Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rcrh6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T07:07:42.705Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Historical Reconstruction of Submarine Earthquakes Using 210Pb, 137Cs, and 241Am Turbidite Chronology and Radiocarbon Reservoir Age Estimation off East Taiwan

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 January 2016

L Dezileau ,
R Lehu ,
S Lallemand ,
S-K Hsu ,
N Babonneau ,
G Ratzov ,
A T Lin  and
S Dominguez
L Dezileau*
Affiliation:
Université de Montpellier, Géosciences Montpellier, CNRS, France. LIA ADEPT, NSC-CNRS, France-Taiwan.
R Lehu
Affiliation:
Université de Montpellier, Géosciences Montpellier, CNRS, France. Department of Earth Sciences, National Central University, Zhongli, Taiwan (R.O.C).
S Lallemand
Affiliation:
Université de Montpellier, Géosciences Montpellier, CNRS, France. LIA ADEPT, NSC-CNRS, France-Taiwan.
S-K Hsu
Affiliation:
LIA ADEPT, NSC-CNRS, France-Taiwan. Department of Earth Sciences, National Central University, Zhongli, Taiwan (R.O.C).
N Babonneau
Affiliation:
LIA ADEPT, NSC-CNRS, France-Taiwan. Domaines Oceaniques, IUEM, Brest, France.
G Ratzov
Affiliation:
Université Nice Sophia Antipolis, CNRS, IRD, Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, Géoazur UMR 7329, 250 rue Albert Einstein, Sophia Antipolis 06560 Valbonne, France.
A T Lin
Affiliation:
LIA ADEPT, NSC-CNRS, France-Taiwan. Department of Earth Sciences, National Central University, Zhongli, Taiwan (R.O.C).
S Dominguez
Affiliation:
Université de Montpellier, Géosciences Montpellier, CNRS, France. LIA ADEPT, NSC-CNRS, France-Taiwan.
*
*Corresponding author. Present address: UMR5243 CC60 UM/CNRS, Place E. Bataillon 34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France. Email: [email protected].
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Taiwan is a young and seismically active mountain belt, where a series of strong earthquakes (M>7) have occurred over the past hundred years. Identifying historical earthquakes around Taiwan is a key to better constrain the geodynamic of this active region. Sedimentological and geochemical analyses of surface sediments from one station offshore east Taiwan revealed the presence of coarse-grained layers interpreted as turbidites. The age of these layers have been determined by 210Pb, 137Cs, and 241Am chronology. Dating of the three most recent turbidites provides ages of AD 2001±3, AD 1950±5, and AD 1928±10. The results show striking temporal correspondence of turbidite layers to large (M≥6.8) earthquakes recorded in the region since the 20th century. The chronologies of sediment layers lead us to believe that turbidites resulted from the 2003 Taitung earthquake (M 6.8), the 1951 Chengkong earthquake (M 7.1), and the 1935 Lutao earthquake (M 7.0), respectively. Such a good correlation between turbidites and high-magnitude (M≥6.8) historical and instrumental seismic events suggests that turbidite paleoseismology constitutes a valuable tool for earthquake assessment in the eastern Taiwan margin. Moreover, the modern reservoir radiocarbon age and the regional marine reservoir correction (ΔR) of the Kuroshio Current off Taiwan were estimated by comparing accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) 14C ages with ages derived from corrected 210Pb profiles and historical accounts of identifiable seismic events. Such a determination is important to calibrate the 14C ages of marine materials for accurate comparison of marine and continental geological records. Our calculated mean ΔR value of 232±54 14C yr (n=2) is higher than its modern value of 86±40 14C yr. This high value can be explained by the presence of local upwelling cells and turbulence in the Kuroshio Current, north of Green Island. These upwelling cells bring 14C-depleted water to the surface, resulting in an increase of the modern ΔR value in this portion of the Kuroshio Current.

