SCEC Award Number 15145 View PDF
Proposal Category Collaborative Proposal (Data Gathering and Products)
Proposal Title Investigating the Cosmogenic Nuclide in situ 14C as a Chronometer in Slip Rate Determinations
Investigator(s)
Name Organization
Brent Goehring Tulane University Kimberly Blisniuk San Jose State University Research Foundation
Other Participants
SCEC Priorities 1a, 4b, 4c SCEC Groups SoSAFE, Geology, SDOT
Report Due Date 03/15/2016 Date Report Submitted 03/27/2016
Project Abstract
 Surface exposure dating has proven to be a critical tool in the assessment of ages of landforms deformed by fault system of southern California and beyond. While undoubtedly useful, the application of surface exposure dating to landforms, such as alluvial fans, is not without challenges, most notably inheritance of nuclides accumulated during exhumation and transport. Our proposed research explores the use of a relatively new cosmogenic nuclide, in situ 14C, solely or with other cosmogenic nuclides to address some of these challenges. As such, we selected multiple alluvial fans used for slip rate determinations previously that also have age control from multiple chronometers. Sampled fans were generally in the Anza Borrego region of California and were previously investigated by Blisniuk et al. (2012). Samples were collected in January 2016 and are currently being processed. We anticipate receipt of results during Spring/early Summery 2016. Results will be presented at the 2016 SCEC Meeting.
Intellectual Merit If successful, our new approaches will provide a complimentary geochronometer for sites where a slip rate determination is crucial for evaluating overall seismic hazards. While we are developing our techniques for the purposes of alluvial fan age determinations, the theoretical basis of our geochromometer could be applied in other geologic settings.
Broader Impacts Research carried out under this award has directly benefited two new graduate students in the Goehring research group, and three graduate/undergraduate students in the Blisniuk research group by taking them into the field and introducing them to cosmogenic nuclides techniques broadly and more specifically. The research also forms a critical part of early career scientists Goehring and Blisniuk. Our research is largely methodologically developmental in nature; however, it may prove a valuable geochronometer that could be applied elsewhere, specifically on fault systems that have proven difficult to date previously.
Exemplary Figure none submitted
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