Paleoseismicity of the North American-Caribbean plate boundary (Septentrional fault), Dominican Republic Carol 8. Prentice U.S. Geological Survey, MS. 977, 345 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park, California 94025 S. Valastro Radiocarbon Laboratory, Texas Memorial Museum, University of Texas {8701 North Mopac Boulevard, Austin, Texas 78759-8945 ABSTRACT ‘The Septentrional fault zone, the major North American-Caribbean plate-boundary fault, in Hispaniola, isa likely source of large earthquakes in the Dominican Republic. An excavation into a Holocene alluvial fan deposited aeross the fait in the central Cibao Valley, Dominican Republic, provides evidence that it has been at least 430 yr and probably more than 730 yr since the last ground-rupturing earthquake along this segment of the fault. On the basis ofthese data and published estimates of the plate-tectonic slip rate, we propose tha the Septentriona fault [sasource of high seismac potentalin the densely populatd and rapidly developing Ciao Valley in the northern Dominican Republic. INTRODUCTION ‘The island of Hispaniola lies within the seismically active North American-Carib- bean plate boundary, a left-tateral strike-slip fault zone. The North American plate moves at arate of between ~1 and 4 emiye relative to the much smaller Caribbean plate (cf. Mann et al., 1990) (Fig. 1). Geologic and ‘marine geophysical studies indicate thatthe left-lateral Septentrional fault zone isthe ma: Jor strike-slip plate-boundary fault between the North American and Caribbean plates in northern Hispaniola (Mann etal, 1984; de Zoeten and Mann, 1992; Winslow et al., 1992; Edgar, 1992; Dillon et al., 190, 1992; Mullins et al., 1992; J. F. Dolan, 1992, per sonal commu.) (Fig. 1). Previous mapping has shown that the Sep tentrional faultextends overadistance of 320 ‘km and forms the linear break in slope be- tween the highlands of the Cordillera Sep- tentrional and the lowlands ofthe Cibao Val- ley, in the Dominican Republic (de Zocten ‘and Mann, 1992) (Fig. 2). The active trace of ‘the Septentrional fault formsa prominent lin- ‘eament on radar images and forms a scarp in the Quaternary alluvium of the Cibao Valley parallel to the mountain front over much of {he length ofthe valley (Fig. 3). This fault is, continuous with active strike-slip faults stud ied to the east off the north coast of Puerto Rico in the Puerto Rico trench (Masson and Scanlon, 1991) and to the west along the northern coast of Haiti (Renard etal, 1992), ‘nd it appears to accommodate much, if not all, of te interplate strike-slip motion in the area of northem Hispaniola. Although re- ‘cent marine studies have shown evidence for active folding, no continuous. strike-slip aulting is reported off the northern coast of Hispaniota Dillon etal, 1992; Mullins etl, 1992). South of the Septentrional fault, the GEOLOGY, v. 2, p. 49-82 January 1993 Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault zone is a second zone of active strike-slip faulting that ‘occurs across the southern margin of His: ppaniola and has been proposed.as the bound- ary of a small microplate in the interplate zone (Rosencrantz and Mann, 1991). The in- tervening area between the two faults in His- paniolais elevated to more than 3 km and ‘was complexly deformed in Neogene time. The Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault zone does not extend to the southeastern coast of Hispaniola, but ends about 150 km west of Santo Domingo (Mann et al., 1984; Rosen- crantz and Mann, 1991) (Fig. 2). Although large earthquakes have oc- curred throughout the 500 yr recorded his tory of Hispaniola (Scherer, 1912; Taber, 1922; Kelleher etal, 1973), it is not known ‘which fault or faults) is responsible for any of these earthquakes, However, at east five 0 CARIBBEAN PLATE (CARIBBEAN SEA ‘earthquakes (A.D. 1564, 1783, 1842, 1887, and 1897) produced strong shaking in the Cibao Valley south ofthe Septentrional fault (ig. 2). The largest historical earthquakes, in 1564 and 1842, produced high-intensity shaking in a 300-km-long zone parallel tothe Septentrional