First paleoseismological constraints on the strongest earthquake in France (Provence) in the twentieth century
- 1 Centre Européen de Recherche et d'Enseignement de Géosciences de l'Environnement (UMR CNRS 6635), Université Paul Cézanne, BP 80, 13545 Aix-en-Provence cedex 4, France
- 2Département des Géoressources, Géotechnologies et Matériaux de Construction, Université de Liège, Belgium, and Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire de Recherche Impliquant la Géologie et la Mécanique (EA CNRS 3111), Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France
- 3Centre Européen de Recherche et d'Enseignement de Géosciences de l'Environnement (UMR CNRS 6635), Université Paul Cézanne, BP 80, 13545 Aix-en-Provence cedex 4, France
Abstract
We have identified surface ruptures of M ≥ 6 earthquakes on a branch of the propagating reverse fault system that produced the strongest event recorded in France during the twentieth century (1909 Lambesc earthquake, Provence). The rate of slip on that branch is 0.05–0.3 mm/yr with a corresponding return period for M ≥ 6 events of 700–5000 yr. In addition to possibly identifying the 1909 earthquake surface rupture, by recognizing successive surface breaks of large earthquakes, this study calls for a reassessment of seismic hazard in Provence.
Footnotes
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↵*Current addresses: Chardon—Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, UMR 161 CEREGE, BP A5, 98848 Nouméa Cedex, New Caledonia; dominique.chardon{at}noumea.ird.nc; Nguyen—Agrosphere ICG-IV, Forschungzentrum Jülich, D-52425 Jülich, Germany
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GSA Data Repository item 2005175, Figure DR1, electrical tomography data, is available online at http://www.geosociety.org/pubs/ft2005.htm, or on request from editing{at}geosociety.org or Documents Secretary, GSA, P.O. Box 9140, Boulder, CO 80301-9140, USA.
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- Accepted 18 July 2005.
- Received 12 March 2005.
- Revision received 17 July 2005.
- Geological Society of America
