Lacustrine sedimentary responses to earthquakes—soft-sediment deformation structures since late Pleistocene:A review of current understanding

The traces left by earthquakes in lacustrine sediments are studied to determine the occurrence of ancient earthquakes by identifying seismically induced soft-sediment deformation structures(SSDS).Dating can help reconstruct the relative frequency of earthquakes.Identifying seismically induced seismites,which carry abundant seismic information from numerous SSDS,is both critical and challenging.Studying the deformation mechanism of SSDS and learning about the common criteria of seismically induced SSDS improve the identification of earthquake triggers.With better research into SSDS,seismic events can be effectively captured,and temporal constraints can be carried out by 14C dating and optically stimulated luminescence(OSL)dating to identify and date the occurrence of ancient earthquakes.The present contribution primarily addresses the meaning and mechanism of SSDS and their relationship with earthquake magnitude as well as the common criteria of the SSDS induced by earthquakes.

Soft-sediment Deformation Structures Related to Earthquake from the Devonian of the Eastern North Qilian Mts.and Its Tectonic Significance

Devonian in the North Qilian orogenic belt and Hexi Corridor developed terrestrial molasse of later stage of foreland basin caused by collision between the North China plate and Qaidam microplate. The foreland basin triggered a intense earthquake, and formed seismites and earthquake-related soft-sediment deformation. The soft-sediment deformation structures of Devonian in the eastern North Qilian Mts. consist of seismo-cracks, sandstone dykes, syn-depositional faults, microfoids （micro-corrugated lamination）, fluidized veins, load casts, flame structures, pillow structures and brecciation. The seismo-cracks, syn-depositional faults and microfolds are cracks, faults and folds formed directly by oscillation of earthquake. The seismic dykes formed by sediment instilling into seismic cracks. Fluidized veins were made by instilling into the seismo-fissures of the fluidized sands. The load casts, flame structures and pillow structures were formed by sinking and instilling caused from oscillation of earthquake along the face between sandy and muddy beds. The brecciation resulted from the oscillation of earthquake and cracking of sedimentary layers. The seismites and soft-sediment deformations in Devonian triggered the earthquake related to tectonic activities during the orogeny and uplift of North Qilian Mts.

Last Deglacial Soft-Sediment Deformation at Shawan on the Eastern Tibetan Plateau and Implications for Deformation Processes and Seismic Magnitudes

The eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau is characterized by frequent earthquakes; however, research of paleo-earthquakes in the area has been limited^ owing to the alpine topography and strong erosion. Detailed investigations of soft-sediment deformation(SSD) structures are valuable for understanding the trigger mechanisms, deformation processes, and the magnitudes of earthquakes that generate such structures, and help us to understand tectonic activity in the region. To assess tectonic activity during the late Quaternary, we studied a well-exposed sequence of Shawan lacustrine sediments, 7.0 m thick, near Lake Diexi in the upper reaches of the Minjiang River. Deformation is recorded by both ductile structures(load casts, flame structures,pseudonodules, ball-and-pillow structures, and liquefied convolute structures) and brittle structures(liquefied breccia, and microfaults). Taking into account the geodynamic setting of the area and its known tectonic activity, these SSD structures can be interpreted in terms of seismic shocks. The types and forms of the structures,the maximum liquefaction distances, and the thicknesses of the horizons with SSD structures in the Shawan section indicate that they record six strong earthquakes of magnitude 6-7 and one with magnitude >7. A recent study showed that the Songpinggou fault is the seismogenic structure of the 1933 Ms7.5 Diexi earthquake. The Shawan section is located close to the junction of the Songpinggou and Minjiang faults, and records seven earthquakes with magnitudes of ?7. We infer,therefore, that the SSD structures in the Shawan section document deglacial activity along the Songpinggou fault.

Earthquake-related Tectonic Deformation of Soft-sediments and Its Constraints on Basin Tectonic Evolution

