INTEGRATED GEOPHYSICAL STUDIES OVER GROWTH FAULTS IN NW HOUSTON, TEXAS

We have conducted geophysical surveys over some known growth faults in the NW part of Houston, Texas. The purpose of the study was to obtain any kind geophysical signature that could shed light on the geometry and mechanism of these faults. We performed geophysical surveys over: 1) Hockley Fault on Highway 290 with a fault scarp; 2) Katy-Hockley Fault on Katy-Hockley Road without a fault scarp; and 3)Willow Creek Fault on Highway 249 with a fault scarp. Geophysical surveys performed over these faults are as follow: Conductivity, 2-D and 3-D resistivity imagings, magnetics, ground penetrating radar and micro-gravity.

Geophysical results, in general, indicate anomalies over the fault scarps. While these results are still interpreted and integrated, there will be more fieldwork to do. But initial results suggest a more complicated near-subsurface geology than one can imagine.