Sediment Geometries and Domino Faulting

A general forward modelling scheme is used to produce a model of sediment geometry in half-grabens formed during extension of domino fault blocks. The model includes the effects of erosion, sediment transport, sedimentation and isostasy and simulates both syn- and post-rift sedimentary sequences. The geometries and relationships produced by the model are broadly similar to natural examples seen on North Sea seismic sections. This similarity is emphasized by the generation of synthetic seismic data using the numerically modelled geometry as a template. The unconformable nature of the boundary between syn- and post-rift seismic sequences is clearly visible on the synthetic data in the region of the fault block crest.