Tectonic interactions during rift linkage: insights from analog and numerical experiments
<p>Continental rifts evolve by linkage and interaction of adjacent individual segments. As rift segments propagate, they can cause notable re-orientation of the local stress field so that stress orientations deviate from the regional trend. In return, this stress re-orientation can feed back o...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Solid Earth |
| Online Access: | https://se.copernicus.org/articles/14/389/2023/se-14-389-2023.pdf |
| _version_ | 1797847510878781440 |
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| author | T. C. Schmid S. Brune S. Brune A. Glerum G. Schreurs |
| author_facet | T. C. Schmid S. Brune S. Brune A. Glerum G. Schreurs |
| author_sort | T. C. Schmid |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Continental rifts evolve by linkage and interaction of adjacent individual
segments. As rift segments propagate, they can cause notable re-orientation
of the local stress field so that stress orientations deviate from the
regional trend. In return, this stress re-orientation can feed back on
progressive deformation and may ultimately deflect propagating rift segments
in an unexpected way. Here, we employ numerical and analog experiments of
continental rifting to investigate the interaction between stress
re-orientation and segment linkage. Both model types employ crustal-scale
two-layer setups wherein pre-existing linear heterogeneities are introduced by
mechanical weak seeds. We test various seed configurations to investigate
the effect of (i) two competing rift segments that propagate unilaterally,
(ii) linkage of two opposingly propagating rift segments, and (iii) the
combination of these configurations on stress re-orientation and rift
linkage. Both the analog and numerical models show counterintuitive rift
deflection of two sub-parallel propagating rift segments competing for
linkage with an opposingly propagating segment. The deflection pattern can
be explained by means of stress analysis in numerical experiments wherein
stress re-orientation occurs locally and propagates across the model domain
as rift segments propagate. Major stress re-orientations may occur locally,
which means that faults and rift segment trends do not necessarily align
perpendicularly to far-field extension directions. Our results show that
strain localization and stress re-orientation are closely linked, mutually
influence each other, and may be an important factor for rift deflection
among competing rift segments as observed in nature.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T18:13:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a64ee9ed9e3d4386afa587163b6e7cfc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1869-9510 1869-9529 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T18:13:43Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Solid Earth |
| spelling | doaj.art-a64ee9ed9e3d4386afa587163b6e7cfc2023-04-13T11:21:48ZengCopernicus PublicationsSolid Earth1869-95101869-95292023-04-011438940710.5194/se-14-389-2023Tectonic interactions during rift linkage: insights from analog and numerical experimentsT. C. Schmid0S. Brune1S. Brune2A. Glerum3G. Schreurs4Institute of Geological Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, SwitzerlandHelmholtz Centre Potsdam – GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, GermanyInstitute of Geosciences, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, GermanyHelmholtz Centre Potsdam – GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, GermanyInstitute of Geological Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland<p>Continental rifts evolve by linkage and interaction of adjacent individual segments. As rift segments propagate, they can cause notable re-orientation of the local stress field so that stress orientations deviate from the regional trend. In return, this stress re-orientation can feed back on progressive deformation and may ultimately deflect propagating rift segments in an unexpected way. Here, we employ numerical and analog experiments of continental rifting to investigate the interaction between stress re-orientation and segment linkage. Both model types employ crustal-scale two-layer setups wherein pre-existing linear heterogeneities are introduced by mechanical weak seeds. We test various seed configurations to investigate the effect of (i) two competing rift segments that propagate unilaterally, (ii) linkage of two opposingly propagating rift segments, and (iii) the combination of these configurations on stress re-orientation and rift linkage. Both the analog and numerical models show counterintuitive rift deflection of two sub-parallel propagating rift segments competing for linkage with an opposingly propagating segment. The deflection pattern can be explained by means of stress analysis in numerical experiments wherein stress re-orientation occurs locally and propagates across the model domain as rift segments propagate. Major stress re-orientations may occur locally, which means that faults and rift segment trends do not necessarily align perpendicularly to far-field extension directions. Our results show that strain localization and stress re-orientation are closely linked, mutually influence each other, and may be an important factor for rift deflection among competing rift segments as observed in nature.</p>https://se.copernicus.org/articles/14/389/2023/se-14-389-2023.pdf |
| spellingShingle | T. C. Schmid S. Brune S. Brune A. Glerum G. Schreurs Tectonic interactions during rift linkage: insights from analog and numerical experiments Solid Earth |
| title | Tectonic interactions during rift linkage: insights from analog and numerical experiments |
| title_full | Tectonic interactions during rift linkage: insights from analog and numerical experiments |
| title_fullStr | Tectonic interactions during rift linkage: insights from analog and numerical experiments |
| title_full_unstemmed | Tectonic interactions during rift linkage: insights from analog and numerical experiments |
| title_short | Tectonic interactions during rift linkage: insights from analog and numerical experiments |
| title_sort | tectonic interactions during rift linkage insights from analog and numerical experiments |
| url | https://se.copernicus.org/articles/14/389/2023/se-14-389-2023.pdf |
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