Late Quaternary uplift rate inferred from marine terraces, Muroto Peninsula, southwest Japan: Forearc deformation in an oblique subduction zone

Submarine Terraces reveal Late Quaternary Tectonic deformation in the Intermediate Zone between the Island Shelf and Rift Zone of the Middle Part of the Nanseishoto Islands, Southwest Japan

10.21203/rs.3.rs-105736/v2 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Hideaki Goto

Keyword(s):

Subduction Zone ◽

Rift Zone ◽

Late Quaternary ◽

Middle Part ◽

Tectonic Deformation ◽

Southwest Japan ◽

The West ◽

West Side ◽

Marine Terraces ◽

Island Shelf

Abstract Late Quaternary tectonic deformation of coastal areas is usually examined based on the height distribution of paleo-shorelines observed on marine terraces. However, it is difficult to examine deformation along the subduction zone, in which small, isolated islands are distributed. In this paper, the author focuses on the widespread shallow submarine terraces surrounding the Iheya-Izena islands in the middle part of the Nanseishoto islands, Southwest Japan, where crustal deformation is not known. The islands are located in the intermediate zone between island shelf uplifted during the Late Quaternary and the rift zone occurred to the northwest, along the Okinawa trough. Detailed topographic anaglyph images and maps of the islands were produced using a digital elevation model (DEM) of the seafloor, which is stored by the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) and the Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (AIST). Topographic anaglyph images enabled us to identify the widespread distribution and deformation of the shallow seafloor above −200 m using red-cyan glasses. Four terrace-like features divided by small steps were found on the shallow seafloor, which are named T1, T2, T3, and T4, in descending order. Topographic expressions of paleo-shoreline depths are preserved on submarine terraces formed during the last glacial period. The paleo-shoreline depths of terraces T2 and T3 are −60 m and −70 m on the west side and −70 m and −80 m, respectively, on the east side of Iheyajima island; this indicates southeastward tilting. The tilting ratio of T2 and T3 was calculated to approximately 1‰. The tilting rate is approximately 1×10^4/kyr, assuming that the T2 was formed in 10–11 kyr. This is much more rapid than that of the last inter-glacial marine terraces in the Muroto peninsula of Shikoku, Japan, with a tilting rate of 4×10^5/kyr, which formed by steep northward tilting against the Nankai subduction zone. The author suggests that this phenomenon is not related to mega-thrusting along the subduction zone, but rather to local deformation, probably caused by the reverse faulting of nearby active submarine faults along the west side of the islands.

Download Full-text

Submarine terraces reveal Late Quaternary tectonic deformation in the intermediate zone between the island shelf and rift zone of the middle part of the Nanseishoto Islands, southwest Japan

Earth Planets and Space ◽

10.1186/s40623-021-01395-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 73 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Hideaki Goto

Keyword(s):

Subduction Zone ◽

Rift Zone ◽

Late Quaternary ◽

Middle Part ◽

Tectonic Deformation ◽

Southwest Japan ◽

The West ◽

West Side ◽

Marine Terraces ◽

Island Shelf

AbstractLate Quaternary tectonic deformation of coastal areas is usually examined based on the height distribution of paleo-shorelines observed on marine terraces. However, it is difficult to examine deformation along the subduction zone, in which small, isolated islands are distributed. In this paper, the author focuses on the widespread shallow submarine terraces surrounding the Iheya–Izena islands in the middle part of the Nanseishoto Islands, Southwest Japan, where crustal deformation is not known. The islands are located in the intermediate zone between island shelf uplifted during the Late Quaternary and the rift zone occurred to the northwest, along the Okinawa trough. Detailed topographic anaglyph images and maps of the islands were produced using a digital elevation model (DEM) of the seafloor, which is stored by the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) and the Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (AIST). Topographic anaglyph images enabled us to identify the widespread distribution and deformation of the shallow seafloor above − 200 m using red–cyan glasses. Four terrace-like features divided by small steps were found on the shallow seafloor, which are named T1, T2, T3, and T4, in descending order. Topographic expressions of paleo-shoreline depths are preserved on submarine terraces formed during the last glacial period. The paleo-shoreline depths of terraces T2 and T3 are − 60 m and − 70 m on the west side and − 70 m and − 80 m, respectively, on the east side of Iheyajima Island; this indicates southeastward tilting. The tilting ratio of T2 and T3 was calculated to approximately 1‰. The tilting rate is approximately 1 × 10–4/kyr, assuming that the T2 was formed in 10–11 kyr. This is much more rapid than that of the last inter-glacial marine terraces in the Muroto peninsula of Shikoku, Japan, with a tilting rate of 4 × 10–5/kyr, which formed by steep northward tilting against the Nankai subduction zone. The author suggests that this phenomenon is not related to mega-thrusting along the subduction zone, but rather to local deformation, probably caused by the reverse faulting of nearby active submarine faults along the west side of the islands.

Download Full-text

Dating and morpho-stratigraphy of uplifted marine terraces in the Makran subduction zone (Iran)

Earth Surface Dynamics ◽

10.5194/esurf-7-321-2019 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 321-344 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Raphaël Normand ◽

Guy Simpson ◽

Frédéric Herman ◽

Rabiul Haque Biswas ◽

Abbas Bahroudi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Subduction Zone ◽

Active Surface ◽

Optically Stimulated Luminescence ◽

Uplift Rate ◽

Makran Subduction Zone ◽

Megathrust Earthquakes ◽

Surface Uplift ◽

Marine Terraces ◽

Uplift Rates ◽

East West

Abstract. The western part of the Makran subduction zone (Iran) is currently experiencing active surface uplift, as attested by the presence of emerged marine terraces along the coast. To better understand the uplift recorded by these terraces, we investigated seven localities along the Iranian Makran and we performed radiocarbon, 230Th∕U and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of the layers of marine sediments deposited on top of the terraces. This enabled us to correlate the terraces regionally and to assign them to different Quaternary sea-level highstands. Our results show east–west variations in surface uplift rates mostly between 0.05 and 1.2 mm yr−1. We detected a region of anomalously high uplift rate, where two MIS 3 terraces are emerged, but we are uncertain how to interpret these results in a geologically coherent context. Although it is presently not clear whether the uplift of the terraces is linked to the occurrence of large megathrust earthquakes, our results highlight rapid surface uplift for a subduction zone context and heterogeneous accumulation of deformation in the overriding plate.

Download Full-text

Dating and morphostratigraphy of uplifted marine terraces in the Makran subduction zone (Iran)

10.5194/esurf-2018-78 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Raphaël Normand ◽

Guy Simpson ◽

Frédéric Herman ◽

Rabiul Haque Biswas ◽

Abbas Bahroudi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Subduction Zone ◽

Surface Deformation ◽

Late Quaternary ◽

Makran Subduction Zone ◽

Megathrust Earthquakes ◽

Surface Uplift ◽

Marine Terraces ◽

Uplift Rates ◽

Tectonically Active ◽

East West

Abstract. The western part of the Makran subduction zone (Iran) has not experienced a great megathrust earthquake in recent human history, yet, the presence of emerged marine terraces along the coast indicates that the margin has been tectonically active during at least the late Quaternary. To better understand the surface deformation of this region, we mapped the terraces sequences of seven localities along the Iranian Makran. Additionnaly, we performed radiocarbon, 230Th/U and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of the layers of marine sediments deposited on top of the terraces. This enabled us to correlate the terraces regionally and to assign them to different Quaternary sea level highstands. Our results show east-west variations in surface uplift rates mostly between 0.05 and 1.2 mm y−1. We detected a region of anomalously high uplift rate, where two MIS 3 terraces are emerged, yet we are uncertain how to insert these results in a geologically coherent context. Although it is presently not clear whether the uplift of the terraces is linked with the occurrence of large megathrust earthquakes, our results highlight heterogeneous accumulation of deformation in the overriding plate.

Download Full-text

Late Quaternary uplift rate inferred from marine terraces, Shimokita Peninsula, northeastern Japan: A preliminary investigation of the buried shoreline angle

Geomorphology ◽

10.1016/j.geomorph.2013.11.013 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 209 ◽

pp. 1-17 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Tabito Matsu'ura ◽

Haruo Kimura ◽

Junko Komatsubara ◽

Norihisa Goto ◽

Makoto Yanagida ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Late Quaternary ◽

Preliminary Investigation ◽

Uplift Rate ◽

Shimokita Peninsula ◽

Marine Terraces ◽

Northeastern Japan

Download Full-text

Late Quaternary Marine Terraces and Tectonic Uplift Rates of the Broader Neapolis Area (SE Peloponnese, Greece)

Journal of Marine Science and Engineering ◽

10.3390/jmse10010099 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 99

Author(s):

Efthimios Karymbalis ◽

Konstantinos Tsanakas ◽

Ioannis Tsodoulos ◽

Kalliopi Gaki-Papanastassiou ◽

Dimitrios Papanastassiou ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sea Level ◽

