Rockfalls triggered by the <scp>ad</scp> 1356 Basle Earthquake

Becker, Arnfried; Davenport, Colin

doi:10.1046/j.1365-3121.2003.00496.x

Cited by 21 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 20 publications

(26 reference statements)

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“…Seventy-five of the total 91 mapped mass-flow deposits relate to 6 multiple mass-movement horizons showing that regional trigger mechanisms are important. Multiple mass movement deposits have been shown to be a common geological signature of strong historic earthquakes, both in subaerial (Keefer 2002;Becker & Davenport 2003;Harp et al 2003) and subaqueous environments Skinner & Bornhold 2003). In Lake Lucerne, the youngest multiple mass-movement horizon (Event C) relates to the 1601 A.D. Mw~ 6.2 earthquake and comprises 13 coeval mass-flow deposits, which are overlain by two megaturbidites in the center of the Chrüztrichter and Vitznau basins.…”

Section: Trigger Mechanismmentioning

confidence: 99%

15,000 Years of mass-movement history in Lake Lucerne: Implications for seismic and tsunami hazards

Schnellmann

Anselmetti

Giardini

et al. 2006

Eclogae geol. Helv.

127

178

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A chronological catalogue of Late Glacial and Holocene mass-movement deposits in Chrüztrichter and Vitznau Basins of Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstät-tersee) reveals a complex history of natural hazards affecting the lake and its shores. Ninety-one mass-flow and six megaturbidite deposits have been identified and mapped out with a grid of more than 300 km high-resolution seismic profiles. An age model based on the analyses of 10 long piston cores, 2 tephra layers and 32 AMS-14 C ages allowed building up a chronological event catalogue covering the last 15,000 years. Most of the identified mass-flow deposits relate to subaqueous sliding and subaerial rockfalling, as indicated by slide scars and rockfall cones on the lake floor. Deposits related to subaqueous sliding occur at the toe of slopes with inclinations >10°and reach their largest extents below slopes with inclinations between 10 and 20°. On subaqueous slopes >25°there is hardly any sediment accumulation. Rockfall cones and related mass-flow deposits in the northeastern and southern part of Vitznau basin evidence repeated rockfall activity, particularly along two zones on the northern face of Bürgenstock Mountain. Historic examples indicate that such rockfalls, as well as large subaqueous slides, can induce considerable tsunami waves in the lake. All of the 91 identified mass-flow deposits are associated with 19 seismic-stratigraphic event horizons. One of them comprises 13 mass-flow deposits and 2 megaturbidites and relates to the 1601 A.D. Mw~ 6.2 earthquake. By analogy, five older multiple mass-movement horizons, each including six or more coeval deposits, are interpreted to result from strong prehistoric earthquakes.

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Section: Trigger Mechanismmentioning

confidence: 99%

15,000 Years of mass-movement history in Lake Lucerne: Implications for seismic and tsunami hazards

Schnellmann

Anselmetti

Giardini

et al. 2006

Eclogae geol. Helv.

127

178

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“…Cliff sites immediately west of the cave failed during the AD 1356 Basle earthquake, as can be shown by several radiocarbon dates on rockfall blocks (Becker & Davenport, 2003). Because of its topographically exposed position (Gilli et al, 1999) in an area which strongly suffered from the AD 1356 Basle earthquake, it is quite possible that the widespread damage seen in the cave could be earthquake triggered, because most of the damage in this cave, which was discovered in 1972, is clearly not recent and thus not related to vandalism or quarry exploitation.…”

Section: Other Caves In the Basle Regionmentioning

confidence: 88%

“…2). This earthquake had a strong impact on several cliffs in the region as indicated by many fallen blocks (Becker & Davenport, 2003). The damage to Pfeffingen Castle (Fäh et al, 2009) only 200 m west of the cave (Fig.…”

Section: Dieboldslöchli Cavementioning

confidence: 98%

Active tectonics and earthquake destructions in caves of northern and central Switzerland

Becker¹,

Häuselmann²,

Eikenberg³

et al. 2012

IJS

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The present publication focuses on the study of caves in northern and central Switzerland in order to detect and date historical earthquakes and active tectonic displacements by investigations of broken and resealed or displaced speleothems datable by U/Th and 14 C. While it can be shown that these methods are potentially suitable, the ages obtained are often beyond the range of historically recorded earthquakes, and it cannot be proved that the observed and dated events are related to a seismic event. Particularly this is true for the caves in central Switzerland, where most ages in the Melchsee-Frutt region were beyond the limits of the U/Th method, or of late Pleistocene age in the Siebenhengste-Hohgant region. A direct comparison with known historical (or prehistoric) earthquakes was not possible. In contrast to central Switzerland, the results in the Basle region of northern Switzerland indicates cave and speleothem damages in one cave within the epicentral area of the 1356 Basle earthquake.14 C datings allowed to directly relate the speleothem damages to this M 6.9 earthquake. Further dating results from caves in northern Switzerland on speleothems and organic material in cave deposits supplied ages which indicate older events not related to the historical Basle earthquake. The detection of active fault displacements and prehistoric strong earthquakes can only be achieved by a very careful deciphering of the palaeo-environmental records and many more age determinations which allow to separate active tectonic displacements and seismic events from other events not related to tectonics, i.e. glaciations, creep of sediments, catastrophic floods etc.

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“…The role of earthquakes on rockfall activity has so far only been investigated through lichenometric (Bull and Brandon, 1998) or radiocarbon methods (Becker and Davenport, 2003), but not with dendrogeomorphology. There is thus a great need to incorporate this promising aspect into tree ring and rockfall research as well.…”

Section: Future Directionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Review of Studies Dealing with Tree Rings and Rockfall Activity: The Role of Dendrogeomorphology in Natural Hazard Research

Stoffel

2006

Nat Hazards

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Abstract. Over the last few years, rockfall research has increasingly focused on hazard assessment and risk analysis. Input data on past rockfall activity were gathered from historical archives and lichenometric studies or were obtained through frequency-volume statistics. However, historical records are generally scarce, and lichenometry may only yield data with relatively low resolutions. On forested slopes, in contrast, tree-ring analyses may help, generally providing annual data on past rockfall activity over long periods. It is the purpose of the present literature review to survey the current state of investigations dealing with tree-ring sequences and rockfall activity, with emphasis on the extent to which dendrogeomorphology may contribute to rockfall research. Firstly, a brief introduction describes how dendrogeomorphological methods can contribute to natural hazard research. Secondly, an account is provided of the output of dendrogeomorphological studies investigating frequencies, volumes or spatial distributions of past rockfall activity. The current and potential strengths of dendrogeomorphology are then presented before, finally, the weaknesses of tree rings as natural archives of past rockfall activity are discussed and promising directions for further studies outlined.

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Rockfalls triggered by the ad 1356 Basle Earthquake

Cited by 21 publications

References 20 publications

15,000 Years of mass-movement history in Lake Lucerne: Implications for seismic and tsunami hazards

15,000 Years of mass-movement history in Lake Lucerne: Implications for seismic and tsunami hazards

Active tectonics and earthquake destructions in caves of northern and central Switzerland

A Review of Studies Dealing with Tree Rings and Rockfall Activity: The Role of Dendrogeomorphology in Natural Hazard Research

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