Desert pavement characteristics on wadi terrace and alluvial fan surfaces: Wadi Al-Bih, U.A.E. and Oman

In arid mountain areas, the dating and correlation of alluvial depositional surfaces is often uncertain. Especially in regions where the geomorphology is not well known, surface modification by the development of soil and desert pavement may allow the correlation of geomorphic surfaces and estimation of at least their relative ages. Pleistocene wadi terraces and associated alluvial fans occur in Wadi Al-Bih, U.A.E. and Oman, for which correlations and age relationships are not known. Three age-related groups of fans and terraces have been identified and mapped on the basis of their morphostratigraphic relationships. Deposition of the oldest terrace sediments and associated fans followed a long period of sustained incision after Miocene uplift of the region. The younger two groups of terraces and fans are inset within the older group. To identify the gross effects of pavement development, comparisons have been made between terrace surface and subsurface particle-size distributions. The older terraces have finer surface sediments and a greater contrast between finer surface and subsurface sediments than the younger terraces. This reflects the degree of pavement development. Particle size on the fan surfaces is comparable with that on the equivalent terrace surfaces. Criteria for the classification of pavements were developed based on clast fracturing and angularity, size, sorting, packing, and surface texture, from which a simple index of pavement development has been derived. Other properties, rock varnish and weathering characteristics, were also recorded; but these proved to be less discriminatory than pavement characteristics. The pavement data have been augmented by observations on soils. Detailed studies of pavements on terraces (8 sites, 12 samples covering the three age groups) and fans (5 sites, 10 samples covering the three age groups) allow differentiation between age-groups. The three terraces show three different age-related pavement types, expressed by differences in the pavement development index. Weakly-developed pavements (little fracturing, sub-rounded clasts, some modification of the depositional fabric, incipient soil development, stage I CaCO₃ accumulation) occur on the youngest terrace and fan surfaces. Moderately-developed pavements (clast fracturing, sub-angular clasts, moderate sorting and packing, deeper soil development, stage II CaCO₃ accumulation) occur on the middle terrace and fan surfaces. Well-developed pavements (complete clast fracturing into small angular fragments, mature sorting and packing of the pavement surface, deep soil development with strong horizonation, stage III CaCO₃ accumulation) occur on the highest terrace and oldest fan surfaces. There are minor differences between the youngest pavements on terraces and fans, which reflect initial sedimentological differences. These differences become less as the pavements develop. On the basis of comparative studies, the oldest terrace is estimated to date from sometime prior to ca. 100 ka BP, the second terrace and the most extensive fan surface from the Late Pleistocene, and the youngest terrace and fan phase from the Latest Pleistocene or Early Holocene.     

贵州高原北部河流阶地发育与喀斯特地貌演化

贵州高原北部发育平缓丘丛和深切峰丛2种喀斯特地貌组合,保存于喀斯特山间盆地的河流阶地对区域地貌演化具有指示意义.本文根据阶地发育特征和光释光(OSL)测年,分析阶地形成的时代和动力,结合区域地质背景,探讨构造抬升和河流侵蚀对黔北喀斯特地貌演化的驱动作用.结果显示,绥阳盆地T1阶地时代18.8?8.2 ka,T2时代14...     

黄土高原0.8Ma以来地面抬升的时空特征研究

根据黄土高原地区黄河阶地的形态特征和成因分析,认为其形成主要是地面抬升所致并且在黄河达到均衡状态下形成,可以推断黄土高原的地面抬升。根据对黄土高原地区黄河0.8 Ma阶地的研究并结合相关文献资料,选取兰州段、黑山峡段、晋陕峡谷段和三门峡段作为典型研究区域,得出黄土高原0.8 Ma以来的地面抬升存在显著的时空特征,即空间特征表现为地面抬升量有西大东小的规律,时间特征表现为地面抬升速率有后期加速趋势、特别是晚更新世以来。并认为黄土高原0.8 Ma以来的地面抬升与青藏高原的构造抬升有成因上的联系。     

