Date of Award:

5-2013

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Geosciences

Department name when degree awarded

Geology

Committee Chair(s)

Susanne U. Janecke

Committee

Susanne U Janecke

Committee

James P. Evans

Committee

Anthony Lowry

Abstract

The Clark fault is a significant fault within the southern San Andreas fault system. The Clark fault abruptly ends where it intersects a second, smaller fault that crosses it called the Extra fault zone. In this study we investigate the possibility of the Clark fault continuing beneath and beyond the Extra fault zone. Based on field mapping and other geological data that we present, we determine that the Clark fault continues below the Extra fault and is not evident on the surface. Over time, earthquake slip along the Clark fault has caused the Extra fault zone to rotate in a clockwise direction. Both fault zones have high potential for causing a high magnitude (M >6.0) earthquake in the near future.

A second objective of this study is to identify the direction of motion along the Extra fault zone and related faults. Data collected from the field indicate that the fault is a strike-slip fault that moves in a left-lateral sense. Previously published geophysical data support our data collected in the field.

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Geology Commons

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