At present, there are no criteria to distinguish soft-sediment deformation structures （SSDS） formed by earthquakes from SSDS formed by the other 20 triggering mechanisms （see a companion paper in Vol 5, No. 4 of th...At present, there are no criteria to distinguish soft-sediment deformation structures （SSDS） formed by earthquakes from SSDS formed by the other 20 triggering mechanisms （see a companion paper in Vol 5, No. 4 of this journal by Shanmugam, 2016）. Even if one betieves that earthquakes are the true triggering mechanism of SSDS in a given case, the story is stiff incomptete. This is because earthquakes （seismic shocks） are induced by a variety of causes： 1） glbaltectonics and associated faults （i.e., midocean ridges, trenches, and transform fautts）; 2） meteorite-impact events; 3） volcanic eruptions; 4） post-gtacialuplift; 5） tsunami impact; 6 cyclonic impact; 7） landslides （mass-transport deposits）; 8） tidal activity; 9） sea-tevet rise; 10） erosion; and 11） fluid pumping. These different causes are important for devetoping SSDS. Breccias are an important group of SSDS. Although there are many types of breccias classified on the basis of their origin, five types are discussed here （fault, volcanic, meteorite impact, sedimentary-depositionaL, sedimentary-collapse）. Atthough different breccia types may resemble each other, distinguishing one type （e.g., meteorite breccias） from the other types （e.g., fault, volcanic, and sedimentary breccias） has important imptications. 1） Meteorite breccias are characterized by shock features （e.g., planar deformation features in mineral grains, planar fractures, high-pressure polymorphs, shock melts, etc.）, whereas sedimentary- depositional breccias （e.g., debrites） do not. 2） Meteorite breccias imply a confined sediment distribution in the vicinity of craters, whereas sedimentary-depositional breccias imply an unconfined sediment distribution, variable sediment transport, and variable sediment provenance. 3） Meteorite, volcanic, and fault breccias are invariabty subjected to diagenesis and hydrothermat mineratization with attered reservoir quality, whereas sedimentary-depositional breccias exhibit primary （unaltered） reservoir quality. And finalty, 4） sedimentary-collapse breccias are associated with economic mineralization （e.g., uranium ore）, whereas sedimentary-depositional breccias are associated with petroleum reservoirs. Based on this important group of SSDS with breccias, the current practice of interpreting all SSDS as ＂seismites＂ is inappropriate. Ending this practice is necessary for enhancing conceptuat clarity and for advancing this research domain.展开更多
文摘At present, there are no criteria to distinguish soft-sediment deformation structures （SSDS） formed by earthquakes from SSDS formed by the other 20 triggering mechanisms （see a companion paper in Vol 5, No. 4 of this journal by Shanmugam, 2016）. Even if one betieves that earthquakes are the true triggering mechanism of SSDS in a given case, the story is stiff incomptete. This is because earthquakes （seismic shocks） are induced by a variety of causes： 1） glbaltectonics and associated faults （i.e., midocean ridges, trenches, and transform fautts）; 2） meteorite-impact events; 3） volcanic eruptions; 4） post-gtacialuplift; 5） tsunami impact; 6 cyclonic impact; 7） landslides （mass-transport deposits）; 8） tidal activity; 9） sea-tevet rise; 10） erosion; and 11） fluid pumping. These different causes are important for devetoping SSDS. Breccias are an important group of SSDS. Although there are many types of breccias classified on the basis of their origin, five types are discussed here （fault, volcanic, meteorite impact, sedimentary-depositionaL, sedimentary-collapse）. Atthough different breccia types may resemble each other, distinguishing one type （e.g., meteorite breccias） from the other types （e.g., fault, volcanic, and sedimentary breccias） has important imptications. 1） Meteorite breccias are characterized by shock features （e.g., planar deformation features in mineral grains, planar fractures, high-pressure polymorphs, shock melts, etc.）, whereas sedimentary- depositional breccias （e.g., debrites） do not. 2） Meteorite breccias imply a confined sediment distribution in the vicinity of craters, whereas sedimentary-depositional breccias imply an unconfined sediment distribution, variable sediment transport, and variable sediment provenance. 3） Meteorite, volcanic, and fault breccias are invariabty subjected to diagenesis and hydrothermat mineratization with attered reservoir quality, whereas sedimentary-depositional breccias exhibit primary （unaltered） reservoir quality. And finalty, 4） sedimentary-collapse breccias are associated with economic mineralization （e.g., uranium ore）, whereas sedimentary-depositional breccias are associated with petroleum reservoirs. Based on this important group of SSDS with breccias, the current practice of interpreting all SSDS as ＂seismites＂ is inappropriate. Ending this practice is necessary for enhancing conceptuat clarity and for advancing this research domain.
