Abstract
Eustasy and glacio- and hydro-isostatic adjustment are the main drivers of regional variability of Holocene relative sea-level (RSL) records. These regional variations in Holocene RSL influence the preservation of coastal wetland stratigraphic records of prehistoric earthquakes along subduction zone coasts. The length and completeness of prehistoric earthquake records is intrinsically linked to the accommodation space provided by gradually rising (<3 mm ear)="" holocene="" rsl.="" in="" near-field="" regions="" that="" were="" located="" beneath="" northern="" hemisphere="" ice="" sheets="" (e.g.,="" western="" vancouver="" island),="" rsl="" fall="" from="" a="" mid-holocene="" highstand="" has="" limited="" prehistoric="" earthquake="" records="" to="" the="" last="" 1 ka.="" in="" intermediate="" field="" regions="" (e.g.,="" southern="" washington="" and="" central="" oregon),="" gradual="" rsl="" rise="" over="" the="" last="" ∼7 ka="" has="" preserved="" widespread="" records="" of="" prehistoric="" earthquakes.="" in="" far-field="" regions="" (e.g.,="" sumatra,="" chile,="" and="" japan),="" fragmentary="" stratigraphic="" evidence="" of="" prehistoric="" earthquakes="" has="" been="" preserved="" only="" during="" periods="" of="" gradual="" rsl="" rise="" prior="" to="" a="" mid-holocene="" highstand,="" or="" during="" the="" last="" 1–3 ka,="" when="" rsl="" was="" within="" 2 m="" of="" modern="" sea="" level,="" and="" thus="" within="" the="" tidal="">
Keywords
Accommodation space, Coastal wetland stratigraphy, Glacio-isostatic adjustment, Prehistoric earthquakes, Relative sea level, subduction zone