The authors introduced two kinds of newly found soft-sediment deformation-synsedimentary extension structure and syn-sedimentary compression structure, and discuss their origins and constraints on basin tectonic evolution. One representative of the syn-sedimentary extension structure is syn-sedimentary boudinage structure, while the typical example of the syn-sedimentary compression structure is compression sand pillows or compression wrinkles. The former shows NW-SE-trendlng contemporaneous extension events related to earthquakes in the rift basin near a famous Fe-Nb-REE deposit in northern China during the Early Paleozoic （or Mesoproterozoic as proposed by some researches）, while the latter indicates NE-SW-trending contemporaneous compression activities related to earthquakes in the Middle Triassic in the Nanpanjiang remnant basin covering south Guizhou, northwestern Guangxi and eastern Yunnan in southwestern China. The syn-sedimentary boudinage structure was found in an earthquake slump block in the lower part of the Early Paleozoic Sailinhudong Group, 20 km to the southeast of Bayan Obo, Inner Mongolia, north of China. The slump block is composed of two kinds of very thin layers-pale-gray micrite （microcrystalline limestone） of 1-2 cm thick interbedded with gray muddy micrite layers with the similar thickness. Almost every thin muddy micrite layer was cut into imbricate blocks or boudins by abundant tiny contemporaneous faults, while the interbedded micrite remain in continuity. Boudins form as a response to layer-parallel extension （and/or layer-perpendicular flattening） of stiff layers enveloped top and bottom by mechanically soft layers. In this case, the imbricate blocks cut by the tiny contemporaneous faults are the result of abrupt horizontal extension of the crust in the SE-NW direction accompanied with earthquakes. Thus, the rock block is, in fact, a kind of seismites. The syn-sedimentary boudins indicate that there was at least a strong earthquake belt on the southeast side of the basin during the early stage of the Sailinhudong Group. This may be a good constraint on the tectonic evolution of the Bayan Obo area during the Early Paleozoic time. The syn-sedimentary compression structure was found in the Middle Triassic flysch in the Nanpanjiang Basin. The typical structures are compression sand pillows and compression wrinkles. Both of them were found on the bottoms of sand units and the top surface of the underlying mud units. In other words, the structures were found only in the interfaces between the graded sand layer and the underlying mud layer of the flysch. A deformation experiment with dough was conducted, showing that the tectonic deformation must have been instantaneous one accompanied by earthquakes. The compression sand pillows or wrinkles showed uniform directions along the bottoms of the sand layer in the flysch, revealing contemporaneous horizontal compression during the time between deposition and diagenesis of the related beds. The Nanpanjiang Basin was affected, in general, with SSW-NNE compression during the Middle Triassic, according to the syn-sedimentary compression structure. The two kinds of syn-sedimentary tectonic deformation also indicate that the related basins belong to a rift basin and a remnant basin, respectively, in the model of Wilson Cycle.

Earthquake-induced Soft-sediment Deformation Structures in the Dengfeng Area,Henan Province,China:Constraints on Qinling Tectonic Evolution during the Early Cambrian

Soft-sediment deformation structures are abundant in the Cambrian Zhushadong and Mantou formations of the Dengfeng area, Henan Province, China. Soft-sediment deformation structures of the Zhushadong Formation consist of fluidized deformation, synsedimentary faults, seismo-folds and plastic deformation; the Mantou Formation is dominated by small-scale horst faults, intruded dikes, fluidized veins, and seismo-cracks. These structures are demonstrated to be earthquake-related by analysis of trigger mechanisms, and may indicate the activity of the Qinling tectonic belt during the early Cambrian. Furthermore, the assemblages of soft-sediment deformation structures altered with time： large-scale, intense deformation in the Zhushadong Formation alters to small-scale, weak deformation in the Mantou Formation. This striking feature may have been caused by changes in hypocentral depth from deep-focus to shallow-focus earthquakes, indicating that the Qinling tectonic belt developed from the subduction of the Shangdan Ocean to the extension of the Erlangping back-arc basin. This study suggests that soft-sediment deformation structures can be used to reveal the activity of a tectonic belt, and, more importantly, changes in deformation assemblages can track the evolution of a tectonic belt.

A Preliminary Study on the Soft–Sediment Deformation Structures in the Late Quaternary Lacustrine Sediments at Tashkorgan, Northeastern Pamir, China

This study identified soft-sediment deformation structures （SSDS） of seismic origin from lacustrine sediments in the late Quaternary paleo-dammed lake at Tashkorgan, northeastern Pamir. The observed deformation structures include sand dykes, liquefied diapir and convolute structures, gravity induced SSDS, and thixotropic pillar and tabular structures. We conducted a preliminary study on the morphology, formation and trigger mechanisms of pillar and tabular structures formed by liquefaction of underlying coarse sand and thixotropy of the upper silty clay. The regional tectonic setting and distribution of lacustrine strata indicate that the most probable trigger for the SSDS in lacustrine sediments was seismic activity, with an approximate earthquake magnitude of M〉6.0; the potential seismogenic fault is the southern part of the Kongur normal fault extensional system. AMS ^4C dating results indicate that the SSDS were formed by seismic events occurring between 26050±100 yrBP and 22710±80 yrBP, implying intense fault activity in this region during the late Pleistocene. This study provides new evidence for understanding tectonic activity and regional geodynamics in western China.

The Seismic Induced Soft Sediment Deformation Structures in the Middle Jurassic of Western Qaidamu Basin

Intervals of soft-sediment deformation structures are well-exposed in Jurassic lacustrine deposits in the western Qaidamu basin. Through field observation, many soft-sediment deformation structures can be identified, such as convoluted bedding, liquefied sand veins, load and flame structures, slump structures and sliding-overlapping structures. Based on their genesis, soft-sediment deformation structures can be classified as three types： seismic induced structures, vertical loading structures, and horizontal shear structures. Based on their geometry and genesis analysis, they are seismic-induced structures. According to the characteristics of convoluted bedding structures and liquefied sand veins, it can be inferred that there were earthquakes greater than magnitude 6 in the study area during the middle Jurassic. Furthermore, the study of the slump structures and sliding- overlapping structures indicates that there was a southeastern slope during the middle Jurassic. Since the distance from the study area to the Altyn Mountain and the Altyn fault is no more than 10km, it can be also inferred that the Altyn Mountain existed then and that the AItyn strike-slip fault was active during the middle Jurassic.

Soft-sediment deformation structures in the Mesoproterozoic Kaimur Sandstone,Vindhyan Supergroup(Central India),and their seismotectonic implications

The unequivocal identification of soft-sediment deformation structures(SSDS)is a significant attribute to constrain the effect of transient geological events in the spatio-temporal evolution of ancient sedimentary basins.This paper reports and discusses,for the first time,the occurrence of several cm-to dm-scale SSDS within sandstone successions of the Mesoproterozoic Kaimur Group(Vindhyan Supergroup),exposed at the Hanumandhara Hill of Chitrakoot-Satna border region,Madhya Pradesh State,India.The SSDS are confined to a deformed interval comprising seven individual sedimentary units of variable composition and texture,which are sandwiched between nearly horizontally undeformed sandstone beds.The SSDS consist of load structures(load casts,flame structures,pseudonodules and ball-and-pillow structures),contorted lamination,convolute lamination,boudins and pinch-and-swell structures,deformed cross-stratification,slump structures,clastic injections,fluid escape structures,and syn-sedimentary fractures/faults.The pre-sent study suggests that the formation of these SSDS is essentially related to a combination of processes(gravitational instability,liquefaction,fluidization,and fluid escape)predominantly induced by seismic shocks.In addition,the restricted occurrence of fractures/faults in these deformed layers emphasizes the passage of seismically-induced Rayleigh waves.Considering the observed types of SSDS,their lateral homo-geneity and geographic distribution along with the geodynamic framework of the Vindhyan Basin,the whole area can be tentatively attributed to having experienced moderate-to high-magnitude(M≥5)seismicity.The present study combined with earlier reports of seismically-induced SSDS,from other regionally disposed formations belonging to the Lower(e.g.,Kajrahat Limestone,Chopan Porcellanite,Koldaha Shale,Rohtas Limestone,and Glauconitic Sandstone of the Semri Group)and Upper(e.g.,Bhander Limestone of the Bhander Group)Vindhyan Supergroup,respectively,provides evidence for the constant regional-scale seismo-tectonic activity within the Paleo-Mesoproterozoic Vindhyan Basin.Importantly,this observation further suggests that the intracratonic basins can be active tectonically contrary to the earlier propositions.

Researches of soft-sediment deformation structures and seismites in China—A brief review

During the past 30 years （1987-2016）, a great progress has been made in researches of soft-sediment deformation structures （SSDS）, seismites and pataeoearthquakes in China. However, the research thought of this academic fietd is not open enough. It is atmost with one viewpoint or one voice, i.e., atmost art the papers pubtished in journals of China considered the layers with SSDS as seismites. On the other hand, the authors are very glad to learn that the professors and students of China University of Petroleum （East China） have proposed different academic viewpoints on the origin of SSDS in Lingshan Istand, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China. It is a very active academic atmosphere. The authors＇ ideas are as follows： （1） The SSDS are sedimentary structures with multi-origin. The term ＂SSDS＂ is a good sedimentary and geological term and shoutd be utilized continuat[y. （2） The term ＂seismites＂ is a term which is definitety assigned to the layers with SSDS induced by earthquakes. It is one type of the tayers with SSDS. It is not equal to SSDS. （3） Some geotogists suggested obsoleting the term ＂seismites＂. These suggestions are rational However, since the term ＂seismites＂ has been utilized for a long time in China and worldwide, to obsolete this term should be discussed and agreement should be acquired from numerous geologists in China and worldwide. It may be suitable that let the geological practice decide whether to obsolete it or not. （4） Hopefully, further progress will be made in the researches of SSDS.

