HR: 0830h
AN: T51D-0192    [PDF]
TI: Elastic Dislocation Models of Listric Normal Faults
AU: * Healy, D
EM: dhealy@liv.ac.uk
AF: Department of Earth & Ocean Sciences Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 3GP United Kingdom
AU: Kusznir, N
EM: sr11@liv.ac.uk
AF: Department of Earth & Ocean Sciences Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 3GP United Kingdom
AB: We model the deformation in the hangingwall and footwall of listric normal faults using elastic dislocation theory. Our models simulate intra-basinal listric normal faults (e.g. growth faults) wholly within a sedimentary succession, with no basement involvement. We seek to provide a physical understanding for previously published geometrical models of deformation around listric faults in which graphical methods are used to determine the geometry of beds in the hangingwall from a known fault shape. Simple elastic dislocation models of faults in a uniform elastic half-space predict a displacement field of variably inclined simple shear, when viewed in the hangingwall reference frame. Listric fault models with constant heave result in steeper inclined shear when compared to equivalent models with constant slip. Elastic dislocation models of listric faults with a relaxed viscoelastic rheology predict a displacement field almost identical to purely elastic models. A significant prediction from the elastic dislocation models of listric normal faults is the relative lack of footwall uplift when compared to planar faults with a similar depth, dip and slip. Elastic dislocation theory provides a physical explanation for the success of previous geometrical models that implement inclined simple shear.
DE: 8010 Fractures and faults
DE: 8020 Mechanics
DE: 8105 Continental margins and sedimentary basins
DE: 8109 Continental tectonics--extensional (0905)
SC: Tectonophysics [T]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting