Bootheel lineament: A possible coseismic fault of the great New Madrid earthquakes

Journal Article · Tue Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · Geology; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1991)019<1025:BLAPCF>2.3.CO;2· OSTI ID:5996619

Schweig, III, E S; Marple, R T ^[1]

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1. Memphis State Univ., TN (United States)

A remote sensing examination of the New Madrid seismic zone has revealed a feature, the Bootheel lineament, that may be the surface expression of one of the coseismic faults of the great New Madrid earthquakes of 1811 and 1812. The lineament extends about 135 km in a north-northeast direction through northeastern Arkansas and southeastern Missouri. The morphology and pattern of the lineament suggest that it reflects a fault with strike-slip displacement. Field data indicate that liquefied sand was injected along the lineament, probably in 1811 and 1812. The Bootheel lineament does not coincide with any of the major arms of New Madrid seismicity, possibly indicating that the current seismicity does not precisely reflect the faults that ruptured in 1811 and 1812.

• OSTI ID: 5996619
• Journal Information: Geology; (United States), Journal Name: Geology; (United States) Vol. 19:10; ISSN GLGYB; ISSN 0091-7613
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
580000* -- Geosciences
ARKANSAS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
EARTHQUAKES
FEDERAL REGION VI
FEDERAL REGION VII
GEOLOGIC FAULTS
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGY
GEOMORPHOLOGY
HISTORICAL ASPECTS
LINEAMENTS
LIQUEFACTION
MISSOURI
NORTH AMERICA
REMOTE SENSING
SAND
SEISMIC EVENTS
SEISMICITY
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
USA