TECTONIC GEOMORPHOLOGY OF ESCARPMENTS: THE CASES OF KOMPOTADES AND ΝΕΑ ANCHIALOS FAULTS

PDF
Published: Jan 1, 2004
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12681/bgsg.16579
E. Zovoili
Department of Geology, Division of Physical Marine Geology and Geodynamics, University of Patras
E. Konstantinidi
Department of Geology, Division of Physical Marine Geology and Geodynamics, University of Patras
I. K. Koukouvelas
Department of Geology, Division of Physical Marine Geology and Geodynamics, University of Patras
Abstract

Most active processes on the surface imply that tectonics and geomorphology converge in a way that landscape change may be used as a tectonic signal, given that erosion and weathering have been taken into account. We selected two faults, the Kompotades and the Nea Anchialos faults in the Sperchios and South Thessaly rift zones respectively, and we performed a morphometric analysis. This analysis comprises geomorphic indices that have been used successfully in studies of active tectonics, as the mountain front sinuosity index (Smf), stream gradient index (SL) and valley floor width to valley height ratio (Vf). At both studied mountain fronts, the Vf index ranged between 0,4 to 1,2, implying high uplift rates, while the Smf «1 index revealed relatively high tectonic activity, which decreases towards the west. On the other hand, the SL index though more sensitive to non-tectonic processes, (i.e. the rock resistance, stream length) is less indicative of tectonic activity. Based on the distribution of the geomorphic indices a two-fault strand model is suggested forming the mountain front in the two examples with the range-ward fault strand to be more appropriate for Kompotades fault and the basinward fault strand for Nea Anchialos fault.

Article Details
  • Section
  • Tectonics and Geodynamics
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.

Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g. post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (preferably in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.

Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
References
Ambraseys N. & Jackson J. 1990. Seismicity and associated strain of central Greece between 1890 and 1988. Geophys. J. ΙηΙ,ΪΟλ, p663-708.
Ambraseys N. 1994. A note on two little-known 16th-18th century earthquakes in Central Greece. Centre of north-eastern European studies-Proceedings Reports, 2, 75-82.
Ambraseys N. & Jackson J. 1998. Faulting associated with historical and recent earthquakes in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Geophys. J. Int., 133, p390-406.
Billiris H., Paradissis D., Veis G., England P., Parsons B., Cross P., Rands P., Rayson M., Sellers P., Ashkenazi V., Davison M. & Jackson J. 1989. Geodetic determination of the strain in Greece in the interval 1900-1988. (Abstr.) Transactions of the American Geophysical Union, 70, p719.
Bull W., & McFadden L 1977. Tectonic geomorphology north and south of the Garlock Fault, California, Geomorphology in Arid regions, D.O., Doehring, ed., Publications in Geomorphology, State University of New York at Bingamton, 115-138.
Burbank D.W. & Anderson R.S. 2001. Tectonic Geomorphology. Blackwell Science.
Caputo R. 1990. Geological and structural study of the recent and active brittle deformation of the Neogene- Quaternary Basins of Thessaly (Central Greece), Ph.D. thesis, University of Florence, Sci. Ann. Aristotle University Thessaloniki, 12, vol 2, p1-252.
Caputo R., Pavlides S., 1993. Late Cenozoic geodynamic evaluation of Thessaly and surroundings (Central- Northern Greece). Tectonophysics, 223, (3-4),p339-362.
Caputo R. 1996. The active Nea Anchialos Fault System (Central Greece): comparison of geological, morphotectonic, archaeological and seismological data, Annali di Geofisica, xxxix, n3, p557-574.
Doutsos T. & Kokkalas S. 2001. Stress and deformation patterns in the Aegean region. Journal of Structural Geology, 23, p455-472.
Eliet P.P. & Gawthorpe R.L. 1995. Drainage development and sediment supply within rifts, examples from the Sperchios basin, central Greece, Journal of the Geological Society, London, 152, p883-893.
Galanakis D. 1997. Neotectonic structure and stratigraphy of Neogene-Quaternary sediments of the Almyros-Pagasitikos, Pilion, Oreon-Trikeri and Maliakos basins. Unpublished PhD thesis. Thessaloniki 1997
Goldsworthy M., Jackson J. & Haines J. 2002. The continuity of active fault systems in Greece. Geophys. J. Int., 148, Ρ596-618.
Hack J. 1973. Stream profile analysis and stream gradient index, U. S. Geol. Surv. J. Res. 1, p421-429.
IGME 1967. Geological map, sheet Lamia, 1:50000. Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration, Athens
IGME 1970. Geological map, sheet Sperchias, 1:50000. Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration
IGME 1986. Geological map, sheet Volos, 1:50000. Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration, Athens
IGME 1989. Seismotectonic map of Greece, with seismological data. 1:500000. Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration, Athens.
Jackson J. & McKenzie D. 1988. Rates of active deformation in the Aegean Sea and surrounding regions. Basin Research, 1, p121-128.
Frankopoulos I.A 1956. Petrologiki meleti ton lavon tou ifaisteiou ton Thivov en Thessalia, Ph.D Thesis, University of Athens, (in Greek), p59.
Keller E. 1986. Investigation of active tectonics: use of surficial earth processes. In: Wallace, R.E. (Ed.), Active Tectonics. Studies in Geophysics. Nat. Acad. Press, Washington, DC, p136-147.
Keller E.A. & Pinter N. 1996. Active tectonics: Earthquakes, Uplift and Landscapes. Prentice Hall, New Jersey. Koukouvelas I.K. 1998. The Egion fault, earthquake-related and long-term deformation, Gulf of Corinth, Greece, J. Geodynamics, vol26, (2-4), p501-513.
Koukouvelas I.K., Stamatopoulos L, Katsanopoulou D. & Pavlides S. 2001. A palaeoseismological and geoarchaeological investigation of the Eliki fault, Gulf of Corinth, Greece, Journal of Structural Geology, vol 23, P 531-543.
Papazachos B.C. & Papazachou C. 1997. The earthquakes of Greece, Editions Ziti
Papazachos B.C. et al. 1983. A study of the 1980 summer seismic sequence in the Magnesia region of Central Greece, GeophysicalJournal Royal Astronomical Society, 75, p155-168.
Papazachos B.C. et al. 1993. Rupture zones and active crustal deformation in Southern Thessalia, Central Greece. Boll. Geofis. Teor. Appi., 35 (139), p363-374.
Perissoratis C, Angelopoulos I., Mitropoulos D. & Michailidis S. 1991. Surficial sediment map of the Aegean Sea Floor: Pagasitikos Sheet, scale 1 : 200000, ed. IGME, Athens.
Roberts S. & Jackson J.A. 1991. Active normal faulting in central Greece: an overview, in The geometry of normal faults. (Eds: Roberts, A.M., Yielding, G. & Freeman, B.), Special Publication, Geological Society of London, 56, 125-142.
Roberts G.P. & Gawthorpe R.L. 1994. Strike variation in deformation and diagenesis along segmented normal faults: An example from the eastern Gulf of Corinth, Greece. In Lambiase, J.J. (ed.), Hydrocarbon Habitat in Rift Basins. Geological Society, London Special Publications, 80, p57-74.
Rockwell T., Keller E., Johnson D. 1984. Tectonic geomorphology of alluvial fans and mountain fronts near Ventura, California. In: Morisawa, M., Hack, T. (eds.), Tectonic Geomorphology. Pubi. In Geomorphology, State University of New York, Binghamton, p183-207.
Silva P.G., Goy J.L., Zazo C. & Bardaji T. 2003. Fault-generated mountain fronts in southeast Spain: géomorphologie assessment of tectonic and seismic activity, Geomorphplogy, vol50, p203-225.
Wells S., Bullard T., Menges T., Drake P., Karas P., Kelson K., Ritter J. & Wesling J. 1988. Regional variations in tectonic geomorphology along segmented convergent plate boundary, Pacific Costa Rica. Geomorphology, 1, p239-265.
Yeats R.S. & Sieh Κ. 1997. The geology of earthquakes, Oxford University Press. pp568.