Arrival times from intermediate-depth (110-150 km) earthquakes within the region of flat subduction beneath central Peru provide constraints on the geometry and velocity structure of the subducting Nazca plate. Hypocenters for these events, which are beneath the sub-andean and eastern Peruvian basins, were determined using a best-fitting onedimensional velocity-depth model with a 15-station digitally-recording network deployed in the epicentral region. For that model, P-wave travel times to coastal stations, about 6° trenchward, exhibit negative residuals of up to 4 seconds and have considerably more complexity than arrivals at the network stations. The residuals at coastal stations are conjectured to result from travel paths with long segments in the colder, higher velocity subducting plate. Travel time anomalies were modeled by 3-D raytracing. Computed ray paths show that travel times to coastal stations for the eastern Peru events can be satisfactorilymodeled if velocities relative to the surrounding mantle are 6% lower within the uppermost slab (a 6 km thick layer composed of basaltic oceanic crust) and 8% higher within the cold peridotitic layer (which must be at least 44 km thick). Raytracing runs for this plate model show that "shadow zones" can occur if the source-slab-receiver geometry results in seismic rays passing through regions in which the slab undergoes significant changes in slope. Such geometries exist for seismic waves propagating to some coastal stations from sources located beneath the eastern Peruvian basin. Observed first-arrival times for such cases do in fact have less negative residuals than those for geometries which allow for \direct\ paths. Modeling such arrivals as trapped mode propagation through the high-velocity part of the plate produces arrival times consistent with those observed. / Master of Science

<p dir="ltr">The Cascadia subduction zone features many along-strike variations in geophysical signatures that appear independent of properties in the subducting Juan de Fuca plate. Past studies have hypothesized that controls on these variations, namely subcretion, seem linked to overriding plate characteristics but may be influenced by characteristics of the downgoing slab as well. Nowhere is this more apparent than in southern Cascadia, which features the highest seismogenesis, broadest forearc topography, and lowest Bouguer gravity along the Cascadia margin. Additionally, the northward migration of deformation related to the San Andreas fault’s evolution and potential subslab buoyancies introduce further complexities making it difficult to parse contributions of tectonic processes to individual geophysical observations. To better understand contributions from Cascadia subduction and San Andreas evolution on tectonic processes, 60 Magseis Fairview nodal seismometers were deployed in southern Cascadia (Klamath Mountains) between April and May of 2020. We perform ambient noise tomography using Rayleigh and Love waves to constrain radial anisotropy and reveal seismic characteristics in the forearc. We find low VSV (<3.4 km/s) in the lower crust of the forearc consistent with previous studies. This is paired with high (>10%) positive radial anisotropy suggesting these materials are dominated by (sub)horizontal fabrics. We also observe relatively high VSV and VSH and negative radial anisotropy (~ -10%) in the upper crust of the forearc to ~10 km depth. These results suggest that the upper crust, which is dominated by the Klamath terrane, is characterized by (sub-vertical) deformational fabrics, likely related to brittle deformation superimposed on the accretionary history of the Klamath terrane, while the lower crust shows fabrics consistent with what would be expected due to basal accretion of oceanic crust (e.g, sedimentary rocks with or without basaltic slivers). The correlation of positive radial anisotropy with low shear-wave velocities (~3.4 km/s), low Bouguer gravity, high conductivity, and high rates of seismogenic activity (LFEs, tremor distribution, and episodic slow slip events) suggest that this basally accreted material may be infiltrated by fluids derived from the downgoing oceanic lithosphere.</p>

This project is a critique toward two things: (1) Swedish standard architectural surfaces and (2) the methods used to produce them. It derives from the debate on the impact of digital media on human wellbeing and two directions found in architecture as response: the tactile versus the visual. Applying the theories of architect and educator Michael Young, the project argues that Swedish standard domestic architecture favours internal surfaces as a visual concept rather than material entities. This produces a barrier between the resident and the services provided by the dwelling, ultimately devaluing physical labour in favour of intellectual. The aim, therefore, is to investigate what architectural methods could produce a more tactile and interactive architecture. This is done using a combination of two methods: the 3D scanner and the construction detail. This combination of methods is iterated in the same manner, however for each iteration digs deeper into the mission of revealing hidden labour. Applying this on a physical context, two rooms are produced: the Room of Endless Scrolling and the Room of Endless Labour. In these rooms, what becomes evident are the awkward gaps and irregularities hiding inside the seemingly perfect Swedish standard walls. Rather than critiquing the gaps, they are celebrated as record of human involvement in the building process, which otherwise is carefully hidden away.

