Characterization of 3D Fault-Generated Seafloor Topography

摘要

The long-range goal of this study is to understand how tectonic faulting affectsthe nature, morphology, and composition of the oceanic crust. In particular we seek to determine the effects of seafloor spreading rate and ridge -axis segmentation on the 3D characteristics of seafloor faults and fault generated topography. During this award period, we achieved three project objectives: (1) we developed a new statistical methods of extracting fault geometric information from multibeam bathymetric data; (2) we developed 2D and 3D fault models that determine the kernel relationship between fault generated topography and subsurface fault variables; and (3) we quantitatively characterized the style of tectonic faulting in the ONR Atlantic natural laboratory using the newly developed analytical techniques. These results are summarized below and are detailed in the publications listed.