Abstract
Polygonal Fault Systems (PFS) are an enigmatic class of small
non-tectonic extensional faults. PFS are predominantly hosted in
fine-grained sedimentary tiers and are prevalent along many continental
margin basins. The genesis of PFS is widely debated and little is known
about the timeframe for polygonal fault growth. We present the first
measurements of throw rates for polygonal faults by measuring the
vertical offset of seven age-calibrated horizons mapped using
three-dimensional seismic reflection data from the Norwegian Sea.
Individual polygonal faults exhibit a range of throw rate profiles
through time, ranging from near linear to singly or multiply stepped.
The stepped profiles have a range of short-term throw rates ranging from
0 to 18 m/Ma. Time-averaged throw rates of 180 polygonal faults over the
entire 2.61-0 Ma interval are normally distributed and range between
1.4-10.9 m/Ma. We convert our PFS throw rates to displacement rates and
compare these to published displacement rates for gravity driven and
tectonic normal faults. We find that the displacement rates of polygonal
faults mark the lower limit of a continuous spectrum of extensional
fault displacement rates; they are up to two orders-of-magnitude slower
than gravity-driven faults, and up to three orders-of-magnitude slower
than the fastest growing tectonic faults. We attribute the ultra-slow
kinematic behaviour to the non-tectonic nature of polygonal faults where
throw accumulates primarily through dewatering of the largely
fine-grained sediments comprising the host layers for the PFS, and
differential volumetric strain between the fault footwalls and
hangingwalls.