Bulletin of the Marine Geology, Vol. 33, No. 1, June 2018, pp.

1 to 14

Structural complexity in the boundary of forearc basin – accretionary

wedge in the northwesternmost Sunda active margin

Kompleksitas struktur di batas cekungan busur muka – prisma akresi di

bagian ujung baratlaut tepian aktif Sunda

Maruf M. Mukti
Sedimentary geology & tectonics Group (SaGeT), Research Center for Geotechnology, LIPI.
Jalan Sangkuriang, Bandung 40135, Indonesia
Corresponding author: [email protected]
(Received 27 March 2018; in revised form 29 May 2018; accepted 30 May 2018)

AB STR AC T : The area from Andaman to northern Sumatran margin is a region where major faults collided
that complicates the structural configuration. The origin of structures in the boundary between the
accretionary wedge and forearc basin in the northwesternmost segment of the Sunda margin has been a
subject of debates. This article reviews several published works on the Andaman – north Sumatran margin to
characterize the boundary between forearc basin and accretionary wedge. Complex strain partitioning in this
margin is characterized by sliver faults that crossing boundaries between the backarc basin, volcanic arc,
forearc basin, and accretionary wedge. The fault zone can be divided into two segments: The West Andaman
Fault (WAF) in the north and Simeulue Fault (SiF) in the southern part. A restraining step-over formed in
between WAF and SiF. The SiF may extent onshore Simeulue to a strike-slip fault onshore. Strain-
partitioning in such an oblique convergent margin appears to have formed a new deformation zone rather
than reactivated the major rheological boundary in between the accretionary wedge and forearc basin. The
eastern margin of the Andaman-north Sumatra accretionary wedge appears to have form as landward-
vergent backthrusts of Diligent Fault (DF) and Nicobar Aceh Fault (NAF) rather than strike-slip faults. This
characteristic appears to have formed in the similar way with the compressional structures dominated the
eastern margin accretionary wedge of the central and south Sumatra forearc.
Keywords: Andaman, North Sumatra, forearc, structure, accretionary wedge, strain partitioning

AB ST RA K : Daerah Andaman - Sumatera bagian utara adalah wilayah di mana patahan-patahan besar saling
bertemu dan membuat konfigurasi struktur menjadi rumit. Asal-usul struktur di batas antara prisma akresi dan
cekungan busur muka di bagian paling baratlaut dari tepian Sunda telah menjadi topik perdebatan. Artikel ini
mengulas beberapa studi yang telah diterbitkan sebelumnya mengenai tepian Andaman - Sumatra bagian utara
untuk mengkarakterisasikan batas antara cekungan muka dan prisma akresi. Pemisahan regangan yang kompleks di
tepian ini dicirikan oleh sliver fault yang melintasi batas antara cekungan busur belakang, busur vulkanik, cekungan
busur muka, dan prisma akresi. Zona sesar tersebut dapat dibagi menjadi dua segmen, yaitu Sesar Andaman Barat
(WAF) di utara dan Simeulue Fault (SiF) di bagian selatan. Sebuah restraining step-over terbentuk di antara WAF
dan SiF. SiF kemungkinan menerus sampai ke Pulau Simeulue dan menyatu dengan sesar geser. Pemisahan regangan
di tepian konvergen yang miring seperti itu tampaknya telah membentuk zona deformasi baru daripada mengaktifkan
kembali batas reologi utama di antara prisma akresi dan cekungan busur muka. Batas bagian timur dari prisma akresi
di Andaman – Sumatera bagian utara memiliki bentuk sebagai backthrusts berarah darat yaitu Sesar Diligent (DF)
dan Sesar Nicobar Aceh (NAF) dan bukan merupakan sesar geser. Karakteristik ini tampaknya terbentuk dengan
proses yang mirip dengan struktur-struktur kompresional yang mendominasi bagian timur prisma akresi di daerah
Sumatra bagian tengah dan selatan.
Kata kunci: Andaman, Sumatera bagian, busur muka, struktur, prisma akresi, pemisahan regangan

