Journal
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EARTH SCIENCES
Volume 99, Issue 2, Pages 427-441Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s00531-008-0393-1
Keywords
Western Alps; Alpine valley; Alluvial lozenge-shaped basin; Geophysical prospecting; Quaternary erosion processes
Categories
Funding
- Pole Grenoblois des Risques Naturels (PGRN)
Ask authors/readers for more resources
In the Belledonne massif, the steep Paleozoic Belledonne Middle Fault (BMF) separates micaschists, displaying numerous landslides, from amphibolites. The massif is incised by the lower Romanche river valley. When crossing the BMF, the valley widens into a lozenge-shaped basin recently interpreted as an active pull-apart type structure associated with a major N110 striking Quaternary fault. Multidisciplinary investigations were carried out in the basin to check if this model has implications on the seismic and landslide hazard assessment. This study demonstrated the existence of a N80 sinistral strike slip S,chilienne Fault Zone (SFZ). This fault zone is suspected to offset the BMF by 375 m across the basin. Geophysical experiments revealed that the bedrock depth increases strongly in the basin, up to 350 m. Our study invalidates the active pull-apart origin of the basin and suggests it results from Quaternary glacial and fluvial erosion processes, magnified by the intersection of two inherited structures, the BMF and the SFZ.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available