Intervals between predecessors to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami inferred from optical dating of late Holocene sand sheets in Thailand  


Authors / CoAuthors

Prendergast, A.L. | Cupper, M.L. | Jankaew, K. | Sawai, Y.

Abstract

Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of sand sheets provides a chronology of the largest tsunamis in western Thailand over the late Holocene. Four sand sheets deposited by pre-2004 tsunamis were dated by luminescence to 380 ± 50, 990 ± 130, 1410 ± 190 and 2100 ± 260 years ago (at 1-sigma precision). These compare with previous radiocarbon ages of detrital bark high in buried soils (Jankaew et al., 2008), which suggest that the most recent large-scale predecessor to the 2004 tsunami occurred soon after 550-700 cal BP, and that at least three such tsunamis occurred over the past 3000 years. Concordant OSL ages from successive beach ridges (1600 ± 210 to 2560 ± 350 years ago) and tidal flat deposits (2890 ± 390 years ago) provides a set of limiting maximum ages for sand sheet deposition which, when combined with the sand sheet ages, provide a robust average for tsunami recurrence. The ages imply that between 350 to 700 years separates successive tsunamis on the Andaman coast of Thailand with an average tsunami recurrence interval of 550 years. These results show OSL can provide independent estimates of tsunami recurrence for hazard analysis, particularly in areas where suitable material for radiocarbon dating is unavailable.

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nonGeographicDataset

eCat Id

69313

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MNHD  

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Commonwealth of Australia (Geoscience Australia)  
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Keywords

  • External PublicationScientific Journal Paper
( Theme )
  • tsunamis
( Theme )
  • dating
( Theme )
  • sedimentology
( Theme )
  • geohazards
( Theme )
  • geology
( Theme )
  • marine
Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)
  • Earth Sciences
  • Published_Internal

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2010-01-01T00:00:00

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