Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Identifier

1265

Date

2014

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Earth Sciences

Concentration

Geophysics

Committee Chair

Christine A Powell

Committee Member

Randy Cox

Committee Member

Eunseo Choi

Committee Member

Mitch M Withers

Abstract

A new set of focal mechanisms is determined for the eastern Tennessee seismic zone (ETSZ). The 26 solutions are consistent with previous solutions in the northern and middle portions of the ETSZ and extend coverage into the southern portion. The solutions exhibit strike-slip and oblique normal faulting, with nodal planes generally oriented N-S/E-W and NE-SW/NW-SE. Strike-slip solutions dominate the middle and northern portions of the zone. To the south, near the Tennessee/Georgia border, a group of focal mechanisms for relatively shallow events exhibit normal faulting. To examine a possible cause of the normal faulting, a geodynamic model is developed which simulates a delamination of the lower crust. Evidence for delamination has been seen elsewhere in the southern Appalachians. Results from this model suggest that delamination is a possible cause of localized, shallow normal faulting.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to the local University of Memphis Electronic Theses & dissertation (ETD) Repository.

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