fault in northwestern Hispan- {ola (Kelleher etal, 1973). The 1568 earth ‘quake severely damaged the Spanish colo- nial towns of Old Santiago and La Vega in the Cibao Valley (Scherer, 1912) (Fig. 2). ‘To study the history of earthquake occur- rence on the Septentrional fault in the north- ‘em Dominican Republic, we excavated up- per Holocene sedimentary strata deposited across the fault in the Cibao Valley of north- central Hispaniola (Figs. 2 and 3). Results from detailed study ofthis exposure and ra diocarbon dating, presented below, indicate the occurrence of a large earthquake that caused fault surface rupture at this site more than 730 yr ago. Since that time, no other ground-rupturing earthquake has been re corded at this site. A possible disturbance in the upper part ofthe section could represent a later earthquake that caused folding, but did not rupture the ground surface, more ‘than 430 yr ago. Deposits overlying this ho- rizonareundeformed. thas beenat least 430 and probably more than 730 yr since an 1 oo km_ 60019°90" * san Francisco ‘do Marcon oo 7048 70°30 708 Figure 2. Location map of study srea (inset A) showing Septentrional and Enriqullo-Piantain ‘Gardon faut zones (Fz) across Hispaniola. Black rectangle in Inset Ainlcates area of main igure. Main figure i location map of trench site along Septentrional fault in Cibso Valley. Rectangle Inclcates area of inset 8. Septetrional fault scarp Is represented by heavy lines, dashed where Uncertain; balls are on down-dropped side of scarp. Shaded regions arehils higher than S00". inset Bis enlargement of trenchaite area showing relations of trench to scarp and alluvial fan of Ro CCenov'. Sold Ines represent scarp of Septeivional Tau; dashed lines represent projected trace 0° of fault where itis buried under young sedimentary stata deposited by Ro Cena. ‘earthquake large enough to produce ground {deformation was recorded at this site along the Septentrional fault. On the basis ofthese data and estimates of platetectonic. slip rates, we propose that a high seismic poten- tial is associated with this fault in the Cibao ‘Valley of northern Hispaniola. EXCAVATION ‘The scarp ofthe Septentronal fault is bur- ied by sedimentary strata deposited on an alluvial fan of the Rio Cenov{ near the town of Salcedo (Figs. 2 and 3). We excavated a 3-4-m-deep, 30-m-ong trench across the buried trace of the fault. Our excavation ex- posed @ stratigraphic section of fine- and ‘coarse-grained fluvial and calm-water sedi- mentary deposits (Fig. 4). The lowermost stratigraphic units exposed in the trench are deformed: units 85, 80, and 70 are displaced by six faults, and units 80 and 70 are folded into a broad anticline (Fig. 4). These rela- tions indicate that a large earthquake caused surface rupture and folding atthe time that ‘unit 70 formed the ground surface. Sedimen- tation ater this event (units 654, 65B, €5C, and 65D) filed in low areas along the fault scarp and limbs of the anticline, Units 65A through 65D pinch out over the crest ofthe anticline and were not deposited on the rel- atively uplifted southwestern side of the fault; in both ofthese higher areas units 60 ‘and 70 are indistinguishable. Cobbles and pebbles derived from unit 85 are scattered in Figure 3. Aerial photograph of Clbao Valley. Town in lower lat Is Salcedo (location In Fig. 2}. Black arrows indicate scarp Quaternary alluvium formed by recent activity of Septntronal fault. White {arrows show location of mountan front, about 2 km northeast of active faut trace. T In center of Photograph is trench ste. ” the clay of unit 60 within afew metres north- cast ofthe fault zone. These probably rolled Off the scarp formed in the loose gravel of unit 85. ‘No faults extend into the stratigraphic sec- tion above unit 70, suggesting that no surface faulting occurred after deposition of sedi- ‘ments overlying unit 70. However, horizons ‘between units 60 through 40 are not horizon- tal across the length of the excavation; they change elevation over the fault zone (Fig. 4). “This might indicate an earthquake that de- formed, but did not rupture, these