Globally, deformation along obliquely converging plate margins produce a wide variety of complex fault patterns, including crustal pop-ups, fault duplex structures, restraining bends, and flower structures. Depending on the plate velocity, plate obliquity, crustal rheology, length-scale, and climate, the evolution of faulting into translational and vertical strain can range in complexity and fault slip partitioning (i.e. vertical vs. horizontal strain). In this dissertation I studied two restraining bends to understand how these factors influence patterns of deformation along two major plate boundaries: The North American-Caribbean and the North AmericanPacific plate boundaries. First, I estimate the exhumation and cooling history along the Blue Mountains restraining bend in Jamaica using multiple thermochronometers. Three phases of cooling have occurred within Jamaica: 1) initial rock crystallization and rapid emplacement of plutons from 75-68 Ma, 2) slow cooling from 68-20 Ma, and 3) two-stage exhumation from 20 Ma – Present. During the most recent phase of Jamaica’s cooling history, two stages of exhumation have been identified at 0.2 mm/yr (20 – 5 Ma) and ~1 mm/yr (5 Ma – Present). Given the plate velocity to exhumation rate ratio during the most recent phase, we suggest that the climate of Jamaica increases the erosivity of the Blue Mountain suite, whereby the Blue Mountains may be in an erosional stead-state. Second, I studied the long-term evolution of a restraining bend at San Gorgonio Pass in southern California by relating fault kinematics within the uplifted San Bernardino Mountains to the nearby Eastern California shear zone. Using highresolution topography (i.e. UAV and lidar surveys), I studied the plausibility of faulting along two potentially nascent faults within the San Bernardino Mountains, namely the Lone Valley and Lake Peak faults. We found that while both faults display evidence for Quaternary faulting, deciphering true fault slip rates was challenging due to the erosive nature of the mountainous landscape. Coupled with evidence of Quaternary faulting along other faults within the San Bernardino Mountains, we suggest a western migration of the Eastern California shear zone. / PHD / The deformation of rocks along tectonic plate boundaries provides insight into how the upper crust behaves, and is dependent on the crustal strength, plate velocity, temporal and spatial scales, and climate. At most convergent plate boundaries, plate motion is oblique to the plate boundary, resulting in zones of transpression: compression and translation. Geologists refer to these features as restraining bends. What factors dictate how faults within restraining bends evolve is a major question in the field of tectonics. In this dissertation I studied two major restraining bends which differ in both scale (i.e. length to width ratio) and climate, namely the Blue Mountains restraining bend in Jamaica and the restraining bend at San Gorgonio Pass in southern California. Along the Blue Mountains restraining bend, it was not understood when or how fast this mountain range was being exhumed due to the tectonic forces being applied to the plate boundary. I use a technique called thermochronometry, whereby instead of measuring the age of rock crystallization, I measure when the rock cools below a certain temperature. Different minerals have different closure temperatures, and by using multiple minerals, I determined the cooling path of the rocks in the Blue Mountains since they crystalized in the late Cretaceous (~75 million years ago). We found that the rocks experienced three different phases of cooling, with a more recent phase being divided into two stages since 20 Ma: Blue Mountain rocks being exhumed at a rate of 0.2 mm/yr from 20 – 5 Ma (relatively slow) and ~1 mm/yr from 5 – 0 Ma (relatively fast). I concluded that the climate of Jamaica weathers and erodes rocks so efficiently that the Blue Mountains are in an erosional balance between plate tectonic forces and climatic forces. My second chapter identifies small, unstudied faults within the San Bernardino Mountains, and determined that these faults display enough evidence that they should be considered a earthquake hazard. The restraining bend itself is migrating towards the southeast and is being influenced by other faults in the area. What once was a predominantly transpressional system, is now being influenced mainly by strike-slip faulting.

