Potential for surface rupture from seismic activity in the Richardson fault array

育空地区北部的韦尔内克山脉高耸崎岖，海拔高达1500米。几个突出的断层统称为理查森断层阵列，似乎记录了韦内克山脉及其以北的理查森山脉最近的差异运动。这个阵列横跨了以前形成的区域褶皱，这些褶皱形成于大约9000-6000万年前。断层是否只比褶皱略年轻，或者它们是否一直活跃到更近的时代，还不得而知。韦尔内克和理查森山脉是加拿大地震最活跃的地区之一，这意味着理查森断层阵列继续活跃，至少在深处，但可能也在地表。 克诺尔断裂和蛇河断裂是断裂序列中最突出的两条断裂，它们局部记录了高角度的反向运动，可能是整个右行走滑系统中的扭压构造。2010年8月，克诺尔断层地表下发生5.2级地震。 该项目将评估理查森断层阵列最近或过去数百万年突破地表的可能性。为了验证这一想法，将对克诺尔河和蛇河断层进行详细的测绘和结构分析，并对断层两侧的样品进行低温热年代学研究。结果将显示蛇河和克诺尔断层--可能还有阵列中的其他断层--在最近的地质历史中是否活跃。这些发现将对该区域的地貌和气候演变产生影响，并阐明涉及定居点、道路、大坝、矿山、水井和管道的工业和人类发展面临的地震风险。

The Wernecke mountain range of northern Yukon is high and rugged, rising up to 1500 m above the surrounding terrain. Several prominent faults collectively termed the Richardson fault array appear to record the most recent differential motions in the Wernecke Mountains, and the Richardson Mountains to the north. This array cuts across previously formed regional folds that developed approximately 90-60 million years ago. Whether the faults are only slightly younger than the folds, or if they remained active into more recent times, is unknown. The Wernecke and Richardson mountains are one of the most seismically active regions in Canada, implying that the Richardson fault array continues to be active, at least at depth but possibly also at the surface. The Knorr and Snake River faults are two of the most prominent strands of the fault array, and they locally record high-angle reverse motion, and may be transpressional structures in an overall dextral strike-slip system. A 5.2 Magnitude earthquake was located beneath the surface trace of the Knorr Fault in August, 2010. This project will evaluate the possibility that the Richardson fault array broke through to the surface recently or in the past few million years. To test this idea, detailed mapping and structural analysis of the Knorr and Snake River faults will be carried out, and low-temperature thermochronology will be performed on samples taken from both sides of the fault. The results will show if the Snake River and Knorr faults -- and possibly other faults in the array -- were active in the recent geological past. These findings will bear on the geomorphic and climatic evolution of the region and clarify the seismic risk to industrial and human development involving settlements, roads, dams, mines, wells and pipelines.