Spatiotemporal Clustering of Paleoseismicity in the Walker Lane, Nevada:
an Extensional Supercycle?
Abstract
At least five surface rupturing earthquakes that occurred during a
<300 year time span near Carson City, Nevada form a
spatiotemporal cluster of earthquakes similar to those observed on fault
systems around the world. These earthquakes exhibit not only temporal
clustering behavior, but also have varying rupture boundaries during
successive earthquakes. The Carson Range Fault System is a series of
east-dipping normal faults that extend ~100 km
southwards from Reno, Nevada. Previously published paleoseismic and
lidar data spanning this system provide evidence of six surface
rupturing earthquakes that occurred across the Carson Range Fault System
during the last 2500 years. The three most recent of these earthquakes
occurred from 800-500 cal. ybp, and two other earthquakes occurred on
the nearby Incline Village and East Carson Valley faults during this
time period. Together these five M6.5-7.1 earthquakes form a
spatiotemporal cluster or supercycle.