GSA Annual Meeting in Seattle, Washington, USA - 2017

Paper No. 384-6
Presentation Time: 9:00 AM-6:30 PM

CASCADIA UPPER PLATE FAULTING IN THE SAN JUAN-SOUTH GULF ISLANDS ARCHIPELAGOS


GREENE, H. Gary, Moss Landing Marine Labs, Tombolo-Center for Habitat Studies, 142 Anchor Rock Lane, Eastsound, WA 98245, BARRIE, Vaughn, Geological Survey of Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Sidney, BC V8L 4B2, Canada, TODD, Brian J., Natural Resources Canada, Geological Survey of Canada (Atlantic), Bedford Institute of Oceanography, 1 Challenger Drive (P.O. Box 1006), Dartmouth, NS B2Y 4A2, Canada and CONWAY, Kim, Pacific Science Center, Geological Survey of Canada, Sidney, BC V8L 4B2, Canada, greene@mlml.calstate.edu

The collection of multibeam echosounder and marine seismic-reflection profiles within the San Juan Islands and Gulf Islands Archipelagos exhibit well defined fault zones and zones of deformation that cross the Cascadia forearc. Recent interpretation of these data provides a new and modified geometry of recent and past faulting within the Archipelagos. Previous structural mapping in the region was island and land based devoid of any marine data, but these new marine data and interpretations facilitate a better structural view. We present a comprehensive map of the geology that includes the Devil’s Mountain and Skipjack Island fault zones, the Lopez Fracture zone, and intermediate faults that appear to facilitate rotation of the San Juan islands. In addition, the associated coastal and marine hazards of the region are presented with emphasis on local active faulting, mass wasting, and tsunmi generation.