sedimen- tary deposits at the time unit 40 formed the ground surface. We propose three possible explanations for this change in dip: (1) the fault slipped at depth under the trench ste, ‘but no brite faulting propagated to the sur- face; 2) an adjacent segment ofthe Septen- ‘tional fault ruptured (along strike northwest ‘or southeast ofthe trench site), causing fold- ing beyond the end ofthe rupture zone atthe trench site; or (3) these horizons mantle the scarp, and the bedding dips are depositional, not tectonic, Although we think the earth- ‘quake alternatives are unlikely, we cannot rule them out. None ofthe sedimentary de- posits above unit 40 are deformed. There- fore, no earthquake large enough to cause any ground deformation along this Fault seg ‘ment is recorded at this site after the depo- sition of unit $0, RADIOCARBON AGES The results of 32 radiocarbon analyses show tha this stratigraphic section has been deposited over the past 2400 yr (Table 1). OF these dates, 2 are reliable: they are in stati- sraphic order, and multiple dates from i vidual units are indstinguishable. For units 80, 70, 65, 0, $0, and 40, we average mul- tiple samples that yield indistinguishable ages to give the average age ranges (Fig. 5). (Stuiver and Reimer, 1986). ‘Ten of the dates are unreliable (indicated by italic printin Table 1), Allofthe unreliable dates that are fromthe University of Arizona are from samples that were noted as ques- tionable in quality atthe lab because of their extremely smal size andlor the presence of ‘organic-ich lay andsiltinthe sample. Inthe cases where charcoal could be separated from the clay and silt-rich samples by hand picking, the charcoal fraction produced sig- nificantly younger dates, consistent with the ages of other samples. Therefore, we believe thatthe clay and silt contained ancient car- Donate that did not respond to pretreatment and contaminated the samples, giving rro- neously old ages. All of the bulk samples analyzed at the University of Texas con- sisted of large amounts of this organietich clay and sit, and we suspect that these dates are also t00 old Inthe ease of unit 60, where GEOLOGY, January 1955,UM, aged? aa vertical ‘Shor tines tm units 10,50, ‘and 80 represent diacontin- ‘vous bedding planes. Units 60,658, and 70 (shown ick) are dark gray 10 black, arganiewich, mas- ‘ive sity elaystone; unit 60 Contains lelated cobbles and pebbles derived from unit 85 within afew meres northeast of fault zone Units 10,30, 50, 65A, 65C, 65D, and 80 are tan, massive, sity, very fie grained fo fine-grained sandstone; unit 80 contains lenses of pebbly medium to coarse-grained sand near fault zone. Unit 85 consists of massive, potty sorted pebbles, cobbles, and boulders up to 1'm in dameter: In upper 20 cm, clasts are surrounded by black, forganicwich clay matrix (unit 60), and most of unt i cast supported. Black dots Inalate locations of samples collected for radiocarbon analysis ‘Numbers in boxes refer to samples ited in Table 1. Evidence for surface rupture atime unit 70 was at ground surace Includes folding of units 70 ‘and 80 and faults extending into and terminating within unit 70. No faults rupture units above unit 70, but change In ip of unt 4D over fault zone could ‘present later carthqual clean charcoal samples are available, the charcoal gives significantly younger dates than the bulk samples. Inthe case of unit 70, ‘no charcoal samples are available, and the ages are from bulk samples of organic-rich clay and silt. Therefore, the age of unit 70s DISCUSSION The most recent ground-rupturing earth- ‘quake along the Septenirional faut recorded. at ths site occurred after deposition of unit 70 and before deposition of unit 65. The ra- diocarbon ages limit the date ofthis earth- ‘quake tobe after the interval A.D. 644-775, and before the interval A.D. 1158-1259 (Fig 5). Because the unit 70 dates are from bulk ‘samples of organic-rich clay, A.D. 644-725, islikely oo old and isamaximum age for this ‘unit. These dates show thatthe most recent ground-rupturing earthquake at this site oc- cured before A.D. 1259, more than 