Multi-lake turbidite records of Chilean megathrust earthquakes: Refining the use of turbidite volume as paleoseismic proxy
Abstract
Seismic shaking can remobilise slope sediments in lakes, producing mass wasting deposits as evidence of past earthquakes. Previous studies suggest a link between turbidite volume (i.e., thickness and extent) and shaking intensity as a potential tool for quantitative paleoseismology. In this study we test this relationship using sediment cores from seven lakes along the Valdivia Segment of the Chilean subduction zone, where variable megathrust rupture extents have been inferred. Sediment core correlation and geochronological analyses — including radionuclide dating, tephrochronology, and varve counting — reveal synchronous, multi-basin turbidites, each of which can be linked to a known, historical or prehistoric earthquake during the past ~1000 years. We find that the turbidite volume scales with the rupture extent of historical earthquakes and show that surficial sediment remobilisation is the primary underlying mechanism in these lakes. However, turbidite thickness measurements and slope core analysis suggest that the varying lithology on slope sequences (e.g. volcanic deposits) modulates the remobilisation depth, reducing turbidite volume independently of shaking strength. In addition, the remobilisation process is strongly controlled by slope angle. For the investigated lakes, confined basins surrounded by slopes of approximately 5◦ are the ideal natural seismometers, while sediments on steeper slopes (>11◦) are likely completely eroded during large earthquakes and not fully recharged between events. Our findings support and refine the application of coseismic turbidite volume as a proxy for shaking strength but highlight the necessity of a better understanding of the surficial remobilisation process for quantitative paleoseismic interpretations based on turbidite thickness. * Corresponding author. Institute of Geology, University of
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BibTeX
@article{niederstatter2026multilake,
title = {{Multi-lake turbidite records of Chilean megathrust earthquakes: Refining the use of turbidite volume as paleoseismic proxy}},
author = {Markus Niederstätter and Katleen Wils and Ariana Molenaar and Stephanie Benischke and Valentina Moreno Allende and Maarten van Daele and Jürgen Konzett and Renaldo Gastineau and Pierre Sabatier and Olivier Evrard and Jean Nicolas Haas and Lindsey Doom and Pedro Guzmán-Marín and Cristian Araya-Cornejo and Marcel Ortler and Silvana Raiber and Anja Griesser and Kamill Lisson and Jurian Herreman and Noah Pynaert and Karen Fontijn and Daniel Melnick and Marc de Batist and Roberto Urrutia and Mario Pino and Jasper Moernaut},
journal = {Quaternary Science Reviews},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1016/j.quascirev.2026.110272},
url = {https://cea.hal.science/cea-05751842v1},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Multi-lake turbidite records of Chilean megathrust earthquakes: Refining the use of turbidite volume as paleoseismic proxy
AU - Markus Niederstätter
AU - Katleen Wils
AU - Ariana Molenaar
AU - Stephanie Benischke
AU - Valentina Moreno Allende
AU - Maarten van Daele
AU - Jürgen Konzett
AU - Renaldo Gastineau
AU - Pierre Sabatier
AU - Olivier Evrard
AU - Jean Nicolas Haas
AU - Lindsey Doom
AU - Pedro Guzmán-Marín
AU - Cristian Araya-Cornejo
AU - Marcel Ortler
AU - Silvana Raiber
AU - Anja Griesser
AU - Kamill Lisson
AU - Jurian Herreman
AU - Noah Pynaert
AU - Karen Fontijn
AU - Daniel Melnick
AU - Marc de Batist
AU - Roberto Urrutia
AU - Mario Pino
AU - Jasper Moernaut
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/16
JO - Quaternary Science Reviews
DO - 10.1016/j.quascirev.2026.110272
UR - https://cea.hal.science/cea-05751842v1
AB - Seismic shaking can remobilise slope sediments in lakes, producing mass wasting deposits as evidence of past earthquakes. Previous studies suggest a link between turbidite volume (i.e., thickness and extent) and shaking intensity as a potential tool for quantitative paleoseismology. In this study we test this relationship using sediment cores from seven lakes along the Valdivia Segment of the Chilean subduction zone, where variable megathrust rupture extents have been inferred. Sediment core correlation and geochronological analyses — including radionuclide dating, tephrochronology, and varve counting — reveal synchronous, multi-basin turbidites, each of which can be linked to a known, historical or prehistoric earthquake during the past ~1000 years. We find that the turbidite volume scales with the rupture extent of historical earthquakes and show that surficial sediment remobilisation is the primary underlying mechanism in these lakes. However, turbidite thickness measurements and slope core analysis suggest that the varying lithology on slope sequences (e.g. volcanic deposits) modulates the remobilisation depth, reducing turbidite volume independently of shaking strength. In addition, the remobilisation process is strongly controlled by slope angle. For the investigated lakes, confined basins surrounded by slopes of approximately 5◦ are the ideal natural seismometers, while sediments on steeper slopes (>11◦) are likely completely eroded during large earthquakes and not fully recharged between events. Our findings support and refine the application of coseismic turbidite volume as a proxy for shaking strength but highlight the necessity of a better understanding of the surficial remobilisation process for quantitative paleoseismic interpretations based on turbidite thickness. * Corresponding author. Institute of Geology, University of
SN - 0277-3791
SN - 1873-457X
ER -