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Circum-Pacific faulting in the Philippines-Taiwan Region

Allen, Clarence R. (1962) Circum-Pacific faulting in the Philippines-Taiwan Region. Journal of Geophysical Research, 67 (12). pp. 4795-4812. ISSN 0148-0227. doi:10.1029/JZ067i012p04795. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20141016-125754188

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Abstract

Conflicting views of circum-Pacific tectonics have focused on the Philippines-Taiwan region, where there has been neither convincing documentation nor general agreement on the importance of transcurrent (strike-slip) faulting or the possible sense of regional horizontal displacement. Structural and physiographic features of the 1200-km-long Philippine fault zone are fully as spectacular as those of the better-known San Andreas and Alpine faults, and current activity is indicated by many localities in which scarps cut Recent gravels. Predominance of horizontal over vertical displacements is indicated by linearity of the fault trace, failure of one side to be consistently higher than the other, disregard for gross physiography, and scissoring of individual scarps within the zone. Consistent stream offsets on Luzon, Masbate, and Leyte demonstrate unequivocally that the sense of Recent displacement has been uniformly sinistral (left-handed). The Philippine fault has no obvious geologic relationship to active volcanoes, but the parallelism and proximity of the fault to the Mindanao trench suggest a close causal relationship. The remarkable Longitudinal Valley of eastern Taiwan represents another great transcurrent fault parallel to the western Pacific rim, and ground displacements during historic earthquakes indicate a sinistral sense of displacement here as well as in the adjacent Philippines. This study does not support the hypothesis of counterclockwise rotation of the Pacific basin, but more important is the further documentation of the predominance of transcurrent faulting in active circum-Pacific orogenic areas. These results reinforce earlier field studies in Alaska, California, Chile, and New Zealand, as well as emphasizing the geological reasonability of the results of seismic fault-plane solutions indicating the world-wide predominance of transcurrent movements.


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http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/JZ067i012p04795DOIArticle
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/JZ067i012p04795/abstractPublisherArticle
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Additional Information:© 1962 by the American Geophysical Union. This study was carried out with funds from the first Grove Karl Gilbert Award in Seismic Geology from the bequest of the late Harry O. Wood. The field work was possible only with the generous cooperation of the Geological Survey of Taiwan, Taiwan National University, Chinese Petroleum Corporation, University of Philippines. I am especially indebted to field colleagues C. S. Wang, T. L. Hsu, C. Y. Meng, E. A. Gamus, J. Pilac, and E. Y. Tamesis.
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Funding AgencyGrant Number
Grove Karl Gilbert Award in Seismic GeologyUNSPECIFIED
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Other Numbering System NameOther Numbering System ID
Caltech Division of Geological Sciences1099
Issue or Number:12
DOI:10.1029/JZ067i012p04795
Record Number:CaltechAUTHORS:20141016-125754188
Persistent URL:https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20141016-125754188
Official Citation:Allen, C. R. (1962), Circum-Pacific faulting in the Philippines-Taiwan Region, J. Geophys. Res., 67(12), 4795–4812, doi:10.1029/JZ067i012p04795
Usage Policy:No commercial reproduction, distribution, display or performance rights in this work are provided.
ID Code:50451
Collection:CaltechAUTHORS
Deposited By: Tony Diaz
Deposited On:16 Oct 2014 22:13
Last Modified:10 Nov 2021 18:56

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