Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Seismological and structural evolution of strike-slip faults

  • Letter
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

The mapped traces of strike-slip faults are commonly characterized by discontinuities that appear as steps in map-view. Here I present observations to show that the number of steps per unit length along the trace of major strike-slip fault zones in California and Turkey is a smoothly decreasing function of cumulative geological offset. When coupled with a growing body of evidence that indicates that steps in fault traces work to impede or arrest the propagation of earthquake ruptures, the apparent smoothing of fault traces with displacement is interpreted to suggest that the spatial distribution of strength properties on a fault plane is a function of cumulative geological offset. A consequence of this structural evolution is that faults may undergo a seismological evolution a well, whereby the size and frequency distribution of earthquakes is also a function of cumulative offset.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Wesnousky, S. G. J. geophys. Res. 91, 12587–12631 (1986).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Segall, P. & Pollard, D. D. J. geophys. Res. 85, 4337–4350 (1980).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. Sibson, R. H. Geophys. Monogr. 37, 157–167 (Am. Geophys. Un., Washington D.C., 1986).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Crowell, J. C. Soc. econ. Paleontologists and Mineralogists spec. Pap. 22, 190–204 (1974).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Barka, A. A. & Kadinsky-Cade, C. Tectonics (in the press).

  6. Wilcox, R. E., Harding, T. P. & Seely, D. R. Bull. Am. Ass. Petrol. Geol. 57, 74–94 (1973).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Withjack, M. O. & Jamison, W. R. Tectonophysics 126, 99–124 (1986).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Hill, M. L. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 92, 112–131 (1981).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. Smith, G. I. Bull. Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. 46, 185–104 (1962).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Lamar, D. L. & Rockwell, T. K. in Neotectonics and Faulting in Southern California, Guidebook and Volume 82nd Annual Meeting of the Cordilleran Section of the Geol. Soc. Am. 149–158 (Los Angeles, California, 1986).

    Google Scholar 

  11. Kintzer, F. C., Brooks, E. R. & Cummings, J. C. Geol. Soc. Am. Abstracts with Programs 9, 65 (1977).

    Google Scholar 

  12. Sharp, R. V. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 78, 705–730 (1967).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. Barrows, A. G. Spec. Rep. Calif. Div. Mines Geol. 114, 115 (1974).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Barka, A. A. & Gulen, L. Spec. Publs Middle East. tech. Univ. (in the press).

  15. Wesnousky, S. G. Proc. USGS Workshop on Fault Segmentation and Controls of Rupture Initiation and Termination - USGS Open-File Report (in the press).

  16. Clark, M. M. USGS Misc. Field Invest. Map. 1-1483 (1984).

  17. Hope, R. A. USGS Open-file Rep. 69-130 (1969).

  18. Ross, D. C. USGS Misc. Field Invest. Map 1-553, (1969).

  19. Vedder, J. G. & Wallace, R. E. USGS Misc. geol. Invest. Map 1-574 (1970).

  20. Brown, R. D. USGS Misc. geol. Invest. Map 1-575 (1970).

  21. Brown, R. D. Jr & Wolfe, E. W. USGS Misc. geol. Invest. Map 1-692 (1972).

  22. Matti, J. C., Morton, D. M. & Cox, B. F. USGS Open-file Rep. 85-365, 23 (1985).

    Google Scholar 

  23. Clark, M. M. USGS Misc. geol. Invest. Map 74, (1973).

  24. Anderson, J. G., Rockwell, T. & Agnew, D. Earthquake Spectra (in the press).

  25. Herd, D. G. USGS Misc, Field Stud. 1:250,000 Map of Recently Active Faults of San Francisco Bay Region and Surrounding Northern California Coast Ranges (in the press).

  26. Sharp, R. V. Bull. Calif. Div. Mines Geol 196, 187–194 (1975).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  27. Lay, T. & Kanamori, H. in Earthquake Prediction: an International Review (eds Simpson, D. & Richards, P.) 579–592 (Maurice Ewing Series 4, Am. Geophys. Un., Washington, D.C., 1981).

    Google Scholar 

  28. Andrews, D. J. J. geophys. Res. 85, 3867–3877 (1980).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  29. Aki, K. in Earthquake Prediction - An International Review (eds Simpson, D. & Richards, P.) 566–574 (Maurice Ewing Series 4, A. Geophys. Un., Washington, D.C., 1981).

    Google Scholar 

  30. Scholz, C. H. & Aviles, C. A. in Earthquakes Source Mechanics Geophys. Monogr. 37, 147–156 (eds Das, S., Boatwright, J. & Scholz, C.) (Maurice Ewing Series 6, Am. Geophys. Un., Washington, D.C., 1986).

    Google Scholar 

  31. Smalley, R., Turcotte, D. & Solla, S. J. geophys. Res. 90, 1894–1900 (1985).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Earthquake Research and Information, Memphis State University, Memphis, Tennessee, 38152, USA

    Steven G. Wesnousky

Authors
  1. Steven G. Wesnousky
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wesnousky, S. Seismological and structural evolution of strike-slip faults. Nature 335, 340–343 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1038/335340a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/335340a0

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Search

Navigation