Late holocene deformation near the southern limits of the wabash valley seismic zone of kentucky and indiana, central united states, with seismic implications

Ronald C. Counts; Roy Van Arsdale; Edward Woolery; Madhav K. Murari; Lewis A. Owen; E. Glynn Beck; Shannon Mahan; James Durbin

doi:10.1785/0120190089

Late holocene deformation near the southern limits of the wabash valley seismic zone of kentucky and indiana, central united states, with seismic implications

Ronald C. Counts, Roy Van Arsdale, Edward Woolery, Madhav K. Murari, Lewis A. Owen, E. Glynn Beck, Shannon Mahan, James Durbin

Earth and Environmental Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Wabash Valley seismic zone (WVSZ) is a region of diffuse, modern intraplate seismicity in the central United States with a history of strong, late Quaternary and Holocene seismicity as determined through paleoliquefaction studies. Yet, there are no specific faults linked to these strong WVSZ paleoearthquakes, some of which were as large as M_w 7.2–7.5. A multidisci-plinary investigation of a linear, 5-kilometer-long and ∼ 3-meter-high scarp on the Ohio River floodplain in the southernmost WVSZ in western Kentucky evaluated whether the scarp is a fluvial landform or a tectonic feature. Geomorphic mapping and optically stimulated luminescence geochronology show that the age and orientation of the scarp are incon-sistent with surrounding fluvial landforms. Trenching, core drilling, seismic reflection, electrical resistivity profiling, and cross sections of petroleum well logs all indicate a blind fault directly underlies the scarp. The scarp is interpreted to be the fold axis of a down-to-the-west monocline formed in alluvium by slip on the underlying blind fault, herein named the Uniontown fault. The Uniontown fault connects the Hovey Lake fault, striking N20°E and having ∼ 0:5 km of documented strike-slip offset, with an unnamed fault complex to the south that strikes N40°E, suggesting the Uniontown fault is part of a larger, Paleozoic structure that has been reactivated with strike-slip deformation. Geomorphic mapping utilizing luminescence and radiocarbon geochronology indicates that folding and faulting occurred ∼ 3:5 ka. Paleoliquefaction was suppressed by a thick clay cap in the main Ohio Valley, but paleoliquefaction features are widespread on Ohio River tributaries. Gravel dikes at one site had a maximum age of 3:4 0:4 ka, confirming the region has experienced strong, late Holocene shaking. Estimates using vertical displacement and rupture length indicate that slip on the Uniontown scarp could produce an M_w 6.2–7.7 earthquake, which is comparable to other large paleoearthquakes in the WVSZ paleoseismic record.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1154-1179
Number of pages	26
Journal	Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America
Volume	111
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1785/0120190089
State	Published - Apr 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This research was supported by funding from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) through National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) Awards 06HQGR0192, 07HGGR0052, and G11AP20011 and through STATEMAP Awards 04HQPA003, 06HQAG0003, and 07HQAG0062. The research was also partially funded by the Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS). The authors would like to thank the property owner, William Stull, for permission to trench on his prop-erty, and to Greenwell Farms for assistance with accessing the site and with trenching. The authors thank Matt McCauley and Steve Neyhouse from the National Resource Conservation Service for help in collecting some of the optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) samples and for assistance with soil analyses and interpretations. The authors also thank Steven Goodbred at Vanderbilt University for allowing us to use his lab for magnetic susceptibility measurements. From the KGS, the authors thank Junfung Zhu for help with the electrical resistivity (ER) profile inversions, and Scott Waninger, Amy Bleichroth-King, and Ryan Voegerl for their help as field assistants and with coring. The authors especially thank Stephen Obermeier for discussions and a review that significantly improved the quality of the article, as did suggestions from an anonymous reviewer. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Funding Information:
This research was supported by funding from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) through National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) Awards 06HQGR0192, 07HGGR0052, and G11AP20011 and through STATEMAP Awards 04HQPA003, 06HQAG0003, and 07HQAG0062. The research was also partially funded by the Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS). The authors would like to thank the property owner, William Stull, for permission to trench on his property, and to Greenwell Farms for assistance with accessing the site and with trenching. The authors thank Matt McCauley and Steve Neyhouse from the National Resource Conservation Service for help in collecting some of the optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) samples and for assistance with soil analyses and interpretations. The authors also thank Steven Goodbred at Vanderbilt University for allowing us to use his lab for magnetic susceptibility measurements. From the KGS, the authors thank Junfung Zhu for help with the electrical resistivity (ER) profile inversions, and Scott Waninger, Amy Bleichroth-King, and Ryan Voegerl for their help as field assistants and with coring. The authors especially thank Stephen Obermeier for discussions and a review that significantly improved the quality of the article, as did suggestions from an anonymous reviewer. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Publisher Copyright:
© Seismological Society of America.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Geophysics
Geochemistry and Petrology

