From AIPG (1993). Faults may be associated with increased fracturing of bedrock in the immediately adjacent area. Other hypotheses attribute faulting to the continued rebound of the crust stemming from the most recent ice age, the buildup of pressure within the Reelfoot Rift zone located in the crustal rocks underground, or the stress brought on by mantle flow changes caused by the descent of the ancient Farallon Plate directly below the region. //--> Nelson (1981, 1983) provided examples of mining adjacent to and through faults in southern Illinois. Lying in the central area of the North American Plate, the seismic zone is about 45 miles (70 km) wide and about 125 miles (200 km) long. example, Sable (1979), as the Eastern Interior basin; others, such as Snyder (1968), use the latter term to The 9. suggest that the Waverly arch represents the position of this migratory arch during Beekmantown (Early HTML. 2 and caused major destruction throughout the state. McKeown (1983, p. 24). Surface traces of the faults in the soft alluvium erode quickly or may be rapidly covered by new deposits thereby hiding evidence of earlier earthquakes locations. The US Geological Survey estimates that the likelihood of an earthquake with a magnitude of 6 or greater in Kentucky is 0. These include (A) rotational faults (glide planes) bounding paleoslumps, (B) compactional faults along cutout (paleochannel) margins and around or beneath roof rolls, and (C) clay-vein faults. The boundary between these two structural provinces, Middle Ordovician age and the Lexington Limestone (01) of Middle and Late Ordovician age. The quakes epicenter was in Mineral, Virginia, about 90 miles southwest of Washington, D.C., and was so powerful that Union Station, the Pentagon and the Capitol Building were all evacuated. (See New Madrid earthquakes of 181112.). Bullitt County - Shepherdsville. Data set is derived from the 7.5-minute geologic quadrangle maps (scale 1:24,000); then attributed, edgematched, and compiled for statewide coverage. HWmo6_0|I(8JSKN jSmEc&q2Hxsw:Bc$SLHqm(cd?v%:X(rx7LPd)sT|'r|K:G% _ c%*H4'%QH%o;desKS*9."|\ '-[QoE0(Z7`R thisYr = thisYr + 1900; The fact is most states are at risk of major . Valley syncline (Krause and Treworgy, 1979). Embayment) and in central Kentucky (Keller and others, 1982). Cumberland Plateau of Kentucky and Tennessee. These fractures can also contribute to roadway failure. For information on obtaining Kentucky Geological Survey maps and publications call: Public Information Center 859.257.3896. Geophysical studies of the Moorman syncline by Thus, it is important that building owners take the necessary steps to increase the safety of structures in this seismic zone. It started at 8:11pm GMT on May 22nd 1960 and ended at approximately 8:21pm GMT. But, also located beneath much of western Kentucky is the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ). The Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. In Alabama, the fault line is concentrated in the northeastern part of the state, extending from Cullman County to Lauderdale County. The age is closely constrained: disturbed beds include 198 earthquakes in the past 365 days. The Cascadia Subduction Zone, Pacific Northwest By the time Lewis and Clark arrived on the West Coast in 1805, it had been 105 years since the Cascadia Subduction Zone last ruptured, sending a large portion of the Pacific Ocean roaring toward the coast. Published descriptions or examples of faults in Kentucky coal mines cite faults through the Western Kentucky No. Ages range to thicken into the Appalachian basin. Corrections? Known Kentucky occurrences: Tectonic faults do not occur everywhere, so faulting is not pervasive. Most polygon layers have some transparency set (e.g. 3 quake occurred near Smiths Grove. the geologic map layers are set at 20% transparent by default). In essence, these faults acted as a hinge line that cracked and broke when the Appalachian Basin was subsiding. Underlying shale may restrict percolation in some areas. California experiences thousands of earthquakes each year, many of which cause moderate to significant damage. New construction in Richmond represents different land use characteristics than were there previously. Kentucky geologic map data A GIS database of geologic units and structural features in Kentucky, with lithology, age, data structure, and format written and arranged just like the other states. The KyGeoNet is the Geospatial Data Clearinghouse for the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The seismic activity within this zone is due to the New Madrid fault system that lies underneath the Mississippi Valley. http://kgs.uky.edu/kgsweb/download/wrs/MADISON.pdf, Water well information is available at: http://wris.state.ky.us/website/kgs/viewer.htm. Thanks for contacting us. Left: All is well in this newly built home until water from percolation, drains, lawn sprinklers, leaking sewers, or water mains soaks swelling soil beneath the foundation. 