Large Surface‐Rupturing Earthquakes and a >12 kyr, Open Interseismic Interval on the Tintina Fault, Yukon

Abstract We present the first geomorphic evidence for successive, surface‐rupturing earthquakes throughout the Quaternary on the Tintina fault in the Yukon Territory, northwestern Canada. A ∼130‐km‐long series of scarps and pressure ridges offset 2.6 Ma and 132 ka landforms by ∼500–1,500 m and 65–85...

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Main Authors: Theron Finley, Edwin Nissen, John F. Cassidy, Guy Salomon, Lucinda J. Leonard, Duane Froese
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-07-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL116050
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author Theron Finley
Edwin Nissen
John F. Cassidy
Guy Salomon
Lucinda J. Leonard
Duane Froese
author_facet Theron Finley
Edwin Nissen
John F. Cassidy
Guy Salomon
Lucinda J. Leonard
Duane Froese
author_sort Theron Finley
collection DOAJ
description Abstract We present the first geomorphic evidence for successive, surface‐rupturing earthquakes throughout the Quaternary on the Tintina fault in the Yukon Territory, northwestern Canada. A ∼130‐km‐long series of scarps and pressure ridges offset 2.6 Ma and 132 ka landforms by ∼500–1,500 m and 65–85 m, respectively, indicating a dextral slip rate of ∼0.2–0.8 mm/yr. However, early Holocene terraces are undeformed across the fault, implying that the elapsed time since the most recent earthquake is >12 kyr and that the fault may be nearing the end of a long interseismic cycle. A minimum slip deficit of ∼6 m has likely accrued since the last major surface rupture, and future earthquakes could exceed Mw 7.5. These results highlight the hazards of earthquakes on mature, low‐slip‐rate intraplate faults, which may have exceptionally long recurrence intervals, elude instrumental networks, and lack a distinct surface expression due to landscape resetting.
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spelling doaj-art-0b8b8dce66fc4533be752567d12f67162025-08-20T03:08:48ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072025-07-015214n/an/a10.1029/2025GL116050Large Surface‐Rupturing Earthquakes and a >12 kyr, Open Interseismic Interval on the Tintina Fault, YukonTheron Finley0Edwin Nissen1John F. Cassidy2Guy Salomon3Lucinda J. Leonard4Duane Froese5School of Earth and Ocean Sciences University of Victoria Victoria BC CanadaSchool of Earth and Ocean Sciences University of Victoria Victoria BC CanadaSchool of Earth and Ocean Sciences University of Victoria Victoria BC CanadaSchool of Earth and Ocean Sciences University of Victoria Victoria BC CanadaSchool of Earth and Ocean Sciences University of Victoria Victoria BC CanadaDepartment of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AB CanadaAbstract We present the first geomorphic evidence for successive, surface‐rupturing earthquakes throughout the Quaternary on the Tintina fault in the Yukon Territory, northwestern Canada. A ∼130‐km‐long series of scarps and pressure ridges offset 2.6 Ma and 132 ka landforms by ∼500–1,500 m and 65–85 m, respectively, indicating a dextral slip rate of ∼0.2–0.8 mm/yr. However, early Holocene terraces are undeformed across the fault, implying that the elapsed time since the most recent earthquake is >12 kyr and that the fault may be nearing the end of a long interseismic cycle. A minimum slip deficit of ∼6 m has likely accrued since the last major surface rupture, and future earthquakes could exceed Mw 7.5. These results highlight the hazards of earthquakes on mature, low‐slip‐rate intraplate faults, which may have exceptionally long recurrence intervals, elude instrumental networks, and lack a distinct surface expression due to landscape resetting.https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL116050earthquakefaultpaleoseismologygeomorphologyhazardYukon
spellingShingle Theron Finley
Edwin Nissen
John F. Cassidy
Guy Salomon
Lucinda J. Leonard
Duane Froese
Large Surface‐Rupturing Earthquakes and a >12 kyr, Open Interseismic Interval on the Tintina Fault, Yukon
Geophysical Research Letters
earthquake
fault
paleoseismology
geomorphology
hazard
Yukon
title Large Surface‐Rupturing Earthquakes and a >12 kyr, Open Interseismic Interval on the Tintina Fault, Yukon
title_full Large Surface‐Rupturing Earthquakes and a >12 kyr, Open Interseismic Interval on the Tintina Fault, Yukon
title_fullStr Large Surface‐Rupturing Earthquakes and a >12 kyr, Open Interseismic Interval on the Tintina Fault, Yukon
title_full_unstemmed Large Surface‐Rupturing Earthquakes and a >12 kyr, Open Interseismic Interval on the Tintina Fault, Yukon
title_short Large Surface‐Rupturing Earthquakes and a >12 kyr, Open Interseismic Interval on the Tintina Fault, Yukon
title_sort large surface rupturing earthquakes and a 12 kyr open interseismic interval on the tintina fault yukon
topic earthquake
fault
paleoseismology
geomorphology
hazard
Yukon
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL116050
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