The Sinistral slip rate of Chupanan Fault during the Quaternary period (Pleistocene)

The study area is located in the Central Iran Micro continent, Yazd block, Anarak-khur sub zone and in margin of edge of the Great Kavir Fault. The Chupanan Fault is considered a branch of Great Kavir Fault and is the most important fault of the study area. Reason to absence of great systematical earthquake data along the Chupanan fault, checking of sesmicity of the area based on earthquake catalog is impossible.In this research, according to the several morphotectonic evidences along the Chupanan fault and its branches, including the displacement of large and small streams and alluvial fans, activity of the faults during Quaternary period is studied. The presented morphotectonic evidences in the Khur area indicate that the major movement of the Chupanan fault during Pleistocene is sinistral strike-slip. By considering the horizontal offsets along the Chupanan fault zone in different parts of the area, maximum slip rate is measured about 4 mm/yr in the north Arusan village.