Quaternary soil chronosequences on terraces of the Susquehanna river, Pennsylvania

Susquehanna River terraces are used to establish time lines along a 150 km reach of the river, from the Lower Piedmont to the edge of the Appalachian Plateau. This is achieved by generating soil chronosequences at two locations — Marietta, PA, in the Lower Piedmont, and Muncy, PA, near the glacial border on the boundary between the Valley and Ridge province and the Appalachian Plateau. These sites preserve the most complete record of fluvial incision on the Susquehanna River with flights of seven Quaternary terraces ranging in elevation from 3 m to 51 m above the modern river.Soil characteristics used to develop the soil chronosequences include complexity of horizonization, thickness of B horizon, clay content of B horizon, soil color, CBD extractable Fe, Al, and Mn, total extractable Fe, and clay mineralogy. Terrace age constraints are based on soil development, correlation to regional glacial stratigraphy, correlation to dated fluvial and glaciofluvial deposits, and by paleomagnetic analysis of sediments. Terrace ages at the Muncy site range from modern (< 150 ybp) to Middle Middle through Early Middle Pleistocene (∼ 300 ka to ∼ 770 ka). Marietta has terrace ages ranging from modern (< 150 ybp) to Early Pleistocene through Late Pliocene (∼ 770 ka to ∼ 2400 ka).     

晚更新世以来贵州清水江阶地发育及地貌意义

对贵州清水江上游马寨、翁东、三江、施洞沿江4个剖面的阶地特征、年代学结果进行了综合分析。发现以凯里断层为界,上游地区的马寨和翁东2个剖面的T2阶地形成时代约为51~57 ka B.P.,T1阶地的形成时代约为25 ka B.P.,下游地区的三江和施洞2个剖面的T2阶地形成时代约为122~102 ka B.P.,T1阶地的形成时代约为78 ka B.P.。选取各剖面的T2阶地的基座高度来计算了河流下切速率,发现上游地区2个剖面（马寨、翁东）的河流下切速率较接近,约为0.41~0.34 m/ka,明显高于下游地区的2个剖面（三江、施洞）的0.16~0.20 m/ka,表现为上游下切速率高,越往下游方向下切速率逐渐降低。这表明自晚更新世以来,清水江上游区域受到构造作用的影响而发生差异抬升,具体表现为西部构造抬升幅度大,阶地下切速率快;东部构造抬升幅度小,阶地下切速率慢。     

川西高原杂谷脑河阶地的形成

根据野外实地地貌调查,确定了川西高原杂谷脑河理县段发育了8级阶地,并对阶地沉积物进行了ESR年代测试,初步确定杂谷脑河第II,III,IV,VI级阶地约形成于距今54,125,248,481ka。阶地成因分析表明这些主要阶地序列主要是构造隆升的结果,因此,杂谷脑河各级主要阶地分别代表了川西高原中更新世以来的几次隆升事件。根据阶地高程和阶地形成年代确定的杂谷脑河下蚀速率为0.39m/ka,与大地测量获得的龙门山隆升速率 (0.3~0.4m/ka) 相一致。     

格尔木河流域河流地貌演化研究进展

位于柴达木盆地南缘的格尔木河发源于东昆仑山脉,末端注入盆地中东部的察尔汗盐湖,是该盐湖最主要的补给河流,极大地影响着该盐湖的成盐演化过程。格尔木河的主要支流—昆仑河和雪水河都是由冰川融水形成,因此该流域内的冰川进退对河流径流量变化和谷地填充地层的物源有着重要影响。该流域内主要的填充地层为昆仑河砾岩(河流相)、纳赤台沟组(冲洪积相)和三岔河组(河湖相)。在三岔河组之上,发育了4~5级阶地,除最高的T5之外,其它均为以三岔河组为基座的内叠阶地(少部分河段以昆仑河砾岩为基座)。根据前人的研究,昆仑河砾岩沉积的年代为1 269~1 042 ka(ESR年龄);纳赤台沟组堆积于482~642 ka之间(ESR和TL年龄);三岔河组形成于355~95 ka(ESR和U系年龄)、90~16 ka(OSL年龄),T5~T1阶地基本形成于16~4.6 ka之间。由于采用的测年方法不同,不同学者对三岔河组的形成时代存在争议,对阶地的划分也有所不同(4级或5级阶地)。但是,对T5~T1阶地形成时代有较一致的观点,即末次冰消期和全新世早中期。对于格尔木河河流地貌过程的驱动因素,目前尚存在争论,大部分学者认为是气候变化驱动了该区域河流地貌的形成,但也有学者认为构造活动是主导因素。     

