Deciphering Oblique Shortening of Central Alborz in Iran Using Geodetic Data
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Earth and Planetary Science Letters 223 (2004) 177–185 www.elsevier.com/locate/epsl Deciphering oblique shortening of central Alborz in Iran using geodetic data Ph. Vernanta,*, F. Nilforoushanb, J. Che´rya, R. Bayera, Y. Djamourb, F. Massona, H. Nankalib, J.-F. Ritza, M. Sedighib, F. Tavakolib a Laboratoire Dynamique de la Lithosphe`re, CNRS-Universite´ de Montpellier II, CC 060, 4 place E. Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier Cedex 05, France b Geodetic Department, National Cartographic Center, PO Box 13185-1684, Meraj Av., Tehran, Iran Received 27 January 2004; received in revised form 16 April 2004; accepted 19 April 2004 Abstract The Alborz is a narrow (100 km) and elevated (3000 m) mountain belt which accommodates the differential motion between the Sanandaj–Sirjan zone in central Iran and the South Caspian basin. GPS measurements of 12 geodetic sites in Central Alborz between 2000 and 2002 allow to constrain the motion of the belt with respect to western Eurasia. One site velocity on the Caspian shoreline suggests that the South Caspian basin moves northwest at a rate of 6 F 2 mm/year with respect to western Eurasia. North–South shortening across the Alborz occurs at 5 F 2 mm/year. To the South, deformation seems to extend beyond the piedmont area, probably due to active thrusting on the Pishva fault. We also observe a left-lateral shear of the overall belt at a rate of 4 F 2 mm/year, consistent with the geological motion observed along E–W active strike-slip faults inside the belt (e.g., the Mosha fault). D 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Alborz; oblique collision; GPS; fault motion; seismic hazard 1. Introduction and tectonic setting Surprisingly, no crustal root has been detected below the high topography [1], and the compensation mech- The Alborz is a narrow mountain of 100 km wide anism remains conjectural. Recent tectonic history is only which wraps around the South Caspian Sea. The thought to be separated in two phases: a Miocene mean elevation in the Alborz drops sharply from 3000 North–South compression between the Central Irani- m in the inner belt to À 28 m at the Caspian shoreline an Block and the South Caspian Basin; a Pliocene and to the North. The topographic contrast is less pro- Quaternary North–East shortening oblique to the E– nounced to the south where the connection with the W structures of Central Alborz [2–4]. These authors lowlands of the Central Iranian desert is progressive. have proposed that shortening and left-lateral shear occur in a partitioned manner. Our goal is to discuss the agreement between this geological interpretation * Corresponding author. Tel.: +33-4-67-14-45-91; fax: +33-4- and new geodetic data. 67-52-39-08. Knowledge of the strain pattern in Iran is rapidly E-mail address: [email protected] (Ph. Vernant). improving due to repeated GPS surveys recently 0012-821X/$ - see front matter D 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2004.04.017 178 Ph. Vernant et al. / Earth and Planetary Science Letters 223 (2004) 177–185 made in Iran [5,6] and several key areas such as short-term rate is also in fairly good agreement with Central Zagros, the Zagros–Makran transition and the long-term rates of 20–31 mm/year provided by Alborz are under geodetic investigation [5–7]. At the plate reconstruction [10,11]. A outstanding feature longitude of the Persian Gulf, Arabian and Eurasian provided by these surveys is the quasi-rigid behav- plates collide at a rate of f 22 mm/year [6], iour of the Sanandaj–Sirjan zone in Central Iran that compatible with recent geodetic studies [8,9]. This moves to the north with respect to Eurasia (Fig. 1) at Fig. 1. Velocity field and seismicity of central and NE Iran. Geodetic motion of Central Iranian Block with respect to western Eurasia is given by black arrows in the Sanandaj–Sirjan zone [6]. Dots indicate instrumental seismicity. Empty circles indicate historical seismicity from Ambrasey and Melville [23]. The box indicates the location of Fig. 2. T = Tehran; K = Kashan; I = Ispahan. Ph. Vernant et al. / Earth and Planetary Science Letters 223 (2004) 177–185 179 a velocity of 14 F 1 mm/year [6]. As already pro- This implies that the deformation of the Alborz and posed [12], the foregoing study demonstrates that no Kopet Dag mountains must be explained in the motion to the east can be detected for the Central framework of the northward shortening between the Iranian Block, suggesting that the Lut and Helmand Central Iranian Block and the Eurasian plate. We blocks do not allow an eastward displacement of the discuss this aspect on the basis of repeated geodetic Central Iranian Block. Therefore, the Helmand block surveys made in Central Alborz between 2000 and acts like an eastward-locked boundary condition. 