An extreme wave event in eastern Yucatán, Mexico: Evidence of a paleotsunami event during the Mayan times

Lario, Javier; Spencer, Chris; Bardaj�, Teresa; Marchante, Angel; Gardu�o-Monroy, Victor Hugo; Macias, Jorge; Ortega, Sergio

Abstract

The Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico, has typically been considered a tectonically stable region without significant seismic activity, in contrast, the region is one that is regularly affected by hurricanes. A detailed survey of ca. 100 km of the eastern Yucatan and Cozumel coast identified the presence of ridges containing boulders measuring >1 m, with up to three ridges at some locations. The ridges reach five metres in height and their origin is associated with Extreme Wave Event (EWE) activity. Previously modelled tsunami waves from known seismically active zones in the region (Muertos Thrust Belt and South Caribbean Deformed Belt) are not of sufficient at the Yucatan peninsula to have produced the boulder ridges recorded in this study. The occurrence of hurricanes in this region is more common, but two of the most destructive (Hurricane Gilbert 1988 and Hurricane Wilma 2005) produced coastal waves too small to have created the ridges recorded here. In this paper a new tsunami model has been generated that indicates a tsunami event may have caused the EWE that resulted in the deposition of the boulders ridges.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Conference Name: 8th International INQUA Meeting on Paleoseismology, Active Tectonics and Archeoseismology
• Start Date: Nov 13, 2017
• End Date: Nov 16, 2017
• Acceptance Date: Aug 1, 2017
• Publication Date: Nov 13, 2017
• Deposit Date: Dec 4, 2017
• Journal: GNS Science Miscellaneous Series 110
• Print ISSN: 1177-2441
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Pages: 220-222
• Keywords: extreme wave event, tsunami, boulders, archeoseismology, paleoseismology
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/878552
• Publisher URL: http://www.earthquakegeology.com/materials/field_trip_guides/2017_Blenheim_handbook.pdf
• Additional Information: Title of Conference or Conference Proceedings : 8th International INQUA Meeting on Paleoseismology, Active Tectonics and Archeoseismology
• Contract Date: Dec 4, 2017