1
INTRODUCTION works on the Andaman – north Sumatran margin were
The origin of the boundary between forearc basin reevaluated in this study to characterize the structural
and forearc slope in the convergent margin has been the styles developed in the boundary between forearc basin
subject of debates by geologists. Convergent margins and accretionary wedge.
can be simply divide into two classes based on mass
Geological setting
balances in the subduction zones: accretionary and
erosive types (Clift and Vannucchi, 2004; von Huene In the Andaman-Nicobar subduction system, the
and Scholl, 1991). Accretionary margins are Indo-Australian plate subducts beneath the Eurasian
characterized by accumulation of thrusted and plate in a nearly arc-parallel direction (McCaffrey,
deformed trench and oceanic sediments in the forearc 1992; 2009) (Figure 1). This area stretches from the
slope, whilst the erosive type is marked by steep trench Gulf of Martaban in the north to the Aceh Basin in the
slopes, dominated by mixtures of volcanic, plutonic, south and can be divided into the western part
and mantle rocks, with limited sedimentary rocks (Clift dominated by compressional and strike-slip
and Vannucchi, 2004). In the subduction accretion deformation, the central area that comprised the
zone, where trench sedimentations occur rapidly (von spreading center and Alcock and Sewell rises, the
Huene and Scholl, 1991), the accretionary complex is eastern region dominated by extensional, oblique-slip
buttressed by a backstop that developed as trenchward- and strike-slip sedimentary basin, and the northern
dipping or arcward-dipping geometry (Byrne et al., region that include several sedimentary basinal lows
1988; 1993). In both types of backstop geometry, and highs (Curray, 2005; Moeremans and Singh, 2015;
boundary of accretionary wedge and forearc basin is Morley, 2015). The western region covers the
marked by development of compressional structures Andaman-Nicobar accretionary complex and the
(Hoth et al., 2007; McClay et al., 2004; Noda, 2016; forearc basins. The forearc high islands are composed
Storti et al., 2000. In oblique active margins, the of remnant Cretaceous ophiolites (Pedersen et al.,
boundary between forearc basin and accretionary prism 2010) that covered by younger sedimentary successions
is characterized by strike-slip faults (Berglar et al., (Allen et al., 2007; Roy and Banerjee, 2016). Trench-
2010; Malod and Kemal, 1996; Martin et al., 2014), parallel structures formed in the accretionary complex
where the slope of the backstop tends to be vertical. as strike-slip and extensional faults of the Diligent (DF)
The area from Andaman to northern Sumatran and East Margin fault (EMF) zones (Curray, 2005;
margin is a region where major structures collided. The Curray et al., 1978). However, recent seismic reflection
region is composed of the northern extension of the data show anticlines and thrust faults in the DF
Sumatran Fault (SF), the southern extension of the (Cochran, 2010). To the east, WAF appears to have
Sagaing Fault (SaF) and Andaman Sea Spreading crossed the spreading center and continues farther south
Center. Another fault zone developed in this area, the to the north Sumatra forearc as a major strike-slip fault
West Andaman Fault (WAF) that stretches for more zone (Curray, 2005; Curray et al., 1978; Izart et al.,
than 1200 km along a north-south trending from the 1994; Malod and Kemal, 1996). Several authors named
Andaman Sea to the Sumatran forearc (Figure 1). The this fault zone as the Andaman-Nicobar Fault that
origin of this structure has been interpreted as a strike- stretches from offshore Nicobar to the axis of the
slip fault that developed in the boundary between the Andaman Spreading Center (ASC) (Jourdain et al.,
forearc high and forearc basin (Berglar et al., 2010; 2016; Moeremans and Singh, 2015; Singh et al., 2013).
Curray, 2005; Izart et al., 1994; Malod and Kemal, The ASC separates the Alcock and Sewell rises due to
1996; Martin et al., 2014). However, recent works with the birth of ~130 km wide of oceanic crust (Curray,
better resolution of seismic reflection data revealed the 2005). The main valley of this spreading is
occurrence of landward-vergence backthrusts in the characterized by a flat seafloor along 190 km long in
trenchward margin of the forearc basins (Chauhan et al., ENE trend that divided into 4 segments (Raju et al.,
2009; Hananto et al., 2012; Moeremans and Singh, 2004).
2015; Singh et al., 2011, 2013). Detailed structural In the northern Sumatran forearc, the Aceh forearc
observation on seismic reflection data crossing the basin is bordered by Sumatra Island to the east and
northern Sumatran forearc suggested that the border WAF to the west (Figure 1). Further west, the
between the forearc basin and accretionary complex is accretionary wedge marked the trenchward margin of
complicated by multiple structures with strike-slip northern Sumatra forearc. To the southeast, a prominent
faults appears to be active (Martin et al., 2014). Further bathymetric rise bordered the basin and referred to as
southeast in the central and southern Sumatran forearc, Tuba Ridge (TR) (Berglar et al., 2010; Izart et al., 1994;
the margin of the forearc basin is marked by thrusting Malod and Kemal, 1996). Simeulue basin occupied the
and folding (Deighton et al., 2014; Mukti et al., 2011; area to the southeast of TR that filled by more than 5
2012a; 2012b; Samuel et al., 1995). Several published seconds two-way traveltime (twt) of sediments

