NUREG/CR-0050, Research Info Ltr 60:transmits NUREG/CR-0050, Seismicity & Tectonic Relationships of Nemaha Uplift in Ok FY77. W/O Encl

Research Info Ltr 60:transmits NUREG/CR-0050, Seismicity & Tectonic Relationships of Nemaha Uplift in Ok FY77. W/O Encl

ML20009B421
Person / Time
Issue date:	10/12/1979
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
References
RIL-060, RIL-60, NUDOCS 8107150413
Download: ML20009B421 (9)

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MEMORANDUM FOR: Harold R. Denton, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

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Robert B. Min.ogue, Director Office of Standards Development FROM:

.Saul Levine, Director Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research

SUBJECT:

RESEARCH INFORMATION LETTER NO.

60 SdISMICITY AND TECTONIC RELATIONSHIPS OF THE NEMAHA UPLIFT IN OKLAH0MA

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 -

Seismic 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/CR-0050 entitled " Seismicity and Tectonic Relation-ships of the Nemaha Uplift in Oklahoma FY 77."

The research effort to produce this report was conducted by the Oklahoma Geological Survey. This research is a cooperative geologic, seismic and geophysical effort of the State Geological Surveys of Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota to study the earth science parameters of the Nemaha Uplift and the-Midcontinent Gravity Anomaly.

The Femaha Uplift and Midcontinent Gravity Anomaly are buried geologic struc-tures along which there has been a history of earthquake activity. Hence, a knowledge of the Nemaha Uplift and Midcontinent Gravity Anomaly is of vital importance in the siting and licensing of nuclear power plants.

SUMMARY

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Geologic and seismologic investigations of the Nemaha Uplift began on October 1, 1976. The geological studies have focused, thus far, on the construction of a series of structure-contour maps on key stratigraphic horizons -- the top of the Ordovician Viola Formation, the base of the Pennsylvanian, and the top of the g7g413791012 0107150413 PDR

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.MiddleiPennsylvanian OswegoLFormation. _ The' contour-mapping phase of the program

'.is approximately two-thirds completed..The initial-mapping program reveals a

. complex fault pattern and geologic histcry of the Nemaha ridge.

It appears-

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that the uplift and associated-faults began in Early Pennsylvanian time and that tectonic ' activity ceased.in Middle Pennsylvanian time, at least in central 6

-Oklahoma'.

A discussion' cf basement rocks in central Oklahoma is included within this report.

The most systematic basement-rock study that includes the Nemaha ridge area was

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Denison (1966), who classified the central Oklahoma basement rocks into.

m. sowing four units:

(1) Washington County Volcanic Group; (2) Spavinaw Gr6af te Group;.(3) Osage County Microgranite; and (4) Central Oklahoma Granite

-Group. The isotopic ages range from 1,150 to.1,270 million years, and these ages, when considered with analytical variations, indicate a main period of thermal activity within 1,200 million years ago.

The seismological studie:; have concentrated on the installation of eight seis-mometers in such a way as to include detailed coverage of the Nemaha ridge.in Oklahoma as well as most of the remaini.ng area of Oklahoma.

Geological Investigations Oklahoma can be subdivided into several major geologic and tectonic provinces (Fig.1). One of these structural featu'res, the Nemaha ridge, is a long north-south uplift that extende northward from central Oklahoma through Kansas and into Nebraska. The Oklahoma portion,of the ridge is 10 to 20 miles wide and nearly 150 miles long. A number of earthquakes have occurred along or west of the Nemaha ridge, with those at El Reno, Oklahoma, being most intanse.

'The Nemaha ridge consists of a number of small crustal blocks that were raised sharply along the axis of the uplift. These uplifted crustal blocks are' typically 3 to 5 miles wide and 5 to 20 miles long and are bounded by faults on the east and/or west sides. These blocks were uplifted and eroded during Late Mississippian (3M million years ago f) and Early Pennsylvanian (290 million years ago 1) time and subsequently they were covered by later Pennsylvanian and Permian sediments.. At least some of the deep-seated faults near the axis of the Nemaha ridge were reactivated during Middle Pennsylvanian time.

Structure-Contour Program E

A comprehensive geological investigation began concurrently with the installa-k tion of a regional network of seismographs. To better understand the geologic Fr and tectonic history of the Hemaha ridge, a series of structure-contour maps-on key stratigraphic horizons is being constructed, m

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-Three'horizo'ns were selected for structure-contour mapping -- the top of the Middle Pennsylvanian Oswego Formation, the base of the Pennsylvanian,' and l

. the top of the Ordovician Viola Formation. These units were selected because they_ have been penetrated by a large number of boreholes and because

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1; of their easy identification on electric logs.

. Seismological Studies An eight seismometer seismic net wa= ins':lled in such a way as to include.

j detailed coverage'.of the entire Ne'

a ridge in Oklahoma, as well

as most of

-the remaining area of Oklahoma (hg. 2).

This network of seismograph stations would allow thetfollowing~ capabilities:- (a) marginal detection of all m 1

1.7 earthquakes; (b) reliable detection of all. m 2.0 earthquakes; (c)3HZ-l

marginal location of all m 1.8 earthquakes, aMZ(d) reliable detection of all m3Hz 2.1 earthquakes. 3Hz It was anticipated that the maximum detection capability of the network woulo h

overlap into Kansas, and provide, with the Kansas and Nebraska networks, E

continuous coverras of the Nemaha ridge area.

