The 1905 Chamonix earthquakes: active tectonics in the Mont Blanc and Aiguilles Rouges massifs

Linking earthquakes of moderate size to known tectonic sources is a challenge for seismic hazard studies in northwestern Europe because of overall low strain rates. Here we present a combined study of macroseismic information, tectonic observations, and seismic waveform modelling to document the lar...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Swiss Journal of geosciences 2017-06, Vol.110 (2), p.631-651
Main Authors: Cara, Michel, Van der Woerd, Jérôme, Alasset, Pierre-Jean, Benjumea, Juan, Mériaux, Anne-Sophie
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Earth and Environmental Science
Earth Sciences
Earthquakes
Epicentres
Faults
Geological faults
Geological hazards
Geology
Geophysics
Massifs
Modelling
Plate tectonics
Records
Sciences of the Universe
Seismic activity
Seismic hazard
Sequencing
Slip
Tectonics
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Linking earthquakes of moderate size to known tectonic sources is a challenge for seismic hazard studies in northwestern Europe because of overall low strain rates. Here we present a combined study of macroseismic information, tectonic observations, and seismic waveform modelling to document the largest instrumentally known event in the French northern Alps, the April 29, 1905, Chamonix earthquake. The moment magnitude of this event is estimated at M w 5.3 ± 0.3 from records in Göttingen (Germany) and Uppsala (Sweden). The event of April 29 was followed by several afterschocks and in particular a second broadly felt earthquake on August 13, 1905. Macroseismic investigations allow us to favour a location of the epicentres 5–10 km N–NE of Chamonix. Tectonic analysis shows that potentially one amongst several faults might have been activated in 1905. Among them the right lateral strike-slip fault responsible for the recent 2005 M w  = 4.4 Vallorcine earthquake and a quasi-normal fault northeast of the Aiguilles Rouges massif are the most likely candidates. Discussion of tectonic, macroseismic, and instrumental data favour the normal fault hypothesis for the 1905 Chamonix earthquake sequence.
ISSN:1661-8726
1661-8734
DOI:10.1007/s00015-017-0262-7