Collaborative Research: Holocene Seismicity of the Cascadia Subduction Zone Based on Precise Dating of the Turbidite Event Record

Oregon State University, Corvallis OR

Investigators

Abstract

0001023 Goldfinger 0001074 Nelson Several models of earthquake characteristics such as the seismic gap hypothesis, repetition rate, clustering and other slip-predictable or time-predictable models remain poorly tested because of the lack of a long enough historical earthquake record. This research continues work on the turbidite history along the Cascadia convergent margin where submarine channels along the margin have recorded Holocene history of regional submarine slides probably triggered solely by great earthquakes. Cores will be dated and correlated across the area to test the hypothesis that these are recording the history of large subduction-related earthquakes. If verified, the turbidite event-based paleoseismicity record is expected to provide a long enough record so that current seismic hypotheses can be more adequately tested.