Correlating deformation events onshore and offshore in superimposed rift basins: The Lossiemouth Fault Zone, Inner Moray Firth Basin, Scotland

Tamas, Alexandra; Holdsworth, Robert E.; Underhill, John R.; Tamas, Dan M.; Dempsey, Edward D.; McCarthy, Dave J.; McCaffrey, Ken J.W.; Selby, David

doi:10.1111/bre.12661

Correlating deformation events onshore and offshore in superimposed rift basins: The Lossiemouth Fault Zone, Inner Moray Firth Basin, Scotland

Tamas, Alexandra; Holdsworth, Robert E.; Underhill, John R.; Tamas, Dan M.; Dempsey, Edward D.; McCarthy, Dave J.; McCaffrey, Ken J.W.; Selby, David

Authors

Alexandra Tamas

Professor Bob Holdsworth r.e.holdsworth@durham.ac.uk
Professor

John R. Underhill

Dan M. Tamas

Edward D. Dempsey

Dave J. McCarthy

Professor Kenneth Mccaffrey k.j.w.mccaffrey@durham.ac.uk
Professor

Professor David Selby
Professor

Abstract

The separation and characterisation of different deformation events in superimposed basins can be challenging due to the effects of overprinting and/or fault reactivation, combined with a lack of detailed geological or geophysical data. This paper shows how an onshore study can be enhanced using a targeted interpretation of contiguous structures offshore imaged by seismic reflection data. Two deformation events, including evidence of fault reactivation, are recognised and associated with the onshore part of the Lossiemouth Fault Zone (LFZ), southern-central Inner Moray Firth Basin. The basin is thought to record a history of Permian to Cenozoic deformation, but it is difficult to conclusively define the age of faulting and fault reactivation. However, structures in onshore outcrops of Permo–Triassic strata show no evidence of fault growth, and new interpretation of seismic reflection profiles in the offshore area reveals that Permo–Triassic fills are widely characterised by subsidence and passive infill of post-Variscan palaeotopography. We propose that sequences of reactivated faulting observed onshore and offshore can be correlated and can be shown in the latter domain to be Early Jurassic–Late Cretaceous, followed by localised Cenozoic reactivation. The workflow used here can be applied to characterise deformation events in other superimposed rift basins with contiguous onshore (surface)—offshore (subsurface) expressions.

Citation

Tamas, A., Holdsworth, R. E., Underhill, J. R., Tamas, D. M., Dempsey, E. D., McCarthy, D. J., …Selby, D. (2022). Correlating deformation events onshore and offshore in superimposed rift basins: The Lossiemouth Fault Zone, Inner Moray Firth Basin, Scotland. Basin Research, 34(4), 1314-1340. https://doi.org/10.1111/bre.12661

Journal Article Type	Article
Acceptance Date	Feb 12, 2022
Online Publication Date	Feb 18, 2022
Publication Date	2022-08
Deposit Date	May 27, 2022
Publicly Available Date	May 27, 2022
Journal	Basin Research
Print ISSN	0950-091X
Electronic ISSN	1365-2117
Publisher	Wiley
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	34
Issue	4
Pages	1314-1340
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1111/bre.12661

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© 2022 The Authors. Basin Research published by International Association of Sedimentologists and European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

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