2 Maruf M. Mukti
Figure 1. A. Stuctural configuration of the Andaman-north Sumatra forearc. Vectors and rate of convergence
bertween the Indo-Australian Plate and Eurasian Plate is from Moeremans and Singh (2015). B. Major
structures based on Cochran (2010) and Curray (2005). Shaded area is topographic high in the
bathymetry. SaF = Sagaing Fault, WAF = West Andaman Fault, ASC = Andaman Spreading Center, DF
= Diligent Fault, EMF = East Margin Fault, SF = Sumatra Fault, AF = Aceh Fault, OWAF = Old West
Andaman Fault, PF = Pagaja Fault.

Structural complexity in the boundary of forearc basin – accretionary wedge in the northwesternmost Sunda active margin 3
consisted of pre-Neogene sequence and 3 sequences of Singh, 2015; Pesicek et al., 2010; Singh et al., 2013).
Neogene basin fills (Berglar et al., 2008). Similar Furthermore, several onshore field works (Aribowo
equivalent sedimentary units had been identified in the et al., 2014; Endharto and Sukido, 1994; Roy and
Aceh Basin and their deposition is related to the Banerjee, 2016; Samuel and Harbury, 1996) were
development of major strike-slip faults, such as SF and highlighted in this paper.
the WAF (Izart et al., 1994). Several works support the
hypothesis of strike-slip related basins in the northern RESULTS
Sumatra forearc (Berglar et al., 2008; 2010; 2017;
Martin et al., 2014; Seeber et al., 2007) that also applied WAF – ANF – MFZ
to their extension in the southern Sumatran forearc To the north of the ASC, a cuesta morphology is
(Diament et al., 1992; Hall et al., 1993; Sapiie et al., observed to form shallow bathymetry along 300 km in a
2015). However, detail geological field work in the relatively north-south direction from the Martaban Gulf
central Sumatra forearc island argued that the western to the offshore Nicobar Island (Figure 1). The top of the
margin of the forearc basin is characterized by cuesta is called the Invisible Bank and its eastern steep
compressional structures that is likely to have slope is interpreted to have formed by the West
developed during inversion tectonic (Samuel and Andaman Fault (Curray, 2005; Curray et al., 1978). In
Harbury, 1996). Recent works with higher quality of the western slope of Invisible Bank (IB), tilted strata of
seismic reflection imaging reveal the existence of possibly Cretaceous – Paleogene age are observed that
landward-vergence backthrusts in the boundary thickened toward the basin to the west (Figure 2). The
between the forearc basins and forearc highs (Chauhan overlying Neogene strata exhibit similar pattern with
et al., 2009; Deighton et al., 2014; Mukti et al., 2012a; deformed sequence in the area of DF-EMF. Recently
Singh et al., 2008; 2010) and reveal the role of fold- acquired seismic reflection data in between CurrayÊs
thrust orogeny in the formation of forearc high and line in Figure 2 and the ASC shows similar tilted strata
accretionary wedge complex that influence the in the western flank of IB (Moeremans and Singh,
development of forearc basin (Mukti et al., 2012a). 2015). However, they argued that WAF is actually
formed in the depression to the east of IB, as evidence
METHODS by offset of reflectors beneath the seafloor.
The available published geologic-geophysical Furthermore, faulted blocks are observed to the east of
data in the northwesternmost Sunda forearc were the IB and had been interpreted as part of an active
reviewed in this paper (Berglar et al., 2010; Cochran, right-lateral strike-slip fault (Goli and Pandey, 2014).
2010; Curray, 2005; Deighton et al., 2014; Hananto To the south of the spreading center, trace of the
et al., 2012; Martin et al., 2014; Moeremans and WAF still can be observed in bathymetry, gravity and

Figure 2. Interpretation of seismic section in the Andaman showing EMF (Eastern Margin Fault), DF (Diligent
Fault) and WAF (West Andaman Fault). Modified after Curray (2005), Moeremans and Singh (2015).
Invisible Bank (IB) is tilted strata that formed a cuesta morphology with steep slope of WAF in the
eastern part. ANR = Andaman Nicobar Ridge.