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10.1785/0120190089

Cite this

Counts, R. C., Van Arsdale, R., Woolery, E., Murari, M. K., Owen, L. A., Beck, E. G., Mahan, S., & Durbin, J. (2021). Late holocene deformation near the southern limits of the wabash valley seismic zone of kentucky and indiana, central united states, with seismic implications. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 111(2), 1154-1179. https://doi.org/10.1785/0120190089

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title = "Late holocene deformation near the southern limits of the wabash valley seismic zone of kentucky and indiana, central united states, with seismic implications",

abstract = "The Wabash Valley seismic zone (WVSZ) is a region of diffuse, modern intraplate seismicity in the central United States with a history of strong, late Quaternary and Holocene seismicity as determined through paleoliquefaction studies. Yet, there are no specific faults linked to these strong WVSZ paleoearthquakes, some of which were as large as Mw 7.2–7.5. A multidisci-plinary investigation of a linear, 5-kilometer-long and ∼ 3-meter-high scarp on the Ohio River floodplain in the southernmost WVSZ in western Kentucky evaluated whether the scarp is a fluvial landform or a tectonic feature. Geomorphic mapping and optically stimulated luminescence geochronology show that the age and orientation of the scarp are incon-sistent with surrounding fluvial landforms. Trenching, core drilling, seismic reflection, electrical resistivity profiling, and cross sections of petroleum well logs all indicate a blind fault directly underlies the scarp. The scarp is interpreted to be the fold axis of a down-to-the-west monocline formed in alluvium by slip on the underlying blind fault, herein named the Uniontown fault. The Uniontown fault connects the Hovey Lake fault, striking N20°E and having ∼ 0:5 km of documented strike-slip offset, with an unnamed fault complex to the south that strikes N40°E, suggesting the Uniontown fault is part of a larger, Paleozoic structure that has been reactivated with strike-slip deformation. Geomorphic mapping utilizing luminescence and radiocarbon geochronology indicates that folding and faulting occurred ∼ 3:5 ka. Paleoliquefaction was suppressed by a thick clay cap in the main Ohio Valley, but paleoliquefaction features are widespread on Ohio River tributaries. Gravel dikes at one site had a maximum age of 3:4 0:4 ka, confirming the region has experienced strong, late Holocene shaking. Estimates using vertical displacement and rupture length indicate that slip on the Uniontown scarp could produce an Mw 6.2–7.7 earthquake, which is comparable to other large paleoearthquakes in the WVSZ paleoseismic record.",

author = "Counts, {Ronald C.} and {Van Arsdale}, Roy and Edward Woolery and Murari, {Madhav K.} and Owen, {Lewis A.} and Beck, {E. Glynn} and Shannon Mahan and James Durbin",

