Analog Modeling of Tectonic Rifting: Extensional Structures Based on Stress Margin Width
Department
Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering
Major
Geology/Geophysics
Research Advisor
Hogan, John Patrick
Advisor's Department
Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering
Abstract
It is observable that in regions where normal faulting has occurred, such as in basinand- range topography, grabens created by dropped blocks tend to be restricted in width, regardless of the distance between border faults. It is also notable that these rifts tend to be sub-parallel, and form a reticulated pattern over large areas. In our analog “sandbox experiment,” we will be replicating rift zones of various widths, and analyzing the formation and orientation of horst and graben features. Previous experiments have shown remarkably analogous results by varying rheology and thickness of strata materials. By modifying the width-to-depth ratio of the extentional zone, we expect to see multiple basin sets, and will study orientational relationships between horst margins.
Biography
Allen Cooper, a senior at Missouri S&T, is majoring in Geophysics and minoring in Mathematics. He is captain of the Miner Threat Ultimate Frisbee team, and hopes to work in the petroleum industry after graduation.
Research Category
Sciences
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Document Type
Poster
Location
Upper Atrium/Hallway
Presentation Date
07 Apr 2010, 9:00 am - 11:45 am
Analog Modeling of Tectonic Rifting: Extensional Structures Based on Stress Margin Width
Upper Atrium/Hallway
It is observable that in regions where normal faulting has occurred, such as in basinand- range topography, grabens created by dropped blocks tend to be restricted in width, regardless of the distance between border faults. It is also notable that these rifts tend to be sub-parallel, and form a reticulated pattern over large areas. In our analog “sandbox experiment,” we will be replicating rift zones of various widths, and analyzing the formation and orientation of horst and graben features. Previous experiments have shown remarkably analogous results by varying rheology and thickness of strata materials. By modifying the width-to-depth ratio of the extentional zone, we expect to see multiple basin sets, and will study orientational relationships between horst margins.
