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Assessing post-pliocene deformation in a context of slow tectonic deformation: insights from paleoseismology, remote sensing and shallow geophysics in Provence, France

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Abstract

The Provence region, located in the south-east of France, has experienced a few destructive earthquakes during the last centuries, such as the 1909 Lambesc earthquake or the 1509 and 1708 Manosque earthquakes. However, faults in the area experience slow slip rates (< 0.1 mm/yr) that preclude quantification of deformation using geodetic measurements. Active faults in Provence have long recurrence intervals, and the region experiences erosion under a Mediterranean climate where surface markers of such deformation are rapidly erased. As a consequence, several faults in the region may go unnoticed despite having the potential to generate earthquakes. This work focuses on the Vinon-sur-Verdon area in Provence, where a relatively narrow fault structure, the Maragrate fault, brings into contact Miocene clays and Pliocene conglomerates. Because of its proximity to a major nuclear research facility, this fault poses a potential earthquake hazard that justifies studies aimed at gaining insight into its mechanics and Quaternary seismic activity. In this context, a multi-disciplinary approach has been implemented. A LiDAR campaign was undertaken to generate a 30-cm high-resolution Digital Elevation Model that depicts in detail the current fault morphology. In parallel, an electrical resistivity campaign was conducted and three trenches were opened. These investigations revealed a fault contact expressed by a fault gouge zone surmounted and sealed by numerous recent Quaternary periglacial and high-energy channel units. Radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence dating allowed the chronological reconstruction of sediment deposition and erosion cycles and of the most recent deformation event, older than 20 ka. These investigations did not allow us to demonstrate with certainty that these deformations are of a co-seismic nature. This work highlights the difficulty of identifying faults and studying the seismic hazard in intra-continental contexts.

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Fig. 1

modified from Molliex et al. 2011). Historical (SisFrance, e.g. Scotti et al. 2004) and instrumental (SI-Hex catalogue, data from 1963 to 2009, Cara et al. 2015) seismicity is displayed, as well as the location of various paleoseismological studies (Neopal catalogue)

Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
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Fig. 8
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Fig. 10

taken from the trench’s south wall. Locations of 14C and OSL samples are depicted. 3: Geological log of the trench with 14C and OSL sample locations. B—North wall of the trench. 1: Electrical profile VIN08 (see Fig. 7). 2: Orthophoto-mosaic compiled with Agisoft Photoscan using pictures from the trench’s north wall. Locations of 14C and OSL are depicted. 3: Geological log of the trench with 14C and OSL sample locations

Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13

adapted from Ollivier, 2015). Both the observed sediment accumulation/incision and the averaged sediment accumulation/incision are displayed. Various groups of geological units logged in T3 can be correlated with either the observed or averaged sediment accumulation phases in Provence. Colours correspond to the colour scheme on the paleoseismic logs in Fig. 10 and Fig. 12

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the ECCOREV Research Federation (Aix-Marseille Université, INEE-CNRS, CEA, INRAE, IRSN), INSU-CNRS and the Cashima Research Project (funded by the CEA Cadarache and ITER organization). Franck Thomas benefitted from a PhD scholarship funded by the CEA and the Conseil Régional PACA. This work is also a contribution to the Labex OT-Med (n ANR- 11-LABX-0061) funded by the French Government “Investissements d’Avenir” programme of the French National Research Agency (ANR) through the A*MIDEX project (n ANR-11-IDEX-0001-02). We thank Fabrice Hollender (CEA-Cadarache, DEN, France) as head of the Cashima Research Project. We thank Shannon Mahan from the USGS, Denver, for the analysis of our OSL samples. We thank Jean Claude Hippolyte (CEREGE) for his insight on local geology, and Philippe Combes (Fugro France) for his active participation in this work. We also thank Laurent Froideval and his team of the University of Caen for the production of the high-definition LiDAR DEM data. Finally, we thank Edward Anthony (CEREGE) for his thorough read-through and suggestions for the improvement in the text.

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  1. Jérémy Billant

    Present address: Université Côte d’Azur, IRD, CNRS, Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, Géoazur, Valbonne, France

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Aix Marseille Univ., CNRS, IRD, INRAE, College De France, CEREGE, Aix-en-Provence, France

    Franck Thomas, Magali Rizza, Olivier Bellier, Jérémy Billant, Philippe Dussouillez, Jules Fleury, Doriane Delanghe & Vincent Godard

  2. Aix Marseille Univ., CNRS, FR 3098 ECCOREV, 13545, Aix-en-Provence, France

    Olivier Bellier

  3. Aix Marseille Univ., CNRS, Minist Culture and Com, LAMPEA, Aix-en-Provence, France

    Vincent Ollivier

  4. Aix Marseille Univ., Avignon Université, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Aix-en-Provence, France

    Brigitte Talon

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Thomas, F., Rizza, M., Bellier, O. et al. Assessing post-pliocene deformation in a context of slow tectonic deformation: insights from paleoseismology, remote sensing and shallow geophysics in Provence, France. Nat Hazards 105, 1453–1490 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-020-04362-5

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