Typical earthquake-induced soft-sediment deformation structures in the Mesoproterozoic Wumishan Formation, Yongding River Valley, Beijing, China and interpreted earthquake frequency

The Mesoproterozoic Wumishan Formation, composed of dolomite is a widely distributed stratigraphic unit in the Beijing area. It was formed over a long period of time in the Yan-Liao aulacogen, a stable peritidal environment that was ideal for recording earthquakes in the form of soft-sediment deformation structures (SSDS). Numerous examples occur in the upper part of the Wumishan Formation, along the Yongding River Valley. In addition, brittle structures include intrastratal fault and seismically cracked breccias. The soft-sediment deformation structures include liquefied features (diapirs, clastic dykes, convolute bedding), compressional deformation features (accordion folds, plate-spine breccias, mound-and-sag structures), and extensional plastic features (loop-bedding). Based on the regional geological setting and previous research, movements along the main axial fault of the Yan-Liao aulacogen are considered as the triggers for earthquakes since the Early Mesoproterozoic. The number and distribution of the SSDS suggest the major earthquake frequency in the Wumishan Formation of 20 to 32 thousand years.

Global case studies of soft-sediment deformation structures(SSDS): Definitions,classifications, advances, origins, and problems

Soft-sediment deformation structures（SSDS）have been the focus of attention for over 150 years.Existing unconstrained definitions allow one to classify a wide range of features under the umbrella phrase＂SSDS＂.As a consequence,a plethora of at least 120 different types of SSDS（e.g.,convolute bedding,slump folds,load casts,dish-and-pillar structures,pockmarks,raindrop imprints,explosive sandegravel craters,clastic injections,crushed and deformed stromatolites,etc.）have been recognized in strata ranging in age from Paleoproterozoic to the present time.The two factors that control the origin of SSDS are prelithification deformation and liquidization.A sedimentological compendium of 140 case studies of SSDS worldwide,which include 30 case studies of scientific drilling at sea（DSDP/ODP/IODP）,published during a period between 1863and 2017,has yielded at least 31 different origins.Earthquakes have remained the single most dominant cause of SSDS because of the prevailing＂seismite＂mindset.Selected advances on SSDS research are：（1）an experimental study that revealed a quantitative similarity between raindrop-impact cratering and asteroid-impact cratering;（2）IODP Expedition 308 in the Gulf of Mexico that documented extensive lateral extent（〉12 km）of mass-transport deposits（MTD）with SSDS that are unrelated to earthquakes;（3）contributions on documentation of pockmarks,on recognition of new structures,and on large-scale sediment deformation on Mars.Problems that hinder our understanding of SSDS still remain.They are：（1）vague definitions of the phrase＂soft-sediment deformation＂;（2）complex factors that govern the origin of SSDS;（3）omission of vital empirical data in documenting vertical changes in facies using measured sedimentological logs;（4）difficulties in distinguishing depositional processes from tectonic events;（5）a model-driven interpretation of SSDS（i.e.,earthquake being the singular cause）;（6）routine application of the genetic term＂seismites＂to the＂SSDS＂,thus undermining the basic tenet of process sedimentology（i.e.,separation of interpretation from observation）;（7）the absence of objective criteria to differentiate 21 triggering mechanisms of liquefaction and related SSDS;（8）application of the process concept＂high-density turbidity currents＂,a process that has never been documented in modern oceans;（9）application of the process concept＂sediment creep＂with a velocity connotation that cannot be inferred from the ancient record;（10）classification of pockmarks,which are hollow spaces（i.e.,without sediments）as SSDS,with their problematic origins by fluid expulsion,sediment degassing,fish activity,etc.;（11）application of the Earth＇s climate-change model;and most importantly,（12）an arbitrary distinction between depositional process and sediment deformation.Despite a profusion of literature on SSDS,our understanding of their origin remains muddled.A solution to the chronic SSDS problem is to utilize the robust core dataset from scientific drilling at sea（DSDP/ODP/IODP）with a constrained definition of SSDS.