note = "Funding Information: This research was supported by funding from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) through National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) Awards 06HQGR0192, 07HGGR0052, and G11AP20011 and through STATEMAP Awards 04HQPA003, 06HQAG0003, and 07HQAG0062. The research was also partially funded by the Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS). The authors would like to thank the property owner, William Stull, for permission to trench on his prop-erty, and to Greenwell Farms for assistance with accessing the site and with trenching. The authors thank Matt McCauley and Steve Neyhouse from the National Resource Conservation Service for help in collecting some of the optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) samples and for assistance with soil analyses and interpretations. The authors also thank Steven Goodbred at Vanderbilt University for allowing us to use his lab for magnetic susceptibility measurements. From the KGS, the authors thank Junfung Zhu for help with the electrical resistivity (ER) profile inversions, and Scott Waninger, Amy Bleichroth-King, and Ryan Voegerl for their help as field assistants and with coring. The authors especially thank Stephen Obermeier for discussions and a review that significantly improved the quality of the article, as did suggestions from an anonymous reviewer. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Funding Information: This research was supported by funding from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) through National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) Awards 06HQGR0192, 07HGGR0052, and G11AP20011 and through STATEMAP Awards 04HQPA003, 06HQAG0003, and 07HQAG0062. The research was also partially funded by the Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS). The authors would like to thank the property owner, William Stull, for permission to trench on his property, and to Greenwell Farms for assistance with accessing the site and with trenching. The authors thank Matt McCauley and Steve Neyhouse from the National Resource Conservation Service for help in collecting some of the optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) samples and for assistance with soil analyses and interpretations. The authors also thank Steven Goodbred at Vanderbilt University for allowing us to use his lab for magnetic susceptibility measurements. From the KGS, the authors thank Junfung Zhu for help with the electrical resistivity (ER) profile inversions, and Scott Waninger, Amy Bleichroth-King, and Ryan Voegerl for their help as field assistants and with coring. The authors especially thank Stephen Obermeier for discussions and a review that significantly improved the quality of the article, as did suggestions from an anonymous reviewer. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Seismological Society of America.",

year = "2021",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1785/0120190089",

language = "English",

volume = "111",

pages = "1154--1179",

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Counts, RC, Van Arsdale, R, Woolery, E, Murari, MK, Owen, LA, Beck, EG, Mahan, S & Durbin, J 2021, 'Late holocene deformation near the southern limits of the wabash valley seismic zone of kentucky and indiana, central united states, with seismic implications', Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, vol. 111, no. 2, pp. 1154-1179. https://doi.org/10.1785/0120190089

Late holocene deformation near the southern limits of the wabash valley seismic zone of kentucky and indiana, central united states, with seismic implications. / Counts, Ronald C.; Van Arsdale, Roy; Woolery, Edward et al.
In: Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, Vol. 111, No. 2, 04.2021, p. 1154-1179.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Late holocene deformation near the southern limits of the wabash valley seismic zone of kentucky and indiana, central united states, with seismic implications

AU - Counts, Ronald C.

AU - Van Arsdale, Roy

AU - Woolery, Edward

AU - Murari, Madhav K.

AU - Owen, Lewis A.

AU - Beck, E. Glynn

AU - Mahan, Shannon

AU - Durbin, James

N1 - Funding Information: This research was supported by funding from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) through National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) Awards 06HQGR0192, 07HGGR0052, and G11AP20011 and through STATEMAP Awards 04HQPA003, 06HQAG0003, and 07HQAG0062. The research was also partially funded by the Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS). The authors would like to thank the property owner, William Stull, for permission to trench on his prop-erty, and to Greenwell Farms for assistance with accessing the site and with trenching. The authors thank Matt McCauley and Steve Neyhouse from the National Resource Conservation Service for help in collecting some of the optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) samples and for assistance with soil analyses and interpretations. The authors also thank Steven Goodbred at Vanderbilt University for allowing us to use his lab for magnetic susceptibility measurements. From the KGS, the authors thank Junfung Zhu for help with the electrical resistivity (ER) profile inversions, and Scott Waninger, Amy Bleichroth-King, and Ryan Voegerl for their help as field assistants and with coring. The authors especially thank Stephen Obermeier for discussions and a review that significantly improved the quality of the article, as did suggestions from an anonymous reviewer. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Funding Information: This research was supported by funding from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) through National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) Awards 06HQGR0192, 07HGGR0052, and G11AP20011 and through STATEMAP Awards 04HQPA003, 06HQAG0003, and 07HQAG0062. The research was also partially funded by the Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS). The authors would like to thank the property owner, William Stull, for permission to trench on his property, and to Greenwell Farms for assistance with accessing the site and with trenching. The authors thank Matt McCauley and Steve Neyhouse from the National Resource Conservation Service for help in collecting some of the optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) samples and for assistance with soil analyses and interpretations. The authors also thank Steven Goodbred at Vanderbilt University for allowing us to use his lab for magnetic susceptibility measurements. From the KGS, the authors thank Junfung Zhu for help with the electrical resistivity (ER) profile inversions, and Scott Waninger, Amy Bleichroth-King, and Ryan Voegerl for their help as field assistants and with coring. The authors especially thank Stephen Obermeier for discussions and a review that significantly improved the quality of the article, as did suggestions from an anonymous reviewer. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Publisher Copyright: © Seismological Society of America.

