Utility of aeromagnetic studies for mapping of potentially active faults in two forearc basins : Puget Sound, Washington, and Cook Inlet, Alaska

• Published in: Earth, planets and space Vol. 57; no. 8; pp. 781 - 793
• Main Authors: SALTUS, R. W, BLAKELY, R. J, HAEUSSLER, P. J, WELLS, R. E
• Format: Conference Proceeding Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Terra 01-01-2005
• Subjects: Cosmochemistry. Extraterrestrial geology; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; Alaska; Cook Inlet; Puget Sound; United States; Washington; folds; susceptibility; seismic hazards; surveys; resources; North America; stratigraphy; Earth; active faults; Aeromagnetic; Mapping manifolds; tectonics; magnetic anomalies; energy; high resolution
• ISSN: 1343-8832; 1880-5981; 1880-5981
• DOI: 10.1186/BF03351857

High-resolution aeromagnetic surveys over forearc basins can detect faults and folds in weakly magnetized sediments, thus providing geologic constraints on tectonic evolution and improved understanding of seismic hazards in convergent-margin settings. Puget Sound, Washington, and Cook Inlet, Alaska, provide two case histories. In each lowland region, shallow-source magnetic anomalies are related to active folds and/or faults. Mapping these structures is critical for understanding seismic hazards that face the urban regions of Seattle, Washington, and Anchorage, Alaska. Similarities in aeromagnetic anomaly patterns and magnetic stratigraphy between the two regions suggest that we can expect the aeromagnetic method to yield useful structural information that may contribute to earth-hazard and energy resource investigations in other forearc basins.