Can deglaciation trigger earthquakes in N. America?
Abstract
A spherical, self‐gravitating viscoelastic earth model is used to calculate the spatial and temporal evolution of the glacially induced lithospheric stress and fault stability in North America. The predicted onset time of a pulse of earthquake activities, the mode of failure and the magnitude of instability are investigated for three sites with different distance from the former ice margin. It is found that glacial unloading is able to trigger paleo‐earthquakes within the ice margin near Charlevoix (47.5°N, 70.1°W) and in Wabash Valley (38.5°N, 87°W) outside the ice margin. However, rebound stress decays away from the former ice margin, thus glacial unloading is unlikely to have triggered the large M8 earthquakes in New Madrid (36.6°N, 89.5°W).
Number of times cited: 45
- Alizia Tarayoun, Stéphane Mazzotti, Michael Craymer and Joseph Henton, Structural Inheritance Control on Intraplate Present‐Day Deformation: GPS Strain Rate Variations in the Saint Lawrence Valley, Eastern Canada, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 123, 8, (7004-7020), (2018).
- Stephane Mazzotti and Frédéric Gueydan, Control of tectonic inheritance on continental intraplate strain rate and seismicity, Tectonophysics, 10.1016/j.tecto.2017.12.014, (2017).
- Karl Mueller, Variation in slip rates on active faults: Natural growth or stress transients?, Geology, 45, 3, (287), (2017).
- Mian Liu and Seth Stein, Mid-continental earthquakes: Spatiotemporal occurrences, causes, and hazards, Earth-Science Reviews, 10.1016/j.earscirev.2016.09.016, 162, (364-386), (2016).
- Byung-Dal So and Fabio A. Capitanio, The emergence of seismic cycles from stress feedback between intra-plate faulting and far-field tectonic loading, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 10.1016/j.epsl.2016.05.002, 447, (112-118), (2016).
- T. J. Craig, E. Calais, L. Fleitout, L. Bollinger and O. Scotti, Evidence for the release of long‐term tectonic strain stored in continental interiors through intraplate earthquakes, Geophysical Research Letters, 43, 13, (6826-6836), (2016).
- Andrea Hampel, Ralf Hetzel and Georgios Maniatis, Comment on “Stress and fault parameters affecting fault slip magnitude and activation time during a glacial cycle” by Steffen et al., Tectonics, 34, 6, (1348-1353), (2015).
- M. Olivieri and G. Spada, Ice melting and earthquake suppression in Greenland, Polar Science, 10.1016/j.polar.2014.09.004, 9, 1, (94-106), (2015).
- D.P. Hill and S.G. Prejean, Dynamic Triggering, Treatise on Geophysics, 10.1016/B978-0-444-53802-4.00078-6, (273-304), (2015).
- M. Keiding, C. Kreemer, C.D. Lindholm, S. Gradmann, O. Olesen and H.P. Kierulf, A comparison of strain rates and seismicity for Fennoscandia: depth dependency of deformation from glacial isostatic adjustment, Geophysical Journal International, 10.1093/gji/ggv207, 202, 2, (1021-1028), (2015).
- Nicola Scafetta and Adriano Mazzarella, Spectral coherence between climate oscillations and the M ≥ 7 earthquake historical worldwide record, Natural Hazards, 10.1007/s11069-014-1571-z, 76, 3, (1807-1829), (2015).
- Timothy J. Craig and Eric Calais, Strain accumulation in the New Madrid and Wabash Valley seismic zones from 14 years of continuous GPS observation, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 119, 12, (9110-9129), (2014).
- A.J. (Tom) Van Loon and Małgorzata Pisarska-Jamroży, Sedimentological evidence of Pleistocene earthquakes in NW Poland induced by glacio-isostatic rebound, Sedimentary Geology, 300, (1), (2014).
- Chuanxu Chen, Dapeng Zhao and Shiguo Wu, Crust and upper mantle structure of the New Madrid Seismic Zone: Insight into intraplate earthquakes, Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, 10.1016/j.pepi.2014.01.016, 230, (1-14), (2014).