Late Quaternary ◽

Osl Dating ◽

Aerial Photographs ◽

Uplift Rate ◽

Eurasian Plate ◽

Tectonic Processes ◽

Marine Terraces ◽

Coastal Uplift

Marine terraces are geomorphic markers largely used to estimate past sea-level positions and surface deformation rates in studies focused on climate and tectonic processes worldwide. This paper aims to investigate the role of tectonic processes in the late Quaternary evolution of the coastal landscape of the broader Neapolis area by assessing long-term vertical deformation rates. To document and estimate coastal uplift, marine terraces are used in conjunction with Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating and correlation to late Quaternary eustatic sea-level variations. The study area is located in SE Peloponnese in a tectonically active region. Geodynamic processes in the area are related to the active subduction of the African lithosphere beneath the Eurasian plate. A series of 10 well preserved uplifted marine terraces with inner edges ranging in elevation from 8 ± 2 m to 192 ± 2 m above m.s.l. have been documented, indicating a significant coastal uplift of the study area. Marine terraces have been identified and mapped using topographic maps (at a scale of 1:5000), aerial photographs, and a 2 m resolution Digital Elevation Model (DEM), supported by extensive field observations. OSL dating of selected samples from two of the terraces allowed us to correlate them with late Pleistocene Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) sea-level highstands and to estimate the long-term uplift rate. Based on the findings of the above approach, a long-term uplift rate of 0.36 ± 0.11 mm a−1 over the last 401 ± 10 ka has been suggested for the study area. The spatially uniform uplift of the broader Neapolis area is driven by the active subduction of the African lithosphere beneath the Eurasian plate since the study area is situated very close (~90 km) to the active margin of the Hellenic subduction zone.

Download Full-text

Late Quaternary deformation of marine terraces on the Cascadia Subduction Zone near Cape Blanco, Oregon

Tectonics ◽

10.1029/tc009i005p00983 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 9 (5) ◽

pp. 983-1014 ◽

Cited By ~ 41

Author(s):

Harvey M. Kelsey

Keyword(s):

Subduction Zone ◽

Late Quaternary ◽

Cascadia Subduction Zone ◽

Marine Terraces ◽

Quaternary Deformation

Download Full-text

Submarine Terraces Reveal Late Quaternary Tectonic Deformation in the Intermediate Zone Between the Island Shelf and Rift Zone of the Middle Part of the Nanseishoto Islands

10.21203/rs.3.rs-105736/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Hideaki Goto

Keyword(s):

Subduction Zone ◽

Rift Zone ◽

Late Quaternary ◽

Middle Part ◽

Intermediate Zone ◽

Tectonic Deformation ◽

The West ◽

West Side ◽

Marine Terraces ◽

Island Shelf

Abstract Late Quaternary tectonic deformation of coastal areas is usually examined based on the height distribution of paleo-shorelines observed on marine terraces. However, it is difficult to examine deformation along the subduction zone, in which small, isolated islands are distributed. In this paper, we focus on the widespread shallow submarine terraces surrounding the Iheya-Izena islands in the middle part of the Nanseishoto islands, where crustal deformation is not known. The islands are located in the intermediate zone between island shelf uplifted during the Late Quaternary and the rift zone occurred to the northwest, along the Okinawa trough.Detailed topographic anaglyph images and maps of the islands were produced using a digital elevation model (DEM) of the seafloor, which is stored by the Japan Coast Gard (JCG) and the Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (AIST). Topographic anaglyph images enabled us to identify the widespread distribution and deformation of the shallow seafloor above −200 m using red-cyan glasses.Four terrace-like features divided by small steps were found on the shallow seafloor, which are named T1, T2, T3, and T4, in descending order. Topographic expressions of paleo-shoreline depths are preserved on submarine terraces formed during the last glacial period. The paleo-shoreline depths of terraces T2 and T3 are −60 m and −70 m on the west side and −70 m and −80 m, respectively, on the east side of Iheyajima island; this indicates southeastward tilting. The tilting ratio of T2 and T3 was calculated to approximately 1‰. The tilting rate is approximately 1×10^4/kyr, assuming that the T2 was formed in 10–11 kyr. This is much more rapid than that of the last inter-glacial marine terraces in the Muroto peninsula, with a tilting rate of 4×10^5/kyr, which formed by steep northward tilting against the Nankai subduction zone. We suggest that this phenomenon is not related to mega-thrusting along the subduction zone, but rather to local deformation, probably caused by the reverse faulting of nearby active submarine faults along the west side of the islands.

Download Full-text