PY - 2021/4

Y1 - 2021/4

N2 - The Wabash Valley seismic zone (WVSZ) is a region of diffuse, modern intraplate seismicity in the central United States with a history of strong, late Quaternary and Holocene seismicity as determined through paleoliquefaction studies. Yet, there are no specific faults linked to these strong WVSZ paleoearthquakes, some of which were as large as Mw 7.2–7.5. A multidisci-plinary investigation of a linear, 5-kilometer-long and ∼ 3-meter-high scarp on the Ohio River floodplain in the southernmost WVSZ in western Kentucky evaluated whether the scarp is a fluvial landform or a tectonic feature. Geomorphic mapping and optically stimulated luminescence geochronology show that the age and orientation of the scarp are incon-sistent with surrounding fluvial landforms. Trenching, core drilling, seismic reflection, electrical resistivity profiling, and cross sections of petroleum well logs all indicate a blind fault directly underlies the scarp. The scarp is interpreted to be the fold axis of a down-to-the-west monocline formed in alluvium by slip on the underlying blind fault, herein named the Uniontown fault. The Uniontown fault connects the Hovey Lake fault, striking N20°E and having ∼ 0:5 km of documented strike-slip offset, with an unnamed fault complex to the south that strikes N40°E, suggesting the Uniontown fault is part of a larger, Paleozoic structure that has been reactivated with strike-slip deformation. Geomorphic mapping utilizing luminescence and radiocarbon geochronology indicates that folding and faulting occurred ∼ 3:5 ka. Paleoliquefaction was suppressed by a thick clay cap in the main Ohio Valley, but paleoliquefaction features are widespread on Ohio River tributaries. Gravel dikes at one site had a maximum age of 3:4 0:4 ka, confirming the region has experienced strong, late Holocene shaking. Estimates using vertical displacement and rupture length indicate that slip on the Uniontown scarp could produce an Mw 6.2–7.7 earthquake, which is comparable to other large paleoearthquakes in the WVSZ paleoseismic record.

AB - The Wabash Valley seismic zone (WVSZ) is a region of diffuse, modern intraplate seismicity in the central United States with a history of strong, late Quaternary and Holocene seismicity as determined through paleoliquefaction studies. Yet, there are no specific faults linked to these strong WVSZ paleoearthquakes, some of which were as large as Mw 7.2–7.5. A multidisci-plinary investigation of a linear, 5-kilometer-long and ∼ 3-meter-high scarp on the Ohio River floodplain in the southernmost WVSZ in western Kentucky evaluated whether the scarp is a fluvial landform or a tectonic feature. Geomorphic mapping and optically stimulated luminescence geochronology show that the age and orientation of the scarp are incon-sistent with surrounding fluvial landforms. Trenching, core drilling, seismic reflection, electrical resistivity profiling, and cross sections of petroleum well logs all indicate a blind fault directly underlies the scarp. The scarp is interpreted to be the fold axis of a down-to-the-west monocline formed in alluvium by slip on the underlying blind fault, herein named the Uniontown fault. The Uniontown fault connects the Hovey Lake fault, striking N20°E and having ∼ 0:5 km of documented strike-slip offset, with an unnamed fault complex to the south that strikes N40°E, suggesting the Uniontown fault is part of a larger, Paleozoic structure that has been reactivated with strike-slip deformation. Geomorphic mapping utilizing luminescence and radiocarbon geochronology indicates that folding and faulting occurred ∼ 3:5 ka. Paleoliquefaction was suppressed by a thick clay cap in the main Ohio Valley, but paleoliquefaction features are widespread on Ohio River tributaries. Gravel dikes at one site had a maximum age of 3:4 0:4 ka, confirming the region has experienced strong, late Holocene shaking. Estimates using vertical displacement and rupture length indicate that slip on the Uniontown scarp could produce an Mw 6.2–7.7 earthquake, which is comparable to other large paleoearthquakes in the WVSZ paleoseismic record.

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Late holocene deformation near the southern limits of the wabash valley seismic zone of kentucky and indiana, central united states, with seismic implications

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