Paleoseismological Investigations on the Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia

堪察加半岛南部的太平洋海岸提供了一个独特的机会，可以详细研究俯冲带几千年的历史。这项调查的长期目标是研究与该俯冲带有关的地震活动的可能分段和幕式。具体地说，这项研究将使用海啸沉积的频率作为地震活动的指标。由于堪察加火山灰层保存丰富，因此对海啸沉积物进行海岸带地层学、对比和年代测定是非常可行的。全新世海岸线历史被记录在现代和隆升的海岸阶地中，也可以用化石地层学来确定年代和对比。堪察加海岸几乎没有被占领或人类改变，所以沉积物保存得很好，很少受到干扰。该奖项支持美俄联合团队在俯冲区北端(堪察斯基海角)附近进行详细研究。这项初步研究涉及一项扩展的现场测绘、挖沟和地层描述计划；然后将对火山灰层和海啸沉积物的样本进行化学和粒度分析。为了改进已经存在的年代学，将从相关的泥炭层中获取放射性碳年代。然后，可以构建和统计分析复合剖面，以检查该区域海啸事件的长期历史。此外，这项工作将有助于重建与堪察加俯冲带有关的海啸的详细、短期历史。

The Pacific coast of the southern Kamchatka Peninsula offers a unique opportunity to study in detail the history of a subduction zone over several thousand years. The long-term goal of this investigation is to examine the possible segmentation and episodicity of seismicity associated with this subduction zone. Specifically, this study will use frequency of tsunami deposits as a proxy for seismic activity. Because tephra (volcanic ash layers) are abundantly preserved in Kamchatka, coastal zone stratigraphy, correlation and age dating of tsunami deposits are eminently feasible. Holocene shoreline history is recorded in modern and uplifted coastal terraces, which can also be dated and correlated using tephrostratigraphy. The Kamchatka coast has experienced little occupation or human alteration, so that deposits are well preserved and rarely disturbed. This award supports a combined U. S.-Russian team to conduct detailed studies near the northern end of the subduction zone (Cape Kamchatskiy). This pilot study involves an extended field program of mapping, trenching, and stratigraphic description; samples of ash layers and tsunami deposits will then be analyzed chemically and granulometrically. To improve already existing tephrochronology, radiocarbon dates will be acquired from associated peat layers. Composite sections can then be constructed and analyzed statistically to examine the long-term history of tsunamigenic events in this region. In addition, this work will help reconstruct a detailed, short-term history of tsunamis associated with the Kamchatka subduction zone.