Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0009-0003-0918-2701

Date Available

12-11-2024

Year of Publication

2024

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

College

Arts and Sciences

Department/School/Program

Earth and Environmental Sciences (Geology)

Advisor

Dr. Edward W. Woolery

Abstract

The Reelfoot Fault within the New Madrid seismic zone has displacement at seismogenic depth to which the surface expression has unequal displacement. Previous work identified northeast-oriented transpressional fault strands northeast of a bend in the scarp as evidence for a through-going shear-zone, acting as potential accommodation for the observed strain imbalance. This investigation projected the trend of these faults to their intersection with an industry seismic survey at Wolf Island, Missouri, which exhibits a similarly structured faulted zone. We suggest this structure is the continuation of the through-going shear zone representing a previously unknown 22-km-long Quaternary-active fault that can affect the seismic hazard for the northern Mississippi embayment. SH-wave and P-wave reflection surveys were conducted across the target structure to provide near-surface imaging, including the Quaternary-Tertiary boundary. The SH-wave data show high-angle faults with deformation with up to ~10 m of relief in the lower Quaternary-Tertiary sediment, and ~1 m of relief extending to 5 meters depth. For this investigation, we built a SH-wave landstreamer to compare against direct-plant receivers. Our observations show a reduced spectral peak of ~10 Hz for the sled-mounted receivers. In this environment, it was determined to be an acceptable loss, with drastically improved acquisition efficiency.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2024.468

Funding Information

1. Department of Energy

2. Kentucky Research Consortium for Energy and Environment (KRCEE): New Madrid Scope

3. 2023

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