title: The discovery of a conjugate system of faults in the Wharton Basin intraplate deformation zone.
abstract: The deformation at well-defined, narrow plate boundaries depends on the relative plate motion, but how the deformation takes place within a distributed plate boundary zone remains a conundrum. This was confirmed by the seismological analyses of the 2012 great Wharton Basin earthquakes [moment magnitude (Mw) 8.6], which suggested the rupture of several faults at high angles to one another. Using high-resolution bathymetry and seismic reflection data, we report the discovery of new N294°E-striking shear zones, oblique to the plate fabric. These shear zones are expressed by sets of normal faults striking at N335°E, defining the direction of the principal compressional stress in the region. Also, we have imaged left-lateral strike-slip faults along reactivated N7°E-oriented oceanic fracture zones. The shear zones and the reactivated fracture zones form a conjugate system of faults, which accommodate present-day intraplate deformation in the Wharton Basin.
authors.affiliation: Equipe de Géosciences Marines, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (CNRS, Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité), 1 rue Jussieu, 75238 Paris Cedex 05, France.; Earth Observatory of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, N2-01A-XX, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore.
authors.forename: Satish C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Geotechnology, Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Komplek LIPI Jl., Sangkuriang Bandung 40135, Indonesia.
authors.forename: Nugroho
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hananto
authors.affiliation: Equipe de Géosciences Marines, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (CNRS, Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité), 1 rue Jussieu, 75238 Paris Cedex 05, France.
authors.forename: Yanfang
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6265-0493
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: Earth Observatory of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, N2-01A-XX, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore.
authors.forename: Frederique
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7834-4872
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Leclerc
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Oceanography, Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Jl Pasir Putih 1 Ancol Timur, Jakarta Utara 14430, Indonesia.
authors.forename: Praditya
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5592-5367
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Avianto
authors.affiliation: Earth Observatory of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, N2-01A-XX, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore.
authors.forename: Paul E
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-7135-1962
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Tapponnier
authors.affiliation: Equipe de Géosciences Marines, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (CNRS, Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité), 1 rue Jussieu, 75238 Paris Cedex 05, France.
authors.forename: Helene
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-3537-0285
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Carton
authors.affiliation: Earth Observatory of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, N2-01A-XX, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore.
authors.forename: Shengji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Technology Center for Marine Survey, Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology, BPPT Gedung 1 Lantai 18 Jl. MH Thamrin No. 8, Jakarta Pusat 10340, Indonesia.
authors.forename: Adam B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Nugroho
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Coastal Resources and Vulnerability, Ministry of Marine and Fisheries, Jl. Padang-Painan km. 16, Bungus, Padang 25245, Indonesia.
authors.forename: Wishnu A
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8565-0771
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Gemilang
authors.affiliation: Earth Observatory of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, N2-01A-XX, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore.
authors.forename: Kerry
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sieh
authors.affiliation: Earth Observatory of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, N2-01A-XX, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore.
authors.forename: Sylvain
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4257-7409
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barbot
keywords: Active Tectonics; Great earthquakes; Indian Ocean; Intra-plate deformation; Wharton Basin