An evaluation of thermoluminescence dating of paleoearthquakes on the American Fork segment, Wasatch fault zone, Utah

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The accuracy of the thermoluminescence (TL) method for dating Holocene paleoearthquakes was tested on fine‐grained sediments from three trenches excavated across the American Fork segment of the Wasatch fault zone, Utah. Sediments exposed in the trenches targeted for TL dating include A horizons of buried soils, loessial silts, and sag pond muds. This study indicates that these sediments were fully light‐bleached prior to deposition and are suitable for TL dating. Equivalent dose estimates by the regeneration, total‐ and partial‐bleach methods are in general agreement, and mean TL age estimates are concordant with radiocarbon ages. Combined radiocarbon and TL age estimates indicate three major episodes of faulting at 5.3±0.3, 2.6±0.3 and 0.5±0.2 kyr ago.