Geoarchaeological dating of Holocene-age, earthquake-induced paleoliquefaction features in southwestern Indiana

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1992 · Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States)

OSTI ID:5879622

Munson, C A ^[1]; Munson, P J; Garniewicz, R C ^[2]

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1. Indiana Univ., Bloomington, IN (United States)
2. Indiana Univ., Bloomington, IN (United States). Dept. of Anthropology

Although archaeological geology generally involves the application of geological methods to archaeological research questions, recent research on earthquake-induced paleoliquefaction in Indiana provides an example off archeological methods applied to geological questions. Surveys in 1990-1992 have documented numerous paleoliquefaction features in Holocene-age alluvial sediments in the Wabash Valley region of southwestern Indiana that resulted from strong-earthquake shaking. A combination of archaeological and geological dating is critical to the study of prehistoric earthquakes in this region, where evidence of surface faulting is absent. Both direct dating and cross-dating are being used to develop a chronology for stratigraphic sequences within the alluvial facies of the Martinsville Formation. Temporally diagnostic artifacts and archaeological features such as hearths add significantly to the traditional array of datable samples from strata that underlie, overlie, or are penecontemporary with the sand- or gravel-filled dikes and buried sand blows that resulted from liquefaction. Dating of stratigraphic sequences and paleoliquefaction features is essential for estimating the recurrence intervals of prehistoric earthquakes and the geographic extents, epicentral locations, and magnitudes of specific events. Dating of stratigraphic sequences is also relevant to reconstructions of the prehistoric landscapes that were used for human settlement throughout the last 11,000 years.

• OSTI ID: 5879622
• Report Number(s): CONF-921058--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States) Journal Volume: 24:7
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
580000* -- Geosciences
AGE ESTIMATION
ARCHAEOLOGY
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
EARTHQUAKES
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
GEOLOGY
INDIANA
NORTH AMERICA
SEISMIC EVENTS
SEISMICITY
STRATIGRAPHY
TECTONICS
USA