complex, Mid Norway
title_fullStr Geophysical characterisation of two segments of the Møre-Trøndelag Fault Complex, Mid Norway
title_full_unstemmed Geophysical characterisation of two segments of the Møre-Trøndelag Fault Complex, Mid Norway
title_short Geophysical characterisation of two segments of the Møre-Trøndelag Fault Complex, Mid Norway
title_sort geophysical characterisation of two segments of the more trondelag fault complex mid norway
url http://www.solid-earth.net/2/125/2011/se-2-125-2011.pdf
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AT cpascal geophysicalcharacterisationoftwosegmentsofthemøretrøndelagfaultcomplexmidnorway
AT jebbing geophysicalcharacterisationoftwosegmentsofthemøretrøndelagfaultcomplexmidnorway
AT jftønnesen geophysicalcharacterisationoftwosegmentsofthemøretrøndelagfaultcomplexmidnorway