Active Tectonics: Impact on Society (1986)
Chapter: Front Matter
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NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the Councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for this report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.
This report has been reviewed by a group other than the authors according to procedures approved by a Report Review Committee consisting of members of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine.
The National Research Council was established by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and of advising the federal government. The Council operates in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy under the authority of its congressional charter of 1863, which establishes the Academy as a private, nonprofit, self-governing membership corporation. The Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in the conduct of their services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. It is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. The National Academy of Engineering and the Institute of Medicine were established in 1964 and 1970, respectively, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences.
The Geophysics Study Committee is pleased to acknowledge the support of the National Science Foundation, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the Department of Energy (Grant #DE-FGO2–82ER12018) for the conduct of this study.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Main entry under title:
Active tectonics.
(Studies in geophysics)
Includes index.
1. Geology, Structural—Addresses, essays, lectures. I. Geophysics Research Forum (U.S.) Geophysics Study Committee. II. Series.
QE601.A25 1986 551.8 85–32026
ISBN 0-309-03638-0
Printed in the United States of America
National Academy Press
The National Academy Press was created by the National Academy of Sciences to publish the reports issued by the Academy and by the National Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Research Council, all operating under the charter granted to the National Academy of Sciences by the Congress of the United States.
Panel on Active Tectonics
ROBERT E.WALLACE,
U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park,
Chairman
CLARENCE R.ALLEN,
California Institute of Technology
LARRY D.BROWN,
Cornell University
LLOYD S.CLUFF,
Pacific Gas & Electric
BRUCE M.CROWE,
Los Alamos National Laboratory
JOHN C.CROWELL,
University of California, Santa Barbara
EDWARD A.KELLER,
University of California, Santa Barbara
KENNETH R.LAJOIE,
U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park
LARRY MAYER,
Miami University
DAVID NASH,
University of Cincinnati
DONALD W.PETERSON,
U.S. Geological Survey, Vancouver
KENNETH L.PIERCE,
U.S. Geological Survey, Denver
STANLEY A.SCHUMM,
Colorado State University
DAVID P.SCHWARTZ,
Woodward-Clyde Consultants
D.BURTON SLEMMONS,
University of Nevada, Reno
ARTHUR G.SYLVESTER,
University of California, Santa Barbara
WAYNE THATCHER,
U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park
ROBERT S.YEATS,
Oregon State University
Staff
THOMAS M.USSELMAN
Geophysics Study Committee
ARTHUR E.MAXWELL,
The University of Texas at Austin,
Chairman
†ALLEN F.AGNEW, Geological Consultant,
Corvallis, Oregon
†RICHARD A.ANTHES,
National Center for Atmospheric Research
*COLIN BULL,
Mercer Island, Washington
GORDON P.EATON,
Texas A&M University
DEVRIE S.INTRILIGATOR,
Carmel Research Center
*NICHOLAS C.MATALAS,
U.S. Geological Survey, Reston
J.MURRAY MITCHELL,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
*V.RAMA MURTHY,
University of Minnesota
†RICHARD J.O’CONNELL,
Harvard University
†MARTIN WALT,
Lockheed Missiles and Space Company, Inc.
FERRIS WEBSTER,
University of Delaware
Liaison Representatives
RALPH ALEWINE,
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
BRUCE B.HANSHAW,
U.S. Geological Survey, Reston
GEORGE A.KOLSTAD,
Department of Energy
MICHAEL MAYHEW,
National Science Foundation
NED OSTENSO,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
SHELBY TILFORD,
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Staff
THOMAS M.USSELMAN
Geophysics Research Forum
DON L.ANDERSON,
California Institute of Technology,
Chairman
STANLEY I.AUERBACH,
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
JOHN J.BOLAND,
The Johns Hopkins University
THOMAS M.DONAHUE,
University of Michigan
CHARLES L.DRAKE,
Dartmouth College
PETER S.EAGLESON,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
W.GARY ERNST,
University of California, Los Angeles
JOHN D.HAUN,
Evergreen, Colorado
WILLIAM W.HAY,
University of Colorado
CHARLES L.HOSLER,
Pennsylvania State University
DEVRIE S.INTRILIGATOR,
Carmel Research Center
KEITH A.KVENVOLDEN,
U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park
C.GORDON LITTLE,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
CHARLES J.MANKIN,
Oklahoma Geological Survey
ARTHUR E.MAXWELL,
The University of Texas at Austin
FRANK B.McDONALD,
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
WALTER H.MUNK,
University of California, San Diego
JACK E.OLIVER,
Cornell University
EUGENE N.PARKER,
The University of Chicago
FRANK L.PARKER,
Vanderbilt University
HOWARD J.PINCUS,
University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
PAUL W.POMEROY,
Rondout Associates, Inc.
