Dept. of Geosciences Colloquium: Active faulting along the Dead Sea Basin

Zoom: https://tau-ac-il.zoom.us/j/89059154709?pwd=u4Gphpi2sUOcLmQNlI9jPzVwblPdiX.1

Abstract:

Since the Miocene, most of the tectonic activity in the east Levant region is related to the breakup of the African Plate along the Dead Sea Transform.  The southern part of this system accommodates approximately 105 km of left-lateral motion along segmented, en-echelon strike-slip faults. The Dead Sea Basin (DSB) formed within a step between two local strike-slip segments, The Jericho Fault and the Arava Fault, and likely accommodates the entire strike-slip movement of the system.

While the regional tectonic framework is well-understood, the internal deformation within the basin and its margins remains less clear. In this study, we highlight the key faults and fault systems that were active during the Quaternary, contributing to the evolution of the basin. By integrating geophysical, seismological, geodetic, and field observations with dating techniques and numerical modeling, we assess the ongoing structural evolution of the basin and quantify deformation rates. Our analysis focuses on the northern part of the basin, revealing that its development has been driven by mixed-mode slip along several fault zones. These include localized strike-slip and vertical displacement along the Jericho Fault, as well as at least two active, sub-parallel normal fault zones located along the basin's western margins.
 

Event Organizer: Dr. Ariel Lellouch