Soft-sediment deformation structures related to volcanic earthquakes of the Lower Cretaceous Qingshan Group in Lingshan Island, Shandong Province, East China

The study on soft-sediment deformation structures(SSDS) of Lingshan Island has been one of the hot topics of sedimentology researches in China in recent years,and SSDS developed in turbidite system in the Laiyang Group are widely known by domestic researchers.However,few studies were conducted on the SSDS in fan delta system in the Qingshan Group,Lingshan Island.This study analyzes the classification and characteristics of SSDS especially their lithofacies association and tithologic characteristics through field outcrops investigation and thin section analysis as well.A conclusion was acquired that the paleoenvironment was a fan delta system with occurrence of several volcanic eruptions,where the water became gradually shallower.The SSDS types in the Qingshan Group includes load and flame structure,ball and pillow structure,waterescape structure,hydroplastic deformation structure,plastic sandstone breccia structure,volcanic drop stone and V-shaped ground fissure mainly caused by volcanic earthquakes of three types:(1)seismic waves,(2)gravity and inertia effect of pyroclastic flows,(3)instant differential air pressure;which is different from slumping and tectonic earthquakes occurred in the Laiyang Group.In addition,with the lithofacies association analysis between pyroclastic flow and SSDS beds,a distribution model of SSDS related to volcanic earthquakes can be established:SSDS types changed gradually with their distance further away from the volcanic activity core.Brittle deformation which was common in the proximal zone disappeared gradually;liquefied and plastic SSDS continued to dominate in the medial zone;and slightly liquefied SSDS were developed in the distal zone.Meanwhile,the scale and size of SSDS is negatively correlated with the distance of SSDS depositional locations from the volcanic vent.

Origin of soft-sediment deformation structures in Nihewan Basin

The Nihewan Basin is a rift basin at the junction of northern Shanxi Province and northwestern Hebei Province in north China.The basin is known for its rich paleontological fossils and ancient human remains.There are also abundant soft-sediment deformation structures(SSDS)in the thick lacustrine sediments.Previously,most SSDS have been interpreted as ice-edge features or ignored entirely.Recently,the authors have carried out several field surveys in the Nihewan Basin and found that many SSDS are sandwiched between normal lacustrine strata at multiple sections.In the excavation pit at the 10th Locality of Maliang Site(ML10),10 horizontal SSDS layers and two vertically developed geological features have been identified.Based on genesis analysis and related criteria,these features are divided into two categories:cryoturbation-triggered SSDS and earthquake-triggered SSDS.Among them,a special type of ancient ice-wedge pseudomorph(SSDS-8)of ML10 is recognized in the basin for the first time.The other 9 horizontal SSDS are mainly caused by earthquake-triggered liquefaction and slumping.They can be further divided into 14 seismic event layers.These findings indicate that the tectonic activity in the Nihewan Basin is very strong and frequent,and there were cold periods in the geological history of the basin.At the same time,the SSDS with distinct morphological characteristics and stable horizontal distribution in the basin can be used as an important indicator of stratigraphic correlation.

A brief review on 7 papers from the special issue of “The environmental significance of soft-sediment deformation” of the Sedimentary Geology 344(2016)

From the viewpoint of origins of soft-sediment deformation structures（SSDS）, 7 papers（Ito et al.,2016; Jiang et al., 2016; Lunina and Gladkov, 2016; Moretti et al., 2016; Rana et al., 2016; Rodríguez-Pascua et al., 2016; Wheatley et al., 2016） selected from the special issue of ＂The environmental significance of softsediment deformation＂ of the Sedimentary Geology 344（2016） were reviewed.（1） The first paper（according to the published order） by Moretti et al. is a general review and introduction of this special issue. This special issue has made an important contribution to the study of sedimentary environments.（2） The fourth paper by Rodríguez-Pascua et al. is an excellent case study. All evidence of earthquake in this paper is reliable. The old Roman City（adjacent to Madrid, the capital of Spain） was definitely destroyed by an earthquake. This paper solved the problem that the archaeologists have not solved yet.（3） The 19 thpaper by Rana et al. is another excellent case study. It demonstrated that SSDS in the youngest modern sediments in the seismically active area, i.e., the Alaknanda Valley, Garhwal Himalaya, India, are of non-seismic origin, but with typically sedimentary origin. All evidence of sedimentary origin of SSDS in the study area is reliable.（4） The second paper by Lunina and Gladkov stated that SSDS（mainly clastic dikes） in epicentral areas of the recent earthquakes in southern Siberia were originated by earthquakes and that the clastic dikes are the most reliable indicators in the epicentral areas of earthquakes. This conclusion is right. However, it is not accurate to consider all clastic injections as ＂in-situ earthquake structures＂ in anywhere, because the clastic injections are with multiple origins.（5） The third paper by Wheatley et al. comprehensively stated the clastic pipes of the Jurassic in the Colorado Plateau, USA. However, the principal origin of the clastic pipes（columns） was possibly not originated by ＂palaeoseismic controls＂, but by ＂tectonic controls＂ or ＂tectonic uplifts＂.（6） The 10^（th） paper by Jiang et al.proposed that 6 types of SSDS of the Lixian Section in eastern Tibetan Plateau, i.e., in a tectonically and seismically active area, were originated by earthquakes. However, the evidence of seismic origin is not sufficient. Therefore, the origins of SSDS in the Lixian Section are worthy to be further discussed.（7） The＂injectites＂ and ＂extrudites＂ in a Late Pliocene basin on the Boso Peninsula, Japan, from the 24^（th） paper by Ito et al., are non-SSDS and their origin is unreliable.The above viewpoints may be inappropriate. Criticisms and corrections are welcome.This paper is not only the author＇s brief review on 7 papers selected from the special issue of the Sedimentary Geology 344（2016）, but also an invitation to geologists worldwide to write papers for a new special issue of ＂The origins of SSDS＂ of the Journal of Palaeogeography which is planned to be published in 2018.

