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A New Agent, Pycorelator, Advances the Starring Role of Triggering in Paleoseismology

Knowledge of pre-historic earthquakes relies on observations of the phenomena they trigger, particularly mass transport events (e.g., landslides, sediment flows) and tsunamis observed in characteristic deposits. These fingerprints are preserved within stratigraphic sequences in cores taken at sites across an area likely affected by the posited earthquake, with high correlations between fingerprints assumed to indicate synchronous triggering by the same earthquake. The spatial distribution of correlative pairs is assumed to provide an estimate of the earthquake’s size. Correlations often are assessed subjectively, allowing for input of sedimentologists’ expertise and independent constraints. However, these may be challenging to reproduce, non-unique, and often do not amply consider variations in depositional environments and triggering earthquake source and shaking characteristics. We introduce a new Python tool, pyCoreRelator, designed to systematically and objectively identify all feasible correlations between core pairs, honor age dates or other tie points, account for varying bed thickness, include multiple log and image data types, allow for sedimentologists’ input, and enable evaluation of correlation quality and uniqueness. PyCoreRelator may be applied to many paleoseismic studies involving stratigraphic correlation. Our initial application uses marine sediment cores from Cascadia that were previously interpreted as synchronous, earthquake-triggered turbidite deposits. Initial results highlight the need to consider depositional environment differences, evident as a decrease in correlation quality and significance metrics as the distance between cores increases. Cases in which these metrics degrade when age constraints are included further suggest that depositional environment differences may overwhelm any source-related fingerprints and thus that correlation analyses may not be appropriate. Results also provide guidance for future analyses and data collection, particularly that correlation-based inferences should rely on core pairs from where sediments may pond (e.g., abyssal plains and confined basins).

Session: Action at a Distance: Understanding Seismic Triggering [Poster]

Type: Poster

Room: Exhibit Hall A+B

Date: 4/17/2026

Presentation Time: 08:00 AM (local time)

Presenting Author: Joan Gomberg

Student Presenter: No

Invited Presentation: 

Poster Number: 2

Additional Authors