Geology

Geomorphology

Civil engineering

Clockwise

Shear zone

Basement

Tectonics

Paleontology

Engineering

Mechanical engineering

Induced seismicity

Lineament

Precambrian

Rift

Seismology

Graben

Fault (geology)

Fold (higher-order function)

Shear (geology)

Petrology

We integrated temporal aeromagnetic data and recent earthquake data to address the long‐standing question on the role of preexisting Precambrian structures in modulating strain accommodation and subsequent ruptures leading to seismic events within the East African Rift System. We used aeromagnetic data to elucidate the relationship between the locations of the 2009 M w 6.0 Karonga, Malawi, earthquake surface ruptures and buried basement faults along the hinge zone of the half‐graben comprising the North Basin of the Malawi Rift. Through the application of derivative filters and depth‐to‐magnetic‐source modeling, we identified and constrained the trend of the Precambrian metamorphic fabrics and correlated them to the three‐dimensional structure of buried basement faults. Our results reveal an unprecedented detail of the basement fabric dominated by high‐frequency WNW to NW trending magnetic lineaments associated with the Precambrian Mughese Shear Zone fabric. The high‐frequency magnetic lineaments are superimp...

Active Deformation of Malawi Rift's North Basin Hinge Zone Modulated by Reactivation of Preexisting Precambrian Shear Zone Fabric