DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17235394
title: South East France Potentially Active Faults

description: SEFPAF.csv contains all fault data as entities (different fault information from each input source).SEFPAF.html is the data presented in a user friendly mapview.SEFPAF_compilation_code.ipynb is the python code used to compile and treat all the input data.INPUT.zip contains all the input files used in the python code as csv files.

 

The fault parameters presented in SEFPAF are the following:

Fid, ID, Fault_System, Fault_IDThese parameters allow for data identification and organisation. The fid value is unique for each entity, ranging from 1 to 2649. Entities are grouped under the same fault ID based on their geological continuity, spatial proximity and shared characteristics. Faults are grouped by systems (namely: Aosta Ranzola, Belledonne - Pelvoux, Central Sub-Alpine Front, Cevennes, Forez, Insubrian line, Jura, Ligure, Ligurian Alps, Massif-Central, Middle Durance, Eastern Pyrenees, Penninic Front, Pilat, Po, Provence, Rhine, Rhône line, Salon-Cavaillon - Ventoux, Southern Alps, Western Sub-Alpine Front) in order to reflect similar geometries, tectonic history and potential behavior. This classification may support further analyses on potential combined ruptures and fault mechanisms. Fault_ID is a unique numeric identifier per fault within the fault system, ranging from 1 to n faults in the system. We assign each fault a unique identifier (ID) by concatenating Fault_System and Fault_ID.

Fault_name, NE_name, NE_observationsSome entities include the name of the fault (Fault_name) or the name of the neotectonic evidence (NE_name). The latter comprises a numeric code and location as specified in their source database (Baize et al., 2002; Bertrand et al., 2007). We add a parameter for the documented observations of the neotectonic evidences (NE_observations).

SourceHere we indicate the source dataset reference from where the entity information originates: Geological map of France, Geological map of Switzerland, Geological map of Italy, Terrier et al., 2018, Jomard et al., 2017, Grellet et al., 1993, Comerci et al., 2013, Thouvenot et al., 2003, Sue et Tricart, 2003, Jenatton et al., 2007, Gueguen et al., 2022, Sanchez et al., 2010, Champagnac et al., 2003, Bistacchi et Massironi, 2000, Morelli et al., 2022, Billant et al., 2015, Lallemand, et al., 2024, Thomasset et al., 2024.

Trace_rep, WKT, WKT_on_mapOne fault may be described by multiple entities, offering different information, as well as variations in the surface fault trace. However, only one fault trace is displayed on the SEFPAF map. Whether the trace is represented cartographically or not is indicated in the parameter Trace_rep with the respective values 1 or 0, for true or false. WKT is the Well-Known Text geometrical representation in coordinates in the EPSG:4326 - WGS 84 coordinate system. WKT includes as many rows as there are entities; it is a linestring or multilinestring for fault segments, and a point coordinate for neotectonic evidences. WKT_on_map is the column of WKT for all entities where Trace_rep is 1, representing the geometries to be reflected on the SEFPAF fault map.

Importance, Reliability, NeoT_ageThis group of parameters reflects raw fault values representing the fault importance, the reliability of the information, location, or existence of the fault, and the neotectonic age of the last rupture after paleoseismology. Importance is expressed in values of 1, 2, 3, for minor, secondary and major fault. Reliability is expressed in values from 0 to 1, reflecting uncertain to certain. NeoT_age is expressed in text for the geological periods, series, ages or glacial-interglacial phases.

Strike, Dip, DipDir, Length, DepthThese parameters describe the main geometrical characteristics of the faults. Strike is the angle of main orientation of the fault trace in relation to the North, expressed in º. Dip is the angle of dipping of the fault plane in relation to the horizontal, also expressed in º. DipDir informs of which direction the fault dips, expressed in N, E, S, W, and their potential combinations. Length and Depth give the dimensions of the fault plane in km. The length is computed after the WKT geometry while the depth comes from the source dataset when known or assumed. This information is infrequently specified in the input datasets, it is primarily documented in Jomard et al. (2017) and some regional studies.

Kinematics, SlipHere we reassemble the information on the fault’s kinematics and the slip rate when documented in the input data. The Kinematics determines the last fault’s mechanics as normal (N) or reverse (R) in the perpendicular axis followed by the parallel movement, after ‘/’, and expressed as strike-slip (SS) -left-lateral (S) or -right-lateral (D), when oblique. This parameter is present in most datasets but not for all entities. The Slip is the displacement rate on the fault in mm/y, calculated from geological offsets, available for few entities originating from Jomard et al. (2017) and some regional studies (Billant et al., 2015; Lallemand et al., 2024). These slip rates are gathered in the SEFPAF database but are not used for SEFPAF index criteria or for the characterisation of the fault model, further discussed in the section Potential Applications, given the heterogeneous nature of this information across SEFPAF.

I, D, SP_n, SP_s, SP_d, SPThese are the indexes and sub-indexes we generate for fault classification. I is the importance index assigned to each fault, retaining the highest importance value among its entities. This index is expressed as 1, 2, 3 referring to minor, secondary and major faults. D reflects how well a fault is documented based on the completeness of parameter values (fault name, strike, dip, dip direction, depth, kinematics, slip rate, neotectonic age, reliability, importance) across entities of one same fault ID. Values range from 0 (least) to 3 (most documented). SP_n, SP_s, SP_d are the Seismogenic Potential sub-indexes, corresponding to the neotectonic sub-index, the near fault seismicity sub-index, and the near fault geodetic deformation sub-index. The first ranges from -1 to 5, the second from 0 to 8 and the third from 1 to 5. SP is the Seismogenic Potential index expressed in values from 0 to 100; it incorporates the 3 previous sub-indexes weighted by 0.25 0.5 and 0.25 respectively.