格尔木河流域河流地貌演化的研究进展

位于柴达木盆地南缘的格尔木河发源于东昆仑山脉,末端注入盆地中东部的察尔汗盐湖,是该盐湖最主要的补给河流,极大地影响着该盐湖的成盐演化过程。格尔木河的主要支流——昆仑河和雪水河都是由冰川融水形成,因此,该流域内的冰川进退对河流径流量变化和谷地填充地层物源有着重要影响。该河流域内主要的填充地层为昆仑河砾岩(河流相)、纳赤台沟组(冲洪积相)和三岔河组(河湖相)。在三岔河组之上,发育了四/五级阶地,除最高的T₅之外,其他均为以三岔河组为基底的内叠基座阶地。根据前人的研究,昆仑河砾岩沉积的年代为1269至1042 ka(ESR年龄);纳赤台沟组堆积于482至642 ka之间(ESR和TL年龄);三岔河组形成于355-95 ka(ESR和U系年龄)、90-16 ka(OSL年龄),T₅-T₁阶地基本形成于16- 4.6 ka之间。由于采用的测年方法不同,不同学者对三岔河组的形成时代存在争议,对阶地的划分也有所不同(四级或五级阶地)。但是对T₅-T₁阶地形成时代有较一致的观点,即末次冰消期和全新世早中期。对于格尔木河河流地貌过程的驱动因素,目前尚存在争论,大部分学者认为是气候变化驱动了该区域河流地貌的形成,但也有学者认为构造活动是主导因素。     

三峡库区长江阶地冲积物的年代测定

三峡库区的长江阶地是研究川江、峡江水系演变的重要证据。发育冲积物的阶地主要出现在库区西半部的川东和重庆的中低山、丘陵区,最多有6级。阶地研究中遇到的主要问题是难以确定阶地的形成时代。我们采用TL法和ESR法测量了三峡库区6个地点阶地的堆积年龄。测量数据显示,ESR法基本不适合测定三峡库区冲积物的年龄;尽管TL法本身存在缺陷,但测得的T1~T4的堆积年龄得到其他独立的测年结果的支持。阶地T1~T4的TL年龄依次为7~17 ka、28~46 ka、62~81 ka和103~105 ka。此外,根据年代地层对比的方法以及前人的古地磁测量结果,推测三峡库区第四级阶地的年龄大于101 ka,第五级阶地的年龄大于392 ka,而第六级阶地的年龄小于780 ka。从而初步建立了三峡库区阶地堆积的时间序列。     

