Rapid spatiotemporal variations in rift structure during development of the Corinth Rift, Central Greece

Abstract

The Corinth Rift, central Greece, enables analysis of early rift development as it is young (<5 Ma), highly active and its full history is recorded at high-resolution by sedimentary systems. A complete compilation of marine geophysical data, complemented by onshore data, is used to develop a high-resolution chronostratigraphy and detailed fault history for the offshore Corinth Rift, integrating interpretations and reconciling previous discrepancies. Rift migration and localization of deformation have been significant within the rift since inception. Over the last ca. 2 Myr the rift transitioned from a spatially complex rift to a uniform asymmetric rift, but this transition did not occur synchronously along-strike. Isochore maps at ca.100 kyr intervals illustrate a change in fault polarity within the short interval ca.620-340 ka, characterized by progressive transfer of activity from major S-dipping faults to N-dipping faults and southwards migration of discrete depocentres at ~30 m/kyr. Since ca.340 ka there has been localization and linkage of the dominant N-dipping border fault system along the southern rift margin, demonstrated by lateral growth of discrete depocentres at ~40 m/kyr. A single central depocentre formed by ca.130 ka, indicating full fault linkage. These results indicate that rift localization is progressive (not instantaneous) and can be synchronous once a rift border fault system is established. This study illustrates that development processes within young rifts occur at 100 kyr timescales, including rapid changes in rift symmetry, and growth and linkage of major rift faults.

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ORCID for Lisa McNeill: orcid.org/0000-0002-8689-5882

ORCID for Jonathan Bull: orcid.org/0000-0003-3373-5807

ORCID for Timothy Henstock: orcid.org/0000-0002-2132-2514

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