A palaeoearthquake event and its age revealed by the travertine layer along the Litang fault in the southeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau

The Litang fault(LTF),located in the southeast of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau,is known for its high level of present-day seismicity,whereas its Pleistocene activity has been scarcely documented.This study focused on a tract of banded travertine deposits precipitated from thermal waters along the NW–SE-trending LTF trace.The role of travertine deposits in recording neotectonic activity has been studied by identifying their internal structure.Typical soft-sediment deformation structures observed within the banded travertines include micro folds,liquefied breccia,and liquefied diapirs.These deformed structures,which are restricted to a single unit separated unconformably by undeformed layers,can be traced for tens of meters,indicating that they were formed by seismic shaking triggered by LTF activity.The deformation of the banded travertine layers is attributed to the combined effects of seismic shaking,liquefaction,and fluidization,and it can be related to a paleo earthquake event with a magnitude of MS>5.The U-series ages obtained from the banded travertine deposits perturbed by the earthquakes are in the range of 130.59–112.94 ka,indicating an important fault-assisted neotectonic activity that occurred during the Middle–Late Pleistocene.Analysis of such structures,in combination with the use of U-series dating methods,can yield a reliable timing of neotectonic activity and provide new evidence for under-standing the seismotectonic setting of the Litang area.

Advances and Overview of the Study on Paleo-earthquake Events: A Review of Seismites

The distribution and formation mechanisms of typical identified seismites are analyzed based on various factors from plate tectonic positions, types of sedimentary basins and properties of seismogenic faults to focal mechanisms.Especially, structural styles, reserved positions, activity times, formation mechanisms and dynamics of soft-sediment deformation structures triggered by seismic activity are systematically analyzed.According to the genetic types of seismites, we propose 5 categories, including liquefied deformation, thixotropic deformation, hydroplastic deformation, superimposed gravity driving deformation and brittle deformation.Further, based on the main genetic types, composition of sediments and deformation styles, we draw up 35 secondary classifications.To determine paleo-seismic sequences in different times, activities of seismogenic faults, high-resolution tectonic events in one main tectonic movement and paleo-tectonic settings, and to understand the inducing mechanisms of paleo-earthquakes and ecologic environment evolution, researching on seismites are of great significance.Combing multiple approaches to identify the paleoearthquake records, simulating experiments on various soft-sediment deformation structures triggered by different magnitudes of shocking, dating precisely on paleo-seismic events, impacting on paleogeography and biological environment and on energy and resources domain are the frontiers of paleoseismic research.

150 Years(1872-2022)of research on deep-water processes,deposits,settings,triggers,and deformation:A difficult domain of progress,dichotomy,diversion,omission,and groupthink