4 Maruf M. Mukti
seismic reflection data (Cochran, 2010; Curray, 2005). Island or offshore Simeulue Basin (Berglar et al., 2010;
A gravity high over the WAF appears to have formed the Hananto et al., 2012; Martin et al., 2014).
eastern boundary of the deep gravity low over the Re-examination of high resolution bathymetry
forearc basin (Cochran, 2010). The WAF ridge to the data (Hananto et al., 2012; Martin et al., 2014) showing
south of ASC had been suggested to have formed by a indeed the strike-slip fault of WAF is developed in the
component of compression and uplift across the fault eastern side of the landward-margin of accretionary
that related with spreading in the ASC (Curray, 2005). wedge in the northern part of Aceh Basin and extend
This uplift is evidenced by fossil of benthic farther southwest in the southern part (Figure 7).
foraminifera normally found deeper than 1000m Farther up north in the Andaman, the WAF had been
discovered in a dredge sample from a depth of 490 m interpreted to have developed from the backarc and
(Frerichs, 1971). Seismic reflection data in the southern forearc basin (Cochran, 2010; Curray, 2005;
part of the WAF imaged similar cuesta that formed IB Moeremans and Singh, 2015; Singh et al., 2013).
but named as Andaman-Nicobar Fault (Moeremans and Therefore, this study support the hypothesis that WAF/
Singh, 2015) (Figure 3). They argued that the steep fault ANF is indeed a major sliver fault developed in the
of ANF (WAF of Curray) in the southern ASC could Andaman-northern Sumatra (Singh et al., 2013).
have been the sliver fault prior to that observed in the Tuba Ridge had been interpreted as an anticlinal
northern part of ASC. structure within WAF (Malod et al., 1995) that marked a
The WAF is traceable on the bathymetry as a linear change in the bathymetry of Aceh and Simeulue basins
feature extent farther south to offshore Nicobar and (Berglar et al., 2010). This ridge has also been proposed
even to northern Sumatra (Figure 1). A surface fault to have formed as a transpressional stepover between
break had been proposed in the area around Nicobar the WAF and MFZ (Berglar et al., 2010). However, here
Island by some author (Pandey et al., 2017) although the MFZ is marked as a strike-slip fault in the forearc
there is no high resolution bathymetry to support that. basin, whereas is in its type locality the MFZ has been
However, relocation of the hypocenters of events interpreted as landward-vergence backthrusts in the
between the 2004 and 2005 Sumatran earthquakes show arcward margin of accretionary wedge (Deighton et al.,
activity only in the segment of WAF from the spreading 2014; Mukti et al., 2011; 2012a; 2012b; Singh et al.,
center to the Nicobar Island (Cochran, 2010). 2011; 2010). Furthermore, the strike-slip faults in the
Furthermore, a cluster of seismicity is observed in the Simeulue forearc basin appear to have extent farther
area of juxtaposition of the WAF and the northern south the Simeulue Island (Hananto et al., 2012)
extension of the Sumatran Fault (Cochran, 2010). (Figure 7). A relatively north-south trending fault is
Acquired swath bathymetry around the WAF (Cochran, observed in the northern part of Simuelue Island and
2010) showing a decrease of slope angle and throw of extent father southeast along the axis of the island
the WAF offshore Nicobar Island. (Aribowo et al., 2014; Endharto and Sukido, 1994).
In the northern Sumatra forearc, the WAF is Hence, here we proposed to name this strike-slip fault
consistently showing vertical offsets of reflectors in as the Simuelue Fault (SiF), to avoid confusion with the
several recent seismic reflection data that interpreted as previous interpretation.
a strike-slip faults in the western margin of the Aceh
Forearc Basin (Berglar et al., 2010; Martin et al., 2014) DF – EMF – backthrusts in the northern Sumatra
(Figures 4,5). On the seafloor, this fault zone appears to accretionary wedge
have crossed the area of accretionary wedge and Diligent Fault (DF) has been interpreted to have
developed farther west (Hananto et al., 2012; Martin et formed as a strike-slip fault that dissected the
al., 2014), even though WAF had been suggested to Paleogene-Neogene strata in the Andaman forearc
have formed a rheological boundary between the basin (Curray, 2005). However, the vertical offset of
forearc basin and accretionary wedge (Izart et al., 1994; reflectors in this fault zone is not prominent. (Figure 2
Martin et al., 2014). The WAF appears to have and all figures in Curray (2005). On recently acquired
continued to a complex of anticlinal structures that seismic reflection data, the area of DFZ exhibit
interpreted as Tuba Ridge (Berglar et al., 2010; 2017; compressional faults that may related with deformation
Izart et al., 1994; Malod and Kemal, 1996), which was zone in the East Margin Fault (EMF); hence the
bounded the east by another strike-slip fault developed structural style could not be formed due east-west
within the forearc basin. This strike-slip fault has been extension in the crust (Cochran, 2010). Furthermore,
interpreted to have formed the southern extension of the recently acquired seismic data in the Andaman Sea
WAF or MFZ (Berglar et al., 2010; Hananto et al., 2012; show that DFZ is actually landward-vergent thrusts
Izart et al., 1994; Malod and Kemal, 1996; Martin et al., rather than strike-slip faults (Moeremans and Singh,
2014) (Figures 6,7). Farther south, this strike-slip fault 2015; Singh et al., 2013) (Figure 3). Moreover, seismic
has been suggested to have extent either to the Simeulue reflection images acquired in 2002-2003 showing

