Paleoseismic Trenching Research Articles

ПАЛЕОСЕЙСМОГЕННЫЕ ТЕКТОНИЧЕСКИЕ РВЫ – УНИКАЛЬНЫЕ АРХИВЫ ИСТОРИИ БЕЛОГО МОРЯ В ГОЛОЦЕНЕ

Various sedimentary archives at the Karelian coast of the White Sea (Kindo Peninsula, White Sea Biological Station area) as the paleoseismic fault trenches filling, marine terraces sections and buried shell lenses have been studied. The results were obtained by applying the paleoseismological approach in course of detailed field studies with the identification of characteristic morphological, structural and dynamic features of ancient earthquakes. The lithostratigraphic study of depositional sequence was verified by radiocarbon, diatom, plant macrofossil analysis of peat and the degree of its decomposition and loss-of-ignition analyzes. It was established that the earthquake that generated the seismic fault trench system occurred in the Late Glacial or Early Holocene with the formation of a seismic underwater fracture, and the trench “opened” because of the subsequent lifting of the bottom, erosion and removal of fragmented rocks in the wave-breaking zone shortly before filling it with Holocene sediments. Sediments that filled the paleoseismic trench accumulated over the period from 9 ka BP to the present, with a break for passage through the coastal zone. They demonstrate a successive change from marine sedimentary environment (gray silt with Hiatella arctica shells, dated back to 9 ka BP) to coastal-marine (sand with clasts), then again to an isolated, gradually desalinated lagoon-type sea gulf (mica silt dated back to 3 ka BP), and ultimately – swamp overgrown with spruce forest (woody peat dated back to 2 ka BP). The structure of the upper part of the section could be caused by a) a weak rise in sea level in the Late Holocene, or b) a weak lowering of the block of the earth’s crust with a seismic trench located on it. New data were obtained on specific features of subfossil malacofauna taphocoenosis formation in the Kandalaksha Bay of the White Sea and on the changes of sedimentation environment under the conditions of rising coast. The traces of strong seismicity in the Late Galcial epoch and postglacial time were discovered. Therefore, a comprehensive approach to the study of seismogenic forms combined with a full range of age-related markers of various paleogeographic events proved to be very productive.

Neotectonic and Paleoseismic Analysis of the Northwest Extent of Holocene Surface Deformation along the Meers Fault, Oklahoma

ABSTRACT The Meers fault (Oklahoma) is one of few seismogenic structures with evidence for Holocene surface rupture in the stable continental region of North America. The 37-kilometer-long southeast section of the full 54-kilometer-long Meers fault is interpreted to be Holocene active. The 17-kilometer-long northwest section is considered Quaternary active, but not Holocene active. We reevaluate surface expression and earthquake timing of the northwest Meers fault to improve seismic source characterization. We use airborne light detection and ranging and historical stereopaired aerial photos to evaluate the fault scarp and local fault-zone geomorphology. In the northwest, complex surface deformation includes fault splays, subtle monoclinal warping, and a minor change in fault strike. We interpret that the along-strike transition from surface faulting on the southeast Meers fault to surface folding on the northwest Meers fault occurs at the lithologic contact between Permian Post Oak conglomerate and Hennessey shale. We excavated a paleoseismic trench to evaluate the timing of surface-deforming earthquakes on the northwest section of the fault. The excavation revealed weathered Permian Hennessey shale and an ∼1–2-meter-thick veneer of Holocene alluvial deposits that were progressively deformed during two surface-folding earthquakes likely related to blind fault rupture beneath the site. Repeated onlapping to overlapping stratigraphic sequences and associated unconformities are intimately related to folding events along the monocline. OxCal paleoearthquake age modeling indicates that earthquakes occurred 4704–3109 yr B.P. and 5955–4744 yr B.P., and that part of the northwest section of the Meers fault is Holocene active. We find the Holocene-active section of the Meers fault should be lengthened 6.1 km to the northwest, to a total Holocene-active fault length of 43 km. Empirical scaling relationships between surface rupture length and magnitude reveal that the fault could generate an Mw 7.0 earthquake.

