NUREG-0379, Forwards NUREG-0379,Vol 5, Repts Distributed Under NRC Reactor Safety Research Foreign Technology Exchange Program, and NUREG/CR-0450, New Madrid Seismotectonic Study Activities During FY77 and FY78

Forwards NUREG-0379,Vol 5, Repts Distributed Under NRC Reactor Safety Research Foreign Technology Exchange Program, and NUREG/CR-0450, New Madrid Seismotectonic Study Activities During FY77 and FY78

ML19305E293
Person / Time
Issue date:	10/18/1979
From:	Levine S NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REGULATORY RESEARCH (RES)
To:	Harold Denton, Minogue R Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, NRC OFFICE OF STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT
Shared Package
ML19305E294	List: ML19305E296 ML19305E298 NUREG-0379, Forwards NUREG-0379,Vol 5, Repts Distributed Under NRC Reactor Safety Research Foreign Technology Exchange Program, and NUREG/CR-0450, New Madrid Seismotectonic Study Activities During FY77 and FY78
References
RTR-NUREG-0379, RTR-NUREG-379, RTR-NUREG-CR-0450, RTR-NUREG-CR-450 RIL-062, RIL-62, NUDOCS 8004230300
Download: ML19305E293 (6)

Text

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i pa tto UNITED STATES

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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

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WAMINGTON, D. C. 70555 W 18 S j[

MEMORANDUM FOR: Harold R. Denton, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Robert B. Minogue, Director Office of Standards Development I

FROM:

Saul Levine, Director Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research

SUBJECT:

RESEARCH INFORMATION LETTER NO. 62 NEW MADRID SEISM 0 TECTONIC STUDY

REFERENCES:

1.

Letter W. R. Stratton to Dixie Lee Ray dated May 16, 1973.

Subject:

Report on Seismic Research.

2.

Title 10, Chapter 1 Part 100, CFR Appendix A -

Seisniic and Geologic Siting Criteria for Nuclear Power Plants.

3.

Memo:

N. B. Steuer to R. J. Mattson dated July 15, 1975.

Subject:

U.S. Tectonic Province Map.

INTRODUCTION This memo transmits NUREG's 0379 and CR-0450 titled "New tiadrid Seismotectonic Study Activities During Fiscal Years 1977 and 1978." The research.,gfforts to produce these reports are a cooperative effort conducted by the IllTnois

'~

Geological Survey, the Indiana Geological Survey, the Missouri Geological Survey, the Kentucky Geological Suivey, the Arkansas Geological Survey, Vanderbtit University, the Alabama Geological Survey, Purdue University and Memphis State University. This cooperative geologic, seismic and geophsytcal effort was coordinated by Dr. Thomas Buschbach of St. Louis University.

SUMMARY

The New Madrid Seismotectonic Study is a coordinated program of geological, geophysical, and seismological investigations of the area within a 200 mile radius of New Madrid, Missouri. The study is designed to define the structural setting and tectonic history of the area in order to realistically evaluate earthquake risks in the siting of nuclear facilities. An important goal of the research program is to produce useful seismotectonic and seismic zoning maps for the study area.

Results of aero-Fiscal year 1978 was the second year of a five-year program.

magnetic surveys funded in FY 77 were integrated with previously exicting data in adjacent areas.

Extensive gravity surveys were made in Kentucky and Indiana near the intersection of the 38th Parallel Lineament and the north-The ' tations were gravi-eastern extension of the New Madrid Seismic Zone.

s metrica11y tied to the national network, and preliminary Bouguer gravity 8 0 0 4 e 3 03co

= -.._..--

o l

Harold R. Denton i

Robert B. Minogue,

anomaly maps were constructed. An interesting relative positive anomaly occurs parallel to the Wabash Valley Fault System.

Seismic equipment was prepared for crustal seismic studies, and a seismic refraction line 150 kilometers long was monitored along the Wabash Valley Fault System.

Geologic studies are underway in the Wabash River area, and l

seven stations of the Wabash Valley Seismic Network were installed and are l

[

currently operating.

Subsurface geologic studies during the year have:

1.

located suspected faulting in Tertiary sediments of the Missouri l

l Bootheel; i

2.

found fossils of Middle Cambrian Age in deep sediments of western Kentucky. The rocks are correlated with the Conasuag strata of Eastern United States and represent the oldest sedimentary rocks identified in our area; 3.

indicated that a broad expanse of fine clastic sediments, possibly l

pre-late Cambrian Age, is present innediately below Cretaceous strata in the Pascola Arch area; 4.

suggested that faulting does not occur in a continuous line along the l

base of the Tiptonville scarp, near Reelfoot Lake, Tennessee, as had been indicated by earlier trenching in the area; and 5.

provided data for the preparation of preliminary maps showing rock types and configuration of the Precambrian igneous basement.

