Shoreline and Oceano Fault Zones’ Intersection Geometry, San Luis Obispo Bay, Offshore South Central Coastal California

Abstract:

As part of the Central Coastal California Seismic Imaging Project, high-resolution 3D low energy marine seismic-reflection data were acquired within San Luis Obispo Bay in 2011 and 2012. Mapping of the sediment-buried bedrock surface using 2D and 3D data clearly reveals that the trace of the Shoreline fault zone bifurcates at Souza Rock. The eastern strand is a reverse fault that trends toward the east-southeast, connecting with the Oceano fault zone onshore. The Shoreline fault is a vertical dextral fault with a very linear geometry that continues south to near the Santa Maria river mouth, and may intersect the Casmalia fault onshore. Both of these fault strands are crossed by Pleistocene low-stand paleochannels eroded into bedrock, and are buried by marine and non-marine sediment.

The 3D data show that both the Oceano and Shoreline faults are narrow, well defined fault zones. The reverse slip rate for the Oceano fault (~0.1 mm/y.) falls within published slip rate estimates for the Oceano fault onshore (0.01–0.20 mm/y). The dextral slip rate for the Shoreline fault southeast of Souza Rock is estimated to be 0.06 mm/y. Souza Rock is located on the hanging wall of the Oceano Fault, north of the point of intersection between the Shoreline and Oceano faults. Water depths shoal from 60 m on the surrounding seafloor to 5 m on top of Souza Rock. This structure is interpreted as a structural popup in a restraining bend where the N65°W-trending Oceano fault intersects the N25°W-trending Shoreline fault. The structural geometry near the point of intersection has several minor secondary fault strands, but is remarkably simple.