Fault Attitude of the North Section of Huangzhuang-Gaoliying Fault at Beijing, China and Its Effects on the Ground Rupture

Worldwide, slip on earthquake faults causes numerous disasters, resulting in large losses in human life and built structures. To minimize future losses associated with earthquakes along such faults, it is important to precisely locate the faults relative to the built environment and to determine the subsurface geometry of the faults. In Beijing, China, we used shallow-depth geophysical methods to evaluate the location and subsurface geometry of the Huangzhuang-Gaoliying fault (HGF), one of the principal tectonic faults of Beijing area. We used seismic reflection and refraction tomography, multi-channel analysis of surface waves (MASW), and paleoseismic trenching to characterize the north section of HGF near the Gaoliying section of Beijing. Our seismic images indicated that there are at least two strands of the HGF that are distributed over an approximately 200-m-wide zone. We identified a principal fault strand (F1) that is observed in all the seismic images, as well as in a paleoseismic trench. The F1 strikes approximately N49°E and dips southeastward at 70° to 75°. Over the past few years, surface ruptures have occurred along the HGF in several locations, but it is unclear if the surface ruptures were the result of tectonic slip on the HGF or were related to land subsidence along the fault.

Holocene earthquake history and slip rate of the southern Teton fault, Wyoming, USA

AbstractThe 72-km-long Teton normal fault bounds the eastern base of the Teton Range in northwestern Wyoming, USA. Although geomorphic surfaces along the fault record latest Pleistocene to Holocene fault movement, the postglacial earthquake history of the fault has remained enigmatic. We excavated a paleoseismic trench at the Buffalo Bowl site along the southernmost part of the fault to determine its Holocene rupture history and slip rate. At the site, ∼6.3 m of displacement postdates an early Holocene (ca. 10.5 ka) alluvial-fan surface. We document evidence of three surface-faulting earthquakes based on packages of scarp-derived colluvium that postdate the alluvial-fan units. Bayesian modeling of radiocarbon and luminescence ages yields earthquake times of ca. 9.9 ka, ca. 7.1 ka, and ca. 4.6 ka, forming the longest, most complete paleoseismic record of the Teton fault. We integrate these data with a displaced deglacial surface 4 km NE at Granite Canyon to calculate a postglacial to mid-Holocene (14.4–4.6 ka) slip rate of ∼1.1 mm/yr. Our analysis also suggests that the postglacial to early Holocene (14.4–9.9 ka) slip rate exceeds the Holocene (9.9–4.6 ka) rate by a factor of ∼2 (maximum of 3); however, a uniform rate for the fault is possible considering the 95% slip-rate errors. The ∼5 k.y. elapsed time since the last rupture of the southernmost Teton fault implies a current slip deficit of ∼4–5 m, which is possibly explained by spatially/temporally incomplete paleoseismic data, irregular earthquake recurrence, and/or variable per-event displacement. Our study emphasizes the importance of minimizing slip-rate uncertainties by integrating paleoseismic and geomorphic data sets and capturing multiple earthquake cycles.

Searching for the 1912 Maymyo earthquake: New evidence from paleoseismic investigations along the Kyaukkyan Fault, Myanmar

The Great Burma earthquake (MsGR 8.0; Ms 7.6–7.7) occurred on May 23rd, 1912, and was one of the most remarkable early 1900's seismic events in Asia as described by Gutenberg and Richter (1954). The earthquake, focused near Maymyo, struck the Northern Shan State in eastern Myanmar. Contemporary evaluation of damage distribution and oral accounts led to a correlation between the earthquake and the topographically prominent Kyaukkyan Fault near the western margin of the Shan Plateau, although direct evidence has never been reported. This study aims to find evidence of paleoseismic activity, and to better understand the relationship between the 1912 earthquake and the Kyaukkyan Fault. Paleoseismic trenching along the Kyaukkyan Fault revealed evidence of several surface rupturing events. The northernmost trench exposes at least two visible rupture events since 4660 ± 30 BP: an older rupture stratigraphically constrained by AMS 14C dating to between 4660 ± 30 BP and 1270 ± 30 BP, and a younger rupture formed after 1270 ± 30 BP. The presence of pottery, bricks and cooking-related charcoal in the younger faulted stratigraphy demonstrates Kyaukkyan Fault activity within human times, and a possible correlation between the younger rupture and the 1912 Maymyo earthquake is not excluded. The southern paleoseismic trench, within a broad transtensional basin far from bounding faults, exposes two (undated) surface ruptures. Further study is required to correlate those ruptures to the events dated in the north. These preliminary paleoseismological results constitute the first quantitative evidence of paleoseismic activity along the northern ~160 km of the Kyaukkyan Fault, and support existing evidence that the Kyaukkyan Fault is an active but slow-slipping structure with a long interseismic period.