BACKGROUND Refer to RIL No. 48, "A Tectonic Overview of the Midcontinent." The background information in RIL 48 applies equally to this RIL.

It covers ACRS recomnenda-j tions, relevance of 10 CFR Part 100 Appendix A to the study, and previous i

NRC effort and organization of the current programs.

Criteria for Study Area Selection Late in 1811 ar.d early in 1812, the New Madrid area was the site of the strongest series of earthquakes ever recorded in the central United States.

The Saint Louis University seismograph network recorded close to 200 seismic events each year for the past two years, indicating that the area continues to be seismically active. Evaluating seismic risk for the surrounding region, especially when consideration is given to the siting of nuclear facilities, requires a better understandi.ng of the structure and tectonics of the area and their relationship to the seismicity than is presently available.

Planning An initial five-year program is planned; general plans for the first four years have been fomulated (Table 1), and a generalized flow chart of l

NUREG/CR-0450 (Table 2) and this memo indicate the pmposed timing of efforts l

t

~.

--n

Harold R. Denton

• Robert 8. Minogue within the broad categories of this study.

Research performed by State Geological Surveys and universities under contracts with the USNRC are fully coordinated in this cooperative study, and reports of research activities by those organizations during FY 77 and FY 78 are included.

In addition, virtually all pertinent geologic research performed in the area by Federal and state agencies, and by the major universities, has been coordinated with the research projects funded through USNRC.

Only the general scope and regional significance of research sponsored by the other agencies are reported in this summary.

New Madrid Research Programs Nine research proposals were supported by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for the cooperative study of geology, geophysics, and seismol-ogy in the New Madrid area.

The project titles of the coordinated research programs, the investigators, and the participating organizations are:

A.

Coordination of a Cooperative Seismotectonic Study of the New Madrid Area; T. C. Buschbach, Illinois State Geological Survey.

An Integrated Geophysical and Geological Study of the Tectonic Frame-B.

work of the 38th Parallel Lineament in the Vicinity of Its Intersection with the Extension of the New Madrid Fault Zone; L. W. Braile and W. J. Hinze, Purdue University; E. G. Lidiak, University of Pittsburgh, G. R. Keller, University of Texas at El Paso.

C.

Near Surface Geology of the Reelfoot Lake District of the New Madrid Earthquake Region; R. G. Stearns, Vanderbilt University.

D.

Structural Geologic Study of Southeastern Missouri; Thomas L. Thompson, Ira Satterfield, and Ronald Ward, Division of Geology and Land Survey, Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

E.

Paleozoic Geology of the New Madrid Area; H. P. Schwalb, Kentucky Geological Survey.

A Study of Indiana Fault locations, Displacements, Attitudes and Ages F.

Within a 200-Mile Radius of New Madrid, Missouri; Dan M. Sullivan and l

l Curtis H. Ault, Indiana Geological Survey.

G.

Structural Framework of the Mississippi Embayment of Southern Illinois; Dennis R. Kolata. Illinois State Geological Survey.

H.

Memphis Area Regional Seismic Network; Laurence Lackey, Memphis State University.

A Seismological StMy of the Northern Extent of the New Madrid Seismic J.

Zone; R. B. Herrmann, St. Louis University.

The Wabash Valley Fault System in Southeastern Illinois; Hubert M. Bristol K.

and Janis D. Treworgy, Illinois State Geological Survey.

Stratigraphy of the Pleistocene Loess Deposits in the New Madrid Region; L.

John C. Frye, Geological Society of America; H. D. Glass and H. B. William.

Illinois State Geological Survey.

i f

I

I i.

Harold R. Denton Robert B. Minogue.

RESULTS NUREG's 0379 and CR-0450 describe data currently being gathered and present some preliminary results of the state of the earth's crust, including geologic history, basement geology, contemporary seismology, and geophysics of the area within a 200 mile radius of itew Madrid, Missouri.

The present geologic and seismic data base is insufficient to evaluate the area fully. A satisfactory seismotectonic model for the New Madrid, region should be based on the concepts developed from results of the studies and must consider the lateral and vertical variations in composition and physical properties, fault zones and intraplate boundaries imposed by past deformational and thermal events.