- Daniel S. Brothers, Karen M. Luttrell and Jason D. Chaytor, Sea-level–induced seismicity and submarine landslide occurrence, Geology, 41, 9, (979), (2013).
- Jeanne M. Sauber and Natalia A. Ruppert, Rapid Ice Mass Loss: Does It Have an Influence on Earthquake Occurrence in Southern Alaska?, Active Tectonics and Seismic Potential of Alaska, (369-384), (2013).
- Emily Wolin, Seth Stein, Frank Pazzaglia, Anne Meltzer, Alan Kafka and Claudio Berti, Mineral, Virginia, earthquake illustrates seismicity of a passive‐aggressive margin, Geophysical Research Letters, 39, 2, (2012).
- Bill McGuire, Hazardous Responses of the Solid Earth to a Changing Climate, Climate Forcing of Geological Hazards, (1-33), (2012).
- Owen Hurd and Mark D. Zoback, Intraplate earthquakes, regional stress and fault mechanics in the Central and Eastern U.S. and Southeastern Canada, Tectonophysics, 10.1016/j.tecto.2012.04.002, 581, (182-192), (2012).
- Arun Kumar and L. Sunil Singh, Is Isostatic Rebound in Slow Spreading Gakkel Ridge of Arctic Region Due to the Climate Change? A Case Study, International Journal of Geosciences, 10.4236/ijg.2012.32037, 03, 02, (339-348), (2012).
- Christian Brandes, Jutta Winsemann, Julia Roskosch, Janine Meinsen, David C. Tanner, Manfred Frechen, Holger Steffen and Patrick Wu, Activity along the Osning Thrust in Central Europe during the Lateglacial: ice-sheet and lithosphere interactions, Quaternary Science Reviews, 10.1016/j.quascirev.2012.01.021, 38, (49-62), (2012).
- Felicity Liggins, Richard A. Betts and Bill McGuire, Projected Future Climate Changes in the Context of Geological and Geomorphological Hazards, Climate Forcing of Geological Hazards, (34-55), (2012).
- Samuel T. McColl, Paraglacial rock-slope stability, Geomorphology, 153-154, (1), (2012).
- Susan E. Hough and Morgan Page, Toward a consistent model for strain accrual and release for the New Madrid Seismic Zone, central United States, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 116, B3, (2011).
- Holger Steffen and Patrick Wu, Glacial isostatic adjustment in Fennoscandia—A review of data and modeling, Journal of Geodynamics, 10.1016/j.jog.2011.03.002, 52, 3-4, (169-204), (2011).
- Markku Poutanen and Erik R. Ivins, Upper mantle dynamics and quaternary climate in cratonic areas (DynaQlim)—Understanding the glacial isostatic adjustment, Journal of Geodynamics, 10.1016/j.jog.2010.01.014, 50, 1, (2-7), (2010).
- E. Calais, A. M. Freed, R. Van Arsdale and S. Stein, Triggering of New Madrid seismicity by late-Pleistocene erosion, Nature, 10.1038/nature09258, 466, 7306, (608-611), (2010).
- B. McGuire, Potential for a hazardous geospheric response to projected future climate changes, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 10.1098/rsta.2010.0080, 368, 1919, (2317-2345), (2010).
- F. Liggins, R. A. Betts and B. McGuire, Projected future climate changes in the context of geological and geomorphological hazards, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 10.1098/rsta.2010.0072, 368, 1919, (2347-2367), (2010).
- Timothy S. Paulsen and Terry J. Wilson, Structure and age of volcanic fissures on Mount Morning: A new constraint on Neogene to contemporary stress in the West Antarctic Rift, southern Victoria Land, Antarctica, GSA Bulletin, 10.1130/B26333.1, 121, 7-8, (1071-1088), (2009).
