Abstract
Yazd block in Central Iran is a district of active deformation within Arabia-Eurasia collision zone. The study area is situated in southwest Yazd and it is surrounded by Dehshir fault in east and Mehriz fault in west. This NW trending fault system comprises numerous evidence for active faulting. Major and minor fault segments were mapped in satellite images in order to recognize fault zones structural and geomorphic characteristics. Epicenter location for five instrumental earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from 4 to 5 are defined in Tang-E-Chenar fault zone and probable causative faults are distinguished. Active NW trending Tezenj fault is introduced in this paper for the first time. Dominant fault mechanism involves right-lateral strike-slip and reverse movements observed all over the region representing recent fault activities. There are several geomorphic data demonstrating dextral strike-slip offsets in rock units, Quaternary alluvial fans and qanats along the faults. There is evidence for right-lateral offset in Triass units for ~840m along Taft fault and for ~2250m in Lower Cretaceous rocks along Mehriz fault. Right-lateral offset of alluvial fans ranges from ~140m to ~500m along Turanposht fault. Geomorphic analyses are together with field geologic observations and fault geometric and kinematic measurements.
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