Seismic swarms in Tricastin, lower Rhône Valley (France): review of historical and instrumental seismicity and models

Bollinger, Laurent; Dortz, Kristel Le; Duverger, Clara; Vallage, Amaury; Marin, Sylvie; Leroy, Yves M.

doi:10.5802/crgeos.93

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 40 publications

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“…The last important earthquake in the area is the Mw 4.9 Le Teil earthquake (2019, November 11th) that took place about 20 km northward and severely damaged several villages in the vicinity of the rupture area (Ritz et al, 2020;Cornou et al, 2021;Delouis et al, 2021). Before this event, seismic swarms occurred in 1773, 1872-1874, 1934-1936 and 2002-2003 in the Tricastin region (Bollinger et al, 2021). Significant damages were reported in villages during seismic swarms in 1773 and 1872-1874, as documented in the SisFrance database of historical earthquakes (http://www.sisfrance.net, Jomard et al, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimation of the Local Seismic Amplification on an Industrialized Site in the French Rhône Valley

Gelis

Cauchie

Cushing

et al. 2022

Pure Appl. Geophys.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimation of the Local Seismic Amplification on an Industrialized Site in the French Rhône Valley

Gelis

Cauchie

Cushing

et al. 2022

Pure Appl. Geophys.

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Regional physics-based simulation of ground motion within the Rhȏne Valley, France, during the MW 4.9 2019 Le Teil earthquake

Smerzini

Vanini

Paolucci

et al. 2022

Bull Earthquake Eng

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In this paper, a comprehensive validation exercise of 3D physics-based numerical simulations (PBS) of seismic wave propagation is presented for a low-to-moderate seismicity area in the south east of France, within the Rhône River Valley, that hosts several operating nuclear installations. This area was hit on Nov 11, 2019, by an unusually damaging Mw 4.9 earthquake (Le Teil event). The numerical code SPEED ( http://speed.mox.polimi.it/ ), developed at Politecnico di Milano, Italy, was used to validate the simulations against the available recordings. When comparing simulations with records, a good to excellent agreement was found up to 8-10 Hz, showing that, even without a very detailed 3D numerical model of the medium, the PBS may provide realistic broadband predictions of earthquake ground motion. This also demonstrates that PBS, if suitably calibrated and validated, may be either an alternative or a useful complement to empirical ground motion models. Referring to the seismic risk evaluation of strategic and critical structures, infrastructures and industrial plants, such as nuclear power plants, the failure of which during an earthquake may endanger safety of population and cause environmental disasters, the 3D PBS may throw light on region-and site-specific features of ground shaking, especially in near-source conditions, that are typically poorly constrained in empirical models.

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Messinian canyons morphology of the Rhône and Ardèche rivers (south-east France): new insights from seismic profiles

Do Couto,

Cushing,

Mocochain

et al. 2024

BSGF - Earth Sci. Bull.

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12 available two-way time high-resolution seismic reflexion profiles located on the central part of the middle Rhône valley have been interpreted. In addition, one of the profiles was reprocessed to determine the P-wave velocities of the main geological units and to convert this line into a depth cross-section. On all these profiles, the Lower and Upper Cretaceous units are clearly identifiable, as is the Messinian Erosion Surface (MES) carved out during the Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC) by the paleo Rhône and its tributaries, the Ardèche and Cèze paleo-canyons. The Plio-Quaternary fill of these paleo-canyons shows at least 4 main units showing an overall transgression. The combination of geological data from geological maps, geological field surveys and borehole data has made it possible to model the MES in 3D at the scale of the region, and in depth/altitude. This surface is compared to the velocity contrast surface that could be derived from the H/V method, highlighting some differences in interpretation between the two geophysical methods. From a geological point of view, the interpretation of the seismic lines led to propose a reconstruction of the stages in the sub-aquatic filling of the Messinian-Pliocene aggradation of the paleo-river. Several occurrences of Mass Transport Deposits (MTDs) were identified during the fall of the Mediterranean sea level as well as during the rise of sea level. From a geomorphological point of view, this study provides new information on the route and longitudinal profile of paleo-rivers and, in particular, it deepens the profile of the Paleo-Rhône at the latitude of the Tricastin region (up to 700m bsl) and significantly modifies the course of the Ardèche as proposed in previous studies. The Paleo-Ardèche river, known to develop a karstic system during the MSC, is connected to a deep canyon, most likely through a karstic pocket valley as suggested by the very steep longitudinal profile of the MES. Finally, from a structural point of view, interpretation of the seismic lines shows a broad ENE-trending anticlinal structure associated with a normal fault apparently not affecting the Mio-Pliocene fill. In the southern part of the area, near the Uchaux anticline, the imaged structures suggest the presence of a recent (syn to post-Pliocene) fold propagation fault. In addition to all the new information provided by this study on the geology, morphology and methods of excavation and filling of the Messinian paleocanyon, the proposal of a topographic model of the paleo-canyon is crucial for modelling seismic movement in the context of a basin with a complex geometry and, in particular, for the numerical assessment of site effects in a context of low seismicity.

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Seismic swarms in Tricastin, lower Rhône Valley (France): review of historical and instrumental seismicity and models

Cited by 4 publications

References 40 publications

Estimation of the Local Seismic Amplification on an Industrialized Site in the French Rhône Valley

Estimation of the Local Seismic Amplification on an Industrialized Site in the French Rhône Valley

Regional physics-based simulation of ground motion within the Rhȏne Valley, France, during the MW 4.9 2019 Le Teil earthquake

Messinian canyons morphology of the Rhône and Ardèche rivers (south-east France): new insights from seismic profiles

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