Alboran Ridge North: ME010

Identification - compilation

Identification

Identification code :
ME010
Fault name :
Alboran Ridge North
Identification method :
Marine geophysical methods (MCS)
Geological and geographical set :
Alboran Sea (Offshore Africa)

Compilation

Name/s of the compiler/s :
García-Mayordomo, J., Canora, C. and Perea, H.
Filiation/s :
IGME, UAM, UCM
E-mail :
julian.garcia@igme.es
Latest update :
2019-10-28

Location

Geometry and kinematics

Conventions

      
 
 
Variability/Error
Source
Brief comment
Average strike (º) :
70
Variability/Error: 
± 5 
Source: 
LD
Brief comment: 
Martínez-García et al. (2011, 2013, 2017), Gómez de la Peña, (2017) 
Dip (º) :
45
Variability/Error: 
± 20 
Source: 
LD
Brief comment: 
Deep listric structure dip varies from 60º near surface to 20-30º in depth (Martínez-García et al., 2017; Gómez de la Peña, 2017). 
Rake (º) :
80
Variability/Error: 
± 10 
Source: 
EJ
Brief comment: 
Mostly reverse with a variable sinistral component. Based on Martínez-García et al. (2017), Álvarez-Gómez et al. (2011), Gómez de la Peña (2017) and focal mechanisms of the 2016 Al-Hoceima series (Gràcia et al., 2019). 
Sense of movement :
R
Variability/Error: 
RS to R 
Source: 
LD
Brief comment: 
Tectonic inversion from normal (Miocene) to reverse (Plio-Quaternary) (Martínez-García et al., 2017; Gómez de la Peña, 2017). 
Length (km) :
55
Variability/Error: 
± 5 
Source: 
LD
Brief comment: 
Towards the west the Al-Idrissi fault offsets the Alboran ridge which would continue along the Tofiño and Xauen banks (Gómez de la Peña, 2017). Towards the east its strike changes sharply passing to Yussuf fault. 
Min depth (km) :
0
Variability/Error: 
+ 0.5 
Source: 
LD
Brief comment: 
Conforms a wide contractional fault zone (5-15 km) including folds, thrusts and backthrusts, sometimes blind (Martínez-García et al., 2017; Gómez de la Peña, 2017). 
Max depth (km) :
11
Variability/Error: 
± 1 
Source: 
LD
Brief comment: 
Gómez de la Peña (2017) 
Width (km) :
15.556
Variability/Error: 
9/25 
Source: 
AR
Brief comment: 
 
Area (km²) :
855.599
Variability/Error: 
288-1050 
Source: 
AR
Brief comment: 
 

Quaternary activity Strength: A+ 

 
 
Variability/Error
Source
Brief comment
Quaternary activity evidence :
Faulting, folding and tilting of Plio-Quaternary and Quaternary sediments in a wide area covering the northern margin of the Alboran Ridge (5-15 km).
 
 
Variability/Error: 
 
Source: 
LD
Brief comment: 
Martínez-García et al. (2011, 2013, 2017), Gómez de la Peña (2017) 
Age of the youngest deposits or landforms affected by the fault :
Holocene
Variability/Error: 
Holocene to Upper-Middel Pleistocene 
Source: 
LD
Brief comment: 
Martínez-García et al. (2013, 2017), Gómez de la Peña (2017) 

Slip rate Accuracy: B 

 
 
Variability/Error
Source
Brief comment
Vertical Slip Rate VSR (m/ky) :
0.257
Variability/Error: 
0.138-0.375 
Source: 
LD
Brief comment: 
Based on Gómez de la Peña (2007). Maximum uplift since Tortonian-Messinian boundary (7.25 ma) or top of Messinian (5.33 ma) varies between 1 to 2 km. 
Horizontal Slip Rate HSR (m/ky) :
0.064
Variability/Error: 
0.034-0.094 
Source: 
AR
Brief comment: 
Estimated from Net Slip Rate and Vertical Slip Rate 
Net Slip Rate NSR (m/ky) :
0.368
Variability/Error: 
0.198-0.539 
Source: 
AR
Brief comment: 
Assuming 45º dip and rake = 80 

Paleoearthquakes

 
 
Variability/Error
Source
Brief comment
Net slip per event at the Surface (m) :
 
Variability/Error: 
 
Source: 
 
Brief comment: 
Unknown 
Number of Seismic Events :
 
Variability/Error: 
 
Source: 
 
Brief comment: 
Unknown 
Evidence of aseismic creep? :
 
Variability/Error: 
 
Source: 
 
Brief comment: 
Unknown 

Seismic parameters

 
 
Variability/Error
Source
Brief comment
Maximum magnitude (Mw) :
Reliability: A 
7.1
Variability/Error: 
± 0.37 
Source: 
LD
Brief comment: 
Gómez de la Peña (2017) considering 100 km lenght and Wesnousky (2008) equation for reverse slip in continental crust faults estimates Mw 7.9. However, fault lenght here is just 55 km (Mw 7.1 according to Stirling et al., 2003 instrumental dataset. 
Recurrence interval (years) :
 
Variability/Error: 
 
Source: 
 
Brief comment: 
Unstated 
Date of last major earthquake (years) :
 
Variability/Error: 
 
Source: 
 
Brief comment: 
Unknown 

Extended data and references

References :
Gómez de la Peña, L. (2017) The origin and tectono-sedimentary structure of the Alboran Basin. Tesis doctoral, Universidad de Barcelona, 327 pp.
Martínez-García, P., Soto, J.I. & Comas, M. (2011). Recent structures in the Alboran Ridge and Yusuf fault zones based on swath bathymetry and sub-bottom profiling: evidence of active tectonics. Geo-Mar. Lett., 31, 16–39. doi:10.1007/s00367-010-0212-0.
Martínez-García, P., Comas, M., Soto, J.I., Lonergan, L. & Watts, A.B. (2013). Strike-slip tectonics and basin inversion in the WesternMediterranean: the Post-Messinian evolution of the Alboran Sea. Basin Research (2013) 25, 1–27, doi: 10.1111/bre.12005.
Martínez-García, P., Comas, M., Lonergan, L., & Watts, A. B. (2017). From extension to shortening: Tectonic inversion distributed in time and space in the Alboran sea, western Mediterranean. Tectonics, 36, 2777–2805. doi:10.1002/2017TC004489
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