台湾西北部海岸阶地的研究

海岸阶地的形成通常是海准面变动、地壳变动或两者共同作用之结果．研究海阶不仅可印证推论古气候、往昔海准面变化及地壳变动状况,更可藉以了解各区域间变动的差异,全盘了解大地构造的意义,而且小规模的海阶变动,时常与地震活动伴生,因此,研究海阶更可作为判读地震周期的依据之一,所以,世界各地位于地壳活动带的国家对于海阶的型态与演育过程均作详细的调查及研究．本研究以淡水河以南至大安溪以北之海阶作为研究范围,发现台湾西北部位于观音山北部沿海、新竹山子顶沿海、客雅溪口南岸、后龙溪口南岸等4个地区,都有零星的海阶分布．经过阶地分布、地形特征与阶序对比,并利用世界海阶对比基图求出该地区的地壳隆升率与海阶可能形成的年代,藉以了解各区域间变动的差异．台湾西北部海岸地区的海阶大致上可划分为高位及低位2群阶：也,高位海阶分布的高度在15～275m之间,阶面覆盖着红壤层,为晚更新世时所造成;低位海阶分布的范围与高度较小,在海滩与高位阶地末端阶崖之间,沿着海岸成带状分布,阶面无红壤掩覆,海拔大多在10m以下．低位海阶构成的物质多以砾石及砂为主,属全新世海阶,即第四纪最后一次冰期结束后,近1万年以来全球高海水位时期所形成．利用海阶对比基图与已有的定年数据,辅以地形地貌及堆积物特征比较,获得各段阶地之平均隆升率,观音山北部沿海、客雅溪口南岸、后龙溪口南岸3个地区,经过比对,分别是2．1mm／a、2．2mm／a、2．15mm／a,数值相近,显示该区之地盘隆升率及海准面变动状况大致相同;仅新竹山子顶沿海地盘隆升率较小,为1．4mm／a．此表示,台湾岛的海阶变化不仅受到海准面变动的影响,尚受到区域性地壳隆升的控制．     

台湾西北部海岸阶地的研究

海岸阶地的形成通常是海准面变动、地壳变动或两者共同作用之结果．研究海阶不仅可印证推论古气候、往昔海准面变化及地壳变动状况,更可藉以了解各区域间变动的差异,全盘了解大地构造的意义,而且小规模的海阶变动,时常与地震活动伴生,因此,研究海阶更可作为判读地震周期的依据之一,所以,世界各地位于地壳活动带的国家对于海阶的型态与演育...     

Tectonic control of the Tejo river fluvial incision during the late Cenozoic, in Ródão—central Portugal (Atlantic Iberian border)

Staircases of strath terraces and strongly incised valleys are the most typical landscape features of Portuguese rivers. This paper examines the incision achieved during the late Cenozoic in an area crossed by the Tejo river between the border with Spain and the small town of Gavião. In the more upstream reach of this area, the Tejo crosses the Ródão tectonic depression, where four levels of terraces are distinguished. During the late Cenozoic fluvial incision stage, the Ródão depression underwent less uplift than the adjacent areas along the river. This is reflected by the greater thicknesses and spatial extent of the terraces; terrace genesis was promoted by impoundment of alluvium behind a quartzitic ridge and the local presence of a soft substratum. Outside this tectonic depression, the Tejo has a narrow valley incised in the Hercynian basement, with some straight reaches that probably correspond to NE–SW and NNW–SSE faults, the terraces being nearly absent. Geomorphological evidence of tectonic displacements affecting the Ródão dissected terrace remnants is described. Geochronological dating of the two younger and lower terrace levels of this depression suggests a time-averaged incision rate for the Tejo in the Ródão area, of ca. 1.0 m/ka over the last 60 thousand years. A clear discrepancy exists between this rate and the 0.1 m/ka estimated for the longer period since the end of the Pliocene. Although episodes of valley incision may be conditioned by climate and base-level changes, they may also have been controlled by local factors such as movement of small fault-bounded blocks, lithology and structure. Regional crustal uplift is considered to be the main control of the episodes of valley incision identified for this large, long-lived river. A model is proposed in which successive regional uplift events—tectonic phases—essentially determined the long periods of rapid river downcutting that were punctuated by short periods of lateral erosion and later by some aggradation, producing strath terraces.     