Geological and geomorphological evidence for active faulting of the southern Liupanshan fault zone, NE Tibetan Plateau

The southern Liupanshan fault zone (SLFZ) has been active during the Holocene and accommodates complex deformation between the compressional Liupanshan Mountain and the extensional Weihe Graben. We characterized the active faulting of the SLFZ using interpretations of high-resolution satellite images, digital elevation models derived from structure-from-motion models, combined with field investigations. The presence of well-preserved linear fault troughs, scarps, knickpoints, offset streams and ridges, and landslides along the SLFZ indicate that surface-rupturing earthquakes have occurred along the SLFZ in the Holocene. Evidence from paleoseismic trenching indicates that the most recent earthquake occurred between 1607 ± 77 BCE and 1070 ± 90 CE, and thus may have been the 600 CE historical earthquake. The estimated magnitude of this earthquake is Mw 6.7. Radiometric dating of an offset fluvial terrace indicates a late Pleistocene to Holocene left-lateral slip rate of ~1.5 ± 0.3 mm/yr. Our geologic and geomorphic observations show that the SLFZ may extend into the Weihe Graben where the slip is transferred onto other active faults within the Weihe Graben.

Four Major Holocene Earthquakes on the Reelfoot Fault Recorded by Sackungen in the New Madrid Seismic Zone, USA

AbstractThree sequences of well‐documented, major ~M7+ earthquakes (1811–1812, ~1450, and ~900 CE) in the New Madrid seismic zone, USA, contribute significantly to seismic hazard in the region. However, it is unknown whether this <550‐year recurrence interval has been constant throughout the Holocene given limited geomorphic evidence of prior earthquakes. We extend the record of paleoearthquakes along the Reelfoot fault via investigation of ridgetop gravitational failure features, interpreted as sackungen. The sackungen occur in bluffs along the eastern margin of the Mississippi River floodplain and are concentrated near (<15 km) the southwest dipping Reelfoot reverse fault. A paleoseismic trench excavated across sackungen at the Paw Paw site exposed four packages of colluvial sediment that postdate 30‐ to 11‐ka Peoria Loess. We interpret the colluvial packages to have been deposited following episodic failure of the sackungen as a result of strong ground motions from the following sequence of earthquakes: event 4, 1640 ± 1730 BCE; event 3, 270 ± 670 CE; event 2, 1430 ± 380 CE; and event 1, 1810 ± 50 CE (2 sigma). Event timing corresponds to previously documented earthquakes and represents the longest archive of paleoearthquakes on the Reelfoot fault. If the trenched sackungen record all major Reelfoot fault earthquakes, our observations in combination with prior investigations indicate a period of quiescence from at least 11 to 4.4 ka, followed by four major seismic events culminating in the 1811–1812 CE sequence. This clustered earthquake recurrence pattern helps place bounds on seismic hazard and geodynamic models in the New Madrid seismic zone.

The Awakening of the Dormant Mount Vettore Fault (2016 Central Italy Earthquake, Mw 6.6): Paleoseismic Clues on Its Millennial Silences

AbstractThe Mount Vettore normal fault ruptured between August and October 2016, sourcing three earthquakes of Mw 6.2, 6.1, and 6.6. The first one caused the death of 299 people, while the entire sequence reached the highest macroseismic intensity levels in Italy since the catastrophic 1915 Fucino event (Mw 7.1). This fault was known to be one of the historically dormant faults of the Italian Apennines, and its sudden activation, not preceded by any foreshocks, has caught people and scientists off guards. We describe here the results from three new paleoseismic trenches opened across splays of the main antithetic fault that ruptured at surface on 30 October together with the 30‐km‐long Mount Vettore master fault. Data account for six surface faulting events since 9 ka, with a return time of 1.8 ± 0.3 kyr. The penultimate, probably stronger earthquake occurred in Late Roman times, perhaps in 443 AD, when also Rome suffered damage to its monumental buildings. Once again, paleoseismology turns out to be a powerful tool in seismic hazard assessment, especially for earthquakes that recur hundreds or thousands of years apart.

Using paleoseismology and tephrochronology to reconstruct fault rupturing and hydrothermal activity since c. 40 ka in Taupo Rift, New Zealand

The Taupo Volcanic Zone (TVZ) in North Island, New Zealand, is the on-land continuation of the Tonga-Kermadec arc formed in the Quaternary at the obliquely convergent boundary of the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates. The central TVZ is a region of intense silicic volcanism and active rifting with a very high heat flux. Within this zone is a dynamic landscape affected by a dense, active fault network, the Taupo Rift. In this rift, the Ngakuru graben hosts fossil hydrothermal systems in an area parallel to numerous active faults including the east strand of Whirinaki Fault that forms a major structure. Using various geoscientific techniques including mapping, stratigraphy, paleoseismic trenching, and tephrostratigraphy, in conjunction with LiDAR-derived DEMs, we reconstruct and date the fault's rupture history along with hydrothermal activity (including silica-sinter development) since c. 40,000 calendar years ago (40 cal. ka) at a site near Hossack Road called “Meade”. Ages for Kawakawa (c. 25.4 cal. ka), Okareka (c. 21.8 cal. ka), Rotorua (c.15.6 cal. ka), Rotoma (c. 9.4 cal. ka), and Taupo (c. 1.7 cal. ka) tephras enabled us to date five identified fault rupture events using the Meade trench excavation. Slip rates of 2.66 ± 0.77 mm/yr (pre-Kawakawa tephra), 0.28 ± 0.04 mm/yr (between c. 25.4 ka and Taupo) and 0.51 ± 0.19 mm/yr (post-Taupo), and the recurrence interval of ∼5500 cal. yr during the last c. 25.4 cal. kyr, all correlate with events of similar ages determined from studies on other trenches on Whirinaki Fault. Intercalated with Tahuna tephra (c. 39.3 cal. ka) and additionally dated at c. 38.9 cal. ka using radiocarbon, the hydrothermal sinter began developing at the Meade site at c. 39 cal. ka and ceased by c. 21.8 cal. ka (marked by Okareka tephra). We examine the causative relationship between fault activity and the development of sinter by comparing the chronology of volcanic eruptions and fault rupturing events with that of sinter formation as recorded in three neighbouring sites, Mangatete, Matthews, and Fitzpatrick. The findings improve understanding of the complex rupture behaviour of faulting and provide evidence for relationships between tectonic and hydrothermal activities, which were additionally influenced by the impacts of climatic change and geomorphic processes on landscape evolution, within the late Quaternary period. The study also exemplifies the unique value of tephrochronology in helping to disentangle complex geological deposits and events in an extremely dynamic part of the Earth's surface (the Taupo Rift).

Investigating paleoseismicity using fault scarp morphology of the Dushanzi Reverse Fault in the northern Tian Shan, China

This study uses the morphology of fault scarps to study the paleoseismic history of the Dushanzi Reverse Fault (DRF) in the northern Tian Shan region, China. Using high-resolution LiDAR DEMs to create a large number of scarp profiles, we detected slope breaks in the fault scarp morphology to quantify the number of paleoearthquakes that occurred on the scarps and obtained the along-strike scarp height distribution to determine the cumulative and single-event vertical displacements. Our results revealed four surface-rupturing events with similar co-seismic vertical displacements of ~1.4 m via the statistical analysis of displacement datasets and slope breaks, which were in agreement with the findings from paleoseismic trenching. We then assessed the paleomagnitudes using the empirical scaling relationships between moment magnitude and rupture parameters and the recurrence interval for surface-rupturing events using the formation ages of the displaced terrace surfaces. The results indicate that the possible magnitudes range from Mw 6.5 to 6.7, even reaching Mw ~7.2 in the case of a multi-fault rupture of the entire anticline-fault belt, with an average recurrence interval of ~2.4–3.0 ka. This study also demonstrates the importance of using high-resolution topographic data in paleoseismic investigations, which enables the determination of fine-scale tectono-geomorphic interpretations and detailed offset measurements over large regions along the fault.

Holocene Surface Rupture History of an Active Forearc Fault Redefines Seismic Hazard in Southwestern British Columbia, Canada

AbstractCharacterizing the hazard associated with Quaternary‐active faults in the forearc crust of the northern Cascadia subduction zone has proven challenging due to historically low rates of seismicity, late Quaternary glacial scouring, and dense vegetation that often obscures fault‐related geomorphic features. We couple lidar topography with paleoseismic trenching across the Leech River Fault on southern Vancouver Island to produce the first detailed surface rupture history of an onland forearc fault in British Columbia, Canada. The results indicate that this fault produced three surface‐rupturing earthquakes in the last ∼9 kyr and is therefore capable of producing large (Mw>6) earthquakes in the future. We provide new constraints on the fault's length (∼130 km) and Holocene slip rate (≥0.2–0.3 mm/year) that, together with the earthquake ages, should be incorporated into new seismic hazard assessments and building code practices relevant to urban centers in southwestern British Columbia (Canada) and northwestern Washington State (United States).