In capturing a snapshot of 150 years(1872-2022)of research on deep-water processes,deposits,settings,triggers,and deformation,the following 22 topics are selected:(1)H.M.S.Challenger expedition(1872-1876):The discovering of the“Challenger Deep”by the H.M.S.Challenger in the Mariana Trench has been the single most important achievement in deep-water research.(2)Five pioneers amid 50 notable contributors:R.A.Bagnold,J.E.Sanders,G.D.Klein,F.P.Shepard,and C.D.Hollister.(3)Mass transport:Mass-transport deposits(MTD)are the most important deep-water facies in terms of volume,geohazards,and petroleum reservoirs.(4)Gravity flows:There are six basic types,namely(a)hyperpycnal flows,(b)turbidity currents,(c)debris flows,(d)liquefied/fluidized flows,(e)grain flows,and(f)thermohaline contour currents.Sandy debrites are the most important petroleum reservoir facies.Despite their popularity,turbidites are not an important reservoir facies.(5)Kelvin-Helmholtz(KH)waves:Turbidites,related to KH waves,with internal hiatus are not qualified to function as predictive facies models;nor are they fit for stratigraphic correlations.(6)High-density turbidity currents(HDTC):Misclassification of density-stratified gravity flows with laminar debris flows and turbulent turbidity currents as HDTC is flawed.Experimental generation of density-stratified gravity flows in flume studies has debunked the concept of HDTC.(7)Classification of turbidites:Contrary to the popular groupthink,turbidites are exclusive deposits of turbidity currents.(8)Bottom currents:The four basic types of deep-marine bottom currents are:(a)thermohaline-induced geotropic contour currents,(b)wind-driven bottom currents,(c)tide-driven bottom currents(mostly in submarine canyons),and(d)internal wave/tide-driven baroclinic currents.(9)Classification of contourites:Contrary to the popular groupthink,contourites are the exclusive deposits of thermohaline-induced geotropic contour currents.(10)Tidal currents in submarine canyons:Their velocity measurements have been the single most important achievement in deep-water process sedimentology.(11)Modern and ancient systems:There is a dichotomy between rare observations of turbidity currents in modern settings and overwhelming cases of interpretations of ancient turbidites in outcrops and cores.The reason is that turbidity currents are truly rare in nature,but the omnipotent presence of turbidites in the ancient rock record is the manifestation of groupthink induced by the turbidite facies model(i.e.,the Bouma Sequence).(12)Internal waves and tides:Despite their ubiquitous documentation in modern oceans,their ancient counterparts in outcrops are extremely rare.This is another dichotomy.(13)Hybrid flows:They are commonly developed by intersecting of down-slope gravity flows with along-slope contour currents.However,they are often misapplied to down-slope flow transformation of gravity flows.(14)Density(sediment)plumes:Deflected sediment plumes by wind forcing are common.Despite their importance in provenance studies,they are not adequately studied.(15)Hyperpycnal flows:They occur near the shoreline,next to the plunge point;but are of no relevance in deep-water environments.However,their importance in deep-marine settings is overhyped in recent literature.(16)Omission of erosional contact and internal hiatus:In order to promote genetic facies models that must not contain internal hiatuses,some researchers selectively omit internal hiatuses observed by the original authors.(17)Triggers of sediment failures:There are 22 types,but short-term triggers,such as earthquakes and meteorite impacts are more important than the conventional long-term trigger known as Eustasy.(18)Tsunami waves:Despite their sedimentologic importance,there are no reliable criteria for recognizing tsunami deposits in the ancient rock record.(19)Soft-Sediment Deformation Structures(SSDS):Although most SSDS are routinely interpreted as seismites,not all SSDS are caused by earthquakes.There are 10 other mechanisms,such as sediment loading,which can trigger liquefaction that can develop SSDS.(20)The Jackfork Group,Pennsylvanian,Ouachita Mountains,USA:Our reinterpretation of this classic North American flysch turbidites as MTD and bottomcurrent reworked sands has resulted in the longest academic debate with 42 printed pages in the AAPG Bulletin history since its founding in 1917.(21)Basin-floor fan model,Tertiary,North Sea:Our examination of nearly 12,000 ft(3658 m)of conventional core from Paleogene and Cretaceous deep-water sandstone reservoirs cored in 50 wells in 10 different areas or fields in the North Sea and Norwegian Sea reveals that these reservoirs are predominantly composed of MTDs,mainly sandy slumps and sandy debrites,and bottom-current reworked sands.Our core-seismic calibration debunked the conventional wisdom(groupthink)that basin-floor fans are composed of sandy turbidites in a sequence-stratigraphic framework.(22)Turbidite groupthink:A case study in illustrating how turbidite groupthink functions,without sound scientific methods,on the basis of published information on modern turbidity currents in Bute Inlet(fjord and estuary),British Columbia,Canada.This compendium is hybrid in composition between an atlas(with 108 figures)and a review article(with 348 references).The author admonishes scientists against deep-sea groupthink and provides a roadmap for future researchers by identifying potential topics for research involving density plumes,internal waves,tidal currents,tsunami waves,sediment deformation,and lowstand braid deltas.

Deformed stromatolites in marbles of the Mesoproterozoic Wumishan Formation as evidence for synsedimentary seismic activity

The Mesoproterozoic Wumishan Formation consists mainly of dolomites that represent diagenetically transformed limestones deposited in a shallow peritidal environment.Although the environment was tectonically stable,the study area in the Changping District(north of the Beijing area) was affected by synsedimentary earthquakes.Later,the dolomites in the study area were intruded by a granite.This resulted in contact metamorphism of the dolomites,changing them in a halo around the intrusion into marble.This marble,which is exposed near Taoyukou Village,shows some levels with well-developed stromatolites.The stromatolites contain structures that point at deformation when the stromatolites had not yet been lithified,and thus represent soft-sediment deformation structures.The stromatolites apparently built up during a time-span when repeated deformational processes affected the still unlithified sediment,from the sedimentary surface down to maximally a few decimeters.The deformed stromatolites thus represent seismites,which feature is exceptionally rarely recognizable in marble.

