Arshan palaeoseismic feature of the Tunka fault (Baikal rift zone, Russia)

The traditional concept of the rift development of flank depressions in the Baikal rift zone is now doubted in view of some indicators for compression deformations identified by the seismogeological and geodetic methods. Besides, the paleoseismological investigations revealed seismogenic strike-slips and reverse faults in the Tunka fault zone that is a major structure-controlling element of the Tunka rift depression. However, a detailed study of the upslope-facing scarp in the Arshan paleoseismogenic structure zone has shown that its formation might be due to rift mechanism of basin formation. Age estimation has been made for the previously unknown pre-historic earthquake whose epicentral area coincides with the western flank of the Arshan paleoseismogenic structure. Judging from previously determined ages of paleoearthquakes, the mean recurrence period for faulting events on the central Tunka fault is 2780–3440 years.