Soft sediment deformation structures in a lacustrine sedimentary succession induced by volcano-tectonic activities: An example from the Cretaceous Beolgeumri Formation, Wido Volcanics, Korea

Abstract

The Cretaceous Beolgeumri Formation is composed of laminated mudstones intercalated with sandstones, chert, and a bed of lapilli tuff that were deposited in a lacustrine environment at the terminal part of a regional strike-slip fault systems on the southwestern Korean Peninsula. The Beolgeumri Formation contains various types of soft sediment deformation (SSD) structures that are characterized by a wide extent (<4km), lateral continuity (<200m), and vertical repetition. The SSD structures can be classified into six categories based on their morphological features and deformation styles: 1) fold structures, 2) load structures, 3) water-escape structures, 4) rip-down structures, 5) boudin structures, and 6) synsedimentary fault structures. Field examination of SSD structures together with an analysis of the sedimentological records of the Beolgeumri Formation indicate that the SSD structures formed largely by liquefaction and/or fluidization triggered by ground shaking during earthquakes. To constrain the timing of the development of SSD structures in the Beolgeumri Formation, we conducted sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) U-Pb zircon age dating of block sized lithic clasts bearing volcaniclastic deposits that conformably underlie (the Mangryeongbong Tuff) and overlie (the Ttandallae Tuff) the Beolgeumri Formation. The Mangryeongbong and Ttandallae Tuffs have ages of 86.63±0.83Ma and 87.24±0.36Ma, respectively, indicating that the Beolgeumri Formation was deposited during a short interval between major volcanic eruptions. The large lithic clasts of volcaniclastic deposits suggest that the Beolgeumri Formation was deposited adjacent to an active volcanic edifice(s). Syndepositional magmatic activities are suggested by the occurrence of a lapilli tuff bed in the Beolgeumri Formation and an igneous intrusion (intermediate sill) that is crosscut by a sand dike, as well as the similar age results of the underlying and overlying volcaniclastic deposits. Thus, we infer that the earthquakes that caused the development of SSD structures in the study area were closely related to syndepositional magmatic activities, as is the case for modern tectonic earthquakes around active volcanoes.