Lake sediments record high intensity shaking that provides insight into the location and rupture length of large earthquakes on the Alpine Fault, New Zealand

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorHowarth, JDen_AU
dc.contributor.authorFitzsimons, SJen_AU
dc.contributor.authorNorris, RJen_AU
dc.contributor.authorJacobsen, GEen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2016-08-26T01:31:40Zen_AU
dc.date.available2016-08-26T01:31:40Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2014-10-01en_AU
dc.date.statistics2016-08-26en_AU
dc.description.abstractUnderstanding the seismic hazard posed by large earthquakes requires paleoseismic investigation because most faults have not ruptured repeatedly during the period of historic records. However, determining the location and length of fault ruptures using paleoseismic data remains challenging. Our study demonstrates that lake sediments record the high intensity shaking that occurs proximal to fault rupture, allowing the location and length of ruptures to be reconstructed. In two lakes adjacent to the Alpine Fault, New Zealand, seismic shaking is recorded as subaqueous mass-wasting derived turbidites formed by coseismic subaqueous slope failures, which are overlain by sets of hyperpycnites representing elevated fluvial sediment fluxes from earthquake-induced landslides. Precise radiocarbon age models show that shaking events are synchronous between the two lake sites and correlate with the timing of known Alpine Fault earthquakes. Modelled shaking intensities for the last two Alpine Fault earthquakes show that subaqueous mass-wasting occurs when shaking intensities exceed Modified Mercalli scale (MM) VI–VII, and that fluvial sediment fluxes from earthquake-induced landslides occur when shaking intensities exceed MM IX. The data demonstrate that lake records distinguish between strong (MM VI) and violent (MM IX) shaking at a lake site. The ability to map the spatial extent of MM IX shaking provides new insights into the timing and extent of rupture for the last five earthquakes on the Alpine Fault. The study demonstrates that lake deposits constrain the spatial extent of rupture during large earthquakes and may yield long records of the spatial and temporal patterns of fault rupture. © 2014, Elsevier B.V.en_AU
dc.identifier.citationHowarth, J. D., Fitzsimons, S. J., Norris, R. J., & Jacobsen, G. E. (2014). Lake sediments record high intensity shaking that provides insight into the location and rupture length of large earthquakes on the Alpine Fault, New Zealand. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 403, 340-351. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2014.07.008en_AU
dc.identifier.govdoc7022en_AU
dc.identifier.issn0012-821Xen_AU
dc.identifier.journaltitleEarth and Planetary Science Lettersen_AU
dc.identifier.pagination340-351en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2014.07.008en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttp://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/7379en_AU
dc.identifier.volume403en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherElsevieren_AU
dc.subjectEarthquakesen_AU
dc.subjectAlpsen_AU
dc.subjectLakesen_AU
dc.subjectGeological faultsen_AU
dc.subjectRupturesen_AU
dc.subjectIsotope datingen_AU
dc.titleLake sediments record high intensity shaking that provides insight into the location and rupture length of large earthquakes on the Alpine Fault, New Zealanden_AU
dc.typeJournal Articleen_AU
Files
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.71 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download
Collections
Journal Articles