Active Tectonics (U02229)

? Credit Points : 10 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : GEO-4-GEO-4-ACT

The course comprises lecture and discussion sessions. Its content is as follows:

a) Nucleation and growth of faults - displacement length relationship (extension of 3rd-year material), background information on rock mechanics, theoretical models for fault growth.
b) Interpreting faults in seismic data. Models for predicting sub-seismic fault populations; fault size-frequency distributions.
c) Growth of faults by interaction and linkage.
d) Relationship between faults and earthquakes; effect of fault segmentation on rupture termination; earthquake clustering and recurrence.
e) In-situ state of stress; geological strain rates determined from earthquakes and GPS.
f) Interaction between drainage and tectonics, implications for sediment accumulation, particularly in extensional basins.

Entry Requirements

? Pre-requisites : TO BE CONFIRMED

? Prohibited combinations : Deformation Processes and Active Tectonics (U03059).

? Costs : None.

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Earth Science, (School of GeoSciences, Schedule N)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 4th year

? Delivery Period : Semester 2 (Blocks 3-4)

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

The course objectives are to acquaint the student with the basic concepts of fault formation and growth, and to discuss the implications for structural geometries at different scales, rift basin formation, and patterns of earthquake recurrence.