Solid as a rock: Tectonic control of graben extension and dike propagation

Propagation of tectonic waves

Does shallow dike intrusion and widening remain a possible mechanism for graben formation on Mars?

Shallow dike intrusion and widening was proposed several decades ago as a cause of surface faulting and graben formation on Earth. This hypothesis was subsequently applied to the spectacular linear and/or radial graben systems visible on Mars. However, a recent study has suggested that shallow dike intrusion on Mars results in contractional folding and uplift adjacent to dike walls rather than ...

Tharsis-radial graben systems as the surface manifestation of plume-related dike intrusion complexes: Models and implications

[1] Several zones of graben (Memnonia, Sirenum, Icaria, Thaumasia, and Claritas Fossae) extend radially away from the Tharsis rise in the southern hemisphere of Mars for distances of up to 3000–4000 km. These graben systems are commonly interpreted to be related to regional tectonic deformation of the Tharsis rise associated with either upwelling or loading. We explore the possibility that thes...

Kimberlites in a Karoo graben of Northern Mozambique: tectonic setting, mineralogy and Rb-Sr geochronology

Kimberlites occur as dykes up to 3 m thick and isometric bodies in the southern explored part of a NE-SW trending Karoo graben across the Mozambique Belt in northern Mozambique. The kimberlites are reported along four NW-SE-trending zones, and one ENE-WSW-trending zone. The kimberlites are macrocrystic hypabyssal Group Ia kimberlites based on their mineralogy and whole rock geochemistry. The ki...

Tectonic Geomorphology and Volcano-Tectonic Interaction in the Eastern Boundary of the Southern Cascades (Hat Creek Graben Region), California, USA

The eastern boundary of the Southern Cascades (Hat Creek Graben region), California, USA, is an extensively faulted volcanic corridor between the Cascade Range and Modoc Plateau. The morphology of the region is a result of plate motions associated with different tectonic provinces, faulting, and recurring volcanic activity, making it an ideal place to study the interrelationship between tectoni...