Paleoseismic evidence of the CE 1505 (?) and CE 1803 earthquakes from the foothill zone of the Kumaon Himalaya along the Himalayan Frontal Thrust (HFT), India

Malik, Javed N.; Naik, Sambit Prasanajit; Sahoo, Santiswarup; Okumura, Koji; Mohanty, Asmita

doi:10.1016/j.tecto.2016.07.026

Cited by 50 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Assuming the 30° dip of HFT as indicated by seismic reflection data, and radiocarbon ages from the displaced surfaces suggest 13.8 ± 3.6 mm/year of slip rate on HFT (Wesnousky et al 1999). Malik et al 2008Malik et al , 2010aMalik et al , b, 2015Malik et al , 2016Mishra et al 2016;Sapkota et al 2013;Yule et al 2006;Vassallo et al 2015) at the frontal and the hinterland faults of Himalaya Discontinuous scarplets of the Mohand Thrust which is a segment of HFT have displaced Quaternary alluvium at Rampur Ganda and at Lal Dang located ~24 km south and ~50 km southeast of Dehra Dun, respectively. The charcoal sample recovered from the faulted youngest unit from Rampur Ganda trench suggested that the recent event occurred around 1319-1380 and 1310-1442 AD (Fig.…”

Section: Dehradun Sectormentioning

confidence: 98%

“…1a). This region has not experienced any great magnitude earthquake since 1344 event (Kumahara and Jayangondaperumal 2013;Rajendran et al 2015;Malik et al 2016) or probably the event has not been precisely documented in historical chronicles. Few large magnitude earthquakes 6.6 ≥ Mw ≤ 7.8 have occurred in this region such as 1991 Uttarkashi earthquake Mw 6.9, 1999 Chamoli earthquake Mw 6.6, 1803 Mw 7.2 in Central Himalaya, and 1833 Mw 7.8 with an epicenter in the inferred rupture zone of 1934 Bihar-Nepal earthquake (Bilham 1995) (Fig.…”

Section: Seismicitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1a). Some of these earthquakes seem to have ruptured the upper brittle portion of the locked Main Himalayan Thrust (MHT) (Sapkota et al 2013;Malik et al 2015Malik et al , 2016 and have produced surface ruptures along HFT. The location of rupture areas of these large earthquakes exhibits a Seismic Gap and one such example is between 1905 Kangra and 1934 Bihar-Nepal earthquakes which is termed Central Seismic Gap (Khattri 1987;Khattri and Tyagi 1983;Bilham et al 1998;Bilham and Wallace 2005;Gupta and Gahalaut 2014) (Fig.…”

Section: Seismicitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the last few decades, several paleo-seismological investigation has been carried out along the active HFT which has provided significant data to understand the occurrence of large magnitude earthquakes in the Himalayan region (Wesnousky et al 1999;Malik and Nakata 2003;Lavé et al 2005;Malik et al 2008Malik et al , 2010aMalik et al , b, 2015Malik et al , 2016Kumar and Mahajan 2001;Kumar et al 2006Kumar et al , 2010Kumahara and Jayangondaperumal 2013;Sapkota et al 2013;Yule et al 2006;Bollinger et al 2014Bollinger et al , 2016Jayangondaperumal et al 2016;Mishra et al 2016). However, there exist constraints in terms of their period of occurrence and in determining the extent of surface rupture.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1a, 3). Succession of earthquakes along these Himalayan zones from historical archives of (Oldham 1883;Iyengar et al 1999;Pant 2002;Ambraseys and Douglas 2004) and the paleo-seismological data including timing, displacement of the latest event, and slip rates from the trench studies has been compiled (Bollinger et al 2014Gavillot et al 2016;Jayangondaperumal et al 2016;Kumar and Mahajan 2001;Kumar et al 2006Kumar et al , 2010Kumahara and Jayangondaperumal 2013;Kondo et al 2008;Lavé et al 2005;Meigs et al 2012, Madden et al 2011Malik and Nakata 2003;Malik et al 2008Malik et al , 2010aMalik et al , b, 2015Malik et al , 2016Mishra et al 2016;Sapkota et al 2013;Yule et al 2006;Vassallo et al 2015). An attempt has been made to highlight the problems of bracketing the ages and assigning a specific event to the surface ruptures along the Himalayan front, where other earthquake events with similar time frame could be fitted.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Overestimation of the earthquake hazard along the Himalaya: constraints in bracketing of medieval earthquakes from paleoseismic studies

Arora

Malik

2017

Geosci. Lett.

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The Himalaya is one of the most seismically active regions of the world. (Mw 7.8) are the testimony to ongoing tectonic activity. In the last few decades, tremendous efforts have been made along the Himalayan arc to understand the patterns of earthquake occurrences, size, extent, and return periods. Some of the large magnitude earthquakes produced surface rupture, while some remained blind. Furthermore, due to the incompleteness of the earthquake catalogue, a very few events can be correlated with medieval earthquakes. Based on the existing paleoseismic data certainly, there exists a complexity to precisely determine the extent of surface rupture of these earthquakes and also for those events, which occurred during historic times. In this paper, we have compiled the paleo-seismological data and recalibrated the radiocarbon ages from the trenches excavated by previous workers along the entire Himalaya and compared earthquake scenario with the past. Our studies suggest that there were multiple earthquake events with overlapping surface ruptures in small patches with an average rupture length of ~300 km limiting Mw 7.8-8.0 for the Himalayan arc, rather than two or three giant earthquakes rupturing the whole front. It has been identified that the large magnitude Himalayan earthquakes, such as 1905 Kangra, 1934 Bihar-Nepal, and 1950 Assam, that have occurred within a time frame of 45 years. Now, if these events are dated, there is a high possibility that within the range of ±50 years, they may be considered as the remnant of one giant earthquake rupturing the entire Himalayan arc. Therefore, leading to an overestimation of seismic hazard scenario in Himalaya.

