Continental Borderlands Shear Structure from Seafloor Compliance Measurements.
Abstract
Shear properties are poorly known for shallow water sediments because of the difficulty of making direct measurements. Deformation from low frequency waves provides information about deep structure and from high frequency waves provides information about shallow structure. Seismic reflection profiles of several major faults in this area have revealed that they are actively deforming young sediments. As the sediments are uplifted or compressed, their pore-water content may be significantly altered; at several locations along these faults, springs have been observed where pore-water is being expelled at the seafloor, precipitating mineral deposits and supporting colonies of tubeworms. The change in shear strength associated with pore-water loss has been recognized as an important parameter in controlling fault mechanics. This project studied the elastic structure of shallow water sediments using measurements of seafloor compliance. One approach for determining shear properties is to measure seafloor deformations resulting from the loading of ocean waves, this is the approach of the compliance technique.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 1996
- Accession Number
- ADA323133
Entities
People
- John A Hildebrand
Organizations
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography