Paleoliquefaction features along the Atlantic seaboard

The spacial distribution of seismically-induced liquefaction features discovered along the Atlantic seaboard suggests that during the last 2000 to 5000 years large earthquakes within the region have been restricted exclusively to South Carolina. Paleoliquefaction evidence for six large prehistoric earthquakes was discovered there. At least five of these past events originated in the established Charleston source area -- the locale of a magnitude 7+ event in 1886. Within the past two millennia large events may have occurred in coastal South Carolina about every 500 to 600 years. Despite a systematic search, no similar evidence of large prehistoric earthquakes originating outside of South Carolina was found. 99 refs., 76 figs., 4 tabs