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Section: Dehradun Sectormentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Seismicitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Seismicitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Overestimation of the earthquake hazard along the Himalaya: constraints in bracketing of medieval earthquakes from paleoseismic studies

Arora

Malik

2017

Geosci. Lett.

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Footprints of an elusive mid‐14th century earthquake in the central Himalaya: Consilience of evidence from Nepal and India

Rajendran

Sanwal

John³

et al. 2018

Geological Journal

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The timing and size of the last great earthquake in the central Himalaya continues to excite scientific controversy, despite a decade of palaeoseismological investigations. The studies along the frontal thrust in the Indian part of the central Himalaya disclose a faulting event between 14th and 15th century, and a dominant view presupposes the 1505 CE earthquake as the likely source. Here we evaluate the database along with independent inputs to determine the timing of the last faulting event on the frontal thrust of the central Himalaya. From the historical perspective, the Nepalese archives make a direct reference to a significant earthquake in 1344 CE, and the Indian sources hint at a restoration phase for the mid‐14th century monuments in the northern plains and coeval destruction to the ancient temples in the central Himalaya. Aside from the constraints generated from the earthquake proxies including liquefaction features and deformed stalagmites, the previous and currently acquired geological data from multiple trenches across the frontal thrust show that the last faulting event occurred between 13th and 14th centuries—the time interval coinciding with the 1344 CE earthquake. The episodic valley fills debris flow depositions identified in the Pokhara Valley in the east‐central Nepal provide additional constraints for the 1344 CE earthquake along with two previous ones in 1255 and 1100 CE. The consilience of multiple pieces of evidence from India and Nepal in combination with the new data inputs from two trench locales implicates the 1344 CE as the last of the medieval sequence of earthquakes. With a rupture length of ~600 km of the central Indian Himalaya and an average slip of 15 m, this earthquake is consistent with moment magnitude of Mw ≥8.5. An earthquake of similar size is overdue in this part of the Himalaya, considering the long elapsed time of ≤700 years.

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Quaternary landform study in Kosi and Dabka river valleys in Kumaun sub‐Himalaya: Implication of reactivation of thrusts

et al. 2019

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Landforms developed along the Main Boundary Thrust (MBT) and Himalayan Frontal Thrust (HFT) zones in Ramnagar area of Kumaun sub-Himalaya are studied. The geomorphic analyses suggest their spatial and temporal relationship with the reactivation of the boundary thrusts, faults, and associated later developed transverse faults. Mapping of geomorphic features and structural analysis of the MBT and HFT established an intimate relationship between thrusting of rocks along these major thrusts and evolution of landforms. The reactivations of the MBT and HFT have resulted in recent rejuvenation of landscapes formed in the thrust zones. In the MBT zone, the swerving of the channels, linear development of elongated depressions, sudden topographic breaks, and presence of relatively fresh-looking escarpments, uplifted present ground surfaces, V-shaped valleys, and occurrence of linear series of dormant and active landslides are observed. Along the Kosi River section, the vertical-dipping Neoproterozoic Lesser Himalayan rocks have overridden the recent landslide debris along the subsidiary steep reverse faults associated with the MBT. The HFT is topographically represented by an escarpment trending ESE-WNW along the Himalayan mountain front. In the HFT zone particularly at Ramnagar area, four levels of terraces are noted, the highest being a strath terrace. The surface trace of the HFT is offset by a transverse N-S trending Ramnagar Fault, which coincides with the course along which Kosi Rver flows. Uplift of the hanging wall block near the HFT has resulted in subsidence of the present ground surface towards the northeast away from the HFT trace. During this process, the transverse streams have vigorously incised the uplifted surfaces. Rivers and streams realigning with the bedrock structure suggest tectonic control on morphology of drainage patterns. Neotectonic activity along the intra-Siwalik thrust has offset a terrace surface into two surfaces that are separated by a fault scarp of about 50 m high. The bedrocks in the HFT region are gentle to steep dipping towards NW/NE/ESE. Both normal and reverse faults are recognized in the bedrocks. The general trend of the lineaments, which are concentrated in the thrust zones, is E-W. Two transverse faults trending nearly N-S cut and offset the HFT. Tectonic activity during the deposition of the Upper Siwalik rocks is evident from the occurrence of liquefaction features. Soft-sediment deformation structures are observed in fine-to medium-grained friable sandstones. These include up-welled structures (with vertical to inclined bedding

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Paleoseismic evidence of the CE 1505 (?) and CE 1803 earthquakes from the foothill zone of the Kumaon Himalaya along the Himalayan Frontal Thrust (HFT), India

Cited by 50 publications

References 35 publications

Overestimation of the earthquake hazard along the Himalaya: constraints in bracketing of medieval earthquakes from paleoseismic studies

Overestimation of the earthquake hazard along the Himalaya: constraints in bracketing of medieval earthquakes from paleoseismic studies

Footprints of an elusive mid‐14th century earthquake in the central Himalaya: Consilience of evidence from Nepal and India

Quaternary landform study in Kosi and Dabka river valleys in Kumaun sub‐Himalaya: Implication of reactivation of thrusts

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