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GEOREF RECORD

Neotectonics in the Southeastern United States with emphasis on the Charleston, South Carolina, area

Pradeep Talwani
Neotectonics in the Southeastern United States with emphasis on the Charleston, South Carolina, area (in Neotectonics in earthquake evaluation, Ellis L. Krinitzsky (editor) and D. Burton Slemmons (editor))
Reviews in Engineering Geology (1990) 8: 111-129

Abstract

A study of neotectonics in the southeastern United States was carried out by examining a variety of parameters, including the state of stress, pattern of seismicity, ground deformation, and estimation of recurrence rate for larger events. The direction of maximum horizontal stress (S (sub Hmax) ) was found to be uniform over the region, oriented in an ENE-WSW direction, and due to plate-tectonic forces. The current, historic, and prehistoric seismicity was found to occur in local clusters that displayed spatial stationarity over the historical period (300 yr). Ground deformation inferred from releveling, geoarcheological, and shallow sedimentary data was found to occur both on a regional and a local scale, the rates of deformation varying over the region. Statistical and paleoseismological data suggest a recurrence period of about 1,000 to 2,000 yr for the larger events in the Charleston, South Carolina, area. These observations lead to the conclusion that neotectonic activity is episodic and is due to the interaction of a uniform stress field with local, preexisting zones of weakness. In the current episode of neotectonic activity (>300 yr and <2 m.y.), most of the dominant patterns of seismicity display spatial stationarity; thus, the current distribution of activity can be used for assessing seismic hazards.


ISSN: 0080-2018
EISSN: 2169-799X
Coden: GAEGA4
Serial Title: Reviews in Engineering Geology
Serial Volume: 8
Title: Neotectonics in the Southeastern United States with emphasis on the Charleston, South Carolina, area
Title: Neotectonics in earthquake evaluation
Author(s): Talwani, Pradeep
Author(s): Krinitzsky, Ellis L.editor
Author(s): Slemmons, D. Burtoneditor
Affiliation: Univ. S.C., Dep. Geol. Sci., Columbia, SC, United States
Affiliation: U. S. Army Corps Eng., Waterw. Exp. Stn., Geotech. Lab., Vicksburg, MS, United States
Pages: 111-129
Published: 1990
Text Language: English
Publisher: Geological Society of America (GSA), Boulder, CO, United States
ISBN: 0-8137-4108-4
References: 73
Accession Number: 1992-014923
Categories: Engineering geologyStructural geology
Document Type: Serial Conference document
Bibliographic Level: Analytic
Illustration Description: illus. incl. 2 tables, sects., sketch maps
N32°47'60" - N32°47'60", W79°58'00" - W79°58'00"
N24°30'00" - N39°28'00", W87°30'00" - W75°30'00"
Secondary Affiliation: Univ. Nev.-Reno, USA, United States
Country of Publication: United States
Secondary Affiliation: GeoRef, Copyright 2017, American Geosciences Institute. Reference includes data supplied by the Geological Society of America, Boulder, CO, United States
Update Code: 1992
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