730 yr 290. ‘The change in dip inthe upper part of the section could be due toa more recent earth: ‘quake that folded but did not rupture the ‘round surface. In this case, the event oc ‘curred before deposition of unit 30, before A.D. 1657 (Fig 5). On the basis of damage distribution, historical earthquakes that could have been produced by the Septentri- ‘onal fault occurred in 1564, 1783, 1842, 1887, ‘and 1897 (Scherer, 1912; Kelleher et al., 1973). OF these, only the 1564 earthquake ‘could be associated with the change in dip of the sedimentary deposits exposed in the ex- cavation, because no disturbance is visible above the unit 30horizon, which was depos- ited before A.D. 1657. Therefore, no ground deformation has heen recorded at this site ‘more recently than A.D. 1564, almost 430 yr ‘ago, and no surface faulting has been re- corded more recently than A.D. 1259, more ‘than 730 yrago.Itis possible that large earth {quakes occurred that are not recorded inthe sedimentsat ths site (Bonilla and Lienkaem- per, 1991). However, the nature ofthe sed- iments (well bedded and strongly contrasting GEOLOGY, January 1993 that caused folding but id not rupture these units. Alternatively, thls chan colorand texture)is such thatthe occurrence. of surface deformation would likely have been recorded in subsequent events, as it was in the event at the unit horizon. Thus, the lack of any faults above the unit 70 ho- rizon and the complete lack of any deforma- tion above the unit 40 horizon suggest strongly that no earthquakes have caused surface deformation at thissite in atleast 430 yr, and probably more than 730 yr. ‘An elapsed time of more than 730 yr since the last ground-rupturing earthquake along this segment of the Septentrional fault zone suggests high earthquake potential for the CCitao Valley. Information needed to better define this potential, such as Holocene slip rate, slip per event, fault segmentation, and recurrence intervals between events, i not availabe for this fault zone. We can make a preliminary estimate of earthquake potential sing published rates of long-term slip rate ‘between the North American and Caribbean plates. These rates range from 12 = 3 mm/yr (DeMets et, 1987) 1037 + Smmyr (Sykes etal, 1982). ILisnotknown indetal how this, ‘motion is distributed across the width ofthe plate boundary. However, several geologic ‘and marine geophysical studies have shown ‘that the Septentrional fault zone has accom ‘modated much ifnot al of the late Neogene [eft-lateral North American-Caribbean plate motion (Mann ef al., 1984; de Zoeten and ‘Mann, 1992; Winslow et al, 1992; Edgar, 1982; Dillon etal, 1990, 1992: Mullins etal, 1992; J. F. Dotan, 1992, personal commun.) Part of the strike-slip motion could be ac: commolated by the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault zone (Fig. 2A). However, that fault zone terminates southwest of our trench site (Mann etal, 1984; Rosencrantz and Mann, 1991) and therefore probably ‘does not accommodate a significant part of the interplate strike-slip motion atthe longi- tude of our excavation. Although the slip rate ofthe Septentrional fault is unknown, we estimate that itis at least $ mm/yr, on the basis of the lowest estimate of total plate-boundary slip rate, 9 In dlp may be depositional mavyr (DeMets et al., 1987), and assuming that about half of the motion is accommo- dated by other faults or by aseismic defor- ‘mation. Although thsi a very conservative estimate, and the actual slip rate may be si nificantly higher, i provides a minimum es- timate of slip rate. At this slip rate, energy ‘equivalent to more than 3.5 m of sip would accumulate inthe more than 730 yr since the last ground-rupturing earthquake. If the change in dip at the unit 40 horizon repre- sents the most recent significant earthquake, it oceurred more than 430 yr ago. Ata min- imum slp rate of 5 mm/yr, this implies more than 2m of accumulated potential slip onthe Septentrional fault, equivalent to an earth- ‘quake of at least M 7 (Bonilla etal, 1984) Because these estimates are based on a min- imum estimated slip rate, the