@article{CifelliBallatoAlimohammadianetal.2015,
  author    = {Cifelli, Francesca and Ballato, Paolo and Alimohammadian, Habib and Sabouri, Jafar and Mattei, Massimo},
  title     = {Tectonic magnetic lineation and oroclinal bending of the Alborz range: Implications on the Iran-Southern Caspian geodynamics},
  series = {Tectonics},
  volume    = {34},
  journal   = {Tectonics},
  number    = {1},
  publisher = {American Geophysical Union},
  address   = {Washington},
  issn      = {0278-7407},
  doi       = {10.1002/2014TC003626},
  pages     = {116 -- 132},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {In this study we use the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) and paleomagnetic data for deciphering the origin of magnetic lineation in weakly deformed sedimentary rocks and for evaluating oroclinal processes within the Arabia-Eurasia collision zone. In particular, we have analyzed the Miocene Upper Red Formation (URF) from the outer curved front of the southern Central Alborz Mountains of north Iran, to test for the first time with paleomagnetic data the origin (primary versus secondary) of this orogenic arc. AMS data document the existence of a magnetic lineation parallel to the orientation of the major tectonic structures, which vary along strike from WNW to ENE. These directions are highly oblique to the paleoflow directions and hence suggest that the magnetic lineation in the URF was produced by compressional deformation during layer-parallel shortening. In addition, our paleomagnetic data document clockwise and anticlockwise rotations along vertical axis for the western and eastern sectors of the Central Alborz Mountains, respectively. Combined, our results suggest that the orogen represents an orocline, which formed not earlier than circa 7.6Ma most likely through bending processes caused by the relative motion between the rigid crustal blocks of the collision zone. Moreover, our study provides new insights into the Iran-Southern Caspian Basin kinematic evolution suggesting that the present-day SW motion of the South Caspian Basin with respect to Central Iran postdates oroclinal bending and hence cannot be as old as late Miocene to early Pliocene but a rather recent configuration (i.e., 3 to <1Ma).},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{GhassemiFattahiLandgrafetal.2014,
  author    = {Ghassemi, Mohammad R. and Fattahi, Morteza and Landgraf, Angela and Ahmadi, Mehdi and Ballato, Paolo and Tabatabaei, Saeid H.},
  title     = {Kinematic links between the Eastern Mosha Fault and the North Tehran Fault, Alborz range, northern Iran},
  series = {Tectonophysics : international journal of geotectonics and the geology and physics of the interior of the earth},
  volume    = {622},
  journal   = {Tectonophysics : international journal of geotectonics and the geology and physics of the interior of the earth},
  publisher = {Elsevier},
  address   = {Amsterdam},
  issn      = {0040-1951},
  doi       = {10.1016/j.tecto.2014.03.007},
  pages     = {81 -- 95},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {Kinematic interaction of faults is an important issue for detailed seismic hazard assessments in seismically active regions. The Eastern Mosha Fault (EMF) and the North Tehran Fault (NTF) are two major active faults of the southern central Alborz mountains, located in proximity of Tehran (population similar to 9 million). We used field, geomorphological and paleoseismological data to explore the kinematic transition between the faults, and compare their short-term and long-term history of activity. We introduce the Niknamdeh segment of the NTF along which the strike-slip kinematics of EMF is transferred onto the NTF, and which is also responsible for the development of a pull-apart basin between the eastern segments of the NTF. The Ira trench site at the linkage zone between the two faults reveals the history of interaction between rock avalanches, active faulting and sag-pond development. The kinematic continuity between the EMF and NTF requires updating of seismic hazard models for the NTF, the most active fault adjacent to the Tehran Metropolis. Study of offsets of large-scale morphological features along the EMF, and comparison with estimated slip rates along the fault indicates that the EMF has started its left-lateral kinematics between 3.2 and 4.7 Ma. According to our paleoseismological data and the morphology of the nearby EMF and NTF, we suggest minimum and maximum values of about 1.8 and 3.0 mm/year for the left-lateral kinematics on the two faults in their linkage zone, averaged over Holocene time scales. Our study provides a partial interpretation, based on available data, for the fault activity in northeastern Tehran region, which may be completed with studies of other active faults of the region to evaluate a more realistic seismic hazard analysis for this heavily populated major city. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.},
  language  = {en}
}