- M.L. Zoback and M. Zoback, Lithosphere Stress and Deformation, Treatise on Geophysics, 10.1016/B978-044452748-6.00105-X, (253-273), (2007).
- Graham A. Shields, Max Deynoux, Stephen J. Culver, Martin D. Brasier, Pascal Affaton and Didier Vandamme, Neoproterozoic glaciomarine and cap dolostone facies of the southwestern Taoudéni Basin (Walidiala Valley, Senegal/Guinea, NW Africa), Comptes Rendus Geoscience, 339, 3-4, (186), (2007).
- Seth Stein, Approaches to continental intraplate earthquake issues, Special Paper 425: Continental Intraplate Earthquakes: Science, Hazard, and Policy Issues, 10.1130/2007.2425(01), (1-16), (2007).
- Patrick Wu and Stéphane Mazzotti, Effects of a lithospheric weak zone on postglacial seismotectonics in eastern Canada and the northeastern United States, Special Paper 425: Continental Intraplate Earthquakes: Science, Hazard, and Policy Issues, 10.1130/2007.2425(09), (113-128), (2007).
- Qingsong Li, Mian Liu, Qie Zhang and Eric Sandvol, Stress evolution and seismicity in the central-eastern United States: Insights from geodynamic modeling, Special Paper 425: Continental Intraplate Earthquakes: Science, Hazard, and Policy Issues, 10.1130/2007.2425(11), (149-166), (2007).
- Giovanni F. Sella, Seth Stein, Timothy H. Dixon, Michael Craymer, Thomas S. James, Stephane Mazzotti and Roy K. Dokka, Observation of glacial isostatic adjustment in “stable” North America with GPS, Geophysical Research Letters, 34, 2, (2007).
- Andrea Hampel and Ralf Hetzel, Response of normal faults to glacial‐interglacial fluctuations of ice and water masses on Earth's surface, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 111, B6, (2006).
- E. Calais, J. Y. Han, C. DeMets and J. M. Nocquet, Deformation of the North American plate interior from a decade of continuous GPS measurements, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 111, B6, (2006).
- RALF HETZEL and ANDREA HAMPEL, LONG-TERM RATES OF FAULTING DERIVED FROM COSMOGENIC NUCLIDES AND SHORT-TERM VARIATIONS CAUSED BY GLACIAL-INTERGLACIAL VOLUME CHANGES OF GLACIERS AND LAKES, International Journal of Modern Physics B, 10.1142/S0217979206033255, 20, 03, (261-276), (2006).
- Stéphane Mazzotti and John Adams, Rates and uncertainties on seismic moment and deformation in eastern Canada, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 110, B9, (2005).
- Georg Kaufmann, Patrick Wu and Erik R. Ivins, Lateral viscosity variations beneath Antarctica and their implications on regional rebound motions and seismotectonics, Journal of Geodynamics, 10.1016/j.jog.2004.08.009, 39, 2, (165-181), (2005).
- Afonso César Rodrigues Nogueira, Claudio Riccomini, Alcides Nóbrega Sial, Candido Augusto Veloso Moura and Thomas Rich Fairchild, Soft-sediment deformation at the base of the Neoproterozoic Puga cap carbonate (southwestern Amazon craton, Brazil): Confirmation of rapid icehouse to greenhouse transition in snowball Earth, Geology, 31, 7, (613), (2003).
- Erik R. Ivins, Thomas S. James and Volker Klemann, Glacial isostatic stress shadowing by the Antarctic ice sheet, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 108, B12, (2003).
- Mark D. Zoback, John Townend and Balz Grollimund, Steady-State Failure Equilibrium and Deformation of Intraplate Lithosphere, International Geology Review, 10.2747/0020-6814.44.5.383, 44, 5, (383-401), (2002).
- Balz Grollimund and Mark D. Zoback, Did deglaciation trigger intraplate seismicity in the New Madrid seismic zone?, Geology, 10.1130/0091-7613(2001)029<0175:DDTISI>2.0.CO;2, 29, 2, (175), (2001).