amount of ac- ‘cumulated slip and the implied seismic po- ‘ential may be significantly higher. For | ye0-resrao. | sea — (07-8880. wo | pam 120540. a ' _-1158 - 1259 A.D. (Avg) Earthquake “| 644-775 A.D. (Avg) Lt Figure 5. Stratigraphic column of section ex- posed in excavation summarizing average Slocaroon ages of units 10 through 80 and ‘showing rolatons of dated units to earthquake horizon al radiocarbon analyses are listed in ‘Table s‘TABLE 1. CALCULATED DATES FROM IfC ANALYSIS OF CHARCOAL, ORGANICRICH. SILT AND CLAY HORIZONS, AND ONE GASTROPOD (@1DRT2-20) NO. Sample MC get eB rs wou 2 sipRT220 360270 3 SIDRT2-148861482 G0 60 4 s1oRT?.1068——aso.460 S 91DRI2.17 ria 64 oDRT2B asa 6 9IDRT228 nial 7 SIDRTZI7BW 390.360 8 SIDRTZICE ——§y0359 9 sipeT27c 610350 ox supRT2-105c azar 108 supRT2-105¢ ica toc supRT2-105c aa UA SIDRT24DE ey HB SIDRT24DE. a 12 SIDRTRICE 70370 13 SIDRRICW se 340 1 SIDRZIZCW S20 250 15 SIDRT2-I7C West gp 290 16 SIDRT2.I716 reas 17 SIDRTRITDW 49480 He OIDRTRDE ag 440 9A SIDRT2-p17, aaa 198 SIDRT2-op17 onal 19 SIDRT2-p17 cata 20 SIDRT2A7DWes 310290 21 9IDRTRIDW ey BA SIDRTRIEW 219070, mB IDRTZISEW dae seo BA SIDRTRTARD Daeg 380, 2B IDRT2788D agua 24 91DRT270 Aa Note: iba ce as ce ios era at eae cs a eee ee ee ro eee oes me Set a eee eee | a ea ae ee ore Worst BC. 80 Dates of samples in italic are not in correct sraigraphic order, and we believe that these samples were contaminated with ancient carbon absorbed into the silt and clay that resisted pretreatment dissolution ‘Samples numbered 1-6B, 8 12, 14, 16-19C, and 22-24 were analyzed at the University of Arizona using accelerator mass spectrometry, samples numbered 7, 13, 15, 20, and 21, analyzed at the University of Texas, are bulk samples of orpanic-rich horizons dated by ‘radiocarbon analysis; numbers 6A. 8, 9, 10C, 11A, 11B, and 17-198 are best samples, hand-picked charcoal to eliminate contaminated clay and silt * Calculations assume a Libby half-life (5568 7). Sample and standard 8°C values are normalized to. -250/09, except simple SIDRT2-20, a terrestrial gastropod with 87C= -11.19/00, Uncertainties are 1 standard deviation ‘counting errors + Dendrochronologically calibrated, calendar age ranges from program of Stuiver and Reimer (1986), Method 1B, 10 y¢ calibration curve, 2 standard deviation uncertainty. § Weighted average using program of Stuiver and Reimer (1986), Method B, Calendar years, example, if the plate-tectonic slip rate is 20 ‘mvyr Jordan, 1975; Sten, 198) and half of this motion is accommodated on the Septen- ‘tional fault, the fault slip rate would be 10 ‘mmiyr. At this rate, more than 4 m of po tential sip would accumulate in 430 yr, and ‘more than 7 m in 730 ye. Ifthe estimate of ‘Sykes etal. (1982) is correct and the plate rate is 37 = S mmiyr and half this motion is 2 2 standard. deviation uncertainty. accommodated by the Septentrional fault, then as much as 15 m of potential slip would accumulate in 730 yr. These latter two cases imply the possibility of a great earthquake (M = 8) along the Septentrional fault. Addi tional paleoseismic studies to confirm the suggested long elapse time, and todetermine slip rate, slip per event, and occurrence of historic ‘and prehistoric earthquakes are needed to improve understanding of seismic ‘potential along the Septentrional fault, ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ‘Soppoted vy National Since Foondston gant EAR SONS. We thank F. Sat and, Be fo fed ‘saanee,§ Brouwer and ene of acobrge Dominicana, S.A Santo Domingo, and Unera Citta Mie y Macs, Sana, fo opel ape rs and Janes Doin, Marin Tate, Malin Car, Miche! Ryn, ad David Scnvart orrevews of the ‘Salona asp ear ena ET Re oman st Se Seon eee oS tip igemicca Seer fica nas See cmencnccmene een Garten Saas Veen rer eS res ees smu cr ei ono Se 1 RE eet eee ease oe sn cae ett oi hecracean ay haat san geemeectesane nefits ‘ets dA est ecto abe En "ona ie Come eh Cassa eS Spe poor sche hit teint a Se ‘son SB Areata Cutsrtsectemtion ta ured oS Rae 5 Sa Some, Mec WR Kae A 9, Mana cen ti i ee Sot ie ‘se Sree i Sealy Sl aya Same 6 18 GEOLOGY, Jamary 1953