Abrasional rock platforms adjacent to slumps for assessing Holocene movement

What is it about?

Rock platforms around the coasts of volcanic islands, as elsewhere, were last eroded by abrasion by surf during the late Holocene time of steady sea level near present day levels. Thus, any relief of faults crossing these platforms should indicate where those faults have been active in the Holocene. In this example from the Azores, we found no evidence of Holocene movement.

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Photo by Johny Goerend on Unsplash

Photo by Johny Goerend on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Assessing movements is commonly carried out from the accessible parts of volcanoes above sea level, but this can be difficult if there is extensive subaerial (fluvial) erosion and vegetation. This method is therefore useful for providing an independent assessment, which may be useful for landslide hazard assessment.