The Møre-Trøndelag Fault Complex - an integrated study

The Møre-Trøndelag Fault Complex (MTFC) in central Norway is a long-lived structural zone whose tectonic history involves repeated reactivation since Caledonian times. The MTFC appears to have controlled the evolution of both the oil-rich basins offshore and the rugged landscape onshore. Despite its pronounced signature in the landscape, its deep structure has remained unresolved until now. The faults themselves are in general not exposed and their respective traces can only be seen as prominent topographic lineaments (Fig. 1). Furthermore, their exact locations, extents, widths and dips remain in most cases speculative, and have not been studied systematically by geophysical methods.

Figure 1: A- Location of the MTFC. B- Composition of three LandSat scenes showing the major lineaments of the Møre-Trøndelag Fault Complex. The local study area is depicted by the dark blue frame.In this project we carry out DC resistivity soundings and refraction seismics, gravity, magnetic and seismic profiles in order to image two of the major segments of the MTFC. Regional gravity and aeromagnetic data are used to investigate the entire fault complex. The interpretation of the geophysical results is constrained by means of petrophysical sampling and structural mapping also carried out in the project.

The project is schexuled from 2007 until 2010 and is funded by the Research Council of Norway.

Figure 2: a) Aziz Nasuti pulling cables during the seismic experiment. b) The Hitra-Snåsa Fault core. c) Multiple geophysical measurements, from top to bottom: shallow refraction seismic, resistivity and magnetic (after Nasuti et al. 2010).

Collaborations

ETH Zurich