Evolution of Regional Stress State Based on Faulting and Folding Near the Pit River, Shasta County, California

Loading...
Thumbnail Image

Date

2013-10-10

Authors

Austin, Lauren

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

University of Oregon

Abstract

We investigate the evolution of the regional stress state near the Pit River, northern California, in order to understand the faulting style in a tectonic transition zone and to inform the hazard analysis of Fault 3432 near the Pit 3 Dam. By analyzing faults and folds preserved in and adjacent to a diatomite mine north of the Pit River, we have determined principal stress directions preserved during the past million years. We find that the stress state has evolved from predominantly normal to strike slip and most recently to reverse, which is consistent with regional structures such as the extensional Hat Creek Fault to the south and the compressional folding of Mushroom Rock to the north. South of the Pit River, we still observe normal and strike slip faults, suggesting that changes in stress state are moving from north to south through time.

Description

Keywords

fault hazard, neotectonics, regional stress

Citation