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Published August 2005 | Published
Journal Article Open

Late Pleistocene and Holocene Paleoearthquake Activity of the Olinghouse Fault Zone, Nevada

Abstract

Paleoseismic trenching and fault surface trace mapping indicate that the Olinghouse fault zone, a northeast trending, left-lateral strike-slip fault located in the northern Walker Lane, Nevada, has been the source of multiple latest Pleistocene and Holocene surface-rupturing earthquakes. A trench exposure near the eastern end of the fault records two, and possibly three, earthquakes after 3360 ± 190 cal. yr B.P. and two trenches at the western end of the fault contain evidence for two earthquakes after 19,800 ± 630 cal. yr B.P., with the most recent earthquake occurring after 1935 ± 70 cal. yr B.P. The apparent higher frequency of recent earthquakes at the eastern end of the fault may reflect triggered slip on the Olinghouse fault zone due to earthquakes on the conjugate northwest-trending, right-lateral Pyramid Lake fault. Repeated late Pleistocene and Holocene earthquakes on the Olinghouse fault zone demonstrate that northwest-directed, right-lateral shear of the northern Walker Lane is accommodated in part by northeast-trending left-lateral faults.

Additional Information

© 2005 Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America. Manuscript received 1 July 2004. This study was funded in part by the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Project 02HQGR0037. D. Burt Slemmons cheerfully reviewed our field observations and frequent discussions with him helped focus this project. Christopher Sanders generously provided a set of airphotos. Andrew Rael provided important field observations early in the project. Thoughtful reviews by Phil Pearthree, Alessandro Michetti, Associate Editor Daniela Pantosti, and especially Steve Personius greatly improved this article. Finally, Wade Pearson gave us access to his mine lease and used his own excavator to dig Trench 1; we are deeply saddened by his passing and dedicate this small effort to him. Center for Neotectonic Studies contribution no. 47.

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Created:
August 19, 2023
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October 26, 2023