Geometry of Recent Rupture Zone at Сape Rytyi Based on Ground Penetrating Radar (Northwestern Coast of Lake Baikal)

Abstract

In here, we present the results of the GPR study of the modern rupture zone discovered earlier in the periphery of the Rita River delta flowing into Lake Baikal. The research was aimed at subsurface imaging of dislocation geometry using the Logis-Geotech OKO-2 radar equipped with the ABDL Triton antenna. As a result, the characterizations have been obtained for six 73 to 197 m long profiles across the rupture zone. All disturbances visible on the aerial photography materials are highlighted on the radargrams by the oblique reflection event due to a decrease in the signal amplitude. The rupture zone has two large segments – northeastern and submeridional, – which differ in zone width, number of discontinuities, dip angles, and displacement amounts. The deformation features can be attributed to different amounts of a plastic loamy aggregate of coarse deposits in different parts of the Rita River delta that is indirectly confirmed by weaker signal amplitudes on the northeastern segment. Based on present and previous studies, we proposed that the M=5.2 earthquake occurred on August 13, 1962, in Lake Baikal initiated the gravitational sinking in the Rita river delta edge by subsidence along gently sloped rupture surfaces on one segment and along steeply sloped ones on the other. It is necessary to identify and monitor such phenomena to prevent the development of emergencies associated with the collapse of the coasts of large water reservoirs.