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Database for the Preliminary Map of the Surface Rupture from the August 9, 2020, Mw 5.1 Earthquake Near Sparta, North Carolina-The Little River Fault and Other Possible Coseismic Features

Metadata Updated: December 11, 2025

This publication is a preliminary map and geodatabase of the coseismic surface rupture and other coseismic features generated from the August 9, 2020, Mw 5.1 earthquake near Sparta, North Carolina. Geologic mapping facilitated by analysis of post-earthquake quality level 0 to 1 lidar, document the coseismic surface rupture, named the Little River fault, and other coseismic features. The Little River fault is traced for approximately 4 kilometers and cuts the regional Paleozoic fabric (mean foliation, 063°/57°), and the dominant strike of joint sets are 0°–10°, 130°–150° and 320°–340°. Individual fault strands occur in an en echelon pattern within an approximately 10-meter-wide zone. Trenches across the Little River fault document a thrust fault oriented 110°/45° with at least 10 centimeters (cm) of displacement. The Little River fault is marked by a flexure or scarp with a height of 5-30 cm and a local maximum height of 50 cm. Southwest-side-up displacement is consistent along the fault and indicates thrust kinematics. The strike of the Little River fault changes from 110° to 130° near Duncan Farm where it crosses Chestnut Grove Church Road (NC Rt. 1426). Although the surface expression of the fault terminates and (or) is imperceptible at both ends, deformation is still clear in residual surface maps showing the change between pre- and post-earthquake lidar elevations. Other coseismic features documented are rockfalls, ground cracks, fissures, lateral spreading on a sandbar, and mass-wasting scarps; several possible faults that were identified from lidar analyses strike E-W and oblique to the Little River fault.

Access & Use Information

Public: This dataset is intended for public access and use. License: No license information was provided. If this work was prepared by an officer or employee of the United States government as part of that person's official duties it is considered a U.S. Government Work.

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Dates

Metadata Created Date September 14, 2025
Metadata Updated Date December 11, 2025

Metadata Source

Harvested from DOI USGS DCAT-US

Additional Metadata

Resource Type Dataset
Metadata Created Date September 14, 2025
Metadata Updated Date December 11, 2025
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Maintainer
Identifier http://datainventory.doi.gov/id/dataset/usgs-6273cbacd34e8d45aa6e1d5d
Data Last Modified 2023-10-16T00:00:00Z
Category geospatial
Public Access Level public
Bureau Code 010:12
Metadata Context https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.jsonld
Metadata Catalog ID https://ddi.doi.gov/usgs-data.json
Schema Version https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema
Catalog Describedby https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.json
Harvest Object Id 69e617ca-ad83-4fb0-b543-8e9ab5366fea
Harvest Source Id 2b80d118-ab3a-48ba-bd93-996bbacefac2
Harvest Source Title DOI USGS DCAT-US
Metadata Type geospatial
Source Datajson Identifier True
Source Hash b959474004181dacb7ea08459493d0fdc26a635361216d5818e7cd12d8893255
Source Schema Version 1.1

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