Recalibrating the July 8th, 1730 Valparaiso, Chile earthquake: giving historical context to primary sources

Abstract

espanolEste articulo utiliza informacion historica recogida de cartas, informes y casos judiciales para reconstruir el dano y los niveles de inundacion delterremoto y tsunami que tuvo lugar el 8 de julio de 1730 en Valparaiso, Chile.Se analizo cada informe para recrear la secuencia sismica del evento y clarificar el periodode tiempo de llegada del tsunami. Este ejerciodemuestra que la region mas afectadase extendio entre La Serena y Santo Domingo y no mas al sur como previamente se habia postulado. Finalmente, se muestra la importancia de analizar cada fuente en su contexto historico para asi entender lo que el autor quiso compartir con su propuesta EnglishThis paper uses historical data from letters, reports, and court cases to reconstruct earthquake damage and tsunami flooding levels from the July 8th, 1730 Valparaiso, Chile earthquake. Each selected primary source is analyzed to recreate the seismic sequence and clarify the size and arrival times of the associated tsunami. This exercise demonstrates that the earthquake s primary damage zone was between La Serena and Santo Domingo and not further South as previously hypothesized. Finally,it shows the importance of analyzing each source in its historical context in order to understand what its author intended to share with hisselected audience