2002. Fig. 2. Velocity field of Central Alborz based on 2000 and 2002 GPS surveys (black arrows) and location of the profile of Fig. 3. Empty arrows on CHSH and MOBA represent the motion predicted when using the pole and rotation rate determined for the Central Iranian Block [6]. Main faults are drawn following a recent compilation [27]. Poorly documented faults are drawn with dashed lines. Earthquakes focal mechanisms are from Jackson et al. [3]. Inset: direction of geodetic strain rate (black arrows), direction of seismic strain (empty arrows) and geodetic rotation rate (counter-clockwise). 180 Ph. Vernant et al. / Earth and Planetary Science Letters 223 (2004) 177–185 2. Data and 3A). Four other sites are installed up to 100 km apart from the profile in order to evaluate possible A GPS network of 12 points has been installed and lateral velocity variations. Ten of the sites are an- measured in the framework of the Franco–Iranian chored in the bedrock; the others two were set up on cooperation. The network runs from the Caspian geodetically designed pillars encased in recent but shoreline in the north to the external thrusts of the consolidated deposits. All but one site have been Alborz in the central Iranian desert to the south (Fig. surveyed three times in September 2000, 2001 and 2). Eight of our GPS sites are distributed on a 200-km- 2002, with occupations lasting 48 or 72 h. In order to long profile 60 km east of Tehran. This profile has a constrain the motion of our local network relative to Nj10E orientation, perpendicular to the general trend the surrounding plates, data of 16 GPS stations of Alborz at 51jE longitude. Southern and northern belonging to Eurasian and Arabian plates have been sites are clearly outside the high elevation areas, included in our analysis together with our local data which are restricted to a zone 100 km wide (Figs. 2 (Table 1). Data analysis was done using GAMIT, Fig. 3. (A) Topographic profile of Alborz along a 10jN direction between the sites MOBA and MAHM. Solid line represents the average value over a band of 15 km half-width. Dashed lines represent minimum and maximum elevations over the same area. Fault locations are indicated, but no information is given on their dip due to the large vertical exaggeration. (B) Longitudinal component of the velocity field along the profile with the 1j uncertainties. (C) Transversal component of the velocity field along the profile (N280j shear component). Heavy solid line represent the interseismic velocity field due to 4 mm/year of shear motion on a strike-slip locked fault (Mosha, vertical line at 105 km) with a locking depth of 15 km. Open symbols correspond to GPS sites far from the profile. The symbols above the profiles B and C indicate the location of the faults. Ph. Vernant et al. / Earth and Planetary Science Letters 223 (2004) 177–185 181 Table 1 GPS site velocities and 1j uncertainties Site Lon Lat Ve Se Vn Sn Cor N280j N010j Alborz sites MOBA 51.81 34.98 2.8 2.6 11.6 2.5 0.02 À 0.7 11.9 CHSH 50.99 35.09 0.3 1.5 9.9 1.5 0.01 1.5 9.8 PISH 51.89 35.22 1.0 1.7 9.2 1.7 0.02 0.6 9.2 TANG 52.04 35.49 0.0 1.7 8.6 1.6 0.02 1.5 8.5 TEHN 51.33 35.70 1.0 1.5 9.1 1.5 0.01 0.6 9.2 DAMA 52.06 35.70 À 1.6 1.7 8.0 1.6 0.02 3.0 7.6 AMIN 52.59 35.70 À 1.9 1.7 8.8 1.6 0.02 3.4 8.4 BOOM 51.81 35.73 À 0.4 1.0 9.9 1.0 0.01 2.1 9.7 ABAL 51.99 35.79 0.7 1.6 7.6 1.6 0.02 0.6 7.6 MEHR 52.16 35.87 À 0.4 1.7 7.1 1.7 0.02 1.7 6.9 HELI 52.31 36.21 À 3.2 1.8 9.2 1.6 0.03 4.8 8.5 MAHM 52.29 36.59 À 2.6 1.6 6.1 1.5 0.02 3.6 5.6 Eurasian sites used to define Eurasian fixed reference frame Site Lon Lat Ve Se Vn Sn cor BOR1a 17.07 52.27 0.26 0.20 0.73 0.73 0.000 BRUSa 4.36 50.78 À 0.07 À 0.76 0.72 0.72 0.000 GRASa 6.92 43.75 À 0.24 À 0.50 0.66 0.66 0.000 GRAZa 15.49 47.07 0.50 À 0.22 0.71 0.71 À 0.001 JOZEa 21.03 52.10 À 0.28 0.28 0.72 0.72 À 0.001 KIRUa 20.97 67.86 À 0.19 0.25 0.69 0.69 À 0.001 KOSGa 5.81 52.18 À 0.53 0.78 0.68 0.68 0.000 METSa 24.39 60.22 0.29 À 0.93 0.71 0.71 0.000 NYALa 11.86 78.93 0.02 À 0.98 0.63 0.63 À 0.001 ONSAa 11.93 57.39 À 0.75 0.04 0.69 0.68 0.000 POTSa 13.07 52.38 À 0.07 0.30 0.69 0.69 0.000 TIXIa 128.87 71.63 0.13 À 0.31 0.24 0.24 À 0.003 WSRTa 6.60 52.91 À 0.28 0.45 0.81 0.81 0.000 WTZRa 12.88 49.14 0.12 0.20 0.73 0.73 0.000 ZIMMa 7.46 46.88 0.52 0.18 0.70 0.70 0.000 ZWENa 36.76 55.70 0.50 0.09 0.65 0.64 0.000 Latitude (Lat) and Longitude (Lon) are given in degrees north and east, respectively.