河流阶地形成过程及其驱动机制再研究

河流阶地的形成是在内因(河流内部动力变化)和外因(低频和高频气候变化、构造运动、基准面变化)共同作用下的结果。受单一气候变化制约的河流阶地发育模式可以解释由于沉积物通量和径流量变化引起的河流堆积-侵蚀过程,但它难以解释形成多级阶地的逐步(或间歇性)下切过程。多级阶地的形成可能同时受到构造抬升和周期性气候变化的制约。由于下切过程的滞后效应,侵蚀和冰川均衡抬升、河谷的侧向侵蚀过程等影响,山地的构造抬升与河谷的下切之间并非一种简单的线性关系,应当慎用河谷的下切速率来代表山地的抬升速率。     

黄河三门峡至扣马段的阶地序列及成因

Based on field landscape investigations, thermoluminescence (TL), magnetostratigraphy and loess-paleosol sequence, we found that there are at least four Yellow River terraces, whose ages are 0.86 Ma, 0.62 Ma, 0.13 Ma and 0.05 Ma, in Yuxi Fault-Uplift (from Sanmen Gorge to Mengjin) and at least three Yellow River terraces, whose ages are 1.24 Ma, 0.25 Ma and 0.05 Ma, in Huabei Fault Depression (from Mengjin to Kouma). All the terraces have a similar structure that several meters of paleosols directly develop on the top of fluvial silt. It shows that the Yellow River incised and consequently abandoned floodplain converted to terrace during the interglacial period. Therefore, there may be a link between the formation of terraces and glacial-interglacial climatic cycles. However, the differences in the Yellow River terrace sequences and ages between Yuxi Fault-Uplift and Huabei Fault Depression indicate that the surface uplift should play an important role in the formation of these terraces. Foundation: Science and Technology Planning Project of Yunnan Province, No.2007D199M; National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.40462002; No.40161002 Author: Su Huai (1977–), Ph.D, specialized in geomorphology and Quaternary geology.     

Luminescence chronology of incision and channel pattern changes in the River Ganga, India

The River Ganga in the central Gangetic plain shows the incision of 20 m of Late Quaternary sediments that form a vast upland terrace (T₂). The incised Ganga River Valley shows two terraces, namely the river valley (terrace-T₁) and the present-day flood plain (terrace-T₀). Terrace-T₁ shows the presence of meander scars, oxbow lakes, scroll plains, which suggests that a meandering river system prevailed in the past. The present-day river channel flows on terrace-T₀ and is braided, sensu stricto. It is thus inferred that the River Ganga experienced at least two phases of tectonic adjustments: (1) incision and (2) channel metamorphosis from meandering to braided.Optical dating of samples from three different terraces has bracketed the phase of incision to be <6 and 4 ka. Different ages of the top of terrace-T₂ show that this surface experienced differential erosion due to tectonic upwarping in the region, which also caused the river incision. River metamorphosis occurred some time during 4 and 0.5 ka.     

粤西河流阶地的分布与特征

依据广东西部超过18条河流、39处河流阶地、至少35个14C、热释光的冲积层测龄数据等情况,可知粤西最多有4级河流阶地(不包括湛江组和北海组阶地);多数河流最高阶地靠近现代主河床分布,深切曲流中有河流阶地,反映近数十万年来河床改道不大;西江在封开有广东高度最高(76 m)的河流阶地,而广东高度最高的地下河阶地是111 m,大致显示出地面与地下剥蚀强度的差异;通常山区河流长度越大,河漫滩和河流阶地的高度越大,河流阶地的级数和级别也常增加;在河流上游的下段和中游的上段,河流阶地的高度最大且级数也最多;在晚更新世之前与后,河谷中下游地区的新构造运动趋势由上升变为稳定或沉降;连滩盆地是广东全新世构造沉降最典型的山间盆地。     

Climatic and tectonic controls on the fluvial morphology of the Northeastern Tibetan Plateau (China)

