Very Large Earthquakes Centered Southwest of the New Madrid Seismic Zone 5,000-7,000 Years Ago

Abstract

Research Article| November 01, 2006 Very Large Earthquakes Centered Southwest of the New Madrid Seismic Zone 5,000–7,000 Years Ago Martitia P. Tuttle; Martitia P. Tuttle M. Tuttle & Associates 128 Tibbetts Lane Georgetown, ME 04548 mptuttle@earthlink.net (M.P.T.) Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Haydar Al-Shukri; Haydar Al-Shukri University of Arkansas at Little Rock Department of Applied Science 2801 South University Avenue Little Rock, AR 72204 (H.A.-S., H.M.) Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Hanan Mahdi Hanan Mahdi University of Arkansas at Little Rock Department of Applied Science 2801 South University Avenue Little Rock, AR 72204 (H.A.-S., H.M.) Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Martitia P. Tuttle M. Tuttle & Associates 128 Tibbetts Lane Georgetown, ME 04548 mptuttle@earthlink.net (M.P.T.) Haydar Al-Shukri University of Arkansas at Little Rock Department of Applied Science 2801 South University Avenue Little Rock, AR 72204 (H.A.-S., H.M.) Hanan Mahdi University of Arkansas at Little Rock Department of Applied Science 2801 South University Avenue Little Rock, AR 72204 (H.A.-S., H.M.) Publisher: Seismological Society of America First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1938-2057 Print ISSN: 0895-0695 © 2006 by the Seismological Society of America Seismological Research Letters (2006) 77 (6): 755–770. https://doi.org/10.1785/gssrl.77.6.755 Article history First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Martitia P. Tuttle, Haydar Al-Shukri, Hanan Mahdi; Very Large Earthquakes Centered Southwest of the New Madrid Seismic Zone 5,000–7,000 Years Ago. Seismological Research Letters 2006;; 77 (6): 755–770. doi: https://doi.org/10.1785/gssrl.77.6.755 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietySeismological Research Letters Search Advanced Search Abstract Earthquake-induced liquefaction features, including large sand blows, occur near Marianna, Arkansas, about 75 km southwest of Memphis, Tennessee, and 80 km south of the southwestern end of the New Madrid seismic zone. The Marianna sand blows formed between 5,000 and 7,000 years ago and predate paleoearthquakes attributed to the New Madrid seismic zone. The Marianna sand blows are similar in size to New Madrid sand blows, suggesting that they too formed as a result of very large earthquakes but were centered near Marianna and outside the New Madrid seismic zone. A large sand blow that formed about 3500 B.C. (5,500 years B.P.) may correlate with smaller sand blows to the northeast and southwest up to 175 km away. A compound sand blow that formed about 4800 B.C. (6,800 years B.P.) may have formed as the result of several very large, closely timed earthquakes. A fault zone associated with the eastern Reelfoot Rift margin seems the most likely source of large Middle Holocene earthquakes because of its great length (∼300 km), history of seismic activity, Late Wisconsin–Early Holocene fault movement in western Tennessee, and structural relationship to the New Madrid fault system. Additional study is needed to verify our initial findings, to identify the earthquake source, and to further define the earthquake potential of the Marianna area. If the eastern Reelfoot Rift margin were confirmed to be the source of Middle Holocene earthquakes near Marianna, seismicity would appear to vary in space and time within the Reelfoot Rift system. This would have important hazard implications for currently aseismic faults of the rift system and possibly of other aulacogens embedded in intraplate regions. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.