EVIDENCE OF POSSIBLE TECTONIC UPWARPING ALONG THE SOUTH-CAROLINA COASTAL-PLAIN FROM AN EXAMINATION OF RIVER MORPHOLOGY AND ELEVATION DATA

Although the fault(s) responsible for the 1886 Charleston, South Carol ina, earthquake have not yet been identified (primarily because of the lack of surface rupture), evaluation of Landsat imagery, aerial photo graphy, and topographic maps have revealed an approximately 200-km-lon g, approximately 15-km-wide, north-northeast-trending zone composed of subtle topographic highs and morphologic changes in rivers that may b e associated with tectonic activity. River anomalies observed within t his zone include river bends that are convex toward the north-northeas t, incised channels, changes in river patterns, and convex-upward long itudinal profiles. Analyses of geologic and geophysical data further i ndicate that these surface features may be the result of ongoing tecto nic uplift along a north-northeast-trending fault zone possibly associ ated with recent seismicity near Charleston.