La compréhension des processus et des modalités de l’inversion des systèmes extensifs et plus particulièrement les domaines de marges amincies, dans les chaines de collision est un enjeu majeur. La chaîne intracontinentale des Pyrénées constitue un exemple d’inversion de marges passives hyper-amincies, associées à un métamorphisme HT-BP et intégrées dans le prisme orogénique. La première partie de cette étude est centrée sur l’étude de la répartition du métamorphisme HT-BP associé à la phase de rifting et de l’exhumation du manteau lithosphérique. L’apport des données de TRSCM a permis, dans un premier temps, de définir l’enveloppe de la ZIM caractérisée par des températures comprises entre 400 et 630°C à l’échelle de l’ensemble de la chaîne et de montrer qu’il n’existe pas de gradient significatif des températures maximales à cette échelle. Dans un second temps, cette étude a permis de mettre en évidence des sauts de température importants au travers de failles majeures et de distinguer des gradients de températures latéraux à l’échelle des différents bassins constituant la ZIM, en particulier dans l’ouest de la chaîne sur l’exemple de la Nappe de Marbres. Cette partie de l’étude montre également l’importance d’une tectonique salifère antérieure au métamorphisme de HT-BP. La seconde partie de cette étude, concernant la structure de la ZIM met en évidence trois phases de déformation, associées à l’orogenèse pyrénéenne ainsi que le rôle du niveau de décollement des évaporites du Trias supérieur dans l’allochtonie généralisée de la ZIM. De plus, les failles majeures observées dans la ZNP, montrent un mouvement inverse avec une composante décrochante sénestre. L’interprétation de l’ensemble de ces résultats suggère que la ZIM et la ZNP ne forme qu’une seule unité découplée du socle varisque au niveau du Trias supérieur et déplacée par des chevauchements plats issus de l’héritage extensif, lors du début de la convergence. Le mode de déformation est alors de type thin-skinned, puis devient, lors de la collision des deux paléomarges, de type thick-skinned, avec le développement de faille majeures associées à l’exhumation des blocs de socle (Massifs Nord-Pyrénéens) qui ont découpé l’ensemble de la ZIM. / The understanding of the processes and scenarios of the inversion of extensional systems, and more specifically of hyper-extended margins, in collision thrust belts is a major issue. The intracontinental belt of the Pyrenees is an example of inversion of hyper-extended margins, associated with a HT-LP metamorphism and then integrated within the orogenic wedge. The first part of this study is focused on the distribution of the HT-LP metamorphism associated with rifting and the exhumation of lithospheric mantle. A new set of TRSCM data allows the recognition of the geometry of the IMZ, characterized with temperature ranging from 400 to 630°C and shows the absence of a regional gradient at this scale. This study then shows significant temperature gaps across major faults and distinguishes lateral temperature gradients at the scale of the different basins constituting the IMZ, especially in the westernmost part of the belt, in the Nappe des Marbres Basin. This part of the study moreover shows the importance of a salt tectonics prior to the HT-LP metamorphism. The second part shows the existence of three main tectonics phases during the Pyrenean orogeny and the role played by the Late Triassic evaporites as a decollement level in the generalized allochthony of the IMZ. A left-lateral component along the main faults within and along the boundaries of the North Pyrenean Zone (ZNP) is also shown. The interpretation of these observations is that the IMZ and ZNP form a single tectonic unit, decoupled from the Variscan basement by the decollement in the Late Triassic deposits and displaced above shallow-dipping thrust faults inherited from the rifting episode, during the first stages of the convergence. Deformation mode is then thin-skinned and becomes thick-skinned when the two paleomargins collide, with the development of major steeper faults linked with the exhumation of basement blocks (North Pyrenean Massifs) that dissected the IMZ.