0 (photo by Edward Nuhfer), Homes constructed in areas of steep slopes can cause earth movements if not properly planned, as shown in the photographs above and below. Engineering design principles are employed in roadways and bridges to prepare for such situations. P, Elliott County peridotite intrusion. composite thickness for the entire basin of at least 63,000 ft but reaches a maximum thickness in any one Cable and Beardsley (1984) have traced the westward Keller (1981) indicate that the Moorman syncline is underlain by a large graben, which they name the There are some minor faults in eastern and western Kentucky, but they are not thought to be active. Road cut design must take into account how weathering will affect various rock types. Thankfully, the area was not as populated as it is now, so the damage was limited. field (sheet I of the geologic map). 8, with anything past that not being measureable or happening at all. area dominated by numerous closely spaced high-angle faults trending northeastward from the Mississippi They are covered by the Tertiary strata and are not visible at the surface, so they all appear to stop at the Tertiary on the geology map. Yes, there have been 10. 0000000476 00000 n One of the largest earthquakes in North American history happened just west of Hickman, Kentucky, on the Missouri side of the Mississippi River. To select data from a rectangular area, hold the Ctrl key (use Cmd key on Macs) and drag the pointer. A map of earthquakes epicenters, however, reflects faulting at depth and shows that the earthquakes define several branches of the New Madrid seismic zone in northeastern Arkansas, southwestern Kentucky, southeastern Missouri, and northwestern Tennessee. The Irvine-Paint Creek fault system extends eastward from central This is called a fault. The. Discontinuities and obstacles:Where a fault intersects a mined coal seam, the coal seam will be offset, generally causing an abrupt end to the seam into rock on the other side of the fault plane. OKeefe and others (2008) reported on a mine in Hopkins County that began in the Springfield coal, crossed a fault without much offset into the Coiltown coal (W. Ky. No. No major damage was reported, although numerous cracks and water leaks appeared in homes in Hardinsburg. recurrence curve plotted for the New Madrid seismic zone (Nuttli, 1979) shows that, for example, in a %%EOF 877.778.7827 (toll free). This was followed by Middle(?) Englund and Roen (1963) suggested a meteor-impact origin for the structure on the basis of the presence of Six states that are most at risk for earthquakes are Alaska, California, Hawaii, Washington, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. Digital Map of the Hayward Fault Map showing active fault traces within the Hayward Fault Zone, including a virtual tour of the Hayward fault in the east San Francisco Bay Region that can be viewed in the Google Earth. Amos, 1984). Kentucky (Nuttli, 1979, p. 68). The KGS Home > Geology of Kentucky 70 mi on the Grenville Front at the Kentucky River fault system and a north-trending basaltic rift zone some Cross sections and block diagrams (like the one above) can be used to illustrate why the units of geologic strata on the geologic map and corresponding land-surface features on the physiographic map occur where they do in the State. The fault passes through Winston, Blount, Cullman, and Marshall counties, as well as portions of Madison, Jackson and Dekalb counties, before continuing into northern Mississippi. Carter County - Grayson. 1 on the Richter scale. The fractures are covered by thick layers of rock, which in turn are . Rough Creek graben, that was active as early as latest Precambrian or earliest Cambrian time and that has Originally, the network provided a group of geologists who served as resource persons for teachers. 5) also show right lateral offset of about In addition to the physical destruction, an earthquake of this magnitude would also cause a great deal of emotional and psychological distress. The pressures from mountain building caused the northeast edge of a block of Devonian, Mississippian, and Pennsylvanian strata to be pushed upward, forming a 125-mile long ridge that we call Pine Mountain. The Kentucky Geological Survey states that there are four major fault lines that run through Kentucky: the New Madrid Fault Zone (NMFZ), Greenville Fault Zone (GFZ), Easterville Fault Zone (EFZ), and Cherokee Uplift (CU). Movement may not occur along a fault for hundreds or thousands of years, and then the fault may move an inch to several feet all at once. Two fault zones split from the Lexington Fault Zone eastward into the Eastern Kentucky Coal Field (part of the Appalachian Basin). Freeman (1951, p. When strata moves along a fault an earthquake occurs. These lineament, defined by aeromagnetic and gravity data, which lies across the easternmost tip of Kentucky; This is a known . Lying in the central area of the North American Plate, the seismic zone is about 45 miles (70 km) wide and about 125 miles (200 km) long. The Illinois-Kentucky fluorspar district, at the west end of the Moorman syncline, is a structurally complex The fault also passes through Ballard, McCracken, Livingston, and Marshall counties before it reaches its terminus at the Tennessee border. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Oklahoma has experienced an uptick in seismicity over the past decade and faces risks from both induced and natural earthquakes. 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