Wabash Valley Seismic Zone

The Wabash Valley Seismic Zone (also known as the Wabash Valley Fault System or Zone) is a tectonic region located in the Midwest of the United States, centered on the valley of the Wabash River, along the state line between southeastern Illinois and southwestern Indiana.

Geology

The Wabash Valley Seismic Zone consists largely of vertically-oriented ("normal") faults deeply buried under layers of sediment. Although the tectonics of the region are still not fully understood and are the subject of ongoing research, these faults are thought by some to be associated with a branch of the New Madrid aulacogen, an old rift zone where the lithosphere actively began to pull apart at perhaps two separate times in the distant past. [cite web |url=http://www.cusec.org/S_zones/Wabash/fact%20sheet.htm |title=Seismicity of the Lower Wabash Valley: Fact Sheet |author=Hill, John R. |publisher=Central United States Earthquake Consortium |accessdate=2008-04-18] The crust in the area has been weakened by the numerous faults, which remain active sites for continuing seismic activity as the motion of the North American Plate exerts both compressional and tensional forces.

Earthquakes

This zone has been proven to have had earthquakes for the last 20,000 years, with geologic evidence that they may have been as strong as 7.5 on the Richter magnitude scale.

According to the United States Geological Survey, lesser earthquakes occur relatively frequently, but those at a magnitude of less than 3.5 or so are usually not felt. Ones strong enough to feel usually happen once or twice a year, and those large enough to cause moderate damage have occurred every decade or so. Quakes in this region can be felt in a much wider range than those in other zones such as California.

The concern of Douglas Wiens, Ph.D., and Michael Wysession, Ph.D., seismologists at Washington University in St. Louis, is that the New Madrid Fault may be becoming less active, while activity on the Wabash Fault could be increasing. "I think everyone's interested in the Wabash Valley Fault because a lot of the attention has been on the New Madrid Fault, but the Wabash Valley Fault could be the more dangerous one, at least for St. Louis and Illinois," said Wiens, professor of earth and planetary sciences in Arts & Sciences. "The strongest earthquakes in the last few years have come from the Wabash Valley Fault, which needs more investigation." [cite web |url=http://news-info.wustl.edu/tips/page/normal/11630.html|title=Earthquake in Illinois could portend an emerging threat|author=Tony Fitzpatrick |publisher=Washington University in St. Louis |accessdate=2008-04-24]

Notable modern earthquakes in this zone include:

;1968 magnitude 5.4: This was the largest modern quake recorded in the Wabash zone ;2002 magnitude 5.0: The earthquake was located close to Evansville, Indiana with an epicenter between Mt. Vernon and West Franklin in Posey County. There was minor damage associated with the earthquake.Fact|date=April 2008 ;2008 magnitude 5.2: main|2008 Illinois earthquake The initial magnitude 5.2 quake was followed by a 4.6 aftershock six hours later, followed by a 4.0 aftershock 3 days later. [cite web |url=http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs-131-02/NMmap6flat.html |title=USGS Fact Sheet 131-02: Earthquake Hazard in the Heart of the Homeland |publisher=United States Geological Survey |accessdate=2008-04-18] Its epicenter was located about 41 miles NNW of Evansville, Indiana, near the communities of West Salem, Mount Carmel, and Bellmont.cite web |url=http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsus/Quakes/us2008qza6.php |title=Magnitude 5.2 - ILLINOIS |publisher=United States Geological Survey |date=2008-04-18 |accessdate=2008-04-18] The quake was felt as far away as Kansas City, Atlanta, and Canada. Some minor damage was reported near the epicenter.

References