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Surficial geology indicates early Holocene faulting and seismicity, central Sweden

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Abstract

In Sweden, knowledge of the location and timing of glacially induced faulting and seismicity is critical to effective engineering of a long-term nuclear disposal facility. To improve understanding and modeling of the complex ice-induced and tectonic stresses associated with glacially induced faulting, field studies detailing the location and timing of movement of such structures are required. Although the fault has not been confirmed in the bedrock, multi-proxy surficial geologic evidence indicates that the recently discovered scarp in Bollnäs is such a structure. Machine-excavated trenches across the scarp reveal landsliding down the scarp and, in one location, faulted and vertically offset fine-grained glacial sediments. The presence of water-escape structures in trenches excavated on a topographic high strongly suggests a co-seismic origin derived from earthquake magnitudes >5.5. Numerous landslides in till exist in the region as well. Four slopes with landslides were examined in detail, and the factors of safety for these slopes indicate stable conditions and suggest a seismic trigger. Basal radiocarbon dates from peat bogs located stratigraphically above the landslides provide minimum limiting ages for the co-seismic landslides. The oldest date indicates sliding prior to 10,180 calendar years before the present. The proposed Bollnäs Fault is 400 km south of the so called Lapland Fault Province. To date, it is the southernmost confirmed glacially induced fault in Sweden. The results of this study are consistent with existing modeling results that indicate fault instability in this region of central Sweden following deglaciation.

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Acknowledgments

Funding for this project was provided by the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Co. (Svensk Kärnbränslehantering AB). The authors appreciate the support, enthusiasm, and involvement of R. Munier in this project from funding, to fieldwork, to commenting on the manuscript. T.V. Lowell read and commented extensively on an earlier draft of this manuscript. His critical review and suggestions led to a much improved document. Thanks is also extended to R. Lagerbäck for sharing his experience in the field.

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  1. Geological Survey of Sweden, Uppsala, Sweden

    Colby A. Smith, Martin Sundh & Henrik Mikko

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  1. Colby A. Smith
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Correspondence to Colby A. Smith.

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Smith, C.A., Sundh, M. & Mikko, H. Surficial geology indicates early Holocene faulting and seismicity, central Sweden. Int J Earth Sci (Geol Rundsch) 103, 1711–1724 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-014-1025-6

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