It is clear from the reports that an understanding of the contemporary tectonism of this area requires definition of the tectonic history and sequence of events which have resulted in the present geologic setting in the interior of the North American Plate.

Study results are being used by Rondout Associates, Inc., in a project funded by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation to produce a seismic zoning map for the Eastern U.S.

Additionally, data gathered by the New Madrid Seismotectonic Study are considered by the NRR staff in making licensing decisicos.

RECOMMENDATIONS It is recomended that the information in NUREG-0379 and CR-0450 be con-sidered by the Office of Standards Development and the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation as input to the development of a tectonic province or seismic zoning map of the eastern U.S. and to provide a basis and guide for ongoing studies in the area.

Additionally, RES recommends that studies be continued in this area to attain the objectives previously stated, with redirection and modification of projects as deemed necessary by ongoing work.

Technical questions concerning NUREG-0379 results may be directed to Neil B. Steuer at 427-4370.,

P M

i aul Levine, Director Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research

Enclosures:

1.

NUREG-0379 2.

NUREG/CR-0450 3.

Table 1 4.

Table 2

k

SUMMARY

OF PROGRAM P!ANNING COOPERATIVE SEISMarIECTONIC STUDY OF NEW MADRID AREA i

T. C. Buschbach, coordinator Year Seismology Geophysics Geology

1. Survey of historical seismicity

1. Survey of gravity and magnetic

1. Survey of subsurface data.

2. Install 8-station broadband coverage in arca.

2. Sample studies of critical deep wells.

seismic array in Wabash Valley.

2. Gravity and magnetic surveys

3. Determine location, depth, and petrol-

3. Install 8-station high f requency in areas lacking coverage.

ogy of igneous rocks in borings.

seismic array in New Madrid

3. Ground-magnetic surveys to

4. Survey of surface mapping.

I seismic zone.

check aeromagnetic anomalies.

5. Field mapping and f ault sttr31es with some trenchinq.

6. Construct work maps on Precambrian top, 1

Ordovician structure, isopachs.

1. Acquire, process, and display data

1. Gravity and magnetic surveys

1. Field mapping and fault studies with l

from New Madrid and Wabash Valley in areas lacking coverage.

some trenching and drilling to show arrays.

2. Detailed gravity and ground-ages and extent of faults.

p

2. Deep structural investigations.

magnetic surveys of critical

2. Geomorphology studies-Iness, gravel.

3. Determine proposed locations for anomalies.

terrace levels to determine recent 1978 boreholes to Precambrian in New

3. Detailed interpretation of warping and faulting.

Madrid vicinity and suggest available magnetic and gravity

3. Basement geology studies, instrumentation that should be data.

4. Dating of igneous socks.

installed in holes.

4. Seismic refraction across 38th

5. Sample and core studies of deep borings.

Parallel Lineament.

6. Sttidies of lineaments in the area.

1. Acquire, process, and display data 1. Complete all gravity and maq-

1. Fielimnping and fault studies with q

from New Madrid and Wabash Valley notic work in area.

Reduce some trer ching and drilling.

arrays.

data, compile regional maps.

2. Geologic interpretations of seismic 4

)

2. Synthesize seismologic data for

2. Deep reflection scismic survey activity and geophysics of New Madrid

)

input into geophysical studies across linear zones of earth-seismic zoce to locate deep reflection I

for selection of traverses for quake activity.

seismic traverse.

deep reflection seismograph

3. Seismic refraction surveys in

3. Geomorphology studies (continued).

survey, areas with faulted Tertiary

4. Complete structure and isopach maps.

sediments.

5. Field checks of significant features

4. Seismic reflection-Wabash Valley established by remote sensing studies.

1. Stannarize and ccumpare seismologic 1.

Integrate geophysical and

1. Prepare regional qcologic maps.

data acquired from New Madrid area geological observations in order soil maps, and structure maps for with data from Wabash Valley Area to prepare finalized version New Madrid Area.

2. Supervise installation of seismo-of tectonic synthenis.

2. Supervise drilling of two or three 4

meter in Precambrian test to be

2. Supervise magnetic suscepti-boreholes into Precambrian rocks'across g

1980 drilled in area of high seismic-bility and heat-flow studies crest of Pascola Arch.

ity.

for boreholes to be drille=1 into Precambrian rocks.

Table 1 - Stammary of Program Planninq

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