The 2019 Le Teil surface-rupturing earthquake along the La Rouvière Fault within the Cévennes fault system (France): What does paleoseismology reveal?

The 2019-11-1, Mw4.9 Le Teil earthquake occurred within the NE termination of Cévennes faults system (CFS) in southern France, along La Rouvière fault (LRF), an Oligocene normal which was not known to be potentially active. This shallow moderate magnitude reversefaulting event produced a 5 km-long surface rupture and strong ground shaking. No evidence previous quaternary activity observed morphology, raising question whether had been reactivated for first time since or broken past without being detected morphology. To address this issue, we carried out paleoseismological investigations analyze characterize evidences paleo-ruptures Quaternary deposits. We discovered that at least one prior 2019, between 13.5 3.3 ka central part segment broke possible earlier surfacerupturing northern during 16th century. Further coupling sub-surface geophysical trenching are now segments LRF as well other CFS.