Keywords

Radiocarbon datingreservoir agepaleoseismologyTaiwan137Cs210Pbmarine sedimentHolocene
Type
Research Article
Information
Radiocarbon , Volume 58 , Issue 1 , March 2016 , pp. 25 - 36
Copyright
© 2016 by the Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Arnaud, F, Lignier, V, Revel, M, Desmet, M, Beck, C, Pourchet, M, Charlet, F, Trentesaux, A, Tribovillard, N. 2002. Flood and earthquake disturbance of 210Pb geochronology Lake Anterne, NW Alps. Terra Nova 14(4):225–232.Google Scholar
Biq, C. 1972. Dual-trench structure in the Taiwan-Luzon region. Proceedings of the Geological Society of China 15:65–75.Google Scholar
Bouma, AH. 1962. Sedimentology of Some Flysch Deposits: A Graphic Approach to Facies Interpretation . Amsterdam: Elsevier.Google Scholar
Chang, M-H, Tang, TY, Ho, C-R, Chao, S-Y. 2013. Kuroshio-induced wake in the lee of Green Island off Taiwan. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 118(3):1508–1519.Google Scholar
Chung, J-K. 2013. Peak ground motion predictions with empirical site factors using Taiwan Strong Motion Network recordings. Earth, Planets and Space 65(9):957–972.Google Scholar
Dan, G, Sultan, N, Savoye, B, Deverchere, J, Yelles, K. 2009. Quantifying the role of sandy-silty sediments in generating slope failures during earthquakes: example from the Algerian margin. International Journal of Earth Sciences 98(4):769–789.Google Scholar
Fontugne, M, Carré, M, Bentaleb, I, Julien, M, Lavallée, D. 2004. Radiocarbon reservoir age variations in the South Peruvian upwelling during the Holocene. Radiocarbon 46(2):531–537.Google Scholar
Garcia-Orellana, J, Gràcia, E, Vizcaino, A, Masqué, P, Olid, C, Martínez-Ruiz, F, Piñero, E, Sanchez-Cabeza, J, Dañobeitia, J. 2006. Identifying instrumental and historical earthquake records in the SW Iberian margin using 210Pb turbidite chronology. Geophysical Research Letters 33:L24601.Google Scholar
Golberg, E. 1963. Geochronology with lead-210. In: Radioactive Dating. Vienna: International Atomic Energy Agency. p 121–131.Google Scholar
Goodfriend, GA, Flessa, KW. 1997. Radiocarbon reservoir ages in the Gulf of California: roles of upwelling and flow from the Colorado River. Radiocarbon 39(2):139–148.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hsin, Y-C, Wu, C-R, Shaw, P-T. 2008. Spatial and temporal variations of the Kuroshio east of Taiwan, 1982–2005: a numerical study. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 113:C04002.Google Scholar
Hughen, K, Baillie, M, Bard, E, Beck, J, Bertrand, C, Blackwell, P, Buck, C, Burr, G, Cutler, K, Damon, P, Edwards, R, Fairbanks, R, Friedrich, M, Guilderson, T, Kromer, B, McCormac, G, Manning, S, Bronk Ramsey, C, Reimer, P, Reimer, R, Remmele, S, Southon, J, Stuiver, M, Talamo, S, Taylor, F, van der Plicht, J, Weyhenmeyer, C. 2004. Marine04: marine radiocarbon age calibration, 0–26 cal kyr BP. Radiocarbon 46(3):1059–1086.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Huh, C-A, Su, C-C, Liang, W-T, Ling, C-Y. 2004. Linkages between turbidites in the southern Okinawa Trough and submarine earthquakes. Geophysical Research Letters 31:L12304.Google Scholar
Huh, CA, Su, CC, Wang, CH, Lee, SY, Lin, IT. 2006. Sedimentation in the Southern Okinawa Trough—rates, turbidites and a sediment budget. Marine Geology 23(1–4):129–139.Google Scholar
Ingram, BL, Southon, JR. 1997. Reservoir ages in eastern Pacific coastal and estuarine waters. Radiocarbon 38(3):573–582.Google Scholar
Krishnaswami, S, Lal, D, Martin, JM, Meybeck, M. 1971. Geochronology of lake sediments. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 11(1–5):407–414.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lallemand, S, Lehu, R, Rétif, F, Hsu, S-K, Babonneau, N, Ratzov, G, Bassetti, MA, Dezileau, L, Hsieh, M-L, Dominguez, S. (in press). A 3000 years-old sequence of extreme events revealed by marine and shore deposits east of Taiwan, Tectonophysics.Google Scholar
