Reactivation Potential of Intraplate Faults in the Western Quebec Seismic Zone, Eastern Canada

Abstract

Abstract The intraplate western Quebec seismic zone (WQSZ) in eastern Canada experiences moderate seismicity that mainly results from reactivation of inherited structures under the present‐day, NE‐SW‐striking regional maximum horizontal stress (SH) and, possibly to a minor extent, through stress perturbations in response to glacio‐isostatic adjustment. This work comprises the first numerical stress simulation‐based study that predicts the preferred spatial distribution, trends, and sense of slip of contemporary fault reactivation, which may have implications for possible fault segmentation patterns in the WQSZ. We show that mostly NNW‐SSE to NW‐SE‐striking faults exhibit the highest slip tendency values. Spatial patterns of slip tendency and kinematics of reactivation are consistent with the observed seismicity. In an area where Quaternary‐active faults have yet to be systematically identified, we have narrowed down areas to focus on for more detailed, future neotectonic investigations that could provide sound foundation for seismic hazard assessments. This study demonstrates the applicability of slip tendency analysis to identifying potentially active faults in stable continental regions worldwide.

Keywords

• slip tendency
• western Quebec seismic zone
• intraplate faults
• eastern Canada
• fault reactivation