The present-day kinematics and deformation of the Arabian plate and the southern Red Sea region involves interaction of tectonic and non-tectonic processes including plate subduction, continental collision, seafloor spreading, intraplate magmatism, continental transform faulting, microplate rotation, hydrological loading cycles, and anthropogenic activity. Therefore, good constraints on the rates and directions of relative plate motion, plate boundary locations, and rheological properties in the area are essential to assess seismic and volcanic hazards in the region.
In this thesis, I combine Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) measurements from over 200 stations with kinematic block modeling to provide updated estimates of the present-day motions of the Arabian plate and the southern Red Sea region. Using the non-rigid residual motions and changes in GNSS station baselines, I provide quantitative constraints on the internal deformation for the Arabian plate at different spatial scales. In addition, I use the GNSS station response to seasonal water exchange in the Red Sea to make inferences of the lithospheric elastic properties beneath Arabia.
The GNSS-derived velocity field indicates coherent motion of both the Danakil block in the southern Red Sea and the Arabian plate at present. Current motions in the southern Red Sea region, however, are inconsistent with previous interpretations and require an additional plate boundary in the area. My updated fault slip rates improved earlier estimates limited by the number and spatial distribution of GNSS stations, particularly for the Arabian-Indian plate pair, for which slower right-lateral strike-slip motions are predicted. Non-rigid residual velocities within the Arabian plate interior indicate that large-scale internal deformations are compensated internally. However, at a smaller scale, I identify several localities accommodating significant strain, mostly related to anthropogenic activity. Ground response to surface mass loading associated with water transport in the Red Sea suggests that the Earth’s elastic structure beneath the Arabian plate is 20% to 30% less stiff than global averaged (i.e., AK135-F planetary model). Still, the lithosphere beneath both the Danakil block and the Arabian plate remains strong despite being affected by significant faulting and magmatism associated with the Nubian-Arabian-Eurasian plate interaction.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:kaust.edu.sa/oai:repository.kaust.edu.sa:10754/673687 |
| Date | 11 1900 |
| Creators | Viltres, Renier |
| Contributors | Jonsson, Sigurjon, Physical Science and Engineering (PSE) Division, Alafifi, Abdulkader Musa, Mai, Paul Martin, Calais, Eric |
| Source Sets | King Abdullah University of Science and Technology |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Dissertation |
| Rights | 2022-11-21, At the time of archiving, the student author of this dissertation opted to temporarily restrict access to it. The full text of this dissertation will become available to the public after the expiration of the embargo on 2022-11-21. |
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