Lehu, R, Lallemand, S, Hsu, S-K, Babonneau, N, Ratzov, G, Lin, AT, Dezileau, L. 2015. Deep-sea sedimentation offshore eastern Taiwan: facies and processes characterization. Marine Geology 369:1–18.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lehu, R, Lallemand, S, Hsu, S-K, Ratzov, G, Babonneau, N, Ratzov, G, Lin, A-T, Dezileau, L. (in review). Reconstructing 2,700 years earthquakes history using deep-sea turbidites offshore eastern Taiwan, Tectonophysics.Google Scholar
Nittrouer, CA, Sternberg, RW, Carpenter, R, Bennett, JT. 1970. The use of Pb-210 geochronology as a sedimentological tool: application to the Washington continental shelf. Marine Geology 31(3–4):297–316.Google Scholar
Pouderoux, H, Proust, J-N, Lamarche, G. 2014. Submarine paleoseismology of the northern Hikurangi subduction margin of New Zealand as deduced from turbidite record since 16 ka. Quaternary Science Reviews 84:116–131.Google Scholar
Radakovitch, O, Charmasson, S, Arnaud, M, Bouisset, P. 1999. 210Pb and caesium accumulation in the Rhône Delta sediments. Estuarine Coastal Shelf Sciences 48(1):77–92.Google Scholar
Reimer, PJ, McCormac, FG. 2002. Marine radiocarbon reservoir corrections for the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas. Radiocarbon 44(1):159–166.Google Scholar
Reimer, PJ, Bard, E, Bayliss, A, Beck, JW, Blackwell, PG, Bronk Ramsey, C, Buck, CE, Cheng, H, Edwards, RL, Friedrich, M, Grootes, PM, Guilderson, TP, Haflidason, H, Hajdas, I, Hatté, C, Heaton, TJ, Hoffmann, DL, Hogg, AG, Hughen, KA, Kaiser, KF, Kromer, B, Manning, SW, Niu, M, Reimer, RW, Richards, DA, Scott, EM, Southon, JR, Staff, RA, Turney, CSM, van der Plicht, J. 2013. IntCal13 and Marine13 radiocarbon age calibration curves 0–50,000 years cal BP. Radiocarbon 55(4):1869–1887.Google Scholar
Robbins, J, Edgington, D. 1975. Determination of recent sedimentation rates in Lake Michigan using Pb-210 and Cs-137. Geochimica Cosmochimica Acta 39(3):285–304.Google Scholar
Sabatier, P, Dezileau, L, Blanchemanche, P, Siani, G, Condomines, M, Bentaleb, I, Piquès, G. 2010. Holocene variations of radiocarbon reservoir ages in a Mediterranean lagoonal system. Radiocarbon 52(1):91–102.Google Scholar
Seno, T, Stein, S, Gripp, AE. 1993. A model for the motion of the Philippine Sea plate consistent with nuvel-1 and geological data. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth 98(B10):17,941–8.Google Scholar
Siani, G, Paterne, M, Michel, E, Sulpizio, R, Sbrana, A, Arnold, M, Haddad, G. 2001. Mediterranean sea surface radiocarbon age changes since the last glacial maximum. Science 294(5548):1917–1920.Google Scholar
Southon, J, Kashgarian, M, Fontugne, M, Metivier, B, Yim, WWS. 2002. Marine reservoir corrections for the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia. Radiocarbon 44(1):167–180.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stuiver, M, Polach, HA. 1977. Discussion: reporting of 14C data. Radiocarbon 19(3):355–363.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Suppe, J. 1984. Kinematics of arc-continent collision, flipping of subduction, and back-arc spreading near Taiwan. Memoir of the Geological Society of China 6:21–33.Google Scholar
Theunissen, T, Font, Y, Lallemand, S, Liang, W-T. 2010. The largest instrumentally recorded earthquake in Taiwan: revised location and magnitude, and tectonic significance of the 1920 event. Geophysical Journal International 183(3):1119–1133.Google Scholar
Tisnérat-Laborde, N, Poupeau, JJ, Tannau, JF, Paterne, M. 2001. Development of a semi-automated system for routine preparation of carbonate samples. Radiocarbon 43(2A):299–304.Google Scholar
Yoneda, M, Uno, H, Shibata, Y, Suzuki, R, Kumamoto, Y, Yoshida, K, Sasaki, T, Suzuki, A, Kawahata, H. 2007. Radiocarbon marine reservoir ages in the western Pacific estimated by pre-bomb molluscan shells. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B 259(1):432–437.Google Scholar
Yu, K, Hua, Q, Zhao, J, Hodge, E, Fink, D, Barbetti, M. 2010. Holocene marine 14C reservoir age variability: evidence from 230Th-dated corals in the South China Sea. Paleoceanography 25:PA3205.Google Scholar