Unraveling the complex deformation pattern at Yellowstone plateau through seismicity and fracture analysis

Russo, Elena; Tibaldi, Alessandro; Waite, G. P.; Bonali, Fabio Luca; Massin, Frédérick; Farrell, Jamie

doi:10.1016/j.tecto.2020.228352

Cited by 8 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 66 publications

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“…We believe that, when magma propagates horizontally (i.e., laterally) along a shallow, vertical dyke, it can produce also fractures with strikeslip components as well. This is testified to by the onset of seismic events, contemporaneous to dyke intrusion, with double-couple focal mechanism solutions showing strike-slip components of deformation, as observed in the past at Long Valley caldera (Savage and Cockerham, 1984), during the 2014 event (Shelly et al, 2016) at Yellowstone caldera (Russo et al, 2017(Russo et al, , 2020, and during the 2014 Bárðarbunga dyking episode in Central Iceland (Ágústsdóttir et al, 2016). Figures 6A,B show that the southern and central sections of the rift display similar opening directions, in the N80-140 • range, whereas the northern part shows a systematic clockwise rotation of opening directions, that attain a N100-160 • range.…”

Section: Opening Directionsmentioning

confidence: 95%

Rifting Kinematics Produced by Magmatic and Tectonic Stresses in the North Volcanic Zone of Iceland

et al. 2020

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In the North Volcanic Zone of Iceland, we studied with the greatest possible detail the complete structural architecture and kinematics of the whole Theistareykir Fissure Swarm (ThFS), an N-S-trending, 70 km long active rift. We made about 7500 measurements along 6124 post-Late Glacial Maximum (LGM) extension fractures and faults, and 685 pre-LGM structures. We have collected the data over the last 6 years, through extensive field surveys and with the aid of drone mapping with centimetric resolution. In the southern sector of the study area, extension fractures and faults strike mainly N10 •-20 • , the opening direction is about N110 • , and the dilation amount is in the range 0.1-10 m. In the central sector, faults and extension fractures strike mainly N00-10 • , the opening direction is N90-100 • , and the dilation amount is 0.1-9 m. In the northern sector, extension fractures and faults strike N30-40 • , the opening direction is about N125 • , and the dilation amount is 0.1-8 m. The variations in strike are attributable to two processes: the interaction with the WNW-ESE-striking Husavik-Flatey transform fault and Grímsey Oblique Rift (Grímsey lineament), and the structural inheritance of older NNE-to NE-striking normal faults. Most extension fractures show a minor strikeslip component: a systematic right-lateral component can be accounted for by the interaction with the WNW-ESE-striking fault zones and the regional, oblique opening of the rift. We regard dyke propagation as a possible cause for the more complex strikeslip components measured at several other fractures. Cumulated dilation and fracture frequency decrease along the rift with distance away from the Theistareykir volcano, situated in the central sector of the ThFS. This is interpreted as a decrease in the number of dykes that are capable of reaching great distances after being injected from the magma chamber.

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Section: Opening Directionsmentioning

confidence: 95%

Rifting Kinematics Produced by Magmatic and Tectonic Stresses in the North Volcanic Zone of Iceland

et al. 2020

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“…On the other hand, noneruptive earthquake swarms found in a number of settings (19)(20)(21) have been attributed to underlying mechanisms such as arrested magma intrusions, snowmelt, and deep hydrothermal activity. In particular, the Yellowstone caldera has exhibited a number of earthquake swarms, which have been linked to fluid migration, as determined by elevated b values near the resurgent dome (22), multiplet analysis (23), as well as spatiotemporal evolution and focal mechanisms (24,25). The Long Valley caldera is an active volcanic system in California that has produced several notable noneruptive volcanic swarms.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Basal nucleation and the prevalence of ascending swarms in Long Valley caldera

Smith

Ross

2021

Sci. Adv.

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Earthquake swarms are ubiquitous in volcanic systems, being manifestations of underlying nontectonic processes such as magma intrusions or volatile fluid transport. The Long Valley caldera, California, is one such setting where episodic earthquake swarms and persistent uplift suggest the presence of active magmatism. We quantify the long-term spatial and temporal characteristics of seismicity in the region using cluster analysis on a 25-year high-resolution earthquake catalog derived using leading-edge deep-learning algorithms. Our results show that earthquake swarms beneath the caldera exhibit enlarged families with statistically significant tendency for upward migration patterns. The ascending swarms tend to nucleate at the base of the seismogenic zone with a spatial footprint that is laterally constrained by the southern rim of the caldera. We suggest that these swarms are driven by the transport of volatile-rich fluids released from deep volcanic processes. The observations highlight the potential for extreme spatial segmentation of earthquake triggering processes in magmatic systems.

