Holocene seismic activity in south-eastern Switzerland: Evidence from the sedimentary record of Lake Silvaplana

High-Alpine regions are prone to a large variety of geohazards, among which earthquakes have the strongest impact on landscape and local population. Historic records indicate a moderate to high seismic activity in the northern, south-western and central parts of Switzerland. In contrast, south-eastern Switzerland has less historic earthquake chronicles due to the low population density, resulting in a poorly constrained seismic event catalogue. The aim of this study is to evaluate the palaeoseismic activity for south-eastern Switzerland by using the sedimentary record of Lake Silvaplana in the Engadine Valley. A dense grid of high-resolution two-dimensional seismic profiles, high-resolution bathymetry and a 10 m long sediment core from the deepest basin were used to investigate the stratigraphy of the lake sediments. The bathymetry reveals a flat basin, flanked by steep slopes to the north-west and south-east. The acoustic basement consists of four ridges, and gently-dipping fans to the south-west and north-east. Expressions of slope failure can be identified in all domains of the lake floor and the subsurface data. Multiple coevally-triggered chaotic mass-flow deposits, overlain by megaturbidites with a coarse-sand base, have been detected along ten horizons in the seismic data. The four most recent of these deposits are cored and radiocarbon dated to approximately 230, 310, 960 and 1330 cal yr bp, indicating four over-regional seismic events that triggered large slope failures in Lake Silvaplana in the last 1400 years. Correlation with sediments of Lake Sils, Lake Como, Lake Iseo and Lake Ledro indicate within radiocarbon uncertainties a large earthquake around 1330 cal yr bp. Within their age ranges, the postulated earthquake at 310 cal yr bp (1640 ce) further correlates with a moment magnitude Mw ca 5.4 event in Ftan in 1622 ce, and the 960 cal yr bp (990 ce) earthquake correlates with a Mw ca 5.2 earthquake in Brescia in 1065 ce. Six mass-movement deposits, also suggested to be caused by earthquakes, were not reached by the sediment core and have suggested ages between 7800 and 11 300 cal yr bp. Thus, Lake Silvaplana sediments provide the first reliable record of seismic activity for the mid and Late Holocene in this region, likely related to the neotectonic activity of the Engadine Line, a major fault zone running along the main valley.

Automated summary

This study aims to evaluate the paleoseismic activity in southeastern Switzerland by analyzing the sedimentary record of Lake Silvaplana. The analysis of acoustic exploration data from the lake floor reveals that four large landslide events have occurred in the last 1400 years, which is consistent with sediment records from other lakes. This provides a reliable record of seismic activity during the mid and Late Holocene in the region, likely related to the neotectonic activity of the Engadine Line.