Toward an integrative geological and geophysical view of Cascadia subduction zone earthquakes

Walton, MAL; Staisch, LM; Dura, T; Pearl, JK; Sherrod, B; Gomberg, J; Engelhart, SE; Trehu, A; Watt, J; Perkins, J; Witter, RC; Bartlow, N; Goldfinger, C; Kelsey, HM; Morey, AE; Sahakian, VJ; Tobin, H; Wang, K; Wells, R; Wirth, E

Abstract

The Cascadia subduction zone (CSZ) is an exceptional geologic environment for recording evidence of land-level changes, tsunamis, and ground motion that reveals at least 19 great megathrust earthquakes over the past 10 kyr. Such earthquakes are among the most impactful natural hazards on Earth, transcend national boundaries, and can have global impact.Reducing the societal impacts of future events in the US Pacific Northwest and coastal British Columbia, Canada, requires improved scientific understanding of megathrust earthquake rupture, recurrence, and corresponding hazards. Despite substantial knowledge gained from decades of research, large uncertainties remain about the characteristics and frequencies of past CSZ earthquakes. In this review, we summarize geological, geophysical, and instrumental evidence relevant to understanding megathrust earthquakes along the CSZ and associated uncertainties. We discuss how the evidence constrains various models of great megathrust earthquake recurrence in Cascadia and identify potential paths forward for the earthquake science community.

Citation

Walton, M., Staisch, L., Dura, T., Pearl, J., Sherrod, B., Gomberg, J., Engelhart, S., Trehu, A., Watt, J., Perkins, J., Witter, R., Bartlow, N., Goldfinger, C., Kelsey, H., Morey, A., Sahakian, V., Tobin, H., Wang, K., Wells, R., & Wirth, E. (2021). Toward an integrative geological and geophysical view of Cascadia subduction zone earthquakes. Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 49, 367-398. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-earth-071620-065605

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Jan 5, 2021
• Publication Date: 2021-05
• Deposit Date: Dec 14, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 5, 2022
• Journal: Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences
• Print ISSN: 0084-6597
• Electronic ISSN: 1545-4495
• Publisher: Annual Reviews
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 49
• Pages: 367-398
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-earth-071620-065605
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1255461