Abstract This work investigates how throw-rates vary within fault bends and sites of fault linkage during the process of normal fault growth. In the Western Volcanic Zone, Iceland, through detailed field mapping and field measurements of fault throws, normal faults are mapped and along-strike throw profiles are constructed in order to understand how the throw-rates relate with the local fault geometry along faults at different stages of linkage. The results show that throw-rates increase within linkage zones and propagating fault bends independently from the stage of maturity of the fault bend. This implies that 1) the relationship between the local fault geometry and the along-strike distribution of throw-rate is driven by the deeper part of the fault, where established fault bends start propagating to the surface; 2) faults grow first by linkage and coalescence of separate faults, and then by accumulation of slip on the resultant fault, in agreement with models of fault growth by linkage and coalescence; 3) incipient fault bends can produce uncertainty associated with palaeoseismological results, if fault bends remain unrecognised. Moreover, this work demonstrates that existing models showing increased co-seismic and throw-rates within fault bends and sites of fault linkage found in continental extensional settings are valid in a geodynamic context of a mid-oceanic rifts.

中文翻译：

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正断层生长过程中连接带内的抛射率变化：来自冰岛西部火山带的案例研究

摘要 这项工作研究了在正常断层生长过程中，断层弯曲和断层连接部位内的投掷率如何变化。在冰岛西部火山带，通过详细的现场测绘和断距的现场测量，绘制了正断层并构建了沿走向的断距剖面，以了解断距与沿断层在不同位置的局部断层几何形状之间的关系。联动的阶段。结果表明，连接带内的投掷率增加，并且与断层弯曲的成熟度阶段无关，传播断层弯曲。这意味着 1) 局部断层几何形状和抛率沿走向分布之间的关系是由断层的较深部分驱动的，在那里建立的断层弯曲开始传播到地表；2) 断层首先通过分离断层的连接和合并生长，然后通过滑动在合成断层上的积累，这与通过连接和合并的断层生长模型一致；3) 如果断层弯曲仍未被识别，初始断层弯曲会产生与古地震学结果相关的不确定性。此外，这项工作表明，现有模型显示在大陆伸展环境中发现的断层弯曲和断层连接地点内的同震和抛射率增加，在大洋中裂谷的地球动力学背景下是有效的。