Timing of earthquake ruptures at the Al Harif Roman aqueduct (Dead Sea fault, Syria) from archaeoseismology and paleoseismology

Sbeinati, Mohamed Reda; Meghraoui, Mustapha; Suleyman, Ghada; Gomez, Francisco; Grootes, P. M.; Nadeau, Marie‐Josée; Najjar, Haithem Al; Al-Ghazzi, R.

doi:10.1130/2010.2471(20)

Cited by 30 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…Global Positioning System plate velocities along the fault system suggest 2:5-6 mm=yr ( Fig. 1a; also, McClusky et al, 2003;Wdowinski et al, 2004;Reilinger et al, 2006;Gomez et al, 2007;Le Beon et al, 2008;Alchalbi et al, 2010) that are comparable to 4-7 mm=yr geological slip rates (Garfunkel et al, 1981;Ginat et al, 1998;Klinger et al, 2000;Niemi et al, 2001;Meghraoui et al, 2003;Gomez et al, 2003;Daëron et al, 2004;Akyüz et al, 2006;Ferry et al, 2007;Karabacak et al, 2010;Sbeinati et al, 2010) measured at 2-to-100-ka time scales. It implies 3-5 m of slip deficit for the different segments and suggests an increasing potential for destructive events in the near future.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 87%

Episodic Behavior of the Jordan Valley Section of the Dead Sea Fault Inferred from a 14-ka-Long Integrated Catalog of Large Earthquakes

Ferry¹,

Meghraoui²,

Karaki³

et al. 2011

Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America

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International audienceAbstract The continuous record of large surface-rupturing earthquakes along the Dead Sea fault brings unprecedented insights for paleoseismic and archaeoseismic research. In most recent studies, paleoseismic trenching documents the late Holocene faulting activity, while tectonic geomorphology addresses the long-term behavior (>10 ka), with a tendency to smooth the effect of individual earthquake rupture events (Mw >7). Here, we combine historical, archaeological, and paleoseismic investigations to build a consolidated catalog of destructive surface-rupturing earthquakes for the last 14 ka along the left-lateral Jordan Valley fault segment. The 120- km-long fault segment limited to the north and the south by major pull-apart basins (the Hula and the Dead Sea, respectively) is mapped in detail and shows five subsegments with narrow stepovers (width < 3 km). We conducted quantitative geomorphology along the fault, measured more than 20 offset drainages, excavated four trenches at two sites, and investigated archaeological sites with seismic damage in the Jordan Valley. Our results in paleoseismic trenching with 28 radiocarbon datings and the archaeoseismology at Tell Saydiyeh, supplemented with a rich historical seismic record, document 12 surface-rupturing events along the fault segment with a mean interval of ∼1160 yr and an average 5 mm=yr slip rate for the last 25 ka. The most complete part of the catalog indicates recurrence intervals that vary from 280 yr to 1500 yr, with a median value of 790 yr, and suggests an episodic behavior for the Jordan Valley fault. Our study allows a better constraint of the seismic cycle and related short-term variations (late Holocene) versus long-term behavior (Holocene and late Pleistocene) of a major continental transform fault

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 87%

Episodic Behavior of the Jordan Valley Section of the Dead Sea Fault Inferred from a 14-ka-Long Integrated Catalog of Large Earthquakes

Ferry¹,

Meghraoui²,

Karaki³

et al. 2011

Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America

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“…As most aqueducts carried water all the time, the deposits form a continuous record of water discharge, composition and temperature for the lifetime of the aqueduct (Passchier & Sürmelihindi, ). Many aqueducts operated for decades, and some deposits in aqueducts represent up to 800 years (Sbeinati et al ., ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Trace‐element data of calcareous sinter deposits were successfully applied to determine the provenance of water for the aqueducts of Fréjus and Pompeii, both of which were fed by more than one source (Ohlig, ; Guendon et al ., ; Bobée et al ., ). Finally, a number of previous studies tried to use calcareous sinter deposits in aqueducts to obtain information on palaeoseismicity (Meghraoui et al ., ; Volant et al ., ; Galli et al ., ; Sbeinati et al ., ). Although these studies addressed the problem of layering in aqueduct calcareous sinter to some extent, this article aims at a more thorough investigation of the nature of layering by a combination of analytical techniques and a discussion of factors that may have contributed to its formation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Laminated carbonate deposits in Roman aqueducts: Origin, processes and implications

et al. 2013

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Carbonate deposits in Roman aqueducts of Patara and Aspendos (southern Turkey) were studied to analyse the nature of their regular layering. Optical microscopy and electron-backscattered diffraction results show an alternation of dense, coarsely crystalline, translucent laminae composed of bundles and fans of elongate calcite crystals with their c-axes parallel to the long axis, and porous, fine-grained laminae with crystals at near-random orientation. The d 18 O and δ 13 C data show a strong cyclicity and anti-correlation, whereby high and low δ 18 O values correspond to dense columnar and porous fine-grained laminae, respectively. Geochemical analyses show similar cyclic changes in carbonate composition. Electron microprobe and laser ablation inductively coupled mass spectrometry analyses show that porous finegrained laminae are enriched in elements associated with detrital material (Fe, Mg, K, Al and Si), whereas the dense columnar laminae are nearly pure calcite. The gradient in major and trace-element distribution, regular changes in crystal type and in oxygen and carbon-isotope composition from porous fine-grained to dense columnar laminae reflect changes in water chemistry, discharge, temperature and biological activity. Because of the strong bimodal cyclicity of the Mediterranean climate in southern Turkey, the observed laminae can be attributed to calcite deposition during the dry (porous finegrained) and wet season (dense columnar), respectively. This observation implies that, with proper geochemical and microstructural control, lamination in carbonate deposits in Roman aqueducts can be used for relative dating of aqueduct construction and maintenance and to obtain data on external factors that influenced the aqueducts, such as palaeoclimate and natural hazards. Carbonate deposits in Roman aqueducts show properties of both flowstone speleothems and riverine fresh water tufa. As many aqueducts of nearly identical channel geometry are present in different climate zones and with different source water characteristics, they can be used as natural experiment setups to test and improve existing models of how laminated fresh water carbonates record climate on time scales ranging from seasonal to millennial.

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“…In some cases, the channel itself was cut by a fault (Marra et al, 2004;Levret et al, 2008;Galli and Naso, 2009;Volant et al, 2009;Galli et al, 2010). Reported damage is usually minor, but in one case, in Syria, a cumulative strike-slip displacement of 13 m was recorded (Meghraoui et al, 2003;Sbeinati et al, 2010). Such dislocations identify active faults and can provide quantitative data on fault displacement and tilting.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many aqueducts show a layered carbonate deposit in the channel similar to riverine tufa (Matsuoka et al, 2001;Ihlenfeld et al, 2003;Kano et al, 2004;Brasier et al, 2011), known in the aqueduct literature as 'aqueduct sinter' (Grewe, 1986(Grewe, , 1992. Investigation of these carbonate deposits may give clues on how many times the channel was damaged and repaired, the period of operation of the aqueduct, and the age of the seismic events (Meghraoui et al, 2003;Sbeinati et al, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Normal fault displacement dislocating a Roman aqueduct of Ephesos, western Turkey

et al. 2013

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A 38‐km‐long ancient aqueduct channel that served Roman Ephesos, Turkey was dislocated vertically over 3 m by a single seismic event on a normal fault. A new channel was constructed downstream from the fault in Roman times, next to and partly on top of the original channel. Archaeological investigations and study of carbonate deposits suggest a causative seismic event in the second half of the second century CE, probably in 178 CE, after the original channel had functioned for <35 years. The İçme Tepe fault was identified as responsible for the displacement and may still constitute a seismic and tsunami hazard for the Turkish west coast, specifically for the city of Kuşadası. Ancient aqueducts, of which more than 1400 are presently known, are a promising and almost untapped archive for archaeoseismic studies, especially in the Mediterranean area.

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Timing of earthquake ruptures at the Al Harif Roman aqueduct (Dead Sea fault, Syria) from archaeoseismology and paleoseismology

Cited by 30 publications

References 49 publications

Episodic Behavior of the Jordan Valley Section of the Dead Sea Fault Inferred from a 14-ka-Long Integrated Catalog of Large Earthquakes

Episodic Behavior of the Jordan Valley Section of the Dead Sea Fault Inferred from a 14-ka-Long Integrated Catalog of Large Earthquakes

Laminated carbonate deposits in Roman aqueducts: Origin, processes and implications

Normal fault displacement dislocating a Roman aqueduct of Ephesos, western Turkey

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