A Possible Tectonic Response Between the Qingchuan Faultand the Beichuan‐Yingxiu Fault of the Longmen Shan Fault Zone? Evidence From Geologic Observations by Paleoseismic Trenching and Radiocarbon Dating

AbstractThe Qingchuan fault is located along the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau and connects to the Beichuan‐Yingxiu fault of the Longmen Shan fault zone (LMSF), which produced the 2008 MW 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake and 2013 MW6.6 Lushan earthquake. After the two devastating earthquakes, whether the Qingchuan fault could produce a large earthquake or not and its tectonic activity is highly debated. Based on the detailed field investigations and paleoseismic trenching combined with multiple radiocarbon dating, we suggest that the Qingchuan fault might not show intense fault activity (or specific dextral strike‐slip deformation) since the late Quaternary. The deformation evidence revealed in the trench indicates a pattern of tensional deformation in the strata, which is inconsistent with the regional compressional tectonic stress field. Moreover, the timing of these deformation events coincides with that of paleoearthquakes that occurred on the Beichuan‐Yingxiu fault. Therefore, we speculate that the large earthquakes that occurred on the northern segment of the Beichuan‐Yingxiu fault highly likely contribute to the formation of the tensional structures observed along the Qingchuan fault. The uplift of the Minshan Mountain affects the tectonic deformation and seismic activity of the northern segment of the LMSF. However, considering that the LMSF shows forward‐thrust characteristics, the fault activity of the Qingchuan fault was possibly the most affected by the uplifting of the Minshan Mountain. In other words, this specific regional tectonic frame might constrain the buildup of tectonic stress and seismic potential for generating large earthquakes on the Qingchuan fault.

Paleoseismic study on the Pingdingshan-Annanba segments of the Altyn Tagh Fault based on offset clusters

Previous studies using paleoseismic trenches and numerical models proposed two different fault rupture models for the Pingdingshan-Annanba segments of the Altyn Tagh Fault, which are both poorly validated because of a lack of measurements of surface rupture displacements. In this paper, we use high-resolution satellite imagery to measure offset geomorphic markers. Taking the fault geometry into consideration, the most likely paleoseismic rupture parameters are determined by comparing the results of the cumulative offset probability densities (COPDs) and the empirical relationships of seismic parameter. The results show that the most recent earthquake (1270A.D.-1775A.D.) along the Suoerkuli segment only ruptured the Suoerkuli Valley, with a surface rupture length of 140 km, an average horizontal displacement of 3.12 m and a moment magnitude (Mw) of 7.4–7.6. The penultimate earthquake (676A.D.-1347A.D.) ruptured both the Annanba segment and part of the Suoerkuli segment with an average horizontal displacement of greater than 5 m, a surface rupture length of 120–260 km and Mw 7.4–7.8. The rupture parameters of the above two earthquakes demonstrate that the Suoerkuli and Annanba segments are individual fault segments which can rupture independently with a surface rupture length more than 100 km. The Pingdingshan double bend to the west of the Suoerkuli segment is likely to be an endpoint that inhibits the rupture propagation towards further west.

Seismic imaging of the Main Frontal Thrust in Nepal reveals a shallow décollement and blind thrusting

Because great earthquakes in the Himalaya have an average recurrence interval exceeding 500 yr, most of what we know about past earthquakes comes from paleoseismology and tectonic geomorphology studies of the youngest fault system there, the Main Frontal Thrust (MFT). However, these data are sparse relative to fault segmentation and length, and interpretations are often hard to validate in the absence of information about fault geometry. Here, we image the upper two km of strata in the vicinity of the fault tip of the MFT in central Nepal (around the town of Bardibas) applying a pre-stack migration approach to two new seismic reflection profiles that we interpret using quantitative fault-bend folding theory. Our results provide direct evidence that a shallow décollement produces both emergent (Patu thrust) and blind (Bardibas thrust) fault strands. We show that the décollement lies about 2 km below the land surface near the fault tip, and steps down to a regional 5 km deep décollement level to the north. This implies that there is significant variation in the depth of the décollement. We demonstrate that some active faults do not reach the surface, and therefore paleoseismic trenching alone cannot characterize the earthquake history at these locations. Although blind, these faults have associated growth strata that allow us to infer their most recent displacement history. We present the first direct evidence of fault dip on two fault strands of the MFT at depth that can allow terrace uplift measurements to be more accurately converted to fault slip. We identify a beveled erosional surface buried beneath Quaternary sediments, indicating that strath surface formation is modulated by both climate-related base level changes and tectonics. Together, these results indicate that subsurface imaging, in conjunction with traditional paleoseismological tools, can best characterize the history of fault slip in the Himalaya and other similar thrust fault systems.

