significance of high-resolution loess stratification based on grain size and magnetic susceptibility analysis to paleo-earthquake study: a case study of dongyugou loess section,at hongtong,shanxi province

As an important technology to paleoseismologic research, trenching has been used to identify paleo-earthquakes recorded in strata, combined with dating technology. However, there have been some bigger uncertainties and limitations. For instance, subtle strata in loess sediment cannot be interpreted only by naked-eye, which seriously affects identifying paleo-earthquake horizon and time. Therefore, how to improve the accuracy and reduce the uncertainty of paleo-earthquake identification is the important problem we are currently facing. Dongyugou loess section, located in the northeastern corner of Linfen Basin, Shanxi Province, cuts across the Huoshan piedmont fault. The section exposes not only the well-developed loess sequence, but also several obvious faulting events. Thus, this loess section is a better site to make a high resolution study to improve the accuracy and reduce the uncertainty of paleo-earthquake identification. Based on the high-resolution grain size and magnetic susceptibility analysis, and associated with visual interpretation by naked-eye, we made a high-resolution stratification of Dongyugou loess section, including high-resolution thickness of each stratum and its upper and bottom boundaries. Based on the high-resolution stratification and their comparison between two fault walls, we identified three earthquake events, which occurred after formation of u5-7, u4 and u2, corresponding to their stratification depth of 7.1m, 4.7m and 2.9m in hanging wall. Based on results of OSL dating and average sedimentation rate of hanging wall, we estimated that the three events occurred around 45.8ka(between (48.1±1.5)～(43.2±2.5)ka), 32.8ka(between (35.0±2.4)～(30.6±1.3)ka) and 23.3ka(between (26.4±0.8)～(20.9±0.7)ka). According to the thickness difference of three loess-paleosol sedimentary cycles between two fault walls, we calculated the coseismic vertical displacements of the three events as 0.5m, 0.4 and 1.3m, respectively. Compared with other segments of the Huoshan piedmont fault zone, we found the southernmost segment is the weakest, with longer recurrence interval of about 11ka and lower vertical slip rate of 0.048mm/a. The high-accuracy grain size and magnetic susceptibility analysis offers an effective method for reducing the uncertainties of the paleo-earthquake research in loess area.