Assessing interaction of active extensional faults from structural and paleoseismological analysis: The Teruel and Concud faults (eastern Spain)

The relationship of independence, interaction or linkage between two neighbouring intraplate active extensional faults, the Teruel and Concud faults, are investigated from structural and paleoseismological data, and the results are discussed to improve seismic hazard assessment for the region. This paper provides the structural and paleoseismological characterization of the almost unknown Teruel Fault from detailed mapping and trench analysis, and discusses its kinematic and dynamic relationships with the Concud Fault. Four individual events occurred between 76.0 ka and 9.2 ka BP have been recorded at two branches of the Teruel Fault. Unfortunately, these only represent a small fraction of its overall activity during such time lapse, and their time constraints do not allow correlating them with those at the Concud Fault. The Teruel and Concud faults are independent structures from the geometric and kinematic point of view, as evinced by their distinct (i) transport directions (N275°E and N220°E, respectively), and (ii) average coseismic displacements (0.5 m and 1.9 m, respectively). These displacements are consistent with their respective lengths (9.0 km and 14.2 km) and significantly smaller than those expected for a hypothetically joint Concud-Teruel, 23 km-long fault. However, their displacement gradients close to the relay zone indicate that both faults undergo dynamic interaction, thus suggesting a transient stage from independence to linkage. We hypothesize that slip on both structures occurred, at the scale of the seismic cycle, in a broadly alternating manner, which induced strain partitioning between them and allowed accommodating bulk biaxial extension in the region. Such deformation pattern would have increased the earthquake frequency with respect to the scenario of a hypothetically linked Concud-Teruel Fault, but diminished the potential seismic magnitude.