Paleoseismic history and slip rate along the Sapanca-Akyazı segment of the 1999 İzmit earthquake rupture (Mw = 7.4) of the North Anatolian Fault (Turkey)

The Sapanca-Akyazı segment (SAS) is located on western part of the North Anatolian Fault (NAF) of Turkey. It was ruptured together with four other segments during the 17th August 1999 İzmit earthquake (Mw = 7.4) which caused ~145-km-long surface rupture in the east Marmara region. We conducted geomorphological investigations and 2D–3D paleoseismic trenching at 3 different sites near the Sakarya River along the SAS to obtain new data for the timing of past earthquakes and slip rate of this section of the NAF. Detailed investigations using Ground Penetrating Radar on the western bank of the Sakarya River reveal 18.5 ± 0.5 m of right-lateral cumulative offset of an alluvial terrace dated as 850 ± 11 years BP using Optically Stimulated Luminescence. The analysis of trench data from the three different sites of the SAS indicates the occurrence of four surface rupturing past earthquakes including the 1999 İzmit earthquake. According to the radiocarbon dating, these paleo-earthquakes can be correlated with the 1719 CE, 1567 CE, and 1037 CE historical earthquakes and suggest an average recurrence period between 273 and 322 years. The total dextral offset, the age of trench units and the terrace deposits together suggest a 22 ± 3 mm/yr slip rate for this portion of the NAF.

Paleoseismic observations along the Langshan range-front fault, Hetao Basin, China: Tectonic and seismic implications

The Langshan range-front fault (LRF) is an active Holocene normal fault that borders Langshan Mountain and the Hetao Basin, northwest of the Ordos Plateau, China. In this study, paleoseismic trenching was undertaken at three sites (North–South): Dongshen village (TC1), Qingshan (TC2), and Wulanhashao (TC3). The paleoevents ED1, ED2, ED3 from TC1 were constrained to 6.0 ± 1.3, 9.6 ± 2.0, and 19.7 ± 4.2 ka, respectively. The single paleoevent (EQ1) from TC2 was constrained to about 6.7 ± 0.1 ka, and the paleoevents EW1, EW2, and EW3 from TC3 were constrained to 2.3 ± 0.4, 6.0 ± 1.0, and before 7.0 ka, respectively. With reference to previous research, the Holocene earthquake sequence of the LRF can be established as 2.30–2.43 (E1), 3.06–4.41 (E2), 6.71–6.80 (E3), 7.60–9.81 (E4), and 19.70 ± 4.20 (E5) ka BP. Events E1, E3, and E4 might have been caused by events with magnitudes of Mw 7.6–7.8 that ruptured the entire LRF. Event E2 might have been smaller magnitude, about M7.0, and ruptured only a portion of the fault. The vertical slip rate of the LRF at the Qingshan site is inferred as 0.9 or 1.4–1.6 mm/year in the last 6.8 ka. The slip rate at Wulanhashao is considered to have been close to, but not <0.66 mm/year since 15 ka BP. We deem the LRF is an unsegmented active fault. Although the possibility of missing events in Late Pleistocene can not be dismissed, we argue the Holocene paleoearthquake history is complete, indicating an average recurrence interval of ~2500 years.

