Difference in the GPS deformation pattern of North and Central Zagros (Iran)

Walpersdorf, Andréa; Hatzfeld, Denis; Nankali, H.; Tavakoli, Farokh; Nilforoushan, F.; Tatar, M.; Vernant, Philippe; Chéry, Jean; Masson, Frédéric

doi:10.1111/j.1365-246x.2006.03147.x

Cited by 190 publications

(196 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…A possible exception is the Main Recent Fault (Iran) that appears to have a higher geologic than geodetic slip rate. If this result persists with improved geologic observations, it could be indicative of complex fault interaction [Walpersdorf et al, 2006;Tavakoli et al, 2008].…”

Section: Internal Deformation Of the Arabian Platementioning

confidence: 99%

Geodetic constraints on present‐day motion of the Arabian Plate: Implications for Red Sea and Gulf of Aden rifting

ArRajehi

McClusky²,

Reilinger³

et al. 2010

Tectonics

195

146

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Five years of continuously recording GPS observations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia together with new continuous and survey‐mode GPS observations broadly distributed across the Arabian Peninsula provide the basis for substantially improved estimates of present‐day motion and internal deformation of the Arabian plate. We derive the following relative, geodetic Euler vectors (latitude (°N), longitude (°E), rate (°/Myr, counterclockwise)) for Arabia‐Nubia (31.7 ± 0.2, 24.6 ± 0.3, 0.37 ± 0.01), Arabia‐Somalia (22.0 ± 0.5, 26.2 ± 0.5, 0.40 ± 0.01), Arabia‐India (18.0 ± 3.8, 87.6 ± 3.3, 0.07 ± 0.01), Arabia‐Sinai (35.7 ± 0.8, 17.1 ± 5.0, 0.15 ± 0.04), and Arabia‐Eurasia (27.5 ± 0.1, 17.6 ± 0.3, 0.404 ± 0.004). We use these Euler vectors to estimate present‐day stability of the Arabian plate, the rate and direction of extension across the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, and slip rates along the southern Dead Sea fault south of the Lebanon restraining bend (4.5–4.7 ± 0.2 mm/yr, left lateral; 0.8–1.1 ± 0.3 mm/yr extension) and the Owens fracture zone (3.2–2.5 ± 0.5 mm/yr, right lateral, increasing from north to south; 1–2 mm/yr extension). On a broad scale, the Arabian plate has no resolvable internal deformation (weighted root mean square of residual motions for Arabia equals 0.6 mm/yr), although there is marginally significant evidence for N‐S shortening in the Palmyride Mountains, Syria at ≤ 1.5 mm/yr. We show that present‐day Arabia plate motion with respect to Eurasia is consistent within uncertainties (i.e., ±10%) with plate tectonic estimates since the early Miocene when Arabia separated from Nubia. We estimate the time of Red Sea and Gulf of Aden rifting from present‐day Arabia motion, plate tectonic evidence for a 70% increase in Arabia‐Nubia relative motion at 13 Ma, and the width of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden and find that rifting initiated roughly simultaneously (±2.2 Myr) along the strike of the Red Sea from the Gulf of Suez to the Afar Triple Junction, as well as along the West Gulf of Aden at 24 ± 2.2 Ma. Based on the present kinematics, we hypothesize that the negative buoyancy of the subducted ocean lithosphere beneath the Makran and the Zagros fold‐thrust belt is the principle driver of Arabia‐Eurasia convergence and that resisting forces associated with Arabia‐Eurasia continental collision have had little impact on plate motion.

