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Soft-sediment deformation structures in NW Germany caused by Late Pleistocene seismicity

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Abstract

New data on seismically triggered soft-sediment deformation structures in Pleniglacial to Late Glacial alluvial fan and aeolian sand-sheet deposits of the upper Senne area link this soft-sediment deformation directly to earthquakes generated along the Osning Thrust, which is one of the major fault systems in Central Europe. Soft-sediment deformation structures include a complex fault and fold pattern, clastic dikes, sand volcanoes, sills, irregular intrusive sedimentary bodies, flame structures, and ball-and-pillow structures. The style of soft-sediment deformation will be discussed with respect to brittle failure, liquefaction and fluidization processes, and was controlled by (1) the magnitude of the earthquake and (2) the permeability, tensile strength and flexural resistance of the alluvial and aeolian sediments. It is the first time in northern Germany that fluidization and liquefaction features can be directly related to a fault. The occurrence of seismicity in the Late Pleistocene and in the seventeenth century indicates ongoing crustal movements along the Osning Thrust and sheds new light on the seismic activity of northern Germany. The Late Pleistocene earthquake probably occurred between 15.9 ± 1.6 and 13.1 ± 1.5 ka; the association of soft-sediment deformation structures implies that it had a magnitude of at least 5.5.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the owners of the Oerlinghausen and Augustdorf open sand pits for the permission to enter their property. We would like to thank G. Hoffmann and K. Reicherter for constructive reviews and A. Nelson for helpful comments on an earlier version of this manuscript. Ariana Osman is gratefully acknowledged for improving the English. Many thanks are due to Janine Meinsen, Jörg Lang and Julia Roskosch for help in the field. Jamie Buscher, Christoph Glotzbach, Andrea Hampel, Holger Steffen and David Tanner are gratefully acknowledged for discussion.

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  1. Institut für Geologie, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Callinstr. 30, 30167, Hannover, Germany

    Christian Brandes & Jutta Winsemann

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  1. Christian Brandes
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  2. Jutta Winsemann
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Correspondence to Christian Brandes.

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Brandes, C., Winsemann, J. Soft-sediment deformation structures in NW Germany caused by Late Pleistocene seismicity. Int J Earth Sci (Geol Rundsch) 102, 2255–2274 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-013-0914-4

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