Discovering the Polaris Fault, Martis Creek Dam, Truckee, California

AbstractMartis Creek Dam, located in the Truckee Basin north of Lake Tahoe, CA, was initially rated as one of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ highest risk dams in the United States. While the dam has performed its flood control purpose, a history of excessive seepage during even moderate reservoir levels has prevented it from also fulfilling its potential water storage function. During seepage and seismic studies to assess and mitigate deficiencies, high-resolution light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data were obtained. This imagery provides an unprecedented representation of the ground surface that allows evaluation of geomorphology even in areas with a dense vegetation canopy. At Martis Creek Dam, this geomorphic analysis resulted in the recognition of a previously unknown and through-going lineament between the spillway and dam embankment. This feature extends to the southeast, where several lineament splays are exposed on the East Martis Creek Fan. These lineaments were subsequently explored by paleo-seismic trenching at two locations and confirmed as faults with Late Quaternary to Holocene displacement. Faulting was confirmed in both trenches as unique splays of a fault zone with several feet of apparent normal (vertical) slip and an unknown magnitude, but a potentially significant, strike-slip component. Faulting was observed near the ground surface in both cases, and multiple fault events (a minimum of two) are interpreted as at least latest Pleistocene in age, and probably active in the Holocene.

Associations between sediment architecture and liquefaction susceptibility in fluvial settings: The 2010–2011 Canterbury Earthquake Sequence, New Zealand

This study focuses on the sedimentary architecture of sites in the Halswell floodplain (Christchurch, New Zealand) that experienced liquefaction during the 2010–2011 Canterbury Earthquake Sequence. We investigated landforms where ejecta were and were not observed, and define their 3D geometry and sediment characteristics. The first site straddles an abandoned channel of the Halswell River that is overlain by a crevasse splay deposit. The second site is located on the inside bend of an active meander of the river. Both sites were severely affected by liquefaction during the Darfield and Christchurch earthquakes. A suite of techniques was used in the characterization of both sites: detailed geomorphic and liquefaction mapping with DEMs derived from LIDAR; Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR); paleoseismic trenches; hand-piston cores, radiocarbon dating, grain-size analysis, and cone-penetration tests. Potentially liquefiable sands, based on their grain characteristics and water saturation, were found in many environments within the alluvial setting studied (river channel, point bar deposits and flood plain). The surficial geology of the two study sites is mapped as crevasse splay and point bar deposits. However, the layers that liquefied were at depth within buried abandoned channel and point bar deposits at the Hardwick site, and within buried point bar deposits at the Marchand site. The location of the surface manifestation of liquefaction was characterized by specific geometry of the sedimentary architecture of the alluvial floodplain that facilitated or hindered flow of the slurry of water and entrained sediment towards the surface. On the one hand, the inclined contacts of paleochannel and point bar deposits created pathways for the liquefied material to travel to the surface. On the other hand, in the floodplain, with no ejecta, sand and silty sand layers interfingered with clay lenses, lack the specific geometry that facilitates the ejecta at the surface. The CPT analysis showed that liquefaction ejecta occurred above a thick homogeneous layer of sand, whereas liquefaction ejecta did not occur (or sand blows did not form) where clay lenses were interfingered with sand. At both sites the surface manifestation of liquefaction was mainly located on slightly higher topographic areas, suggesting the topography is an additional controlling factor on the surface distribution of liquefaction ejecta. In summary, the surface manifestation of liquefaction is a result of a specific sediment type that was saturated, sedimentary setting that facilitated flow of fluidized sediment to the surface, and topographic relief prone to cracking.

Paleoseismological study of the southern Zongwulong Shan fault, Qilian Mountains, western China

The Tibetan plateau is prone to destructive earthquakes. A number of strong thrust events occurred in the recent past, seeming to migrate from south to north, to the Qilian Mountains area. Many active thrust faults are known in the Qilian Mountains, and most of them are capable of producing large earthquakes. Here we study the southern Zongwulong Shan (shan means mountain) fault that lacks any paleoseismology studies so far. This fault is the eastern boundary of the Qaidam and Qilian blocks, posing a threat to the populated area of Delingha in western China. In this paper, we document its Holocene rupture history based on paleoseismic trenches, and we assess the seismic risk in this area. We excavated two trenches across 4.5±0.5m high fault scarps in alluvial fans. We found ruptures that affect young alluvial units and almost penetrate the top thick loess unit. We show that four paleoearthquakes occurred in the Holocene with an average recurrence interval of 2300±500years. The most recent event happened between 272BCE and 572CE. Three older events probably occurred in the past 9.5±0.8ka.

Paleoseismic trenching across the surface rupture of the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake at Jichu, Mashiki Town, Kumamoto Prefecture

Paleoseismic trenching across the surface rupture of the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake at Jichu, Mashiki Town, Kumamoto Prefecture