Changyun Park

Reactivated Timings of Some Major Faults in the Chugaryeong Fault Zone since the Cretaceous Period

Recently developed illite-age-analysis (IAA) approach has been applied to determine the multiple events for the Singal and Wangsukcheon faults in the Chugaryeong fault belt, Korea. Fault reactivated events during Late Cretaceous to Paleogene events(69.2±0.3 Ma and 27.2±0.5 Ma) for the Singal fault and of 75.4±0.8 Ma for the Wangsukcheon fault were determined by combined approach of the optimized illite-polytype quantification and the K-Ar age-dating of clay fractions separated from the fault clays. These absolute geochronological determinations of the multiple tectonic events recorded in the Chugaryeong fault belt are crucial to establish the tectonic evolution of the Korean Peninsula since Late Cretaceous.

Reactivated Timings of Inje Fault since the Mesozoic Era

Recently developed illite-age-analysis(IAA) approach was applied to determine the fault-reactivated events for the Inje fault that cut through Precambrian biotite granitic gneiss with NNE-SSW trend in the middle of Korean peninsula. Three distinct fault-reactivated events of shallow crustal regime were recognized using the combined approach of optimized illite-polytype quantification and K-Ar age-dating of clay fractions separated from 4 fault clay samples: 87.0±0.12 Ma, 65.5±0.05 and 66.6±1.38 Ma, 45.6±0.15 Ma, respectively. As well, 2M1 illite ages of 193~196 Ma and 254.3±6.96 were discernible, which may be related to the fault-activated time in the relatively deep crust. The study results suggest that the Inje fault would be firstly formed at 254.3°ae6.96 Ma and sporadically reactivated in shallow regime since about 87 Ma. These reactivation events in shallow regime might be due to the Bulguksa orogeny that would be strongly influenced in Korean peninsula at that time.