POLYCYCLIC MOTION HISTORY OF SOME GULF-COAST GROWTH FAULTS FROM HIGH-RESOLUTION DISPLACEMENT ANALYSIS

This paper describes some simple graphical techniques for analyzing th e kinematic evolution of growth faults and presents a case study of th e late Pleistocene-recent history of a group of 17 faults from offshor e Texas. Throw versus depth plots derived from depth-converted high-re solution seismic data were used to define growth histories. The faults exhibit polycyclic kinematic behavior, with at least three cycles of active fault growth separated by periods of inactivity. This cyclic be havior correlates broadly with three transgressive-regressive cycles a long this part of the Gulf Coast. In detail, however, we find that act ivity of closely spaced faults in the array can either be in phase or out of phase with neighboring faults. This complex group behavior is a ttributed to the geometry of the detachment surface, pore-fluid pressu re distribution, loading, and friction. This study demonstrates that a lthough a general correlation with sediment loading mag exist, individ ual fault activity is unlikely to correlate with periods of maximum se diment accumulation.