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Section: Internal Deformation Of the Arabian Platementioning

confidence: 99%

Geodetic constraints on present‐day motion of the Arabian Plate: Implications for Red Sea and Gulf of Aden rifting

ArRajehi

McClusky²,

Reilinger³

et al. 2010

Tectonics

195

146

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“…[2002], Vernant et al [2004a], and Walpersdorf et al [2006] yield an average convergence rate of 8 AE 2 mm/yr.…”

Section: à42mentioning

confidence: 99%

Tectonics, climate, and mountain topography

et al. 2012

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[1] By regressing simple, independent variables that describe climate and tectonic processes against measures of topography and relief of 69 mountain ranges worldwide, we quantify the relative importance of these processes in shaping observed landscapes. Climate variables include latitude (as a surrogate for mean annual temperature and insolation, but most importantly for the likelihood of glaciation) and mean annual precipitation. To quantify tectonics we use shortening rates across each range. As a measure of topography, we use mean and maximum elevations and relief calculated over different length scales. We show that the combination of climate (negative correlation) and tectonics (positive correlation) explain substantial fractions (>25%, but <50%) of mean and maximum elevations of mountain ranges, but that shortening rates account for smaller portions, <25%, of the variance in most measures of topography and relief (i.e., with low correlations and large scatter). Relief is insensitive to mean annual precipitation, but does depend on latitude, especially for relief calculated over small ($1 km) length scales, which we infer to reflect the importance of glacial erosion. Larger-scale (averaged over length scales of $10 km) relief, however, correlates positively with tectonic shortening rate. Moreover, the ratio between small-scale and large-scale relief, as well as the relative relief (the relief normalized by the mean elevation of the region) varies most strongly with latitude (strong positive correlation). Therefore, the location of a mountain range on Earth with its corresponding climatic conditions, not just tectonic forcing, appears to be a key factor in determining its shape and size. In any case, the combination of tectonics and climate, as quantified here, can account for approximately half of the variance in these measures of topography. The failure of present-day shortening rates to account for more than 25% of most measures of relief raises the question: Is active tectonics overrated in attempts to account for present-day relief and exhumation rates of high terrain?

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“…The Zagros Mountains and the foreland are currently seismically extremely active. Recent GPS measurements indicate that the Arabian plate continues to move northwards relative to the Iranian microplate at rates of 20 ± 5 mm yr −1 (Tatar et al 2002;Blanc et al 2003;Nilforoushan et al 2003;Allen, Jackson & Walker, 2004;Allen et al 2006;Vernant et al 2004;Rielinger et al 2006;Walpersdorf et al 2006).…”

Section: Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neogene sediments and modern depositional environments of the Zagros foreland basin system

et al. 2011

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-A sedimentological investigation of the Neogene deposits of the Zagros foreland basin in SW Iran reveals a continuous and largely gradational passage from supratidal and sabkha sediments at the base (represented by the Gachsaran Formation) to carbonates and marine marls (Mishan Formation with basal Guri carbonate member) followed by coastal plain and meandering river deposits (Agha Jari Formation) and finally to braided river gravel sheets (Bakhtyari Formation). This vertical succession is interpreted to represent the southward migration of foreland basin depozones (from distal foredeep and foredeep to distal wedge-top and proximal wedge-top, respectively) as the Zagros fold-thrust belt migrated progressively southward towards the Arabian foreland. This vertical succession bears a striking similarity to modern depositional environments and sedimentary deposits observed in the Zagros region today, where one passes from mainly braided rivers in the Zagros Mountains to meandering rivers close to the coast, to shallow marine clastic sediments along the northern part of the Persian Gulf and finally to carbonate ramp and sabkha deposits along the southeastern coast of the Persian Gulf. This link between the Neogene succession and the modern-day depositional environments strongly suggests that the major Neogene formations of the Zagros foreland basin are strongly diachronous (as shown recently by others) and have active modern-day equivalents.

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Difference in the GPS deformation pattern of North and Central Zagros (Iran)

Cited by 190 publications

References 36 publications

Geodetic constraints on present‐day motion of the Arabian Plate: Implications for Red Sea and Gulf of Aden rifting

Geodetic constraints on present‐day motion of the Arabian Plate: Implications for Red Sea and Gulf of Aden rifting

Tectonics, climate, and mountain topography

Neogene sediments and modern depositional environments of the Zagros foreland basin system

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