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“…The spatial and temporal distribution of relocated earthquakes within the Taupō Fault Belt suggest evidence of potential fluid-based faulting, which may have occurred as a product of this intrusion. Fluids can induce faulting by reducing effective normal stress and increasing pore fluid pressure as they propagate along fault planes (Shelly et al, 2013;Russo et al, 2020). Multiple major earthquake swarms in the past have also been associated with fluids escaping from a lithostatically pressured ductile regime into a hydrostatically pressured brittle region (Dzurisin et al, 1994(Dzurisin et al, , 2012Waite & Smith, 2002).…”

Section: Evidence Of Fluid-based Faultingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Multiple major earthquake swarms in the past have also been associated with fluids escaping from a lithostatically pressured ductile regime into a hydrostatically pressured brittle region (Dzurisin et al, 1994(Dzurisin et al, , 2012Waite & Smith, 2002). Both Yellowstone and the Main Ethiopian Rift show similarities to the proposed Western Bay intrusion and their seismicity was attributed to fluids originated from intruded magma bodies to induce faulting (Shelly et al, 2013;Lavayssière et al, 2019;Russo et al, 2020). These examples will be addressed in Section 4.2.…”

Section: Evidence Of Fluid-based Faultingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We have chosen to focus on periods of seismicity at three of these analogous settings, which support the interpretations we have made for Taupō. These periods of seismicity occur at Yellowstone caldera, Campi Flegrei caldera and the Main Ethiopian Rift (Russo et al, 2020;La Rocca & Galluzzo, 2019;Lavayssière et al, 2019).…”

Section: Comparing Taupō With Analogous Calderasmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A study and interpretation of the distribution and kinematics of the 2001 Taupō Fault Belt seismic swarm using relative relocation techniques

Mcgregor¹

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The Taupō Volcanic Zone (TVZ) is the southern extent of the Tonga-Kermadec volcanic arc, forming a rifted arc due to its interaction with the nearby Hikurangi Subduction Zone. The TVZ aligns closely with the Taupō Rift, with the two structures accommodating extension in the region via magmatic and tectonic processes. Rates of seismicity are high in this area, especially around Taupō Volcano in the central TVZ. A swarm of earthquakes occurring between January and June 2001 contrasts with other periods of increased seismicity, occurring slightly north of the volcano within the Taupō Fault Belt. We have analysed this swarm of earthquakes to investigate potential interaction between the tectonic and magmatic systems at Taupō. We obtained data from two temporary seismic arrays deployed at the time of the swarm and processed the data using non-linear location, matched-filter detection and differential relocation to yield over 2000 more earthquakes than initially detected by GeoNet. The relocated events indicated that earthquakes occurring within the fault belt formed vertical clusters near small, unidentified faults. Prior to seismicity within the Taupō Fault Belt, a large earthquake cluster was located beneath Lake Taupō’s Western Bay, previously thought to be aseismic. Focal mechanisms calculated for six of the eight largest magnitude earthquakes within the swarm are consistent with a rotation of the maximum compressive stress axes to horizontal during the swarm. We interpret the earthquakes detected beneath the Western Bay as signalling unrest from an intruding, possibly mafic, magma body, such as have been identified at numerous other calderas. Fluids and increased horizontal stress from this intrusion triggered the resulting seismicity in the Taupō Fault Belt, which display vertical clustering and small-scale propagation to support this. Increased horizontal pressure from the intrusion rotated the axis of maximum compressive stress, indicated by strike-slip focal mechanisms and mirroring the same process in other caldera settings. This is a further example of volcano-tectonic interactions in the central TVZ, involving a previously unexplored area beneath Lake Taupō’s Western Bay.

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Unraveling the complex deformation pattern at Yellowstone plateau through seismicity and fracture analysis

Cited by 8 publications

References 66 publications

Rifting Kinematics Produced by Magmatic and Tectonic Stresses in the North Volcanic Zone of Iceland

Rifting Kinematics Produced by Magmatic and Tectonic Stresses in the North Volcanic Zone of Iceland

Basal nucleation and the prevalence of ascending swarms in Long Valley caldera

A study and interpretation of the distribution and kinematics of the 2001 Taupō Fault Belt seismic swarm using relative relocation techniques

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