Elsevier

Engineering Geology

Volume 82, Issue 3, 5 January 2006, Pages 165-186
Engineering Geology

Quaternary tectonic faulting in the Eastern United States

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2005.10.005Get rights and content

Abstract

Paleoseismological study of geologic features thought to result from Quaternary tectonic faulting can characterize the frequencies and sizes of large prehistoric and historical earthquakes, thereby improving the accuracy and precision of seismic-hazard assessments. Greater accuracy and precision can reduce the likelihood of both underprotection and unnecessary design and construction costs. Published studies proposed Quaternary tectonic faulting at 31 faults, folds, seismic zones, and fields of earthquake-induced liquefaction phenomena in the Appalachian Mountains and Coastal Plain. Of the 31 features, seven are of known origin. Four of the seven have nontectonic origins and the other three features are liquefaction fields caused by moderate to large historical and Holocene earthquakes in coastal South Carolina, including Charleston; the Central Virginia Seismic Zone; and the Newbury, Massachusetts, area. However, the causal faults of the three liquefaction fields remain unclear. Charleston has the highest hazard because of large Holocene earthquakes in that area, but the hazard is highly uncertain because the earthquakes are uncertainly located.

Of the 31 features, the remaining 24 are of uncertain origin. They require additional work before they can be clearly attributed either to Quaternary tectonic faulting or to nontectonic causes. Of these 24, 14 features, most of them faults, have little or no published geologic evidence of Quaternary tectonic faulting that could indicate the likely occurrence of earthquakes larger than those observed historically. Three more features of the 24 were suggested to have had Quaternary tectonic faulting, but paleoseismological and other studies of them found no evidence of large prehistoric earthquakes. The final seven features of uncertain origin require further examination because all seven are in or near urban areas. They are the Moodus Seismic Zone (Hartford, Connecticut), Dobbs Ferry fault zone and Mosholu fault (New York City), Lancaster Seismic Zone and the epicenter of the shallow Cacoosing Valley earthquake (Lancaster and Reading, Pennsylvania), Kingston fault (central New Jersey between New York and Philadelphia), and Everona fault–Mountain Run fault zone (Washington, D.C., and Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia).

Introduction

Paleoseismological study of the Quaternary geologic record of large, prehistoric earthquakes can contribute to the assessment of seismic hazards. In most parts of North America east of the Rocky Mountains, the historical record of earthquakes is shorter than the likely recurrence intervals of large earthquakes. In these areas, earthquakes larger than those observed historically are possible (Wheeler and Frankel, 2000) and hazard assessments can be uncertain if the locations and frequencies of large earthquakes are poorly known or unknown. Thus, the findings of paleoseismology can make hazard assessments both more accurate and more precise, thereby reducing the likelihood of underprotection as well as the chance of unnecessary design and construction costs.

Existing geological reports of Quaternary faulting, folding, liquefaction fields, and related deformational features can aid in the identification of targets for future paleoseismological study. Accordingly, Crone and Wheeler (2000) compiled and evaluated published observations and suggestions of Quaternary tectonic faulting in the Central and Eastern United States (CEUS: east of the Rocky Mountains). The CEUS results are now part of a searchable national database of active faulting (http://qfaults.cr.usgs.gov/). Wheeler and Crone (2001) summarized selected information about 40 midcontinent features between the Rocky and Appalachian Mountains, and assessed the features to identify the most promising targets for paleoseismological study. This report does the same for 31 Eastern U.S. (EUS) features in the Appalachian Mountains and Coastal Plain (Fig. 1).

Section snippets

Methods

I used the methods of Wheeler and Crone (2001) and refer readers there for details that amplify the summary in this section. The small to moderate earthquakes that make up most of the four-century-long EUS historical seismicity record rarely produce surface deformation or evidence of strong ground motion that is currently recognizable in the geologic record. In contrast, earthquakes of magnitudes 5–6 and larger can produce liquefaction features or surface offsets that are recognizable with

Tectonic features

Within the study area, paleoseismological searches and study of liquefaction features have identified the results of Quaternary tectonic faulting at three locales (Table 1, Fig. 3). Liquefaction features near Newbury, Massachusetts, and in the Central Virginia Seismic Zone are much fewer and smaller than those in the large liquefaction field that centers on Charleston, South Carolina. None of these liquefaction features have been clearly linked to individual faults. Although geochronological

Features having little or no published geologic evidence of Quaternary tectonic faulting

Quaternary tectonic faulting has been suggested or suspected for fourteen EUS features in the Appalachians, Coastal Plain, and offshore (Table 1, Fig. 4). In each case, a critical examination of the literature provides weak or no support for such a suggestion or suspicion. The true origin of the feature remains uncertain. In general, it is difficult to demonstrate the absence of Quaternary tectonic faulting or paleoliquefaction at a locale. Thus, additional study might eventually show some of

Features for which field investigations found no geologic evidence of Quaternary tectonic faulting

In addition to the features described in Section 4, three others have also been suggested or suspected of having had Quaternary tectonic faulting (Table 1, Fig. 4). In each case, paleoseismological fieldwork and other studies found no clear geological evidence of prehistoric earthquakes larger than the small or moderate shocks known historically.

Features in need of further study

The remaining seven features resemble those of 4 Features having little or no published geologic evidence of Quaternary tectonic faulting, 5 Features for which field investigations found no geologic evidence of Quaternary tectonic faulting in lacking geologic evidence of Quaternary tectonic faulting (Fig. 5). However, these seven features deserve additional study because all are located in or near the densely populated Boston–Washington urban corridor (Fig. 2). Specifically, none of the seven

Conclusions

The only clear evidence of Quaternary tectonic faulting in the Appalachian Mountains or Coastal Plain is instrumental and historical seismicity and prehistoric earthquake-induced liquefaction features, specifically sand blows and dikes. No causative faults have been identified beyond doubt for any of these phenomena.

The 1886 Charleston, South Carolina, 1727 Newburyport, Massachusetts, and 1875 central Virginia earthquakes, combined with prehistoric liquefaction features, suggest persistent

Acknowledgements

Numerous discussions over the last decade with A.J. Crone, K.M. Haller, and M.N. Machette aided the collection and evaluation of information that is summarized here. Scores of unnamed specialists provided informal critiques of drafts of parts of Crone and Wheeler (2000). In addition, this manuscript has benefitted from countless discussions over the last quarter century with past and present members of the U.S. Geological Survey's national seismic-hazard mapping project. The manuscript was

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