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The Basel 1356 earthquake: which fault produced it?
Author(s) -
Meyer Bertrand,
Lacassin Robin,
Brulhet Jacques,
Mouroux Bernard
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
terra nova
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.353
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1365-3121
pISSN - 0954-4879
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3121.1994.tb00633.x
Subject(s) - geology , seismology , graben , fault (geology) , basement , normal fault , thrust fault , tectonics , archaeology , history
The 1356 Basel earthquake was the strongest event to have shaken NW Europe in the last thousand years. The peculiar location of this historical event makes it possible to relate it to normal faulting along the edges of the Rhine Graben, as well as to reverse faulting along the Jura frontal thrust or to fault reactivation within the Hercynian basement. Alternate hypotheses are discussed and their implications compared taking into account available structural data and results of the morphotectonic study performed in the epicentral area. This study combines field observations with the analysis of SPOT satellite imagery, aerial photographs, and detailed topography. It is concluded that the Basel earthquake most probably reactivated a basement fault (reverse or wrench fault) beneath the shallow‐depth aseismic detachment that underlies the Jura Mountains.