Charleston seismic zone
| Charleston seismic zone | |
|---|---|
| Middleton Place/Summerville Seismic Zone | |
| Etymology | The city of Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston seismic zone Location of the Charleston seismic zone |
| Named by | Arthur Tarr |
| Year defined | 1981 |
| Coordinates | 33°02′16″N 80°10′18″W / 33.0379°N 80.1717°W |
| Country | United States |
| Region | South Carolina coastal plain |
| State | South Carolina |
| Cities | Charleston, South Carolina |
| Characteristics | |
| Top depth | 8,000 metres (26,247 ft) |
| Part of | South Georgia rift |
| Length | 20 km (12.4 miles) |
| Width | 10 km (6.2 miles) |
| Tectonics | |
| Plate | North American plate |
| Status | Active |
| Earthquakes | 1886 Charleston earthquake (6.7-7.8 magnitude) |
| Age | Jurassic |
The Charleston seismic zone, also known as the Middleton Place/Summerville seismic zone, is a major seismic zone located near the town of Summerville, South Carolina. It is a result of basement faults from the ancient South Georgia rift, which was active during the break up of Pangea (~201 Ma). The Charleston seismic zone has the potential for large and catastrophic earthquakes. On August 31, 1886, a fault under the town of Summerville, South Carolina ruptured and produced an earthquake that had an estimated magnitude of between 6.8 and 7.8 on the Richter Scale. This was one of the largest earthquakes ever recorded in the eastern United States.