USGS CMG 08008 Metadata

The objective of this coring cruise is to determine the age
of several significant slope failures and seismite layers around
Puerto Rico in an effort to constrain the temporal distribution of
large slope failures and earthquakes.  Large landslide and
earthquake events in close proximity to Puerto Rico and the U.S.
Virgin Islands are believed to have triggered numerous tsunami,
which have caused significant damage to coastal communities in the
region.  By better constraining the temporal occurrence of such
large tsunami source mechanisms, we hope to gain a better
understanding of the recurrence interval and size of future
landslides, thereby providing valuable input into tsunami hazard
models for the region.  This project is a collaborative effort
between WHOI and the USGS Woods Hole Science Center.  In order to do
this, we aim to collect 30-40 cores from offshore Puerto Rico (Mona
Canyon, north slope and Puerto Rico trench, and the Virgin Island
and Whiting Basins) that intersect landslide or seismite deposits so
as to be able to date the penultimate and potentially older
landslide and/or earthquake events.

Samples and Chemical Analysis;sediment stratigraphy;radiocarbon ages

During the 9 days at sea, 40 gravity cores were attempted in
basins to the northwest of Puerto Rico, south of US Virgin Islands,
within the Puerto Rico trench, and the south and north slopes
offshore Puerto Rico. Over 24 m of core was recovered from 21
successful deployments, in addition to numerous smaller samples
recovered from the corer when only partial sediment penetration
occurred.

Navigation technique: DGPS.

9 days at sea.
40 stations occupied.
The objective of this coring cruise is to determine the age
of several significant slope failures and seismite layers around
Puerto Rico in an effort to constrain the temporal distribution of
large slope failures and earthquakes.  Large landslide and
earthquake events in close proximity to Puerto Rico and the U.S.
Virgin Islands are believed to have triggered numerous tsunami,
which have caused significant damage to coastal communities in the
region.  By better constraining the temporal occurrence of such
large tsunami source mechanisms, we hope to gain a better
understanding of the recurrence interval and size of future
landslides, thereby providing valuable input into tsunami hazard
models for the region.  This project is a collaborative effort
between WHOI and the USGS Woods Hole Science Center.  In order to do
this, we aim to collect 30-40 cores from offshore Puerto Rico (Mona
Canyon, north slope and Puerto Rico trench, and the Virgin Island
and Whiting Basins) that intersect landslide or seismite deposits so
as to be able to date the penultimate and potentially older
landslide and/or earthquake events.

USGS

Chaytor, Jason, and ten Brink, Uri, 2008, Gravity Coring Offshore Puerto Rico
and the U.S. Virgin Islands to Investigate the Timing of Submarine Landslides
and Large Earthquakes, USGS Sound Waves, July 2008, available on line at:
http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/2008/07/fieldwork3.html