Normal faulting and crustal deformation, Alkyonides Gulf and Perachora peninsula, eastern Gulf of Corinth rift basin, Greece

• Published in: Journal of the Geological Society Vol. 162; no. 3; pp. 549 - 561
• Main Authors: Leeder, M.R., Portmann, C., Andrews, J.E., Collier, Richard, Finch, E., Gawthorpe, Robert L., Mcneill, Lisa, Perez-Arlucea, M., Rowe, P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Geological Society of London 2005
• Subjects: Earth Sciences; Sciences of the Universe; absolute age; geophysics; normal faulting; neotectonics; Gulf of Corinth rift
• ISSN: 2041-479X
• DOI: 10.1144/0016-764904-075

Geophysical, structural, geochronological and geomorphological data indicate that the Psatha, East Alkyonides, Skinos and Pisia faults are Holocene-active structures whereas the status of the West Alkyonides, Strava, Perachora and Loutraki faults is less certain. We see no evidence for significant lateral surface fault growth. New data for late Pleistocene footwall uplift of the Psatha fault are comparable with previously estimated Holocene rates. Pre-Holocene stratigraphic sequences in the Alkyonides Gulf allow calculation of vertical displacement on the Skinos fault of 1.42–1.60 km over a period of >0.6 Ma. Previous palaeoseismological studies indicate comparable displacement rates extrapolated to 0.61–2.20 Ma, whereas extrapolation of previous geodetic data indicate a range of 0.17–0.46 Ma. The latter is too short given the evidence of the stratigraphic record, signifying either that these data may not be representative of longer-term rates, or that significant deformation has taken place elsewhere, for example, on offshore antithetic faults. A case is established for uniform late Quaternary (post-MIS 7) uplift of the Perachora peninsula at rates of c. 0.2–0.3 mm a−1. The lack of regional tilting over Perachora–Corinth–Isthmia is in marked contrast to the situation in the Alkyonides–Megara basins to the east.