CRITERIA FOR STUDY AREA SELECTION AND OBJECTIVES-0F STUDY I

The miccontinen', area of the United States has a number of population centers 1

that have undergone rapid grewth since the second World War. This increased

. growth, in conjunction with the increase in fossil fuel costs, has stimulated

' electrical' generation companies to consider nuclear power plants as a means e

i to' provide additional energy. There are, at the present tine, two operating and four proposed nuclear power plants in Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma. At _.

least three more.are being considered for this same area. All of the existing and. proposed plants are located within or adjacent to an area which has been o-designated as seismic risi: zone 2, an_ area having had earthquakes with resulting i

' moderate. damage and corresponding to seismicity up to MM VII.

.NRC-hrs' rigorous guidelines which must be adhered to before a permit to construct a nuclear power plant is granted to an applicast.

Local, as well as regional seismicity and structural. relationships play.an ii.tegral role in the-final design criteria for nuclear power glants. This'requiret that a value for the 1

-maximum expectable seismic event be assigned.at a proposed site. The - existing historical record of seicmicity is! inadequate in a number of areas of the Mid-continent region because 'of the lack of instrumentation and/or the sensitivity

of the. instruments deployed to raonitor earthquakes events. This inadequacy 1

has made it necessary to rely on the delineation of major tectonic provinces

-3 that are based on broad regional geologic ~ structures and associated seismicity.

F The delineation of tectonic provinces which accurately reflect the potential magnitudet of seismic events is an.important cost and risk factor in assigning.

appropriate design criteria for nuclear power plants.

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l Harold R. Denton Robert B. Minogue Many earthquakes have occurred along the Nemana Uplift, and they have, in the past, been ascribed to crustal. adjustment associated with that structure.

More recently, geologists have theorized that they are related to Precambrian basement configuration, structure and lithology, and are genetically related to the Arbuckle, Nemaha, and Keweenawan Mafic Belt structures stretching from Southern Oklahoma to the Northern Peninsula of Michigan. Little is known about the relationships of these structures, and this project will be a part of a larger study effort to investigate their possible interaction.

The objectives of the project are:

(1) to delineate the Nemaha Uplift and its associated structures; (2) to investigate the relationships between the NemaM Uplift and the Keweenawan Mafic Belt; and (3) to assign realistic values for maximum scismic magnitude in the region.

In order to carry out the above ob-jectives, the Geological Surveys of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska have estab-lished scismic networks in Oklahoma, central and eastern Kansas, and eastern Nebraska. Seismic data from the networks are collected and forwarded to the Oklahoma Geological Survey. Seismograms in existence prior to the NRC contract with the Oklahoma Survej, but unpublished, are being gathered and compiled.

Gravity and aeromagnetic studies are being performed, and detailed field studies undertaken where necessary.

Final results will be presented in the form of a series of maps and tables at a scale of (1:1,000,000) accompanied by explanatory text. These will outline the relative seismicity in the study area and attempt to correlate it with tectonic features known from surficial and subsurface geo-logical and geophysical evidence.

This investigation will be closely related to an NRC-sponsored study conducted by the Geological Surveys of Michigan and Minnesota and the University of Minnesota and Michigan Technological University.

PLANNING g

Initially, a five year program was planned. Project work is separated into the three phases listed below. This report presents results of work completed in Phase I.

Purchase and installation of equipment to establish the seismic Phase I network.

Recruitment and training of volunteer operators.

Compilation and synthesization of existing geologic and geophysical data.

Analysis of the seismograms.

Prepare an interim report for fiscal year ending October 1977.

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~ Phase'II. - Insta!!ation of a microcarthquake network.

- Operation and monitoring of the seismic network.

- Analysis of the seismograms.

Prepare an interim report for fiscal year ending October 1979.

Phase:!II - Gravity profiles.,

Operation and ' monitoring of the seismic network.

Analysis of the seismograms.

Field studies of knowr or inferred fault areas.

Final compilation and report after fiscal year ending October 1981.

NUREG/CR-0050 covers all of Phase I.

BACKGROUND Refer to RIL No. 49, "A Tectonic Overview of the Midcontinent." The background information in RIL 48 applies eaually to this RIL.

It covers t

ACRS recommendations, relevance of 10 CFR Part 100 Appendix A to the study, previous NRC effort and organization of the current programs.

RESULTS NUREG/CR-9050 describes data that were gathered during the time period covered by the NUREG and presents some preliminary results.

f The geologic and seismic data base available in this timo period is insufficient to evaluate the area except on a preliminary basis. A seismotectonic model 'for.the Nemaha Uplift in Oklahoma must be based on cencepts developed from results of the studies and inust consider vertical and lateral variations in composition and physical properties of this

. tectonic feature.

Study results are being used by RondoLt 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 Oklahoma Nemaha Seismotectonic Study are considered by the NRR staff in making licensing decisions.

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G Harold R. Denton Robert B. Minogue. - RECOMf1EttDATIONS It'is recommended that the information contained in NUREG/CR-0050 be considered 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 he continued in this area to attain the objectives previously stated, with redirectio r and modification of projects as deemed necessary by ongoing work.

Tcchnical questions concerning NUREG/CR-0050 results may be directed to Neil B.

Steuer at 427-4376.

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Saul Levine, Director Office of Nuclear Rcgulatory Research

Enclosures:

1.

NUREG/CR-0050 2.

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Harold R. Denton Robert 8. Minogue REC 0f9tENDATI0fts It is reconenended that the information contained in fAIREG/CR-0050 be by the Office of Standards Development and the Office of Huclear 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 a+,tain the objectives pc.viously stated, with redirection and modification of projects as deemed necessary by ongoing work.

Technical questions concerning NUREG/CR-0050 results may be directed to Neil B.

Steuer at 427-4370.

Originalsr nad By S;GI Levino,..

Saul Levine, Director Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research Enclosures :

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HUREG/CR-0050 2.

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