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Great tsunamigenic earthquakes during the last 1000 years on the Alaska megathrust

Shennan, I.; Barlow, N.L.M.; Carver, G.A.; Davies, F.P.; Garrett, E.; Hocking, E.P.

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Authors

N.L.M. Barlow

G.A. Carver

F.P. Davies

E. Garrett

E.P. Hocking



Abstract

Large to great earthquakes and related tsunamis generated on the Alaska megathrust produce major hazards for both the area of rupture and heavily populated coastlines around much of the Pacific Ocean. Recent modeling studies suggest that single-segment ruptures, as well as multi-segment, 1964-type ruptures, can produce great earthquakes, >M8, and significant hazards both in the near field and to distant locations through the generation of tsunamis. We present new paleoseismological data from Kodiak Island and a new analysis of radiocarbon data based on Bayesian age modeling to combine our observations with previous geological, historical, and archaeological investigations. We suggest that, in addition to multi-segment ruptures in A.D. 1964 and 1020–1150 (95% age estimate), a single-segment rupture occurred in 1788, with coseismic land-surface deformation across Kodiak Island and a tsunami that is recorded in historical documents and in sediment sequences, and another, similar rupture of the same Kodiak segment at A.D. 1440–1620. These indicate shorter intervals between ruptures of the Kodiak segment than previously assumed, and more frequent ruptures than for the Prince William Sound segment.

Citation

Shennan, I., Barlow, N., Carver, G., Davies, F., Garrett, E., & Hocking, E. (2014). Great tsunamigenic earthquakes during the last 1000 years on the Alaska megathrust. Geology, 42(8), 687-690. https://doi.org/10.1130/g35797.1

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date May 26, 2014
Online Publication Date Jun 9, 2014
Publication Date Aug 1, 2014
Deposit Date May 27, 2014
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Geology
Print ISSN 0091-7613
Electronic ISSN 1943-2682
Publisher Geological Society of America
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 42
Issue 8
Pages 687-690
DOI https://doi.org/10.1130/g35797.1
Publisher URL http://geology.geoscienceworld.org/cgi/content/full/42/8/687?ijkey=E0B46BGYffl0M&keytype=ref&siteid=gsgeology

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Accepted Journal Article (2.6 Mb)
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Copyright Statement
© 2014 Geological Society of America





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