Neotectonics at the Jackson School of Geosciences
Marine Geophysics
Imaging and Mapping Active Faults Under Water
Using different techniques like sending sound waves to the bottom of the ocean and studying the echoes, we can see things that are hidden. We can see the shape of the sea floor and even see through rocks!
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The seismic reflection method allows us to map sub-seafloor faults in unprecedented detail, especially if the data is collected in a closely spaced 3D grid. The volume of 3D seismic data can then be sliced in any possible orientation to allow better understanding of faults and other deformational features. The seismic volume at left from the Nankai trench shows how out of sequence thrust faults control large slumps that may be responsible for historical tsunamis in Japan and other circum-Pacific areas (see Moore et al., Science, vol. 318, p. 1128-1131). |
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At right, a side-scan sonar image of Lake Managua in Nicaragua shows an abrupt termination of a stream channel by an active fault. The city of Managua was destroyed by this fault system in 1972. Image from Funk et al., submitted manuscript.
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Image Credits:
Nathan Bangs, Paul Mann, Kirk McIntosh, Justin Funk.
