New insights into Alaska plate tectionics and the 1961 Alaska earthquake
John Reeder
Geologist
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
CSL 422 – 1 pm
Abstract
Alaska plate tectonics and the great 1964 Alaska earthquake have not been well understood due to an active WSW subducting Yakutat plate not being acknowledged to exist in Alaska. It is positioned throughout southcentral Alaska, being beneath the North American plate and above the NNW subducting Pacific plate. The eastern part of the great 1964 Alaska earthquake occurred as sudden NNW subduction movements of the Pacific plate beneath sudden WSW subduction movements of the Yakutat plate. This talk defines a new tectonic model for Alaska as well as redefines the mechanics of the 1964 Alaska “megathrust” earthquake. Evidence is also presented for past 1964 Alaska earthquakes as well as for past “megathrust” earthquakes between the Yakutat and North American plates.
