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Thermoluminescence dating of fault-scarp-derived colluvium: Deciphering the timing of paleoearthquakes on the Weber segment of the Wasatch fault zone, north central Utah

Journal Article · · Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/90JB02081· OSTI ID:5589826
 [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. Univ. of Colorado, Boulder (USA)
  2. Geological Survey, Denver, CO (USA)
  3. Utah State Univ., Logan (USA)
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The timing of middle to late Holocene faulting on the Weber segment of the Wasatch fault zone, Utah, is constrained by thermoluminescence (TL) and radiocarbon age estimates on fine-grained, fault-related colluvial sediments. The stratigraphy in two trenches excavated across fault scarps is characterized by a stack of three colluvial wedges, deposited in response to three separate faulting events, the oldest of which buried a soil developed on a middle Holocene debris flow. Thermoluminescence age estimates by the partial and total bleach methods and the regeneration method on fine-grained colluvium from the trenches agree within 1 sigma and are concordant with the radiocarbon chronology. A synthesis of the TL and {sup 14}C age estimates indicate that these three faulting events occurred sometime between 4,500 and 3,500, between 3,200 and 2,500, and between 1,400 and 1,000 years ago. Detailed investigation of a sequence of fine-grained, scarp-derived distal colluvium shows that much of the sediment was deposited during <600-year intervals immediately after faulting. The sedimentation rate of colluvium is inferred to increase shortly after faulting, and TL dating of these sediments provides additional information to constrain the timing of faulting events.

OSTI ID:
5589826
Journal Information:
Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States) Vol. 96:B1; ISSN 0148-0227; ISSN JGREA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
580000* -- Geosciences
AGE ESTIMATION
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CARBON 14
CARBON ISOTOPES
CENOZOIC ERA
DEPOSITION
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
EARTHQUAKES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FEDERAL REGION VIII
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC FAULTS
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGY
ISOTOPE DATING
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
LUMINESCENCE
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEI
QUATERNARY PERIOD
RADIOISOTOPES
SEDIMENTATION
SEDIMENTS
SEISMIC EVENTS
STRATIGRAPHY
THERMOLUMINESCENCE
USA
UTAH
WASATCH FORMATION
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES