Pesquisas Em Geociências
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Pesquisas em Geociências http://seer.ufrgs.br/PesquisasemGeociencias Seismites: origin, criteria of identification and examples from the Quaternary record of Northeastern Brasil Francisco Hilário Rego Bezerra, Vanildo Pereira da Fonseca, Francisco Pinheiro Lima Filho Pesquisas em Geociências, 28 (2): 205-212, maio/ago., 2002. Versão online disponível em: http://seer.ufrgs.br/PesquisasemGeociencias/article/view/20295 Publicado por Instituto de Geociências Portal de Periódicos Informações Adicionais Email: [email protected] Políticas: http://seer.ufrgs.br/PesquisasemGeociencias/about/editorialPolicies#openAccessPolicy Submissão: http://seer.ufrgs.br/PesquisasemGeociencias/about/submissions#onlineSubmissions Diretrizes: http://seer.ufrgs.br/PesquisasemGeociencias/about/submissions#authorGuidelines Data de publicação - maio/ago., 2002. Instituto de Geociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil 1.esq~ ....1 em (kociencillS. 28(2): 205·212. 2001 InstitUIO de (koc,t"",llS. UFRGS ISSN ISI8·2)98 I'ono Aleg"'. RS· S"",I Seismites: origin, criteria for identification and examples from the Quaternary record of Northeastern Brazil FRANCISCO H ILARIO REGO B EZERRA I, VANILDO PEREIRA DA F ONSECA 1.2& FRANCISCO PINHEIRO LIMA FILHOI 'Departamenlo de Geologia. Unil'cfsidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Campus Universit4rio. NOlal. RN. 59072·970, Brazil. • Centro de Escudos de Geologia Costeiru e Oceanica - CECOIPPGGeo·IG·UFRGS. AUlhor in eharge of eorrespondcnee: bc:zerrafh@gc:ologia.ufm.br (Reeebido em 10I()1. AeeilO para public~50 em 05(02) Abslract . Seismiles are soft·sedimem fealUres produced by (paleo)earthquakes. They are formed afu:r sediment deposition, before sediment compaction, and during sudden breakdown of a loosely packet, water saturuted groin framework. Fundamental controls on seismitel:cnerution ure eKerted mainly by eurlhquake size, sediment properties, and water·table depth. Hydroplastie deformation, liquefuction, aud OuidiO(ution arc the three mccl18n isms reluted to seismite origin. The most common types of seismiles are hydroplustie mixing layers, pillars, pockets, dikes. sills. und folds. Outcrop features ure among the most valuable 10015 for deciphering seismic events in the pasl. Seismites have been described in mony intrnplote sellings. [n northeastern Brazil. earthquake swarms, including events up to 5.2 Mb. induced soft·scdiment deformation in m leDSI two historical CDSCS, In this region. scsmitcs occur in the Quaternary record of the hguaribe, A(,"u, and Potengi valleys, where a great variety of types are obsen:ed. They are panieularly abundant in gravelly and sandy alluvial sedimenls. BUI they also occur in deltaic and lagoonal deposits. The study of scismites is particularly useful in areas lacking structural data. Seismite investigation is also imporlanl 10 cxteni the earthquake rceord far beyond Ihe instrumental period of seismic observation. Keywords· seismite. earthquake. nCOIcclonics. INTRODUCTION importance of seismic-induced deformation in unconsolidated sediments, The present study reviews Ins(rumental seismological st udi es span too the definition of seismite, criteria for seismite short a period for sati sfactory analysis of regional identifi cation, and the strength of paleoearthquakes to seismotectonics or the assessment of seismic generate seismites, We conclude by describing recurrence intervals, Historical and geological examples of seismites in the historical and geological investigations are consequently being used to extend record of nonheaslern Brazil. the record back far beyond the period of seismic observation, Additional information may be recovered WHAT IS A SEISMITE? from earthquake-induced structures such as seismites. which represent structures generat ed by earthquakes The term seism it e. ori gi nally proposed by in unconsolidated sediments, Seilacher ( 1969) to describe mud at Elwood beach, An increasing number of seismites have been California (USA), is commonly used in the lilerature identified in intraplate settings. They have been to describe deformation in unconsolidated sediments described mainly in North America and Europe. from caused by earthquakes. Seismites occur as dikes. historical reports or geological evidence, Abundant pockets, si lls, ve nted sediments (sand blows or sand examples have been observed in central USA, including volcanoes), lateral spreads, and folds. the New Madrid seismic zone (Obermeier. I 996a,b), Seismite generation depends on some key and the Atlantic seaboard of North America (e.g., factors. The most important earthquake features that Amick & Gelinas, 1991). Other studies have reported can influence seismites origin are seismic intensity. seismites in (he Quaternary of western and ce ntral magnitude, distance between deposit susceptibility Europe (e,g., Davenport & Ringrose, 1987). Seismites for liquefaction and earthquake source, seismi c have also been observed in the Brazilian geological attenuation, hypocentral distance, duration of seismic record (e,g" Saadi & Torquato, 1992; Fonseca, 1996). shak ing. amplitude of cyclic shear stress, and number Although much work has been done to date, of loading cycles (A llen, 1984). The most important more studies need to be conducted to describe the factors related to sedi ment characteristics are weak extension of paleoearthquake deformation in the grain-to-grain boundary, loose sediment packing, good geological record and to ascertain the meaning and sediment sorting, high permeability. low viscosity and Em "',peito ~o meio ambicnt~. estc m\mcro roi impresso ~m p~pd brallqucado par processo parcialmcnte isento de doro (ECF). 205 density of water-sediment mixture, the absence of clay Three main sediment deformation mechanisms minerals, as well as gas bubbles and organic mailer form seismites: (il) hydroplastic deformation, (b) (Obermeier. 1996a.b). The age of sediment is an liquefaction. and (c) fluidi zation (Lowe, 1975). The indirect factor which influences liquefacti on as it hydroplasti e deformation is characterized by absence affects the looseness of cohesion less sediment and the of water escape features; folds are probably the most depth of the ground water table (Tinsley et a/., 1985). common type of hydroplilstic seismite. Liquefaction Sediment depth and water table, combined with involves flowage of sediment and significant water overlying sedimen t features, are other clements which escilpe processes. Liquefacti on usually produces may influence the general ion of seismites. Empirical dikes, pillars, and liquefaction pockets. Flu idization observation show that the optimal depth for seismi te is characterized by water escape, where turbulent generation is between 2- 10 m (Obermeier, I 996a) and fluid flow erases primary sedimentary stru ctu res. is rarely deeper than 20 m in depth (Seed, 1979). It generally induces layer mixi ng. The disti nction Susceptibility to the generation of seismites decreases between th ese three mechani sms is presented in with low water saturation and with increasing depth to figure I. It shou ld be noticed, however, that there the water table (Obermeier. 1996a,b). It increases when is a gradual transition between them. Sometimes, an impermeable or semi-impermeable layer, which may th e distinction between the features produced by elevate pore fluid pressure. caps the liquefied sediment th ese three mechanisms are not easily recogni zed (Lowe & LoPiccolo, 1974). in the fi eld. Dcforrn'ltion Hydroplastic Liqucf:lction Fluidization I - Characteristics Relative pore pfT' oP pfP = o J> pfT'> oP fluid pressure < Flow st ructure lam inar turbulent - low to high water high water Rate of water no water escape escape escape escape II - Field idcntific .. tion Viscosity of high low-high low sed im ent! fluid mixture Primary partially preserved completely structures preserved erased Type of dikes, sills, mixed layers, seismite folds pockets, pillars sill s, dikes FiSlIre 1 - I'rineipal processes of seismite gcncrntion ~nd rclalcd fcalUrc s (modified from Lowe, 1975; Allen. 1984; Owen. 1987: Guiraud & Plazi:u. 1993). 206 HOW TO IDENTIFY SEISMITES THE STRENGTH OF PALEOEARTHQUAKES Some studies indicate that a wide variety of Several empirical relationships between unrecognized sedimentary features are lumped earthquake size and the generation of seismites have under the common terms 'load structures', been developed in the last two decades. Some of the 'synsedimentary fealUres', 'atectonic structures', studies have associated seismites with earthquake mag and 'periglacial ice-wedges' (permafrost) (e.g., nitude, others with seismic intensity. Obermeier Lowe & LoPiccolo, 1974; Allen, 1984; Amick & (I996a,b) insisted that not all methods for paleo Gelinas, 1991). Therefore, verification of the seismic earthquake estimation are useful, and concluded that origin is very important. associations between seismic intensities and seismites Scismites can be identified both in the historical are crude, because these phenomena do not always and the geological records. Seismiles can be identified renect em1hquake size. He suggested that methods which in historical accounts and reports from the information take into account earthquake magnitude are more about the outflow of water-sand or water-mud mixtures accurate, because they make it possible to estimate from cracks in the soil, soil subsidence or soil collapse, distance from epicenter and minimum magnitude. But and soil sinking followed by building tilting (Berardi methods that relate the