Understanding spatial and temporal variations in strain accumulation and release along plate boundaries is a fundamental problem in tectonics. Short-term and long-term slip rates are expected to be equal if the regional stress field remains unchanged over time, yet discrepancies between modern geodetic (decadal time scale) slip rates and long-term geologic (10^3 to 10^6 years) slip rates have been observed on parts of the Pacific-North American plate boundary system. Contemporary geodetic slip rates are observed to be ~2 times greater than late Pleistocene geologic slip rates across the southern Walker Lane. I use a combination of GPS geodesy, detailed field geologic mapping, high-resolution LiDAR geodetic imaging, and terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide geochronology to investigate the observed discrepancy between long- and short-term slip rates. I find that the present day slip rate derived from GPS geodesy across the Walker Lane at ~37.5°N is 10.6 ± 0.5 mm/yr. GPS data suggest that much of the observed discrepancy occurs west of the White Mountains fault zone. New dextral slip rates on the White Mountains fault zone of 1.1 ± 0.1 mm/yr since 755 ka, 1.9 +0.5/-0.4 mm/yr since 75-115 ka, 1.9 +0.5/-0.4 mm/yr since 38.4 ± 9.0 ka, and 1.8 +2.8/-0.7 mm/yr since 6.2 ± 3.8 ka are significantly faster than previous estimates and suggest that slip rates there have remained constant since the middle Pleistocene. On the Lone Mountain fault I calculate slip rates of 0.8 ± 0.1 mm/yr since 14.6 ± 1.0 ka and 0.7 ± 0.1 mm/yr since 8.0 ± 0.5 ka, which suggest that extension in the Silver Peak-Lone Mountain extensional complex has increased dramatically since the late Pleistocene.

No description available.

This thesis focuses on calculation of finite and progressive deformation in different tectonic scales using 2D numerical models with application to natural cases. Essentially, two major tectonic areas have been covered: a) salt tectonics and b) upper mantle deformation due to interaction between the lithosphere and asthenosphere. The focus in salt tectonics lies on deformation within down-built diapirs consisting of a source layer feeding a vertical stem. Three deformation regimes have been identified within the salt: (I) a squeezing channel flow underneath the overburden, (II) a corner flow underneath the stem, and (III) a pure channel flow within the stem. The results of the model show that the deformation pattern within the stem of a diapir (e.g. symmetric or asymmetric) can reveal information on different rates of salt supplies from the source layer (e.g. observed in Klodowa-diapir, Poland). Composite rock salt rheology results in strong localization and amplification of the strain along the salt layer boundaries in comparison to Newtonian rock salt. Flow and fold structures of passive marker lines are directly correlated to natural folds within a salt diapir. In case of the upper mantle, focus lies on deformation and resulting lattice preferred orientation (LPO) underneath an oceanic plate. Sensitivity of deformation and seismic anisotropy on rheology, grain size (d), temperature (T), and kinematics (v) has been investigated. The results of the model show that the mechanical lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary is strongly controlled by T and less so by v or d. A higher strain concentration within the asthenosphere (e.g. for smaller potential mantle temperatures, higher plate velocities, or smaller d) indicates a weaker coupling between the plate and the underlying mantle, which becomes stronger with the age of the plate. A Poiseuille flow within the asthenosphere, significantly affects the deformation and LPO in the upper mantle. The results of the model show, that deformation in the upper mantle at a certain distance away from the ridge depends on the absolute velocity in the asthenosphere. However, only in cases of a driving upper mantle base does the seismic anisotropy and delay times reach values within the range of natural data.

published_or_final_version / Earth Sciences / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

L'étude tectonique et stratigraphique de la région du Vallone den'Arma, conduit d'abord à préciser la définition et la structure des diverses Unités briançonnaises et subbriançonnaiscs. La coordination des différentes unités, notamment sur la base de la comparaison de leurs successions stratigraphiques permet de proposer un schéma d'organisation paléogéographique cohérent. L'analyse du passage quasi continu, entre Briançonnais et Subbriançonnais révèle que la limite entre ces deux domaines est marquée, non par une transition progressive, mais par une zone où les érosions mésozoïques ont été particulièrement importantes. Cette zone se caractérise en outre par l'abondance des indices de paléotectonique.