Restrictions to the application of 'diagnostic'criteria for recognizing ancient seismites

Soft-sediment deformation structures induced by seismic liquefaction and/or fluidization receive much attention in sedimentological,structural and palaeoseismic studies.The direct record of larger earthquakes is restricted to instrumental and historical data; the recognition of prehistoric earthquakes requires criteria to recognize seismites in the geological record.The areal distribution of seismites can sometimes be related to active faults since distances to the epicenter(for a given magnitude) tend to be related to the liquefaction effects of seismic shocks.The use of soft-sediment deformation structures for palaeoseismic studies has limitations,however.Hardly anything is known,for instance,about the effects that modern seismic events have on the sediments in most environments.Moreover,criteria for the recognition of seismites are still under discussion.The following characteristics seem,particularly in combination,the most reliable:(1) Soft-sediment deformation structures should occur in laterally continuous,preferably recurring horizons,separated by undeformed beds;(2) These deformation structures should be comparable with structures known to have been triggered by modern seismic activity;(3) The sedimentary basin should have experienced tectonic activity at the time when the deformations were formed; and(4) The intensity or abundance of the soft-sediment deformation structures in a presumed seismite should change laterally,depending on the distance to the epicenter.It turns out that all of these four criteria have important exceptions.(1) Soft-sediment deformation structures occurring over large lateral distances in a specific layer can be triggered also by other processes.Moreover,in environments with a low sedimentation rate,the time between successive earthquakes is often too short to allow accumulation of beds that remain undisturbed.Furthermore,total liquefaction of a sandy bed may result in the absence of deformation features.(2) No truly diagnostic soft-sediment deformation structures exist to prove seismic activity.Moreover,the final configuration of a soft-sediment deformation structure is independent of the type of trigger.(3) Seismites occur frequently in areas where seismic activity is low today.(4) The lateral changes in the intensity of soft-sediment deformation structures in seismites as a factor presumed to depend on the distances to the epicenter,pose a complicated problem.The 2012 Emilia earthquakes,for instance,affected sandy fluvial channels but not the fine-grained floodplains.It must thus be deduced that specific soft-sediment deformation structures cannot be used without additional evidence to identify seismites.In particular,the magnitude of seismic shocks and the recurrence time of main events(the most important features that allow recognition of seismites) seem to be sedimentological in nature:facies changes in space and time seem theparameters that most strongly control the occurrence,morphology,lateral extent and the vertical repetition of seismites.

The seismite problem

During a period of 82 years （1931-2013）, 39 genetic terms were introduced for various deposits. Of the 39 terms, only ten are meaningful in understandin8 the true depositional origin （e.9., turbidites）, the remaining 29 are just jargons （e.g., seismites, tsunamites, etc.）. The genetic term ＂seismites＂, introduced by Seitacher （1969） for recognizing pa[aeoearthquakes in the sedimentary record, is a misnomer. The term was introduced in haste, based on an examination of a single exposure of the Miocene Monterey Formation （10 m） in California, without a rigorous scientific analysis. The fundamental problem is that earthquake is a triggering mechanism, not a depositional process. Type of triggers cannot be recognized in the ancient sedimentary record because evidence for triggers is not preserved by nature. Soft-sediment deformation structures （SSDS）, commonly used as the criteria for interpreting seismites, are a product of liquefaction. However, liquefaction can be induced by any one of 21 triggers, which include earthquakes, meteorite impacts, tsunamis, sediment loading, among others. Brecciated ciasts, typically associated with earthquake-induced deposits in the Dead Sea Basin, are also common depositional products of debris flows （i.e., synsedimentary product unrelated to earthquakes）. Also, various types of SSDS, such as duplex-like structures and ctastic injections, can be explained by synsedimentary processes unrelated to earthquakes. Case studies of sandstone petroleum res- ervoirs worldwide, which include Gulf of Mexico, North Sea, Norwegian Sea, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Bay of Bengal, reveal that there is compelling empirical evidence for sediment loading being the primary cause of SSDS. The Krishna-Godavari Basin, located on the eastern continental margin of India, is ideal for sediment failures by multiple triggering mechanisms where overpressure and liquefaction have ted to multi-origin SSDS. Because tsunamis and meteorite impacts are important phenomena in developing extensive deposits, lateral extent of SSDS cannot be used as a unique distinguishing attribute of earthquakes. For these reasons, the genetic term ＂seismites＂, which has no redeemable scientific value, is obsolete.