Steady Long-Term Slip Rate on the Blue Cut Fault: Implications for Strain Transfer Between the San Andreas Fault and Eastern California Shear Zone

K. A. Guns, R. Bennett, K. Blisniuk, A. Walker, A. Hidy, A. Heimsath

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The Eastern Transverse Ranges (ETR) province of California contains a system of E-W-trending left-lateral faults accommodating clockwise block rotation between the San Andreas Fault (SAF) system in the Coachella Valley and the Eastern California Shear Zone (ECSZ) in the Mojave Desert. Building upon established geometric relationships, we estimate that this rotation across the ETR may transfer right-lateral strain from the SAF to the ECSZ at a time-averaged rate of ∼4.3–7.7 mm/yr. Through geomorphic mapping and the analysis of 38 10Be surface exposure samples, we derive a long-term slip rate of 1.26 ± 0.50 (2σ) mm/yr over the late Pleistocene, yet analysis of the displacement record indicates a rate decrease ∼71 kya. While a rate change on this fault could have implications for possible plate boundary reorganization in this area, we argue that this slip rate variability more likely reflects routine fluctuation about a steady lifetime slip rate.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article numbere2022GL100799
JournalGeophysical Research Letters
Volume49
Issue number20
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 28 2022

Keywords

  • Eastern California Shear Zone
  • San Andreas Fault
  • block rotation
  • fault slip rate variability

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geophysics
  • General Earth and Planetary Sciences

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