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The rotation of the principal stress axes in a fault structure because of a rock stiffness contrast has been investigated for the impact of the ratio of principal stresses, the angle between principal stress axes and fault strike, and the ratio of the rock stiffness contrast. A generic 2D geomechanical model is employed for the systematic investigation of the parameter space.

Our work demonstrates the following: (1) an efficient seismic data-processing strategy focused on suppressing shallow-water multiple reflections. (2) An improvement in the quality of legacy marine seismic data. (3) A seismic interpretation of sedimentary successions overlying the basement in the transition zone from the Precambrian to Paleozoic platforms. (4) The tectonic evolution of the Koszalin Fault and its relation to the Caledonian Deformation Front offshore Poland.

Rifting and the break-up of continents are key aspects of Earth’s plate tectonic system. A thorough understanding of the geological processes involved in rifting, and of the associated natural hazards and resources, is of great importance in the context of the energy transition. Here, we provide a coherent overview of rift processes and the links with hazards and resources, and we assess future challenges and opportunities for (collaboration between) researchers, government, and industry.

This paper presents the application of a numerical method for restoring models of the subsurface to a previous state in their deformation history, acting as a numerical time machine for geological structures. The method is applied to a model based on a laboratory experiment. The results show that using force conditions in the computation of the deformation allows us to assess the value of some previously unknown physical parameters of the different materials inside the model.

New satellite geodetic data (PS-InSAR) evidence a generalized subsidence and an eastward tilting of southeastern Sicily combined with a local relative uplift along its eastern coast. We perform flexural and elastic modeling and show that the slab pull force induced by the Ionian slab roll-back and extrado deformation reproduce the measured surface deformation. Finally, we propose an original seismic cycle model that is mainly driven by the southward migration of the Ionian slab roll-back.

High-value zinc–lead deposits formed in sedimentary basins created when tectonic plates rifted apart. We use computer simulations of rifting and the associated sediment erosion and deposition to understand why they formed in some basins but not in others. Basins that contain a metal source, faults that focus fluids, and rocks that can host deposits occurred in both narrow and wide rifts for ≤ 3 Myr. The largest and the most deposits form in narrow margins of narrow asymmetric rifts.

This study characterizes the Tchirezrine II sandstone reservoir in northern Niger. Crucial for potential uranium in situ recovery (ISR), our multifaceted approach reveals (i) a network of homogeneously distributed orthogonal structures, (ii) the impact of clustered E–W fault structures on anisotropic fluid flow, and (iii) local changes in the matrix behaviour of the reservoir as a function of the density and nature of the deformation structure.

This study advances the field of earthquake prediction by introducing an extraction method for pre-seismic anomalies based on the structure of Graph WaveNet networks. We believe that our study makes a significant contribution to the literature as it not only demonstrates the effectiveness of this innovative approach in integrating borehole strain data from multiple stations but also reveals distinct temporal and spatial correlations preceding earthquake events.

Geodynamic models of mantle convection provide a powerful tool to study the structure and composition of the Earth's mantle. Comparing such models with other datasets is difficult. We explore the use of configurational entropy, which allows us to quantify mixing in models. The entropy may be used to analyse the mixed state of the mantle as a whole and may also be useful to validate numerical models against anomalies in the mantle that are obtained from seismology and geochemistry.

We investigated prehistoric earthquakes produced by the Galera Fault (southern Spain) over the last 24 000 years. From this analysis, we deduced the basic parameters that allow for the characterization of the seismic hazard of this fault. Furthermore, we discuss how the Galera Fault is prone to producing seismic crises. We also propose that one of these crises could have been responsible for the abandonment of Bronze Age human settlements located near the fault.

We analyse and interpret seismic anisotropy from CIFALPS2 data that fill the gaps in the Western Alps and support a new hypothesis. Instead of a continuous mantle flow parallel to the belt, here we find a N–S mantle deformation pattern that merges first with a mantle deformed by slab steepening beneath the Central Alps and then merges with an asthenospheric flow sourced beneath the Massif Central. This new sketch supports the extinction of slab retreat beneath the Western Alps.

In this contribution, we explore the causal relationship between the arrival of the Afar plume and the initiation of the Afro-Arabian rift. We mapped the rift architecture in the triple-junction region using geophysical data and reviewed the available geological data. We interpret a progressive development of the plume–rift system and suggest an interaction between active and passive mechanisms in which the plume provided a push force that changed the kinematics of the associated plates.

Continental terranes have various rheological strengths due to the differences in their ages, compositions, and structures. We applied four assumed rheological models to three terranes in a collisional model and obtained four styles of lithosphere deformation patterns of collision, subduction, thickening/delamination, and replacement. These simulation patterns are seen in observed lithosphere deformation patterns and structures in East Asia.

We present a workflow that models the impact of stress regime change on the permeability of fractured Latemar carbonate buildup using a displacement-based linear elastic finite-element method (FEM) and outcrop data. Stress-dependent heterogeneous apertures and effective permeability were calculated and constrained by the study area's stress directions. Simulated far-field stresses at NW–SE subsidence deformation and N–S Alpine deformation increased the overall fracture aperture and permeability.

We investigate the upper-crustal structure of the Rukwa–Tanganyika rift zone in East Africa, where the Tanganyika rift interacts with the Rukwa and Mweru-Wantipa rifts, coinciding with abundant seismicity at the rift tips. Seismic velocity structure and patterns of seismicity clustering reveal zones around 10 km deep with anomalously high V_p / V_s ratios at the rift tips, indicative of a localized mechanically weakened crust caused by mantle volatiles and damage associated with bending strain.

This study improves geochemical mapping by addressing the uncertainty in defining element associations. It clusters the study area by element similarity, recognizes elemental associations for each cluster, and then detects anomalies indicating underlying geological processes. This method is applied to a region in China, confirming its effectiveness and consistency with the geology. This study can enhance geochemical mapping for mineral exploration and improve geological-process understanding.