High-resolution geological record of historic earthquakes in the Dead Sea basin

A 2000 year paleoseismic record of the Dead Sea area was recovered from a l acustrine sedimentary section. The section is being exposed at the Ze'elim Terrace on the shores of the Dead Sea due to the fast retreat of the lake. The section consists of laminated detrital and chemical (mainly aragonite) sediments that were deposited in the Holocene paleo-Dead Sea. Eight layers in the section show deformed sedimentary structures and are identified as s eismites. Their chronology was determined by radiocarbon dating on organic remains. The seismite ages are well correlated with the historically docume nted earthquakes of 64 and 31 B.C. and 33, 363, 1212, 1293, 1834 and 1927 A .D.. The few historically documented earthquakes that have no correlatives in the Ze'elim seismite record occurred in times of sedimentary hiatuses at this site (e.g., 749 A.D.). Based on modem analogues and the association o f similar disturbed layers with syndepositional faults, the Ze'elim Terrace seismites indicate M>5.5 earthquakes. The average recurrence interval is e stimated as similar to 100-300 years and represents slip events on differen t faults in the Dead Sea area. The Ze'elim section provides a unique opport unity to correlate two independent and extensive data sets, the historical and sedimentary records. This study opens the way for better understanding of spatial and temporal distribution of earthquakes along the Dead Sea Tran sform and elsewhere.