The geomorphological evolution of the Northeastern Tibetan Plateau (NETP) could provide valuable information for reconstructing the tectonic movements of the region. And the considerable uplift and climatic changes at here, provide an opportunity for studying the impact of tectonic and monsoon climate on fluvial morphological development and sedimentary architecture of fluvial deposits. The development of peneplain-like surface and related landscape transition from basin filling to incision indicate an intense uplift event with morphological significance at around 10–17 Ma in the NETP. After that, incision into the peneplain was not continuous but a staircase of terraces, developed as a result of climatic influences. In spite of the generally persisting uplift of the whole region, the neighbouring tectonic blocks had different uplift rates, leading to a complicated fluvial response with accumulation terraces alternating with erosion terraces at a small spatial and temporal scale. The change in fluvial activity as a response to climatic impact is reflected in the general sedimentary sequence on the terraces from high-energy (braided) channel deposits (at full glacial) to lower-energy deposits of small channels (towards the end of the glacial), mostly separated by a rather sharp boundary from overlying flood-loams (at the glacial-interglacial transition) and overall soil formation (interglacial). Pronounced incision took place at the subsequent warm-cold transitions. In addition, it is hypothesized that in some strongly uplifted blocks energy thresholds could be crossed to allow terrace formation as a response to small climatic fluctuations (10³–10⁴ year timescale). Although studies of morpho-tectonic and geomorphological evolution of the NETP, improve understanding on the impacts of tectonic motions and monsoonal climate on fluvial processes, a number of aspects, such as the distribution and correlation of peneplain and the related morphological features, the extent and intensity of tectonic movements influencing the crossing of climatic thresholds, leading to terrace development, need to be studied further.     

Stream-terrace genesis: implications for soil development

Genesis of three distinct types of stream terraces can be understood through application of the concepts of tectonically induced downcutting, base level of erosion, complex response, threshold of critical power, diachronous and synchronous response times, and static and dynamic equilibrium. Climatic and tectonic stream terraces are major terraces below which flights of minor complex-response degradation terraces can form.These three types of terraces can be summarized by describing a downcutting-aggradation-renewed downcutting sequence for streams with gravell bedload. By tectonically induced downcutting, streams degrade to achieve and maintain a dynamic equilibrium longitudinal profile at the base level of erosion. Lateral erosion bevels bedrock beneath active channels to create major straths that are the fundamental tectonic stream-terrace landform. Aggradation events record brief reversals of long-term tectonically induced downcutting because they raise active channels. They may be considered as major (the result of climatic perturbations) or minor (the result of complex-response model types of perturbations). Climatically controlled aggradation followed by degradation leaves an aggradation surface; this type of fill-terrace tread is the fundamental climatic stream-terrace landform. Aggradation surfaces may be buried by subsequent episodes of deposition unless intervening tectonically induced downcutting is sufficient for younger aggradation surfaces to form below older surfaces. Raising of the active channel by either tectonic uplift or by climatically induced aggradation provides the vertical space for degradation terraces to form; first in alluvial fill and then in underlying bedrock along tectonically active streams. These are complex-response terraces because they result from interactions of dependent variables within a given fluvial system. Pauses in degradation to a new base level of erosion, and/or minor episodes of backfilling, lead to formation of complex-response fill-cut and strath, or of fill terraces. Fill-cut terraces are formed in alluvium; they are complex-response terraces because they are higher than the base level of erosion. Good exposures and dating are needed to distinguish static equilibrium complex-response minor strath terraces from dynamic equilibrium tectonic (major) straths. Strath terraces may be regarded as complex-response terraces where degradation rates between times terrace-tread formation exceed the long-term uplift rate for the reach based on ages and positions of tectonic terraces.Late Quaternary global climatic changes control aggradation events and even the times of cutting of major (tectonic) straths, because the base level of erosion can not be attained during times of climatically driven aggradation-degradation events.Most terrace soils form on treads of climatic and complex-response terraces. Aggradation surfaces may provide an ideal flight of terraces on which to study a soils chronosequence. Each aggradation event is recorded by a single relict soil where tectonically induced downcutting is sufficient to provide clear altitudinal separation of the terrace treads. Multiple paleosols are typical of tectonically stable regions where younger aggradation events spread alluvium over treads of older climatic terraces. Pedons on a climatic terrace in a small fluvial system commonly are roughly synchronous - variations of soil properties that can be attributed to temporal differences will be minor compared to altitudinally controlled climatic factors. Climatic terraces of adjacent watersheds also should be roughly synchronous (correlatable) - variations of soil properties that can be attributed to temporal differences will be minor compared to lithologic and climatic factors between different watersheds. Such generalizations may not apply to basins with sufficient relief that geomorphic responses to climatic changes occur at different and overlapping times, and to large rivers whose widely separated reaches are characterized by different response times to climatic perturbations. Soils on climatic terraces of distant watershedswill not be synchronous if their respective aggradation events occur during full-glacial times and interglacial times. Soils on some complex-response terraces may be diachronous within a given fluvial system, and typically are diachronous between watersheds.     

