The seismic origin of turbidites is verified either by correlating such layers to historic
earthquakes, or by demonstrating their synchronous deposition in widely spaced, isolated
depocenters. A historic correlation could thus constrain the seismic intensity required for
triggering turbidites. However, historic calibration is not applicable to prehistoric turbidites. In
addition, the synchronous deposition of turbidites is difficult to test if only one deep core is
drilled in a depocenter. Here, we propose a new approach that involves analyzing the …

Seismogenic turbidites are widely used for geohazard assessment. The use of turbidites as
an earthquake indicator requires a clear demonstration that an earthquake, rather than non-
seismic factors, is the most plausible trigger. The seismic origin is normally verified either by
correlating the turbidites to historic earthquakes, or by demonstrating synchronous
deposition over large areas of a basin. Correlating historic earthquakes could potentially
constrain the seismic intensities necessary for triggering turbidites, however this method is …