Structural complexity in the boundary of forearc basin – accretionary wedge in the northwesternmost Sunda active margin 5
 Figure 3. Structural interpretation of seismic sections in the Andaman showing backthrusting in the DF
(Diligent Fault), anticline in the EMF (Eastern Margin Fault), and ANF (Andaman Nicobar
Fault) to the south of Andaman Spreading Center (ASC). Modified after Moeremans and Singh
(2015). ANF is equivalent to WAF (West Andaman Fault) of Curray (2005). DFZ (Diligent Fault
Zone) is dominated by thrust faults and folded sediments.

Figure 4. Structural interpretation of seismic section in the north Sumatra

forearc basin showing structural style of the WAF, which is
characterized by nearly vertical faults, modified after Berglar et al.
(2010), Martin et al. (2014). However, a west-dipping reflector (black dash line) is also
observed beneath the WAF that is likely to represent a landward-vergence thrust.

6 Maruf M. Mukti
Figure 5. Detail structural identification of WAF in the northern Sumatra forearc showing
different possible type and geometry (Martin et al., 2014). See Figure 1 for the
location of lines. Faults of type I to IV is characterized by thrust and normal offset
on the seafloor and belong to the WAF strike-slip fault zone. Type V is thrust with
no surface offset.

Structural complexity in the boundary of forearc basin – accretionary wedge in the northwesternmost Sunda active margin 7
 Figure 6. Seismic profile near Simeulue Island showing the accretionary wedge that
characterized by fore-thrusts and backthrusts, and flower structure in the Tuba Ridge
that formed within the forearc basin. Modified after Berglar et al. (2010).

Figure 7. Compilation of possible interpretation for structures in the accretionary

wedge (AW) that is bounded by landward- and seaward-vergence thrusts.
The West Andaman Fault zone (WAFZ) is a strike-slip fault zone that
crossed the accretionary wedge, whilst Simeulue Fault zone (SiFZ) is a
strike-slip fault zone developed in the forearc basin that over stepped and
formed the Tuba Ridge (TR). Possible splays of the WAF developed
further west in the accretionary wedge. FAB = Forearc basin.

