Under-Displaced Normal Faults: Strain Accommodation Along an Early-Stage Rift-Bounding Fault in the Southern Malawi Rift
One of the fundamental problems in continental rift segmentation and propagation is how strain is accommodated along large rift-bounding faults (border faults) since the segmentation of propagating border faults control the expression of rift zones, syn-rift depo-centers, and long-term basin evoluti...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Earth Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2022.846389/full |
| _version_ | 1819047328370130944 |
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| author | Oyewande O. Ojo Leonard O. Ohenhen Folarin Kolawole Folarin Kolawole Steven G. Johnson Patrick R. Chindandali Estella A. Atekwana Daniel A. Laó-Dávila |
| author_facet | Oyewande O. Ojo Leonard O. Ohenhen Folarin Kolawole Folarin Kolawole Steven G. Johnson Patrick R. Chindandali Estella A. Atekwana Daniel A. Laó-Dávila |
| author_sort | Oyewande O. Ojo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | One of the fundamental problems in continental rift segmentation and propagation is how strain is accommodated along large rift-bounding faults (border faults) since the segmentation of propagating border faults control the expression of rift zones, syn-rift depo-centers, and long-term basin evolution. In the Southern Malawi Rift, where previous studies on the early-stage rifting only assessed border fault structure from surficial and topographic expression, we integrate surface and subsurface data to investigate border fault segmentation, linkage, and growth as proxies for strain accommodation along the Bilila-Mtakataka Fault (BMF) System. We used 30 m-resolution topographic relief maps, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), and high-resolution aeromagnetic data to characterize the detailed fault geometry and provide a more robust estimate of along-fault displacement distribution. Our results reveal a discrepancy between sub-aerial segmentation of the BMF geometry (six segments), scarp height (five segments) reflecting the most recent episodes of fault offset, and cumulative throw (three composite segments) reflecting the long-term fault offset. We also observe that although the BMF exhibits continuity of sub-aerial scarps along its length, the throw distribution shows a higher estimate at the Northern-to-Central segment relay zone (423 m absolute, 364 m moving median) compared to the Central-to-Southern segment relay zone (371 m absolute, 297 m moving median). The ERT profiles across the relay zones suggest a shallower basement and a possible canyon-mouth alluvial fan stratigraphy at the Central-to-Southern segment relay zone, contrasting the deeper basement and “simpler” electrical stratigraphy at the Northern-to-Central relay. The results suggest a more complex long-term evolution of the BMF than was assumed in previous studies. A comparison of BMF’s maximum displacement-vs-length with those of other Malawi Rift border faults and global normal fault populations suggest that although the BMF has possibly reached its maximum length, it remains largely under-displaced as its 580–837 m maximum displacement is significantly lower than that of faults of equivalent length. We suggest that the BMF may continue to accrue significant strain as tectonic extension progresses in the Southern Malawi Rift, thus posing a major seismic hazard in the region. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T10:58:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cf1bb566cd8a4b59a116265913fb0677 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-6463 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T10:58:37Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Earth Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-cf1bb566cd8a4b59a116265913fb06772022-12-21T19:06:25ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Earth Science2296-64632022-04-011010.3389/feart.2022.846389846389Under-Displaced Normal Faults: Strain Accommodation Along an Early-Stage Rift-Bounding Fault in the Southern Malawi RiftOyewande O. Ojo0Leonard O. Ohenhen1Folarin Kolawole2Folarin Kolawole3Steven G. Johnson4Patrick R. Chindandali5Estella A. Atekwana6Daniel A. Laó-Dávila7Boone Pickens School of Geology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United StatesDepartment of Geosciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United StatesBP America, Houston, TX, United StatesLamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, NY, United StatesBoone Pickens School of Geology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United StatesGeological Survey Department, Zomba, MalawiDepartment of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United StatesBoone Pickens School of Geology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United StatesOne of the fundamental problems in continental rift segmentation and propagation is how strain is accommodated along large rift-bounding faults (border faults) since the segmentation of propagating border faults control the expression of rift zones, syn-rift depo-centers, and long-term basin evolution. In the Southern Malawi Rift, where previous studies on the early-stage rifting only assessed border fault structure from surficial and topographic expression, we integrate surface and subsurface data to investigate border fault segmentation, linkage, and growth as proxies for strain accommodation along the Bilila-Mtakataka Fault (BMF) System. We used 30 m-resolution topographic relief maps, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), and high-resolution aeromagnetic data to characterize the detailed fault geometry and provide a more robust estimate of along-fault displacement distribution. Our results reveal a discrepancy between sub-aerial segmentation of the BMF geometry (six segments), scarp height (five segments) reflecting the most recent episodes of fault offset, and cumulative throw (three composite segments) reflecting the long-term fault offset. We also observe that although the BMF exhibits continuity of sub-aerial scarps along its length, the throw distribution shows a higher estimate at the Northern-to-Central segment relay zone (423 m absolute, 364 m moving median) compared to the Central-to-Southern segment relay zone (371 m absolute, 297 m moving median). The ERT profiles across the relay zones suggest a shallower basement and a possible canyon-mouth alluvial fan stratigraphy at the Central-to-Southern segment relay zone, contrasting the deeper basement and “simpler” electrical stratigraphy at the Northern-to-Central relay. The results suggest a more complex long-term evolution of the BMF than was assumed in previous studies. A comparison of BMF’s maximum displacement-vs-length with those of other Malawi Rift border faults and global normal fault populations suggest that although the BMF has possibly reached its maximum length, it remains largely under-displaced as its 580–837 m maximum displacement is significantly lower than that of faults of equivalent length. We suggest that the BMF may continue to accrue significant strain as tectonic extension progresses in the Southern Malawi Rift, thus posing a major seismic hazard in the region.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2022.846389/fullstrain accommodationnormal faultsearly-stage rift-bounding faultbilila-mtakataka faultunder-displaced normal faultsfault scarp height |
| spellingShingle | Oyewande O. Ojo Leonard O. Ohenhen Folarin Kolawole Folarin Kolawole Steven G. Johnson Patrick R. Chindandali Estella A. Atekwana Daniel A. Laó-Dávila Under-Displaced Normal Faults: Strain Accommodation Along an Early-Stage Rift-Bounding Fault in the Southern Malawi Rift Frontiers in Earth Science strain accommodation normal faults early-stage rift-bounding fault bilila-mtakataka fault under-displaced normal faults fault scarp height |
| title | Under-Displaced Normal Faults: Strain Accommodation Along an Early-Stage Rift-Bounding Fault in the Southern Malawi Rift |
| title_full | Under-Displaced Normal Faults: Strain Accommodation Along an Early-Stage Rift-Bounding Fault in the Southern Malawi Rift |
| title_fullStr | Under-Displaced Normal Faults: Strain Accommodation Along an Early-Stage Rift-Bounding Fault in the Southern Malawi Rift |
| title_full_unstemmed | Under-Displaced Normal Faults: Strain Accommodation Along an Early-Stage Rift-Bounding Fault in the Southern Malawi Rift |
| title_short | Under-Displaced Normal Faults: Strain Accommodation Along an Early-Stage Rift-Bounding Fault in the Southern Malawi Rift |
| title_sort | under displaced normal faults strain accommodation along an early stage rift bounding fault in the southern malawi rift |
| topic | strain accommodation normal faults early-stage rift-bounding fault bilila-mtakataka fault under-displaced normal faults fault scarp height |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2022.846389/full |
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