Sequences and genesis of the Yellow River terraces from Sanmen Gorge to Kouma

Based on field landscape investigations, thermoluminescence (TL), magnetostratigraphy and loess-paleosol sequence, we found that there are at least four Yellow River terraces, whose ages are 0.86 Ma, 0.62 Ma, 0.13 Ma and 0.05 Ma, in Yuxi Fault-Uplift (from Sanmen Gorge to Mengjin) and at least three Yellow River terraces, whose ages are 1.24 Ma, 0.25 Ma and 0.05 Ma, in Huabei Fault Depression (from Mengjin to Kouma). All the terraces have a similar structure that several meters of paleosols directly develop on the top of fluvial silt. It shows that the Yellow River incised and consequently abandoned floodplain converted to terrace during the interglacial period. Therefore, there may be a link between the formation of terraces and glacial-interglacial climatic cycles. However, the differences in the Yellow River terrace sequences and ages between Yuxi Fault-Uplift and Huabei Fault Depression indicate that the surface uplift should play an important role in the formation of these terraces.     

Late Quaternary activity of faults and recurrence interval of earthquakes in the eastern Hokuriku region, northern central Japan, on the basis of precise cryptotephra analysis of fluvial terrace sequences

About 2000 active faults are known to exist within the land area of Japan. Most of these active faults have deformed the topographic surfaces which were formed in the late Quaternary, including fluvial terraces; and the formative ages of these terraces are estimated mainly by tephrochronology. Fluvial terraces in the eastern Hokuriku region, comprising the Toyama, Tonami, and Kanazawa Plains, northern central Japan, are widely distributed and have been deformed by reverse active faults. The formative age of terraces in this area has not been reported, as volcanic ash deposits are rarely visible within terrace deposits and the overlying loamy soil, and outcrops of fluvial terraces are quite scarce in this area. In the present study, we carried out a drilling survey on these terraces to obtain samples of the overlying loamy soil and upper part of terrace deposits. From these samples, we extracted some well-known widespread volcanic ash, from which we were able to estimate the approximate age of the terraces and the vertical slip rate of the active faults. Late Quaternary fluvial terraces in eastern Hokuriku are divided into 12 levels: Terraces 1 to 12 in descending order. Widespread tephras such as the Kikai-Tozurahara Tephra (K-Tz: 95 ka) are contained in the lowest part of the loamy soil in Terrace 4 and the Daisen-Kurayoshi Pumice (DKP: 55 ka) is present in the lowest part of the loamy soil in Terrace 6. From the ages and the vertical displacements of the fluvial terraces, the late Quaternary average vertical slip rates of active faults in eastern Hokuriku are estimated to be 0.2–0.9 mm/year (Uozu fault), 0.1–0.4 mm/year (Kurehayama fault), 0.1–0.3 mm/year (Takashozu fault), 0.1–0.4 mm/year (Hohrinji fault), and 0.5–0.8 mm/year (Morimoto-Togashi fault). We also estimated the recurrence interval of earthquakes related to active faults from displacement per event and ages of terraces and no significant difference in vertical displacement per single earthquake for different active faults, and recurrence intervals tend to be inversely proportional to vertical displacement rates. This study demonstrates that a combination of drilling of loamy soil and precise cryptotephra analysis of fluvial terraces can be used to estimate the formative age of the terraces and the average slip rate of active faults in areas where volcanic ash deposits are rare.