Large-scale Geometry of Intra-continental Strike-slip Faults: Example of the Karakorum Fault, Western Tibet

Abstract:

How large-scale, active strike-slip fault systems are defined can sometimes be ambiguous, especially when viewed at different timescales (geodetic vs longer term measurements). Does every kilometer of the fault system need to be visible in the morphology (offset geomorphic features, fault trace, etc) to be considered as currently active? Does every segment of the fault need to have a unique and consistent kinematics along the entire fault system (normal, strike-slip, reverse)? Does all segments need to be physically connected at the surface to be considered part of the same fault system? To illustrate our arguments against such statements, we use the example of the right-lateral strike-slip Karakorum fault, located in western Tibet, along which lively debates have been taking place in the last ~20 years. These concern its initiation age, total geologic offsets, slip-rates, and more recently, even the location and current activity of the northern half of the fault. In particular, whether the active Kongur Shan extensional system, located in the Chinese Pamir, belongs to the Karakorum fault system remains controversial. Here, we argue that both systems are connected and that they both play a significant role in accommodating deformation at the western Himalayan syntaxis, under the form of extensional displacement in the Chinese Pamir.