Geophysical Characteristics of Oceanic Transform Faults

Among the most prominent features in ocean basins, oceanic transform faults (OTFs), offsetting mid-ocean ridges by tens to hundreds of kilometers, are intrinsically associated with plate motion on a spherical Earth, tracing small circles around a pole of rotation. Plate tectonics traditionally define OTFs as conservative strike-slip plate boundaries where lithosphere is neither created nor destroyed. This conceptual framework has fostered an oversimplified interpretation that has dominated for six decades. However, increasing near-field observations have unveiled complexities in their geophysical characteristics, indicating dynamics far more intricate than previously assumed. In this thesis, I present global analyses of OTF morphology, residual mantle Bouguer anomalies, and mantle rheology, along with local seismicity studies of the Oceanographer, Blanco, and Mendocino transform fault systems, to address the following research questions: How does the surface expression of OTFs vary on a global scale? How does mantle rheology influence the gravity signals and surface expressions of OTFs? How does crustal thickness vary between tectonic features within an OTF system? How many faulting styles exist within OTF systems, and what are their possible causes? How do OTFs interact with far-field and local-field stresses?

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Ren, Y., 2025. Geophysical Characteristics of Oceanic Transform Faults.
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