The Great South Basin (GSB) developed in the Cretaceous from continental rifting at the southeastern margin of Gondwana. The basin contains a thick Cretaceous succession that is largely unaffected by Neogene compressional tectonics, with rift faults and associated growth strata imaged by good‐quality 2‐D and 3‐D seismic data tied to wells. These data show three distinct stages of normal faulting here referred to as fault system initiation (Stage 1), fault system growth (Stage 2), and fault system death (Stage 3). The different stages of fault system evolution comprise dominant NE trending faults (NW‐SE extension), and minor NW trending faults (NE‐SW extension). Fault initiation at ~105–101 Ma mainly occurred in the central GSB with rift depocenters mostly on, or close to, NW trending basement terrane boundaries. These preexisting basement boundaries represent zones of weakness that locally promoted early localization of NW faults and retarded the propagation of NE faults. With increasing regional extension and fault system growth from ~101 to 90 Ma the influence of the basement fabric gradually decreased, while NE trending faults increased in length, number, displacements, and spatial distribution. Finally, during the fault system death stage from ~90 to 83 Ma the length, number and displacements of faults decreased. Fault death coincided in time with Gondwana breakup and reflects the localization of extension along spreading centers distal to the GSB.

中文翻译：

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新西兰东部冈瓦纳东部正断层系统的演化

大南盆地（GSB）是在冈瓦纳东南边缘的大陆裂谷作用下在白垩纪发育的。盆地内有厚厚的白垩纪演替，基本上不受新近纪构造构造的影响，裂谷断层和相关的生长地层通过与井相连的优质二维和三维地震数据成像。这些数据显示了正常故障的三个不同阶段，分别称为故障系统启动（阶段1），故障系统增长（阶段2）和故障系统死亡（阶段3）。断层系统演化的不同阶段包括主要的NE趋势断层（NW-SE扩展）和次要的NW趋势断层（NE-SW扩展）。大约在105-101 Ma时发生断层，主要发生在中央GSB上，裂谷震源主要位于或接近西北走向的基底地下边界。这些预先存在的基底边界代表了薄弱区域，这些薄弱区域局部地促进了西北断裂的早期定位并阻碍了东北断裂的传播。随着区域扩展的增加和断层系统从〜101 Ma增长到90 Ma，对基底构造的影响逐渐减小，而NE趋势断层的长度，数量，位移和空间分布增加。最后，在从约90到83 Ma的断层系统死亡阶段，断层的长度，数量和位移都减小了。断层死亡与冈瓦纳解体的时间相吻合，反映了沿GSB远端扩散中心延伸的局限性。随着区域扩展的增加和断层系统从〜101 Ma增长到90 Ma，对基底构造的影响逐渐减小，而NE趋势断层的长度，数量，位移和空间分布增加。最后，在从约90到83 Ma的断层系统死亡阶段，断层的长度，数量和位移都减小了。断层死亡与冈瓦纳解体的时间相吻合，反映了沿GSB远端扩散中心延伸的局限性。随着区域扩展的增加和断层系统从〜101 Ma增长到90 Ma，对基底构造的影响逐渐减小，而NE趋势断层的长度，数量，位移和空间分布增加。最后，在从约90到83 Ma的断层系统死亡阶段，断层的长度，数量和位移都减小了。断层死亡与冈瓦纳解体的时间相吻合，反映了沿GSB远端扩散中心延伸的局限性。