8 Maruf M. Mukti
anticlinal structures and landward-vergence thrusts are The southern segment of the WAF stretches from
prominent in the DFZ (Goli and Pandey, 2014; Pandey the south of Nicobar Island to the accretionary wedge
et al., 2017). However, the width of DFZ decreased complex of northern Sumatra in the Aceh forearc
toward south with the occurrence of steeper thrust with (Figure 8). Several splays of this fault zone developed
the deformed strata. farther southwest in the accretionary wedge. Farther
To the west, EMF has been interpreted as a strike- south the southern segment of WAF appears to step over
slip fault with some vertical offset of reflectors in the
subsurface (Cochran, 2010; Curray, 2005; Raju et al.,
2004) (Figure 2). Recently acquired seismic reflection
data in the Andaman Sea also support this mechanism
for the EMF by showing a large subsiding basin to the
east of the EMF (Moeremans and Singh, 2015).
However, re-observation on the data set reveal that
anticlinal structures are prominence in the area of the
EMF (Goli and Pandey, 2014; Moeremans and Singh,
2015; Pandey et al., 2017), suggesting that vertical fault
in the slope of the EMF seems to be unlikely. These
folded sediments in the EMF zone may coeval to the
younger sedimentary successions observed in
Andaman Island (Allen et al., 2007; Roy and Banerjee,
2016). A vertical fault plane may have developed within
the axis of the anticlines, as normally observed in the
strike-slip fault zone (Berglar et al., 2010). However,
this study could not conclude it based on the available
data set. A second scenario for the anticlinal structures
is it represent a blind-thrust in the subsurface as have
been proposed in the fold thrust belt development
(Hubbard and Shaw, 2009; Shaw et al., 1999).
Moreover, farther south in the Sumatran forearc,
structures within the forearc high are dominated by
folding and thrusting in the accretionary wedge
(Deighton et al., 2014; Hananto et al., 2012; Mukti et
al., 2011,;2012a; 2012b). Uplift of the forearc high
island induced development of subaerial unconformity
that followed by the growth of carbonate that normally
hindered seismic wave propagation to the subsurface,
hence seismic reflection imaging beneath these
carbonates becomes difficult.

DISCUSSION
The WAF remains a prominent morphologic
feature to the north of the ASC and probably was one of
the primary active structures prior to the initiation of
spreading in the Andaman Sea (Cochran, 2010). The
northern segment of this fault zone may extent from the
Gulf of Martaban in the north (Cochran, 2010; Curray,
2005; Goli and Pandey, 2014; Pandey et al., 2017) to Figure 8. Proposed structural configuration in the
offshore Nicobar Island (Pandey et al., 2017). However, northwesternmost Sunda margin based on
the southern boundary of this northern segment should this review. See text for detail. Shaded
be observed in high resolution bathymetry data. The area is the accretionary wedge complex.
segment formed crossing boundary from backarc basin, EMF = Eastern Margin Fault, DF =
volcanic arc, and forearc basin. Here the fault zone is Diligent Fault, WAF = West Andaman
named as the northern segment of WAF, agreeing the Fault, SaF = Sagaing Fault, ASC =
Andaman Spreading Center, NAF =
results of previous workers in this area (e.g. Curray,
Nicobar Aceh Fault, SiF = Simeulue Fault,
2005). TR = Tuba Ridge, SF = Sumatra Fault.

Structural complexity in the boundary of forearc basin – accretionary wedge in the northwesternmost Sunda active margin 9
 Figure 9. Map (A) and projection (B) of relocated hypocenters of events before the 2004 great earthquake
(black), after the 2004 event but before the 2005 event (purple) and after the 2005 event (blue)
(Pesicek et al., 2010). Green is aftershocks of the 1976 events that possibly initiated in the forearc
basement as backthrust or reactivated basement structures. CMT solutions for the 2004 and the
1976 events shown at their relocated positions. The location of WAF is from Curray (2005).

with SiF and formed the transpressional anticline, TR wedge is marked by landward-vergent thrusts of the
(Figure 8). The SiF itself developed farther south to the Diligent Fault in the north and Nicobar Aceh Fault in
Simeulue Island and may have continued with the the south (Figure 2). Similar seismic images and
Pagaja Fault onshore (Aribowo et al., 2014; Endharto geologic cross section in this boundary zone have been
and Sukido, 1994) (Figure 1). These observations observed in the central and southern Sumatran forearc
suggest that slip-partitioning in such an oblique (Deighton et al., 2014; Mukti et al., 2011; 2012a;
convergent margin tends to initiate a new deformation 2012b; Samuel and Harbury, 1996; Singh et al., 2011),
zone rather than reactivated the major rheological suggesting that compressional structures dominated
boundary. Similar scenario occurred in the Southern structural style in the inner part of accretionary wedge.
Burma where the active Sagaing Fault indeed Focal mechanisms of earthquakes in the region show no
developed crossing several tectonic provinces (Sloan et evidence of active strike-slip in the eastern margin of
al., 2017). Andaman-north Sumatra accretionary wedge (Hananto
Based on the compilation of new data acquired in et al., 2012; Singh et al., 2010; 2013). Projection of
2008 (Moeremans and Singh, 2015), the arcward relocated hypocenters of the 2004 and 1976 events in
margin of the Andaman-north Sumatra accretionary the northern Sumatran forearc suggesting that the 1976

