Neotectonics of the Southern California Continental Borderland
The tortuous tectonic history of the Southern California Continental Borderland has resulted in complex offshore fault zones, which have been poorly studied despite their tremendous significance to quanitifying seismic hazard in the region. The Anacapa-Dume Fault, a sinistral-oblique thrust system offshore Point Dume, connects to the Santa Monica and Raymond Faults. Our study integrating single- and multi-channel seismic, multibeam backscatter and bathymetry, and ROV photographs at Sycamore Knoll constrains latest Quaternary slip on the Anacapa-Dume Fault.
The Santa Cruz-Catalina Ridge and Long Point fault systems offshore Catalina Island control the tilting of the Catalina block since at least Pliocene time. Our study integrating multi-channel seismic, U/Th ages from fossil corals, and radiocarbon ages from fossil mollusks identifies the timing of Quaternary tsunamogenic landslides offshore Los Angeles and constrains the rate of subsidence of Catalina Island.
Collaborators:
Chris Castillo (Stanford); Simon Klemperer (Stanford)
Publications:
Williams, E.F., Castillo, C.M., Klemperer, S.L., Raineault, N., and Gee, L., in review. Sycamore Knoll: A wave-planed pop-up structure in a sinistral-oblique fault system, Southern California Continental Borderland. Deep Sea Research, Part II: Telepresence Results
Williams, E.F., Castillo, C.M., Klemperer, S.L., Raineault, N., and Gee, L., 2017, A new estimate of latest Quaternary slip on the Anacapa-Dume Fault at Sycamore Knoll, Southern California Continental Borderland. Poster presented at the Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC) Annual Meeting, September 2017.
Castillo, C.M., Klemperer, S.L., Williams, E.F., Legg, M.R., and Francis, R.D., 2015, Tsunamogenic landslides and marine paleoseismology: applications of the submerged marine terrace record, Santa Catalina Island, Southern California Borderland. Talk presented at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting, December 2015.
Williams, E.F., Castillo, C.M., Klemperer, S.L., Maher, K.M., Francis, R.D., and Legg, M.R., 2015, Preliminary results of marine paleoseismology from MCS, CHIRP, and coring off Catalina Island. Poster presented at the Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC) Annual Meeting, September 2015.