Maunde, Abubakar and Alves, Tiago M.  ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2765-3760
2026.
High-resolution throw-depth mapping to assess the evolution and reactivation histories of outer-arc faults in buckle folds.
Journal of Applied Geophysics
255
, 106501.
10.1016/j.jappgeo.2026.106501
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Abstract
Tectonic shortening can induce a continuum of internal deformation in strata and leads to the generation of outer-arc extensional faults in evolving folds and structural traps. High-quality three-dimensional (3D) seismic and borehole data from the Southern North Sea are used in this work to investigate the geometry and growth histories of outer-arc extensional faults via a detailed analysis of fault throws vs. their depths (T-z plots). The results show that faults nucleated first in more competent sandstone intervals - those recording the larger fault throws between 21.3 m and 41.1 m, and a high competency ratio above 1.0. They propagated outwards to link with fault segments developing in less competent shale-rich intervals. These softer shaley intervals have fault throws between 5.2 m and 19.6 m and competency ratios below 1.0. Throw-depth distributions suggest faults grow via segment linkage whereby the segments with the larger throws propagate outwards towards each other, to then link to strata recording small fault throws. Fault traces are also narrower, more localised and less segmented compared to incompetent shaley intervals. Recognising the geometry and growth histories of outer-arc extensional faults as those in this work is crucial to understanding how faults evolve and grow near folds and horizontally shortened traps. It also provides information on the timing of fault activity, a parameter directly affecting sub-surface fluid flow and the sealing potential of faults in geological reservoirs. As a corollary, we show that the loci where outer-arc faults first nucleated and subsequently propagated from is recorded by anomalous fault-throw distributions.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Date Type: | Publication |
| Status: | Published |
| Schools: | Schools > Earth and Environmental Sciences Schools > Physical, Chemical & Environmental Sciences |
| Additional Information: | RRS policy applied |
| Publisher: | Elsevier |
| ISSN: | 0926-9851 |
| Date of First Compliant Deposit: | 21 September 2026 |
| Date of Acceptance: | 29 August 2026 |
| Last Modified: | 21 Sep 2026 09:00 |
| URI: | https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/189449 |
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