10 Maruf M. Mukti
event may have initiated in the forearc basement as and uplift history of the Andaman-Nicobar
backthrust or reactivated basement (Pesicek et al., accretionary prism, South Andaman Island, in:
2010) (Figure 9). Draut, A., Clift, P.D., Scholl, D.W. (Eds.),
Despite the obliquity of the present-day Formation and Applications of the Sedimentary
convergence in the northernmost Sunda margin, our Record in Arc Collision Zones: The Geological
regional observation shows similar development of a Society of America Special Paper 436.
major zone of backthrusting observed in the case of Geological Society of America, 1–34.
orthogonal convergence as have been proposed by Aribowo, S., Handayani, L., Hananto, N.D., Gaol,
previous works (Chauhan et al., 2009; Moeremans and K.L., Syuhada, & Anggono, T., 2014.
Singh, 2015; Singh et al., 2008; 2013). Experiments Deformasi kompleks di Pulau Simuelue,
performed with oblique convergence indeed exhibit Sumatra: Interaksi antara struktur dan
landward-vergence thrusting in the rear margin of diapirisme. Riset Geologi dan Pertambangan,
accretionary wedge (McClay et al., 2004). Based on the 24(2): 131–144.
undeformed strata in the area between DF and ANF-
WAF, it is clear that this area does not belong to the Berglar, K., Gaedicke, C., Franke, D., Ladage, S.,
accretionary complex as had been suggested by several Klingelhoefer, F., & Djajadihardja, Y.S., 2010.
authors (Berglar et al., 2017; Izart et al., 1994; Martin et Structural evolution and strike-slip tectonics off
al., 2014; Seeber et al., 2007). The accretionary north-western Sumatra. Tectonophysics, 480(1-
complex in the oblique Andaman-northern Sumatra 4): 19–132.
subduction zone is bounded by fold-thrust belts in the Berglar, K., Gaedicke, C., Ladage, S., & Thöle, H.,
landward and seaward margins. 2017. The Mentawai forearc sliver off Sumatra:
A model for a strike-slip duplex at a regional
CONCLUSIONS scale. Tectonophysics, 710-711: 225–231.
In the Andaman-north Sumatra forearc, the Berglar, K., Gaedicke, C., Lutz, R., Franke, D., &
complex strain partitioning is characterized by sliver Djajadihardja, Y.S., 2008. Neogene subsidence
faults that crossing boundaries between the backarc and stratigraphy of the Simeulue forearc basin,
basin, volcanic arc, forearc basin, and accretionary Northwest Sumatra. Marine Geology. 253(1-2):
wedge. The fault zone can be divided into two segments 1–13.
of WAF in the north and SiF in the southern part. A Byrne, D.E., Davis, D.M., & Sykes, L.R., 1988. Loci
restraining step-over formed in between WAF and SiF. and maximum size of thrust earthquakes and the
The SiF may extent onshore Simeulue to a strike-slip mechanics of the shallow region of subduction
fault onshore. Slip-partitioning in such an oblique zones. Tectonics, 7(4): 833–857.
convergent margin appears to have formed a new
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strike-slip faults, differed from the previous White, N.J., Graindorge, D., & Team, S.S.,
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formed in the similar way with the compressional northern Sumatra subduction zone. Geophysical
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Implications for the origin and recycling of the
The author thanked the editor (Yudi Darlan) and continental crust. Reviews of Geophysics,
the reviewer (Herman Darman) for their comments and 42(2): 1–31.
suggestion that improved the clarity of the manuscript.
Cochran, J.R., 2010. Morphology and tectonics of the
Andaman Forearc, northeastern Indian Ocean.
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