Paleoseismic record obtained by coring a lacustrine sag-pond along the North Anatolian Fault (Turkey)

Shallow lakes along minor structural bends or discontinuities of strike-slip fault are not usually paleoseismological target sites. In the present study we show that a 2m deep, 700m long lake crosscut by the North Anatolian Fault contain a reliable paleoseimological record obtain through coring. The North Anatolian Fault, a major strike-slip fault in Turkey last ruptured across the Asacipetecik Lake in 1939 with a slip of about 6 m. Seismic lines still shows remains of the fault ruptures forming minor 10 cm high scarps across the lake. Collected short cores show a set of sedimentary sequences composed of three different units. The lower unit, dark and fibrous, is similar to the present sedimentation at the top of the core. The strongly disturbed and whitish top unit 1 has anomalous organic matter content, grain size and mineralogy. The unit 2 is intermediate in between unit 1 and 3. The present stratigraphy is related to earthquake shaking inducing (1) sediment resuspension; (2) reworking of sediments coming from co-seismic scarps and lake margins; (3) increase in sedimentary runoff into the lake. The 2.5 m long core comprises 4 sequences, and thus 4 sedimentary events. Cesium and Lead data obtained in Boes et al. (2009) imply that Event 1 was triggered by the 1939 M=7.9 Erzincam Earthquake. Radiocarbon age dating suggest that Events 3 and 4 are initiated by the 1254 and the 1045 historical earthquake. Event 2 may correspond to the 1668 earthquake documented in paleoseimological trenches a few kilometers to the east.