Evolution of a continental margin transform plate boundary: the San Clemente fault system offshore southern California

Mark R. Legg

Published March 1, 2023, SCEC Contribution #10071

Evolution of a Continental Margin Transform Plate Boundary: The San Clemente Fault System Offshore Southern California provides a major advance in understanding the geology, tectonic evolution and earthquake potential of significant faults offshore southern California and northern Baja California where major cities and critical facilities are at risk from large offshore earthquakes. The book approaches the subject with historical background, overview of the main features, and more focused chapters on specific aspects/features of the fault system including tectonic style - strike-slip and oblique-slip, tectonic evolution, seismic hazard/earthquake and tsunami potential.

Strike-slip fault systems are important for resource exploration and production, earthquake hazard investigations, and understanding the geologic evolution of transform and other tectonic plate boundaries. Many hydrocarbon deposits are located in structures along active and formerly active strike-slip fault systems (LA Basin, for example). There are known hydrocarbon seeps along the San Clemente fault system, and there are likely numerous significant hydrocarbon deposits that may be explored and produced in the future. There are also seafloor mineral deposits that are associated with the fault system (e.g., silver mines on Santa Catalina Island). The San Clemente Fault System Offshore Southern California will help researchers and local governments to understand the geometry and character of a major active strike-slip fault systems across the globe.

Citation
Legg, M. R. (2023). Evolution of a continental margin transform plate boundary: the San Clemente fault system offshore southern California. Cambridge, USA: Elsevier.

Related Projects & Working Groups
Borderland Geologic Framework, Community Models, Structural Deformation Over Time, Earthquake Geology