BOLETÍN DE LA SOCIEDAD GEOLÓGICA MEXICANA, Vol. 55, n.. 1, 2002, p. 1-11 http://dx.doi.org/10.18268/BSGM2002v55n1a1

Análisis estructural de fallas potencialmente activas

Odranoel Quintero-Legorreta ^†

Instituto de Geología. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cd. Universitaria, 04510 México, D.F.

Abstract

The structural analysis of potentially active faults encompasses the study of recent deformation and is the subject of neotectonics. This discipline apply specific methods to establish the chronology of recent deformation events in the upper crust and its relation to tectonics. In this work, the most common methods used in the study of active faults are presented, and examples from the central part of the Transmexican Volcanic Belt are presented in order to illustrate these methods. Particularly, the role of regional, simple and minor structures in geotectonics is emphasized. Some methods used for the calculation of stress tensors from data of faults are also presented.

Keywords: Neotectonics, normal faults, active faults, paleo-stress, Transmexican Volcanic Belt.