RICHARD H.RAPP,
The Ohio State University
ROGER R.REVELLE,
University of California, San Diego
VERNER E.SUOMI,
University of Wisconsin, Madison
FERRIS WEBSTER,
University of Delaware
GUNTER E.WELLER,
University of Alaska
Commission on Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Resources
HERBERT FRIEDMAN,
National Research Council,
Chairman
CLARENCE R.ALLEN,
California Institute of Technology
THOMAS D.BARROW,
Standard Oil Company, Ohio (Retired)
ELKAN R.BLOUT,
Harvard Medical School
BERNARD F.BURKE,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
GEORGE F.CARRIER,
Harvard University
CHARLES L.DRAKE,
Dartmouth College
MILDRED S.DRESSELHAUS,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
JOSEPH L.FISHER,
Office of the Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia
JAMES C.FLETCHER,
University of Pittsburgh
WILLIAM A.FOWLER,
California Institute of Technology
GERHART FRIEDLANDER,
Brookhaven National Laboratory
EDWARD D.GOLDBERG,
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
MARY L.GOOD,
Signal Research Center
J.ROSS MacDONALD,
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
THOMAS F.MALONE,
Saint Joseph College
CHARLES J.MANKIN,
Oklahoma Geological Survey
PERRY L.McCARTY,
Stanford University
WILLIAM D.PHILLIPS,
Mallinckrodt, Inc.
ROBERT E.SIEVERS,
Harvard School of Public Health
JOHN D.SPENGLER,
Harvard School of Public Health
GEORGE W.WETHERILL,
Carnegie Institution of Washington
IRVING WLADAWSKY-BERGER,
IBM Corporation
RAPHAEL G.KASPER, Executive Director
LAWRENCE E.McCRAY, Associate Executive Director
Studies in Geophysics*
ENERGY AND CLIMATE
Roger R.Revelle, panel chairman, 1977, 158 pp.
CLIMATE, CLIMATIC CHANGE, AND WATER SUPPLY
James R.Wallis, panel chairman, 1977, 132 pp.
ESTUARIES, GEOPHYSICS, AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Charles B.Officer, panel chairman, 1977, 127 pp.
THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE AND MAGNETOSPHERE
Francis S.Johnson, panel chairman, 1977, 169 pp.
GEOPHYSICAL PREDICTIONS
Helmut E.Landsberg, panel chairman, 1978, 215 pp.
IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON GEOPHYSICS
Homer E.Newell, panel chairman, 1979, 121 pp.
CONTINENTAL TECTONICS
B.Clark Burchfiel, Jack E.Oliver, and Leon T.Silver, panel co-chairmen, 1980, 197 pp.
MINERAL RESOURCES: GENETIC UNDERSTANDING FOR PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
Paul B.Barton, Jr., panel chairman, 1981, 118 pp.
SCIENTIFIC BASIS OF WATER-RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Myron B.Fiering, panel chairman, 1982, 127 pp.
SOLAR VARIABILITY, WEATHER, AND CLIMATE
John A.Eddy, panel chairman, 1982, 106 pp.
CLIMATE IN EARTH HISTORY
Wolfgang H.Berger and John C.Crowell, panel co-chairmen, 1982, 197 pp.
FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH ON ESTUARIES: THE IMPORTANCE OF AN INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH
Charles B.Officer and L.Eugene Cronin, panel co-chairmen, 1983, 79 pp.
Preface
This study is part of a series of Studies in Geophysics that have been undertaken for the Geophysics Research Forum by the Geophysics Study Committee. One purpose of each study is to provide assessments from the scientific community to aid policymakers in decisions on societal problems that involve geophysics. An important part of such assessments is an evaluation of the adequacy of current geophysical knowledge and the appropriateness of current research programs as a source of information required for those decisions.
This study on active tectonics was initiated by the Geophysics Study Committee and the Geophysics Research Forum in consultation with the liaison representatives of the agencies that support the Geophysics Study Committee, relevant committees and boards within the National Research Council, and members of the scientific community.
The study addresses our current scientific understanding of active tectonics—particularly the patterns and rates of ongoing tectonic processes. Many of these processes cannot be described reasonably using the limited instrumental or historical records; however, most can be described adequately for practical purposes using the geologic record of the past 500,000 years. A program of fundamental research focusing especially on Quaternary tectonic geology and geomorphology, paleoseismology, neotectonics, and geodesy is recommended to better understand ongoing, active tectonic processes.
The preliminary scientific findings of the authored background chapters were presented at an American Geophysical Union symposium in San Francisco in December 1983. In completing their chapters, the authors had the benefit of discussion at this symposium as well as the comments of several scientific referees. Ultimate responsibility for the individual chapters, however, rests with their authors.
The Overview of the study summarizes the highlights of the chapters and formulates conclusions and recommendations. In preparing the Overview, the panel chairman and the Geophysics Study Committee had the benefit of meetings that took place at the symposium and of the comments of the panel of authors and other referees. Responsibility for the Overview rests with the Geophysics Study Committee and the chairman of the panel.
Contents
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Active Tectonics Along the Western Continental Margin of the Conterminous United States |
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Epeirogenic and Intraplate Movements |
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Evaluation of Active Faulting and Associated Hazards |
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Active Faults Related to Folding |
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Alluvial River Response to Active Tectonics |
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Coastal Tectonics |
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Tectonic Geomorphology of Escarpments and Mountain Fronts |
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Investigation of Active Tectonics: Use of Surficial Earth Processes |
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Seismological and Paleoseismological Techniques of Research in Active Tectonics |
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Geodetic Measurement of Active-Tectonic Processes |
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Near-Field Tectonic Geodesy |
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Morphologic Dating and Modeling Degradation of Fault Scarps |
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Dating Methods |
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Seismic Hazards: New Trends in Analysis Using Geologic Data |
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Volcanoes: Tectonic Setting and Impact on Society |
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Volcanic Hazard Assessment for Disposal of High-Level Radioactive Waste |
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